Hello fellow wikians
Today I'd like to talk about one of my favorite subjects...Çlub Penguin'.
So what's wrong with it? Basically almost everything.
I started writing this blog post like 2-3 weeks ago. While I was writing, I thought that the CP Team didn't care that much of us and they didn't try their best. Although that actually seems like it, it's actually wrong in another way. The truth is that it seems like most people look on the negative side of CP.
Many of you may agree that 2014 was CP's worst year in entire history, but most of you seem to judge it by their PARTIES. 2014 had quite big highlights such as:
- 2 new mobile apps (Sled Racer and Puffle Wild)
- First CP animated film to last 30 minutes
- Make the Club Penguin App available on iPhones, iPods, and Android devices
- WAAYY TOOO many puffles
- Creating more mysteries (Sasquatch, Megalodon, CP's future)
- Developing the parties' quality
- Launch the game in another language (Russian)
- Improving The Spoiler Alert
As I previously mentioned, many people seem to judge CP's progress by their parties. I agree, the parties in 2014 lacked a lot of things. They lacked content, replay value, and most importantly, rooms.
Why did the parties fail? Because CP wanted to start focusing on other things. Practically, if CP simply focused in their parties, it'd be boring. Don't you want CP to expand their game to a higher level other games haven't reached before? How many games have you seem to bring over 4 mobile apps available, a 30 minute TV Show, and change a lot by itself?
And that's not over yet. I am certain CP is still working on mobile as well. Making more levels for Puffle Wild, working on the new Puffle Creatures for Puffle Wild, bringing the rest of the minigames and rooms onto the CP App, and perhaps even work on new apps. I am also sure CP is planning to release another animated film, work on CPNext, #projectsupersecret and even bring back the EPF and ninjas alive.
Now let's look at the negative side of 2014. In 2014, we had:
- MANY Bugs
- Parties lacking a lot of content, replay value, and rooms
- More CPPSes opening
- More hacking incidents
- Takeovers/sponsored parties (of course)
- CP repeating the same style for many parties (Daily calendar thingy, click on something, collect item and log out, or easy challenges)
The truth is that 2014 was perhaps CP's toughest year yet, and as for CP's worst year, I am still uncertain of which is because the truth is that we can't compare 2015 with 2005. CP keeps progressing each time. CP is growing. It's like comparing a 5 year old kid with a 15 year old teenager. It's not the same. There is no worst or best. That lies upon the readers' minds.
Now, I've actually still noticed many things CP is doing wrong. Apparently, CP is planning to bring back The Spoiler Alert, which it's seriously a big issue which might affect almost the entire CP community, and the team itself.
Who remembers Polo Field tweeting back in March about many people bringing back The Spoiler Alert. I was strongly angry at that moment, and how biased the community seemed. I admit that I also seemed biased, but most of the community seemed to cheer for something dead without giving valid reasons on why they're supporting that idea.
Worst of all, I've quite seen few people disrespecting other people's ideas. I recall back then when Riyita(Blogger; owner of Club Penguin Space) tweeted saying that he didn't want The Spoiler Alert back, of how it'd destroy fan-blogging, and suddenly somebody told him to shut up and I think that user even sweared at him (I don't clearly remember).
At that moment I started pointing out valid points of The Spoiler Alert, and the possible consequences it might cause. I even made a comparison between The Spoiler Alert and #WaddleOn.
Possible Consequences[]
- Since CP would focus their time on The Spoiler Alert, they wouldn't have much time to focus on other stuff which frankly, are more important than that such as parties, mobile, CPNext, #projectsupersecret, etc.
- It would destroy fan-blogging. With the team telling what will occur in the next few days, will make blogs seem useless. Players usually read blogs to read the latest news of CP. With The Spoiler Alert, they'd be useless.
- It'd remove that feeling of "surprise" to the viewers of The Spoiler Alert, since they know what'd occur already.
Comparing WaddleOn with The Spoiler Alert[]
- WaddleOn was actually entertaining and funny. The Spoiler Alert was kinda too. However, in The Spoiler Alert, they used only 1 sketch of #WaddleOn and it's not that funny. Instead, it's more of entertaining and interesting for several players to know what will occur in the next few days as well other things such as "X-treme Reading", but then again, it's useless (see Possible Consequences)
- WaddleOn took less time to work than The Spoiler Alert. In WaddleOn, it was usually to say something on CP and some special effects while in The Spoiler Alert, it's more than that.
- Sometimes in WaddleOn, the team invited players to take part of the next episode of WaddleOn while in The Spoiler Alert, they already involve the players by Field Friday/Spike Saturday/CP Parties and Meetups. (perhaps the only good point of TSA in my opinion)
Because of about 3/4 of the community supporting the idea, I guarantee CP will bring back The Spoiler Alert very soon, or at least something similar. Worst of all, I had to waste my time typing defending my argument with valid points and even bring up to topic, other topics such as CPPSes to get blocked by Polo Field (In my point of view, some members of the CP Team want to hear positive thoughts and not both - positive and negative)
Something else the team seem to do wrong is mobile. Sure, expanding the game isn't a problem. What I meant is the fact CP tries to bring entirely the current party on mobile as well. Because of that, CP should do double work and bring the party on mobile AND on the web which in fact, it's quite exhausting. The solution to this might be to only bring the main part of the party on the mobile app and held the rest of the party on the web. It seems like CP succeed doing this with the Halloween Party 2014 and Puffle Party 2015.
Sure, 2014 was quite disappointing in several aspects. Does anybody remember this post about the Music Jam 2014 posted on June 12, 2014? (http://www.clubpenguin.com/blog/2014/06/july-2014-party-announcement)
This was the image shown on the blog post:
Now tell me, did that big stage appear somewhere in the island during the Music Jam 2014. The Main Stage had one, but it doesn't seem nothing as the image shown above.
Also, does anybody remember Megg's blog post about the Coins For Change 2014 results? (http://www.clubpenguin.com/blog/2015/01/coins-for-change-2014-results)
It later turned out to be FAKE, as confirmed by many emails by the Support Team.
CP confirmed that there will be another takeover based off Frozen for the 2nd time. I seriously hate the idea of how CP keeps having these takeovers/sponsored parties. Why?
Takeovers bring a major inequality between players; specially since they're making a party based off a product. I'll be honest, I actually enjoyed several takeovers such as the Marvel Super Hero Takeover, but not everybody enjoyed it (ask Saraapril). I also hated the idea of having several takeovers (such as the idea of having a takeover based off a 10-minute film).
Somewhere at the start of the blog post, I mentioned that I had an argument with several players on Twitter. It almost gave me an headache because on Polo Field's tweet, many players started asking for a Big Hero 6 Takeover, Inside Out Takeover, Gravity Falls Takeover, another Teen Beach Movie: Summer Jam, etc. It seems like half the community keep supporting the idea of takeovers/sponsored parties it also seems like they're suggesting new ideas for takeovers/sponsored parties.
Everybody have likes and dislikes, and we all can agree with it. I like the Marvel Comics, but I never liked Star Wars Rebels. Most of you might say "Dude, just don't login during the party" but the party will be recorded. In the yearbook, in the CP Times, in the Internet. CP is like an incomplete book where the CP Team writes each chapter (month) of the game. Would you read that book if in a chapter it suddenly involves a random penguin inviting several unknown creatures to the island and decorate each room instantly, considering the fact these creatures are based off animals and it's unknown whether they're animals or puppets and how confusing and creepy it'd be? Sure, it's my point of view, and I may be overreacting, but think of it in that way. Would you read a book where it lacks plot? Where they mention things you don't want to see?.
So now I ask you this. Who is the one to blame? The Club Penguin Team who works hard trying to please every single player, trying new experiences, and "change" several aspects of their game even though they failed miserably with the amount of horrible parties we've been receiving lately (*cough* SoundStudio Party *cough*), or the players for being so picky, milking Club Penguin and Disney with money by paying Membership and merchandise, giving ideas to CP, with each player having different perspectives and opinions and it only gets accepted if it has enough popular demand, for "MAKE A BIG HERO 6 TAKEOVER!", for "STOP MAKING TAKEOVERS!", for "STOP MAKING THE QUESTS' TASKS DAILY!", for "MAKE THEM DAILY SO THAT WAY, WE SEE SOMETHING NEW EVERYDAY!", for "PLEASE BRING BACK THE HAWAIIAN LEI!", for "PLEASE DON'T BRING BACK RARE ITEMS!", for "BRING BACK THE SPOILER ALERT!", for "DON'T BRING BACK THE SPOILER ALERT! BRING BACK #WaddleOn instead!"
Do you see where we are going to? We are completely different that we do not understand ourselves and people haven't seem to realize that! The truth is that about half of the community wants their wishes granted, and CP is doing their best to do them, while the other half of the community pleads CP to don't do them! Do you know how powerful both of us are? The players for uniting their forces to plead CP to bring their wishes to reality while CP controls us as well, in how they can do whatever they want to do? This actually reflects real life! Do you know how powerful people can be if they unite their forces? (Fun Fact: With CP losing strength, CPPS.me is becoming more powerful that it's more popular than CP thanks to all those players who want a free membership, to have more freedom, to get desired items, or for any other reason)
Instead of creating an unbalance between what takeover or idea CP should do next, think! Think of how it would affect the game, the moderators, other players. Don't think randomly and support your ideas so more people support them. Few people tend to realize that the CP Team wants to pursue new experiences, to expand itself, to make their work perfect, although lacking (CP making perfect decorations in parties lately but how the parties are lacking decorated rooms). Also, some moderators don't realize as well, how we want the game to be. To improve their security, to make pins smaller, to decorate more rooms at parties. Sadly, like I've previously mentioned, we created a big unbalance perhaps the team doesn't know what to do they might have to risk something such as other parties (like how many players were asking for a Music Jam 2014 and a Frozen Party CP perhaps add to sacrifice their work put to the Music Jam 2014 for the Frozen Party which in fact, the Frozen Party had more content). Any small action could create a big effect in the future.
The same thing goes to the CP Team (you mods!) I must say that I completely admire the way of how you tolerate about 500K+ E-mails per day, good and bad comments, and work hard in the game but as well, take your time for each project/work and always revise every work you do! Coincidentally, hacking incidents increased in 2013 after you launched the Club Penguin App (formerly known as My Penguin) when hackers discovered many vulnerabilities in the app and sometimes when you fix a bug, 2 bugs appear on the game. Think sharper for a sharper effect!
At this moment, after all these problems a common person would suggest that the easiest way to solve this would be to explode the world. In my point of view, CP should abolish takeovers/sponsored parties to please every player as possible with better themes for parties and not appealing a small group of fans who love that product. I also feel like CP should take a break in an entire month and fix bugs, glitches, and improve their security for avoid more hacking incidents, as well closing CPPSes and having more time to advance in their projects (CPNext, #projectsupersecret, mobile apps, etc).
Both of us are responsible of this madness. The team and the community. Sadly, I happen to realize that opening our minds may be impossible, because we all think differently, but at least, I hope people take note of this and ponder about it.
So, what about you peeps? What would be the BEST solution for the game? I'd gladly like to read your thoughts and opinions about it in the comments section.
Oh, and before I finish this blog post, I left several polls for you:
Thanks for your attention and once again, I highly hope that you take note of it. Furthermore, I'd strongly appreciate if you create awareness of this blog post such as tweeting it, sharing the blog post to others, perhaps emailing the CP Team with the link redirecting this blog post.
And again, anybody is free to express their thoughts and ideas in the comments section. Just bear in mind that I am currently on Spring Break, I traveled to another part of Mexico and Internet isn't that good here (it's also determined on the place I am) and I also need to do something for school before I return next week, but I will do my best to read the comments sooner or later.
