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A Love Letter To Altador Cup Participants


by indulgences

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In previous years, there were sometimes those selfish players who would actively tell other players not to join their Altador Cup teams. People would be openly neomailing other people, telling them that their previous AC scores were pathetic, and that they weren't welcome. That way, the only people left on those teams would be high achievers and score thousands of points for their teams, hopefully guaranteeing their team a spot in the final rounds.

I was around during this ugliness, so I was rather pleasantly surprised by the Altador Cup Neoboard this year. The players there are courteous (encouraging other players to do their best), helpful (many people posted guides to Yooyuball), and all around hilarious. Kudos to the players this year who are trying their best to make the Altador Cup a fun and positive experience for others!

That said, I was inspired to write an article all about the positive changes that have happened this year! Besides the newfound kindness being spread around, what makes this year's Altador Cup different from previous years? I thought I'd go directly to the Altador Cup Neoboard and ask my fellow players!

The first thing people said was that there was no trash talking this year! Previous years of the AC Neoboard were often rife with insults and even mocking images of other peoples' teams. I think that nowadays, trash talking is considered a form of harassment, which is reportable. Maybe that's why there's no trash talking this year?

The second thing people said was that the puns are better than ever! The threads on the AC Neoboard are liberally sprinkled with hilarious jokes and puns that make me smile, and I love to open the AC Neoboard every morning and read a fresh batch of puns! ROO all make me smile!

People are more invested in customizing their pets, as well! Pets weren't always customizable, and I was around for the dark ages when our pets were static and could not be dressed. Now that customization is a huge hobby for many Neopians, they're dressing their pets to the nines in celebration of the AC! The people on Team Darigan, for instance, are dressing their pets with Darigan backgrounds and frames. The Team Faerie players are making their Faerie pets their active pets so that they show up on the Neoboards. One girl even adopted a Desert Aisha just so she could flaunt her allegiance to Team Lost Desert. The creativity of you Neopians never ceases to impress and amaze me!

And instead of criticizing their fellow players, I'm noticing that people are encouraging every single point made by their teammates! No one is going around attacking newbies for being "n00bs that can't even play." Every single point is cherished, and I'm glad that people are more accepting of newbies that have never played Yooyuball before. This acceptance is quite different from previous years. I'm glad that the contributions of new players are now just as worthy of praise as those of veteran players!

Speaking of generosity, there are also players on Neopets who are helping to spread around some enthusiasm for the AC. One person that I spoke to said that he was making colorful team banners for the people who request them. Another person that I spoke to said that she was making team goal counters that people could update. I thought these projects were timely and cool!

One thing that I noticed on the AC Neoboard this year is the lack of boasting. There were no players posting things like, "Darn, I can only score 12 goals a game," secretly hoping that they come off as being super elite. I, personally, am averaging 3 goals per game, and I'm content with the number. Thank goodness the snobs have disappeared this year!

Another thing that's unique this year is the fact that JumpStart now owns Neopets. This is our first Altador Cup with new ownership, and many players are hoping that JumpStart operates differently from Viacom. For instance, one person proposed that we receive a free item for every 100 Yooyuball wins, which would be quite a break from tradition. Another person proposed that TNT re-release old AC avatars. I have to admit, such changes would be interesting!

And now that Altador Cup wearables are more ubiquitous nowadays (they hail from the older AC's and can be found on Shop Wizard), people are decorating their pets with all kinds of AC paraphernalia! Their pets proudly hold vintage flags and shirts that attest to their owner's veteran status. I think it's awesome to see such pets, especially since those wearables cost a pretty penny nowadays!

And for those board-hoppers like me who like to post on different team threads regardless of our own affiliations, keep the spirit going! Encourage your fellow players, no matter which team they're on. It's always charming to see someone with a Meridell neosignature chatting openly with someone with a Faerieland neosignature on the AC Neoboard.

For all those players who have high hopes for their teams, good luck this year! It's always heartening to see people who genuinely hope that their team will win, even though many teams like Team Faerieland usually have a poor track record. Your dedication to your teams is exemplary, and I wish we could all win at the Altador Cup!

I also have to give props to people who chose their teams based on their own opinions, instead of going along with their Neofriends or guild mates! Most of my Neofriends are on Team Darigan, for instance, but I chose to go my own way and join Team Lost Desert. We respect each other's choices, and I hope we all perform admirably this year!

And finally, to all the players that are new to the Altador Cup, know that every point counts! There's no need to panic because you're scoring 2 goals per game instead of 10. I'm pretty sure that the scoring system honors every single point you make, so enjoy the game!

In conclusion, thank you players, for being your best selves this year! I'm pretty sure that this was the first year ever where trash talking was not the norm. Instead, there was the idea floating around that this year is all about "neighborly competition" and not "cutthroat rivalry." After stalking the AC Neoboard for several days, I was rather relieved and thrilled by the fact that people were being so civil and helpful to each other. What an awesome way to start off the Altador Cup!

Thanks for chatting with me on the AC Neoboard, everyone! Your comments were insightful and interesting. Stay tuned for future articles from yours truly, and have a delightful week!

 
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