The Gift of the Prophecy - Get Rich Later!

by Ice_Phoenix_

This would make a nice companion article to "Planning Ahead" by epk. I swear I wrote this article almost a month ago, I was just too lazy to type it. Oh well, here goes nothing.

Do you remember when Faeries used to cost about 200 NP? When Codestones were 50 NP? When Easter Neggs were 600 NP? "Ah, if only I could go back and get them for those prices today..." you say to yourself. Well, price appreciation CAN be predicted (most of the time), you just have to see the clues.

NeoPets almost always drops hints, however discreet, that certain items will be important, and therefore, valuable. They may be on the front page of the Web site, in the New Features page, or on the front page of the Neopian Times. Or it may be less obvious: in the description of an item, something an important character says, or, like epk said, "something to draw your attention." But, sometimes price-pumpers just fall from the programmer's brain and onto the page. I'm going to share my experiences with you, in hopes that you may learn something.

Magic Items were once just for looking pretty (with the exception of Faeries, who's ability-granting powers were useless at the time), but now they are vitally important (and obscenely expensive) due to the opening of the Battledome. This was almost obvious. The Battledome was impatiently waited for since May of last year, and an announcement was made that you would be able to use magic items in the Battledome to help your pets. Those of us who looked at the New Features page knew that, and the smart ones started hoarding Magic Items.

NeoPets almost always finds a way to balance a problem, right? So, they will always balance the problem of useless items, no? Of course they would. Battle and Defence Items were once useless (and worthless). But of course, the Battledome fixed that, right? Along with the announcement of the Battledome, NeoPets introduce the VirtuPets Space Station, with its own kind of Battle and Defence Equipment. Our attention was drawn to Battle Items in two movements, and people like me stocked them up before their prices soared.

There is also the often-missed "mouse-over" description. A Magic Vial has the description: "The potion in this vial will restore your pet's health." It was useless: Pets didn't lose health (and if they somehow did, you couldn't use the potion anyway). So...where could a pet get hurt? In the Battledome Where you can use Magic Items to help your pet as they fight. Ooh! I get it!

Other subtle clues are things that prominent characters do or say. A few months ago, the Island Mystic was an often-visited guy because he could figure out Cooking-Pot recipes by interpreting Codestones (MUCH more interesting that giving outright strange bits of fortune-cookie wisdom like he does now). So, I decided to buy a set of Codestones to take to him so he could tell me more recipes. I got a full set of ten Codestones and went off to his hut. When I got there, he simply told me the same recipes as before, not even noticing the Codestones I had collected for him. Severely disappointed, I went back to Neopia Central and put them in my Safety Deposit Box. While putting them in one-at-a-time, I noticed their description: "...very useful in the Ancient Training School..." so I decided to buy four more sets of ten, so I could have one set for each of my pets, and one to sell later (it cost 2000 NP to buy the four sets, less than the cost of one today). Several days later, I noticed the Referral Program offering Codestones as prizes. NeoPets wouldn't reward you with something pretty much worthless, right? I noticed the caption there: "...rarer than diamonds..." and that enticed me to go out and buy five more sets of ten. Guess what? Upon the opening of the Ancient Training School, the value of Codestones flew from 50 NP to 1000 NP (during which time I was hacked and robbed of my hundred Codestones. I nearly burst into tears). And naturally, it went even higher, to 4000 NP, upon the opening of the Battledome. Not a bad investment, 50 NP into 1000 NP, and later into 4000 NP. That's an 8000% increase!

There is also the discreet imbalance of value. Knowledge is power, and the only way (so far) for a pet to get smarter is by reading books. So, why were books just being discarded or being left unclaimed at the Money Tree? Because they could be reused by many accounts, and read infinite times. To levy this problem, NeoPets made books go *poof* after being read. This stabilized their value. I didn't smell this coming, but I had bought every book I could get and read them to all of my pets. And since I'm such a packrat, I kept them and sold them later!

Another balancing act involved the Secret Laboratory. Naturally, when the map pieces first came out, they were pretty expensive. But after people realized that the Lab Ray could seriously mess up their pet - permanently - they came down to considerably low prices (1000-1500 NP). To counteract the effects of the ray, Kauvara mixed up a wide variety of morphing potions. In addition, to raise interest in the Secret Lab once again, NeoPets allowed a lucky zap from the Lab Ray to change pets to a lovely Golden color. So, now the Secret Lab Ray produces good effects, and its bad effects can be fixed without too much trouble. I completed the Secret Lab Map during the "down time" and have enjoyed the zaps from the Ray, with only one negative effect (it's okay Vivienne_, we all know you're a girl). Hmm...I should have bought more of those Map Pieces.

And of course, there is the almost undetectable: increased exposure. In December, NeoPets opened the Advent Calendar, where you could go to get a free gift every day in December. I got quite a few Neggs. I didn't smell it coming, but thankfully, someone encouraged me to buy more... I fed the Neggs to my pets, and my Uni, Deleila_ said: "Wow! That is my favourite!" Always a spoiling mommy, I went out and bought every kind of Negg for her. Over the next several days, I made Deleila_ share the Neggs with her sisters, and they all said they loved the Easter Neggs. So I went out and bought them each a set of seven Easter Neggs (about 5000 NP per set), which they weren't allowed to eat until Christmas. Just before Christmas, the Neggery opened. "Sorry girls, these Neggs are too valuable for you to just eat!" So I sold the Neggs and bought Deleila_ a Model Uni (she did tip me off, after all), Juniper_ a Blue Flotsam Toy, Lena_ a Rainbow Aisha Doll, and Vivienne_ a Rainbow Cybunny Plushie.

There is also what I call "revealed use." When Garden Items were first introduced, they were expensive (like all new things). But, then everyone realised that they were useless, the prices dropped dramatically. I personally enjoy gardening, so I bought them during this time. When the idea of NeoHomes was announced, the prices went up a little bit because of Stock Marketers like me. During this time, I bought doubles and triples of items before it was too late. Now that NeoHomes are available, the prices have gone up again. NeoPets announced that you would soon be able to have gardens for your NeoHome, and the price went up, again. But they haven't reached their peak yet. When you will actually be able to implement gardens, that's when I'll be selling them.

Lastly, there is the absolutely random idea that tips off a craze. I don't quite remember when, but NeoPets came out with many of the new paintbrushes within a very short time. Their prices were, as usual, ridiculously high during the first few weeks of their release. However, very unexpectedly, they brought the more unusual of the old ones with them. The prices have lowered a bit due to the release of colored morphing potions, but I doubt they'll ever be like old times again (Striped Paint Brush for 500 NP if you weren't around. Boggles the mind, huh? I should have bought it).

Of course, when you don't smell these things coming, don't despair. The value of Plums and Green Apples took me by complete surprise. Luckily, accelerated prices take a few hours or even days to sink in, so if it hits you too late, hurry off to the friendly Shop Wizard and scrounge out the best prices you can, before they all drown in the sea of accelerated prices.

So what's in store for the future? NeoPets has been hinting at the completion of the Trading Card Game. Gift Items and Island Merchandise seem absurdly useless. Your pet's happiness is important, and the only means of pleasing them are very cheap. PetPets seem to have lost their edge and are turning up in the Igloo Garage Sale. Well, I can't predict the future, but I can sure guess. I'll just lock up my newly bought Trading Cards, Gift Items, Island Souvenirs, Grooming Items, and Toys in the Safety Deposit Box while I try to guess how loud of a cha-CHING they will make when the price bomb drops.