Customization - 4 months later

[Siouxper]

I used to be wayyyy against it, but since the introduction of new items, I really like it. My pet doesn't look as boring now.

[Zombie]

I'm torn. However, like others said, I've definitely warmed up to customization.

At the beginning, I was furious because all of my dream pets - including some that I already owned - were customized hideously. Furthermore, my tyrannian lupe was converted without my permission. He'll be either going up for adoption, or be morphed/repainted.

It really felt like non-paying users were getting the short end of the stick. Sure, you could get well-drawn wearables and backgrounds - but only if you paid up with neocash! Non-paying users just had ugly revamped pets to deal with.

The one thing I did like was the new layout. I loved that from the beginning because I've hated the old one for as long as I've played Neopets.

Now, however, there are some good customization items coming out for non-paying, neopoints-using users. The backgrounds are all very nice.

Also, the concept of customization opens up new possibilities. I just created and painted my new main pet, Valor (you don't want to know how many months I had to stalk that name): a white zafara with the christmas zafara wings. Before, I would've had to paint him christmas and just pretend he didn't have the halo and that he was white all over.

Customization will also hopefully stop the insane pb inflation, because people will be able to make their pets stand out with different combinations of clothing and/or combinations of cheaper pbs. Maybe plain-colored pets will become more appreciated.

Although I mourn the passing of my former "goal" pets (who are now so ugly that I wouldn't take them if you gave them to me for free), some other pets got a nice revamp. Peophins, for example.

I'm not as invested in Neopets as I was a few years back, so after the initial shock, I was able to give up all my plans and make new plans. I suppose I save a bit of time/np, since now there are far fewer species I like, and I don't like the revamps of any of the expensive colors (darigan, grey, pirate, royal...)

However, I really feel for those who were close to their goal...only to find that the color/species looks completely different now and you can't get the old kind unless you adopt.

[Pink]

I'm liking it. At first, I was a little frustrated because items were SO expensive, but the Thrift Shoppe has helped bring a lot of those items down. It's a great idea.

I do understand why they aren't going to be implementing all the old clothing items. That's be a ton of drawing. According to neoitems.com, there are 395 clothing items!!!!! (when you search "clothes" category with no item listed.) Can you imagine the time/blistered fingers it would take to get all those items for every species and every color?

It does seem like they are taking some of the old items wearable (like the faerie wings), but I think it is semi-unreasonable to think they could take all of the old items.

[Mongrel]

It does seem like they are taking some of the old items wearable (like the faerie wings), but I think it is semi-unreasonable to think they could take all of the old items.

That's another point that I agree with, though I think it would've been nice if we'd been warned about that from the beginning and not AFTER customization had gone in.

[May]

I've come to understand the customization and not want to gouge my eyes out looking at Neopets anymore. Just after the customization and redesign of the site, I took a break for two-three months. I've just now come back and I am much more open-minded to the site and new aspects of it. Now, that doesn't mean that I'm going to rush out and get clothing for my pets to wear, but if something happens to fall in my lap, there's a chance I'll use it.

I am really frustrated that the pound isn't up yet. It's been far too long and I have two lab pets just sitting in my account waiting to be adopted. It's annoying.

[varii]

I had to think about this for a while. When they released 2.0 I was really, really, really upset. I thought they had mutilated my tyrannian aisha and I was livid that it wasn't optional. In fact, I really couldn't look at any of my aishas for a while. I guess now they've grown on me and I rather like them. Although sometimes I'll be staring at Ukyo and then it hits me how stubby his tail is..and now long his neck is and how his ruff really isn't attached to his neck at all, and I get angry all over again. But it doesn't last for very long anymore. So it's weird, because I know that I'm not happy with the site, but I've just sorta blindly accepted it and bought into the whole 'customization, what a neat idea!' way of thinking. I think I lost my point there, but whatever.

Another thing that still makes me mad to this day is when I think back on their initial promise of justice for users that were upset about the changes to our pets. Like, looking back now, of course they weren't going to give us optional customization or anything like that. It was just a simple sentence they used so maybe some of the people who were thinking about quiting would sit on their decision for a week waiting to see what would happen in hope that we would cool down and get used to 2.0. Which worked in my case.

I dunno. I guess in summary, the revamp has grown on me, but I wouldn't say that I'm happy with it. I'm still mad because I feel like TNT hasn't handled it as well as they could have. I'm mad because of the pound fiasco. I'm mad that we lost so much pretty art. I can't pick out any areas that I've actually started appreciating more since 2.0. But I'm still playing, with no intention of quitting. So there's that.

And Zombie mentioned that pb prices may hopefully start deflating? Not very likely as people are just stacking them now, so instead of buying one paintbrush, they are buying 2+ for each pet just for clothes. But people are coming up with some really pretty combinations, so maybe it evens out?

[Meer]

Well I'm really starting to like customization. There are so many possibilities now for making your pet stand out and be individual. So much room for creativity.

Although I still prefer to "customize" my pets using art (actually in my case only makeables, because I can't draw). But with customization I can "really" make my pets at least kind of like how I imagine them. Now I can give my aspiring wizard ixi a pointy hat, I'm gonna get a purple boa and all sorts of silly accessories for my eccentric Kacheek with a Cyndi Lauper inspired personality, my fire peophin is gonna have flaming wings, and I'm gonna double paint my hissi and he'll be the coolest looking island hissi ever.

But I will never be happy about all my dream pets that were ruined. I still get upset every time I think about faerie pets, darigan pets, MSPP, Pirate and mutant xweekots. If I had a choice I'd trade in customization for the old art without a second thought.

But since I'm stuck with customization whether I like it or not, I'm trying to focus on the aspects of it I like and enjoy it. Because whining about what I hate about it won't do any good. The whole 'if you can't beat them, join them' concept.

[Zero!]

I quit Neopets and never came back.