Make NP in a Flash Without Flash by wolfskin_ |  |
NEOPIA CENTRAL - Yes, I'm back again to terrorize you with odd financial guides
and bad puns. Fear it.
If you remember, I wrote an earlier article that involved a Neopoint-making
plan, including specific steps to make (approximately) 100k in two weeks. I
got an amazing amount of feedback, so I decided to make a companion article--how
those poor folks without flash can survive in a competitive capitalistic Neo-world.
It might seem like getting flash installed isn't that big of a deal--you go
to the website and download it--but many people just can't use it. Maybe their
computer is old and won't handle the download; maybe they play on a school computer
where they can't download anything; or maybe they play on the computer of a
parent or somebody else who won't let them download programs. Whatever the reason,
tons of NeoPets players just can't play the flash games--and so think they are
doomed to poverty.
Nothing could be further from the truth! (well, OK, some things could, but
work with me here)
All it takes to be a rich non-flash-toting player is persistence and knowledge
of what to do right. If you're taking the time to read this, you probably have
the first; and by the time you leave, you'll be well on your way to the second.
So, for your enjoyment and information, I sat down and did it again--made and
tested a step-by-step plan for Flashless players! Not only are these tips useful
for those without flash, they also serve as an in-depth guide for flash-enabled
players who are sick of the games, or just need an extra financial edge. Enjoy,
and best of luck to you!
Go to the freebies
As I said in my other article, and as holds true, go to every freebie every
time you can. Spin the Wheel of Mediocrity, Wheel of Excitement, and the fruit
wheel. Go to Tombola. Go to the shrine. Figure out when Snowager sleeps and
give him a visit. The more times you do it, the better your chances of winning
something--anything from a few NP to food to paintbrushes.
Solve a few puzzles
After I collect my freebies, I go to the puzzles section of the games room.
Poogle Solitaire is my first stop. You can get the answers from a number of
sites, and with a little practice you can finish it quickly. 750 points are
yours, plus the possibility of increased speed or intelligence for your pet--and
it only cost you 15 NP. After that, go to the Faerie Crossword, and fill that
in. So, you've been playing games for less than 15 minutes and you already have
1,150 points. Now that you've played those two, surf through the puzzles and
see what else you can play. My favorites are Cellblock, Meristones and Cliffhanger.
You can find Cliffhanger answers on various sites, so if you get stumped you
can try and find the answer. I always play on 'hard' level because that's where
the most Neopoints are.
Head to the shops
Take whatever Neopoints you made playing puzzles, and go shopping. Yes, it's
restock times ladies and gentlemen. (If you're playing in the afternoon or early
evening when a lot of people are on, this might not be very lucrative. Try to
get restocks either in the early morning or late at night, but they're possible
at any time of the day with persistence). Figure out which store works best
for you and your modem; if you have DSL or cable and plenty of NP to invest,
try the magic store. Other good places to try are the chocolate factory, toy
store, and book store. Hang out in them, refreshing a couple times, then wander
and come back to the page in a minute, so you don't get shop banned. If you
don't know exactly what to buy, only get one of an item so you don't lose too
many points if it's a dud. Also, go to the Ice Caves and buy a scratchcard.
These can all be sold at a profit, and you can buy one every six hours. After
you spend all the money on hand and the shops are empty, go and stock your shop,
pricing things competitively using the wizard. With a little luck, you will
have probably made back twice what you spent, give or take. Take a gamble
Stoneman3x has an excellent series of gambling guides that I urge you to check
out for an in-depth study of how to make money by gambling. My first tip to
doing this--never, I repeat, NEVER, carry more than 500 NP in to gamble. Bank
anything extra before you go to the games of luck and chance. Why? Because if
you're anything like me, if you have it on you you'll bet it, no matter how
badly you're losing. So take caution. Anyway, the first thing I do is buy a
lottery ticket. I've never won the lottery, but it's always worth a shot. Then
I try the Buried Treasure game on Krawk Island, and usually lose. This will
leave you with 300 NP to spend on other games. My recommendations are Dice-A-Roo
(once you get to the green die, you start winning food and other items you can
sell for a hefty profit), Blackjack, Gormball, Scorchy Slots, and Kacheek Seek.
All of these games are relatively easy to play, quick, and you can quit at any
time (preferably when you're ahead). The best thing about all the non-flash
games is that you can do anything else on the site, provided you have a second
window open. I always work in two windows, and while I'm playing a game I'll
be chatting, posting in my guild, working on a website, or reading articles
in The Neopian Times or Pink Poogle Toy. This is a definite advantage over flash
games, which take up a lot of your attention.
Card shark attack
Although most of the card games are classified as games of Luck and Chance,
I'm putting them in separately. Why? Because I can. So hah. Honestly, though,
card games require more time and skill than the other games of chance. They
also pay well. My recommendation is to play Pyramids (located under adventure
for some reason) first, then Sakhmet Solitaire and Scarab 21. Steer clear of
Neopoker, which isn't like poker at all, and Tyranu Evavu because it's too hard.
After playing each of the Sakhmet card games a couple times, you will probably
find a personal favorite. Play it more than you play the others. If you have
some time on your hands, I also recommend playing Cheat and GoGoGo. Cheat will
win you a trophy, in addition to battlecards after each round, so it's a good
investment. There's also a trophy for GoGoGo, but I've never actually won a
game so I can't tell you how it pays. Shameful, I know.
Back to the shops
By now some time will have passed, and most of the items in your shop will
be sold. Clean out your shop till; if you have over 5,000 points, deposit however
much is over 5,000 into the bank. (For instance, if you clean out your till
and end up carrying a total of 7,300, deposit 2,300 in the bank). Stock any
items you may have found or won while playing (did I mention that all the non-flash
games up your chances of random events?) and price them competitively. Now,
you have 5,000 NP in your pocket and a choice--try restocks again, or haunt
the auctions. I've never been very successful with auctions (no patience), but
I know some people who could be considered auction phantoms and can make quite
a profit from them. Basically, go to the auctions and find an item being sold
for less than it's worth (preferably an item in the last 30 minutes or less
of its sale) and make a low bid. Continue haunting it, placing bids every so
often, until it is sold to someone. Then sell if in your shop for a profit.
This works best for items like faeries and codestones which tend to be sold
at low prices in auctions. Also, put up cheap items--tombola junk, desert food,
toys--into auctions rather than your shop. You'll make a much bigger profit.
In Closing…
Playing without flash isn't hard, but it is more time consuming than if you
can play flash games. The up side is that it doesn't demand all of your attention--so
use it to your advantage. Take the time to understand the game on your own.
Neopian Millionaires aren't flash game geniuses with fast Internet connections…they're
people who regularly read the Times, guides, and figure out how to make things
work for their advantage. All it takes to be wealthy is persistence.
Figure out what you can play in the shortest amount of time, enjoy the most,
and make the most money from, and play that on a regular basis. Don't get obsessed
with making money and forget your pets, friends, or real life. And above all--have
fun (this IS a game, you know). Until next time, happy playing!
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