NC UCs coming in 2024!

[♥ Harvest Goddess ♥]

You're allowed to trade the tokens - so I think the intention is that the 'pet' is traded via the token rather than the pet itself

Oh see that's pretty cool.

If the tokens are tradeable in that way, that's going to still make people who can't buy NC still able to get UC pets. Hopefully that's what is allowed.

[Parrot]

^For clarification, this was pinned in the discord.

I speak as someone with a lot of UCs, I know there's a lot of stress in this change but honestly this reassures me that there's still a viable method for UC trading for most of us (I'm assume the majority buy NC or at least have boxes from Trudy etc).

I know it's not a perfect solution for side accounts but with the rumours that NeoPass will make it easier to trade NC with your side, I'm really hopeful that there's a good way forward.

[♥ Pam ♥]

I speak as someone with a lot of UCs, I know there's a lot of stress in this change but honestly this reassures me that there's still a viable method for UC trading for most of us (I'm assume the majority buy NC or at least have boxes from Trudy etc).

I know it's not a perfect solution for side accounts but with the rumours that NeoPass will make it easier to trade NC with your side, I'm really hopeful that there's a good way forward.

I AM SO CONFUSED STILL
It's so weird though how you'll basically earn NC for having old UCs, no? It just feels like it'll lead to farming of tokens as previously mentioned and discarding of BN/etc pets..

I don't understand the benefit of messing with pets that are currently UCs. I mean, visually it won't matter, no one can even tell it's a legacy UC, right?


EDIT: If the tokens are species specific but not color exclusive, how will it work with a RG token for example that's not available on release? Can I only acquire a RG token by having a UC RG?
Will I be able to use it on another pet? All of it makes no sense to me.

[Parrot]

I AM SO CONFUSED STILL
It's so weird though how you'll basically earn NC for having old UCs, no? It just feels like it'll lead to farming of tokens as previously mentioned and discarding of BN/etc pets..

I don't understand the benefit of messing with pets that are currently UCs. I mean, visually it won't matter, no one can even tell it's a legacy UC, right?

From reading the pinned posts on the Neocord, they've suggested that it was basically too technically difficult to implement a 'two tier system' of OG and NC UCs on their existing code base. I do believe them but tbh this way will help them ensure that everyone who wants a UC is buying one from the NC mall.

You've hit the nail on the head though lol, I am 100% planning on farming UC tokens. If they really are species locked I have a ton of VBN trading fodder and hope I can turn e.g. a frame-named UC mutant into a nice UC plushie of the same species down the road.

I am wondering if they'll try and combat this by pre-equipping the NC UC token to existing UCs rather than just providing it to the account the UC is on, and that there'll be a charge to un-toggle etc.

Separately, I have a feeling that there could be 2 tiers - the Deluxe Styling Studio Supplies we've already seen will allow you to pick any colour and any species, whereas perhaps there is a "Faerie Styling Studio Supplies" (suggested in the IG giveaway) that restricts you to picking a Faerie skin for your pet only.

It's probably unlikely but might explain some of the differing terms they've used.

[♥ lint ♥]

Similarly though, there was a brief kind of re-interest when the first name "purge" happened and people could register a bunch of rw/rn pets again. I remember the craziness of PC boards where people would queue up names they knew were going to be purged and track them to try and create as soon as they were freed up, tracking "release" strings or whatever they were called down to the minute. Maybe they're trying to gear up to something like that again. Trying to re-entice players who left before due to frustrations not having pets with artwork they like, or not being able to create pets with names they like. First make UCs possible to get, then imply the possibility of getting nice names with another name purge, and maybe there thinking is people will log back in for that chance to finally have Blossom the UC faerie instead of AssBlaster9000 the blue kacheek.That's my guess but it's also massively flawed because I think a way bigger portion of returning users are the ones who are coming back from nostalgia (and not necessarily ones that ragequit over the unattainability of things), so having them nuke exactly that by redoing UCs is just going to alienate the same amount of people it excites, if not more.

I'm excited to have an UC, but I can also see how this sucks and is game breaking for a lot of people. I'm glad I never bothered with on-site trading.

I thought about that too, but RW/RN purging was quite chaotic when it first happened, so I imagine, if they DID go that route, it would be more controlled and therefore much more flawed of a process. I guess I'm the weirdo who likes the AssBlaster9000 names because it's funny to me and reminds me of being a kid making weird ass names or usernames. I saw once a UC Grey Gelert that was named some variation with numbers of Daddy Yankee Fan and I thought that was so cool lol.

Also, for people who "collect" pet species, they won't have the opportunity to have multiple versions of a pet. My sister collects eyries for examples, and has a UC dari one, a converted dari, and was hoping to get a NC/UC dari too. Idk I don't see the benefit as a player to have my pet changed, which, is fine, I mean, Neopets is still a business. I just wish they were more transparent about it up front. I see boards making grandiose statements on why this is a good change and I just don't understand how to view this pragmatically. Also lol @ people on the boards saying this will make pets much more secure from cheaters or the black markets.

[♥ Pam ♥]

From reading the pinned posts on the Neocord, they've suggested that it was basically too technically difficult to implement a 'two tier system' of OG and NC UCs on their existing code base. I do believe them but tbh this way will help them ensure that everyone who wants a UC is buying one from the NC mall.

You've hit the nail on the head though lol, I am 100% planning on farming UC tokens. If they really are species locked I have a ton of VBN trading fodder and hope I can turn e.g. a frame-named UC mutant into a nice UC plushie of the same species down the road.

I am wondering if they'll try and combat this by pre-equipping the NC UC token to existing UCs rather than just providing it to the account the UC is on, and that there'll be a charge to un-toggle etc.

Separately, I have a feeling that there could be 2 tiers - the Deluxe Styling Studio Supplies we've already seen will allow you to pick any colour and any species, whereas perhaps there is a "Faerie Styling Studio Supplies" (suggested in the IG giveaway) that restricts you to picking a Faerie skin for your pet only.

It's probably unlikely but might explain some of the differing terms they've used.

The two tiers seems to be the only way this'll work. And it can't be only species-locked like they specified - it's also probably color. Because otherwise you could possibly take your UC faerie kau, cash in on the token on release day and get a RG NCUC kau. And then it would make no sense to release them by color over time?

Either that or the 'legacy' UC item in no way works like the NCUC item, which I guess could also happen.

[Parrot]

The two tiers seems to be the only way this'll work. And it can't be only species-locked like they specified - it's also probably color. Because otherwise you could possibly take your UC faerie kau, cash in on the token on release day and get a RG NCUC kau. And then it would make no sense to release them by color over time?

Either that or the 'legacy' UC item in no way works like the NCUC item, which I guess could also happen.

I mean, Fallie/Fae/Ivy have said it's not colour specific and that your pet just needs to be the right species, but what they might mean by that is that the ability to apply it depends only on your pet's species and not its colour (negating the need for a PB ). Hence yeah, 2 tiers/prices of item may be the move. I guess it would allow a greater range of customisation for people who want to flit back and forth between different NC pet styles (to use their term) and those who want cheaper, specific ones.

From thinking about everything they've said so far, and going on the design of the Deluxe Styling Studio Supplies item, I am hopeful that this means no gacha, too. Fingers crossed.

[♥ Pam ♥]

I mean, Fallie/Fae/Ivy have said it's not colour specific and that your pet just needs to be the right species, but what they might mean by that is that the ability to apply it depends only on your pet's species and not its colour (negating the need for a PB ). Hence yeah, 2 tiers/prices of item may be the move. I guess it would allow a greater range of customisation for people who want to flit back and forth between different NC pet styles (to use their term) and those who want cheaper, specific ones.

From thinking about everything they've said so far, and going on the design of the Deluxe Styling Studio Supplies item, I am hopeful that this means no gacha, too. Fingers crossed.

Either way their line of thinking is very confusing and hard to explain. It mostly leads to a ton of other questions and there's not FAQ available anywhere, as Buizel pointed out on our Discord.

[Parrot]

Either way their line of thinking is very confusing and hard to explain. It mostly leads to a ton of other questions and there's not FAQ available anywhere, as Buizel pointed out on our Discord.

Completely agree, the rollout of a major feature shouldn't require a community of players consulting the damn oracle to piece together how it's going to work lol.

I think part of the reason that they were cagey about mechanics is that perhaps they have a couple of ideas re subtle differences in implementation, and wanted to gauge community response to the AMA before they commit.

I would've preferred a more decisive this is how it is FAQ post in the News. But that's not very Neopets haha

[Pidgey]

They are giving UC Owners a free item to turn there pet back UC so they don't have to wait for it to roll out....


Now would be the time to buy up those BN UC Royals and just use the token on your other pets x)