| NEOPIA CENTRAL - Touring around Neopia one day, I began to ponder what the Neopoint
looked like. The thought hit me like a ton of bricks: What DOES the Neopoint look
like? We know that Neopia has two currencies (the Dubloon and the Neopoint) and
we know that the Dubloon is a coin that comes in a variety of sizes and can be
combined but how does the Neopoint look physically to us. This is the concept
we will explore here in detail.
The Neopoint. Is it paper? Is it a coin? Is it a virtual currency? When we
go to the store, how do we bring our Neopoints with us? It would be awfully
constricting to bring 30,000 NP with us in the form of coin but I haven't seen
a card that draws it out of our bank accounts because we always have to withdraw
our money to do any sort of purchasing. I think that the Neopoint morphs into
whatever we need, whenever we need it. For example, the Neopoint must turn into
a coin when you play Scorchy Slots because there is a wide occurrence of falling
Neopoints (When it hits you on the head, I wonder if we can sue?). And when
we are in the shops in Neopia Central, we must use virtual credits due to the
fact of large purchasing power. Who would want to lug around a coin purse with
a couple of thousand Neopoints in it? I know I wouldn't.
Now, if the Neopoint is paper, does it come in a variety of sizes? Does it
come in five's, tens and twenties? We are never told this and there are no specifications
as to size of currency. If there were paper currencies, who's picture would
be on it? Would there be one thousand Neopoint bills with Adam's picture on
it? Would Donna be on all the dollar Neopoint coins? Or would there be a variety
of Neopian celebrities on various bills and coins? We could use Malkus Vile
on the penny because we all know how annoying pennies are!
Not only is there a system in place in which we use a currency for purchasing,
but a complexity of ways in which barter and trade happens. We use codestones
to train our pets and they are considered a valuable commodity (especially pre-war).
When using the Trading Post, we may use currency to trade with, but we also
use items of value to get what we want. This is so very unlike modern society.
Something must be noted though. All items that are traded do have a value set
in Neopoints to them so the Neopoint is always linked to any item that is used
in regards to purchasing.
Also, how do we get our money out of our stores? Is there a cash register
in which the NP is stored? Do we have hirelings that sell our items to the various
shoppers of Neopia and put it in a physical machine? And how does the Soup Faerie
know how much money we have in our shop till? This is another subject for another
time.
Another point to consider, is there a system of virtual credits in place in
which to purchase items? Do we use interact cards to purchase items from stores?
How do we purchase stocks from the Neopian Stock Market? Is there an online
transfer of funds from one account to another? Or do Neopians bring their cash
to their stock broker, the ever friendly Nigel, and just give it to him in bags?
When we play the flash games, it must be in the form of a virtual credit because
we get the NP right away. Straight to our greedy little paws. I am so very confused!
Combining all this knowledge, one has to wonder about how our money is managed
in the bank. Is there only one lonely Skeith managing millions of Neopian dollars?
Or does he have an entourage of clerks and managers that help him out with the
tasks at hand. Is there only one branch for the whole of Neopia or is there
a bank branch in each of the regions of Neopia? Imagine how much money the bank
makes when people don't collect their interest. That is real money making potential!
I have so very many questions and so very little time to ponder all the wonderful
and confusing questions of the Neopoint. Such a vast world and so many ways
to purchase items, it is a wonder it is all kept separate and in line. Maybe
in the future, the Neopets Team can help us to answer all these questions and
put the Neopoint to a physical image. I do know that the Money Tree holds bags
of something… I wonder if it is Neopoints?
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