| Your questions answered! Read the answers to the most commonly asked Neopets questions this week in the Editorial section. Each week the most popular questions will be answered by one of the creators of Neopets, so keep checking back to stay updated.
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Quote of the Week
"She found last night’s tome exactly where she left it, illuminated by a stream of morning sun coming in the dirty windows of the third floor. She would have plenty of time now to read. Opening it to her book mark, she saw the vivid colour of the drawings of Gelfrid, which hadn’t shown up in the dim candle light. She took the book closer to the window to get a good look at the thousand year old document."
A Map to Success in Writing Your First Story
You have an amazing story bouncing around in your head and it is begging to be told. You sit down, crack your knuckles, and begin typing, only to find yourself struggling a little ways in. Sound familiar? This is a common situation that many aspiring authors find themselves in. Writer’s block is that obnoxious neighbour who we all know that will spot you from across the street and invite themselves over for a “friendly” 3-hour chat. So, what do we do? We avoid them and hide inside our homes, sticking to our comforts instead of venturing out into the interesting world outside.
NO MORE! It is time to open that door, wave the neighbour off with a quick “Nice to see you, but I have things planned that I need to get to. No, I can’t share the details of what I’m about to do. Yes, I did notice the garbage truck came 15 minutes later than usual on Wednesday. I’m heading out now! Tootles!”
My friend, I am about to give you the map to guide your story (or stories)! And it all starts with… well… a map.
What you need to do is take that story that is stuck in your head and build yourself what is called a ‘story map’. This map will steer the course of your story so that if and when you DO start to feel a little stuck, all you need to do is simply refer to your map and away you go!
How do you make a story map? Simple! Take a paper (or two) and create six sections:
Setting:
Main Character:
Problem:
Beginning:
Middle:
End:
The key to your map’s success is to keep it SIMPLE! This is not the time or place to be writing your entire story. This is where you outline the key points you need to include in order for your story to progress. Think of them as jumping on big rocks that lead across a river. You need to jump on each rock in the order that they are laid out. If you try to skip a rock, you will fall into the river and get swept away.
Let’s look at the first section: setting.
All you need to do here is write out where and when your story takes place. Boom! That’s it, leave it alone. |
Cosy Campfire Collection Trophy Guide
If you're looking to earn a prestigious trophy in the Cosy Campfire Collection game, you're in the right place! This guide will walk you through the game mechanics, strategies for improving your score, and tips for unlocking those coveted trophies. Whether you're a casual player or a serious trophy hunter, the steps below will help you maximise your chances of success.
How to Play
Game Overview
In Cosy Campfire Collection, your task is to collect hidden objects from a cosy campsite scene. You start by selecting a difficulty level: Easy, Medium, or Hard. The key difference between these modes is the amount of time given to complete the task, with Hard mode offering the least amount of time and awarding more Neopoints. Your goal is to identify and click on the items listed in the checklist before the timer runs out.
When you begin the game, you'll see a checklist of items you need to find. These items are cleverly hidden within the campfire scene. Hover your mouse over the image (or tap on mobile), and items will highlight with a yellow border when you're over them. Once you click on an item, it will disappear from the scene and be marked off your checklist with a green check mark.
The game's challenge lies in how fast you can collect the items, especially when aiming for trophies. Your final time determines your trophy rank, which can only be achieved in Hard mode. Let’s dive into the key tips for securing that shiny trophy.
Step-by-Step Strategy for Earning a Trophy
1. Start on Hard Mode
To earn a trophy, you must play on Hard mode, which is the most difficult but also the only mode where your performance counts toward a trophy. The game awards trophies based on how quickly you can collect all items on the checklist, with different thresholds for gold, silver, and bronze:
Gold Trophy: Complete the game in 1-9 seconds.
Silver Trophy: Complete the game in 10-13 seconds.
Bronze Trophy: Complete the game in 14-18 seconds. |
| How 'Bout Them Apples? A Guide to Apples in Neopia
*deep exhales* Ahh! I love this time of year. Brisk weather, crisp air, and leaves in every imaginable hue! My favourite part of fall? Well, my name wouldn’t be Bart Biggsby if I didn’t say, “A-P-P-L-E-S!”
As autumn arrives, so does the ripening of my favourite fruit. When it comes to apples, the fun never ends. During ‘Apple Season’, I like to pick golden, delicious apples straight from the tree, bake mouthwatering apple pies while visiting my Nana, and sip on steaming apple cider while sitting around the fire at the Wanderer’s Camp. And, of course, I cannot forget the exhilarating joy of apple bobbing!
Fortunately, Neopia offers a delightful assortment of apple-themed treasures to help you celebrate ‘Harvest Season’ in style. In between shifts at my Apple Bobbing Stall and volunteering at the NeoHospital (Side Note: Has anyone else noticed the recent epidemic in Blurred Vision cases?), I've put together a guide to make the most of this scrumptious season.
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Other Stories |
"The Parting" by precious_katuch14 ”There you are.”
The cloaked Blue Gelert sauntered toward the very end of the Merry Munchin’ Marbluk, a tavern in the Haunted Woods, to meet the Skunk Zafara who sat sullenly with a tankard in a corner table. She glanced up, staring at the Gelert hard with deep blue eyes as she tugged at her black and white mane that had been pulled back into a messy ponytail.
“And here you are, Kanrik,” the Zafara said tartly as he pulled out the chair directly in front of her and slid – rather, she thought it more appropriate to say he oozed into the chair. “Let me guess. Now that you’re the leader of the Thieves’ Guild, you want me back?”
Kanrik frowned and glanced away, reaching up to touch the scar on his face. “Good guess.” He took a deep breath and folded his gloved hands on his knee. “Look, I can’t undo a lot of things Galem Darkhand did. But I made sure he’ll never do any of that, to anyone else, ever again, Beatrix.”
After raising her eyebrows, Beatrix shook her head. “And you even got to save an entire race of Bori from extinction. Word is, you’ve also been hanging around that Hannah more often.” She curled her lips into a sardonic grin. “A happy ending, by all accounts, for Kanrik the master thief. He becomes a hero, gains control of the Thieves’ Guild, and Hannah – “
He waved a hand and cut her off. Beatrix merely took a swig of her drink.
“Beatrix Halliday. On behalf of the Thieves’ Guild…I apologise for what happened to your brother and sister. On that day, Galem broke the most important law of the Guild.”
“Yet no one dared to unseat him, after he made a mockery of our Code of Thievery. After he let Segwin and Myrtle...” Her face twisted into a dark frown... |
"The Costume Party" by endisnigh Harrison looked at himself in his bedroom mirror. He had been invited to a costume party for Halloween, and he wanted to ensure he stood out. There was going to be a contest for the best costume, and he wanted to win that big Neopoint prize. Reflecting back at him, the mirror showed a Green Yurble. Not just a plain Yurble, but one adorned with golden horns and claws that carried a large plushie that looked like a big bag of Neopoints. Harrison flexed his arms and puffed out his chest. “Perfect! Just like the Tax Beast!”
Harrison grabbed his handheld device to send his best friend Amelia a Neomail. ”Ames! About to head out to the party. Did you decide on a costume yet?? I can’t wait to see it, and wait til you get a look at mine!”
The Yurble sat on his bed for a moment as he waited for his friend to respond. His device buzzed and he picked it up to check his Neomail. “Yes!! I’m very pleased with how my costume turned out. I’m about to leave too, see you soon!”
He took that as his cue and rushed out the door to head to the party. He didn’t want to be late, after all. His costume must have looked realistic, because as he walked to the party, he noticed young Neopians gasp and point at him as they passed. Terrified looks grew on their faces until he left their sight. This gave Harrison some confidence and pride at the work he put into his costume.
The party had already started, as Harrison heard the music blaring and Neopians chatting and having fun as he approached the house. “Time for my entrance!” he said as he walked up the steps and turned the doorknob to the front door.
The costumed Tax Beast was greeted by a Shoyru dressed as a devil with a foam pitchfork in one hand. “Welcome, Mr. Tax Beast... |
"Come In" by tamia_silverwing ”So how’s everything looking out there? Over.”
The words transmitted by the device were crackly and overly harsh, a crude approximation of a voice that Kiyoshi knew well enough to find this new version particularly jarring. The Blue Shoyru took a moment to consider his immediate surroundings. It was a cool, quiet autumn evening in this part of Neopia Central, and now that the shops were closed the streets were all but deserted, which was how Kiyoshi preferred them. It was hard to ignore the obvious reason for the diminished nightlife scene, however, and even Kiyoshi was beginning to get bored of Neopia Central’s new look. He gazed up at the Fresh Foods store, reflecting on how he used to hate the tacky hamburger building; but somehow, it looked so much more pitiable in black and white.
He raised the clunky, brick-like communication device to his face and pressed the button to talk. “I gotta be honest, Tyra,” he said. “It looks kinda bad. Over.”
When Tyra’s next message came through, Kiyoshi caught the tail end of a laugh. “Yeah, I figured it would probably be the same as Kiko Lake. Grey and more grey. Guess there’s not much more to say about it. Over.”
Kiyoshi wandered away from Neopian Fresh Foods, finding the stillness a little eerie as it settled over the greyed-out city. “You did say it wasn’t contagious, though, right?” he asked, checking the soles of his shoes for any new signs of discolouration. “I know I’m not exactly known for my vibrant aesthetic, but I still don’t think I’m ready to commit to a paint brush colour that gives you the seasonal blues. Over.”
“I said no one knows whether it’s contagious yet,” crackled the response... |
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Great stories!
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The Costume Party Harrison looked at himself in his bedroom mirror. He had been invited to a costume party for Halloween, and he wanted to ensure he stood out. There was going to be a contest for the best costume, and he wanted to win that big Neopoint prize.
by endisnigh |
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Colton and the Hidden Korbat The Korbat soars through the night, the stars illuminating his wings. His stunning sunset pattern aligns with the sky, almost seamlessly. You wouldn’t be able to notice him, for it not be his pristine golden tail.
by anililbit |
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