Tips and Tricks

FIND FOUR: Tech70’s Journey; #CPReunion After-Party; Strategies; and More

/ Tech70 / 2 Comments

Believe me, you do NOT want to miss a sentence in this entire post, even though it’s pretty long. This is probably the most thorough Find Four post in the entire Club Penguin blogging community.

You’ll read about my personal story of my time with Find Four, the Find Four craze after the #CPReunion, strategies I have picked up over time (and because classic Club Penguin’s closing soon, this is a good time to reveal them, I suppose) and the importance that this seemingly little game offers.

TECH70’S FIND FOUR JOURNEY

It started in 2010, when I first joined Club Penguin. I fell in love with this game of strategy the first time I had ever played it in my entire life. From here on out, I would constantly play Find Four and improve myself each time. I would say that for my almost 7 years of playing Find Four, I won most of the time, but I have lost a few times because of silly mistakes of not seeing the obvious or competing against other great Find Four experts!

Three or four years ago, I had been playing Find Four with some players I had met for a couple of hours without taking any breaks. As a result, I got my very FIRST migraine. It was a horrible experience afterwards. For more than a day, all I could think about was CONSTANT pain in my head and I could NOT think straight whatsoever. Luckily, I recovered, but I learned that I should control my usage of playing in front of a screen better.

Hopefully, the journey of Find Four with my penguin pals can continue on Club Penguin Island if the game is added someday.

#CPReunion AFTER-PARTY: FIND FOUR

The after-party #CPReunion was a total blast! It took place in the Lodge Attic with many familiar, old friends. I ensured each Find Four move I made was done with care… SO MUCH care in fact, that I had spent up to two minutes thinking of just which move to make next.

First session:

The Find Four craze after the #CPReunion on server Marshmallow really fired up with three people: Perapin, Chilly0ne, and me. I played some rounds with the both of them and they were not able to beat me. As a result, they were very desperate trying to find somebody who could, haha!

I played many people during their time of desperateness, but I still was victorious in every match, even with those who were known to be champs. There was a tie-game with Riyita, as well… a bit too close for comfort! I am not too sure how long this session was, probably between 1-2 hours, and was super intense for me and my brain.

Second session:

My second session was not-so-great for my record. I had lost five out of the six matches during this, because my next opponents are pros and did their best! Plus, my brain was already worn out.

I had intended to stop playing Find Four after the first session, but then I saw C0mputerguy and Firepup16 on Twitter challenge me to Find Four. Despite the exhaustion from the first round, I still accepted anyway for two reasons: to see who could break my flawless record and playing Find Four on Club Penguin will not be possible after CP closes.

After a 10-minute break from the first session, I came online to server Brumby for the second session with C0mputerguy and Firepup16. C0mputerguy was able to beat me, therefore breaking my record! I was very proud of him, but not surprisingly, I was a little bit sad, too. Ah well! Then, Firepup16 tried to win a match with me, but he did not get to. Still, I could tell by the way he played that he was a fantastic player!

Then, Tommy58562 decided to have a rematch after he had lost in the first session. His effort paid off, he was able to beat me in our second Find Four match, therefore having a tie! Nice work, Tommy!

I started a best-of-3 round with C0mputerguy, and I won the second round. It all goes down to the third round, which C0mputerguy had won! Congratulations, dude! The last person to play with me was Alana Cp, who also beat me fair and square. Another congratulations to this Find Four expert!

By time I was completely done with Find Four for the day, I cannot explain how TIRED and DONE my brain was after too much time thinking about Find Four moves and strategies. But I am glad to have spent these last few and memorable Find Four moments with wonderful and talented pals. I am also glad that my losses in some of the Find Four matches have exemplified that nobody is perfect. 🙂

AFTER-PARTY PICTURES AND TWEETS

Just one of the many intense, thrilling Find Four matches! And there’s my iconic wink. Better watch out when that happens.

 

 

FINAL RESULTS

 Who did not win against me:

  • Chilly0ne (2 games: Tech70 win both)
  • Perapin (2 games: Tech70 won both)
  • Pup1one
  • Mikou
  • Pup1one
  • Waddles4g1
  • Midnight Emo
  • Firepup16

Who won against me:

  • C0mputerguy (best of 3: C0mp won first, Tech70 won second, C0mp won the third)
  • Alana Cp

Who tied with me:

  • Riyita
  • Tommy58562 (2 games: Tech70 won one, Tommy58562 won the next)

TECH70’S FIND FOUR STRATEGIES

Over the years, I have gained more Find Four experiences and learning new tricks, traps, and strategies. I never read a guide on how to win or anything like that, it’s all from experience.

  • If I make this move, what would the opponent’s move be? This is a question that I ask myself all the time for just about every single move that I make, which is why it takes me so long to play a game. I try to figure out the objective of the opponent based on the move they make.
    • Just one move can cost your victory. For example, it could actually HELP the opponent set up their trap. In fact, the opponent could be WAITING for you to move there.
    • Another costly move to quickly make traps, because your move could allow the opponent to block your potential traps.
  • Even two pieces in a row is an early danger and I closely pay attention to them. After all, it could eventually lead to a four-in-a-row.
  • Do not try to set a trap on your own. Just patiently wait for your opponent to land a piece in a spot that will help you.
  • Always try to set traps toward the bottom part of the game, because you need the earliest possible chances of winning.
  • Never try to rush because of peer pressure or something, because Find Four requires thinking, which in turn requires time.
  • Think of the offense versus the defense in sports. It’s like that in Find Four too. Based on the circumstances in the game, should I make a defensive move to protect myself from the other player’s trap? Or should I make an offensive move and set up my trap? Many times, you have to decide one way or the other. Sometimes, a move could serve both purposes… hooray!

What’s the big deal about Find Four?

 Find Four is one of those treasured games that is very easy to play, because the objective is simple and trying to reach that objective is comprehensible, in comparison to other games such as Mancala. Even so, Find Four challenges your mind. You are forced to think for your moves as well as the predictions of your opponent’s thinking.

Also, it is educational in the sense that it is a mathematical game that depends on logic to win.

And Find Four is fun, ’nuff said.

One of the most significant outcomes of playing Find Four is your increased experience with trying to predict what is coming next based on the circumstances presented, whether it be in a game or a situation in your life.

Additionally, other players can be an inspiration for you to improve your gameplay and eventually be as good as they are. Having fun with others while teaching and bettering skills with an easy-to-understand game… Find Four is a meaningful multiplayer game. Let’s hope that our Find Four days as penguins are not numbered. Club Penguin, please move Find Four over to Club Penguin Island.

New Year’s Resolution of a CP Blogger

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I wish I had done this earlier when I first started my Club Penguin fan blog.

Just now, I have added the Google Translate tool for my little humble website. It takes almost no time at all to do. It’s on the sidebar of my blog, waiting for it to be used for blog visitors when needed.

What’s the big deal about this tool? It’s very important! The Club Penguin audience is not limited to English-speakers. As you probably already know, CP is also available for Spanish, Portuguese, and French players. All these communities of diverse languages make up the entire Club Penguin community. Let’s not have language barriers prevent people of different languages to feel separated. The easiest way to do this is to add the Google Translate tool to your website. Now, more CP players can read your content and possibly comment to boost activity.

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Club Penguin is a worldwide game. Let’s make our content as widely available to our fellow CP players as possible. Image source

For the year of 2017, one of my new year’s resolutions is being able to communicate content of my blog posts to more Club Penguin audiences by having the Google Translate tool.

Your blogging platform, like WordPress, may already have the tool available in your website’s settings for you to add. Or you could just go to Google’s webpage here and follow the no-nonsense directions to have the tool added to your website in short amount of time!

For Older Players: How to (Still) Have Fun in Club Penguin

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I admit it, after a couple of years as a Club Penguin player, I feel like I completed everything the game has to offer. Earned all the stamps? Yes, I sure did. Beat the entire Card-Jitsu saga? Done that. Finished all EPF missions and games? Yup! Waddled around every room and played every mini-game? Oh yeah. What really keeps old players staying is either or both of these things: the devotion and love for the community and the game… or new weekly/monthly content. Because of Project: Super Secret, seldom is there this new content. The majority or all of the items in both catalogs, Penguin Style and Furniture, are oldies which we already own. Plus, the parties are reruns and new stuff is few or may not even be present. So… how do older, more experienced players who know every nook and cranny of the game have fun on this island where there’s just a hint of new things to do? Simple, we have to start the fun!

  1. Hosting parties are fun, no matter how young or old a player is. There can be themes, varying from random dance parties to a space cowboy rodeo. The possibilities are endless.
  2. Another event to host is a gaming competition. Games are always more fun when playing with others. Dance Contest, the tabletop games, the Card-Jitsu saga, and Sled Racing are excellent ways to have fun! Needless to say, you can also play games which CP doesn’t provide, like hide-and-seek.
  3. Go to a busy server, hang around the Town, and visit igloos belonging to the penguins inviting others. There are a bunch of penguins out there who make unbelievably epic and unique igloos and have serious talent for decorating.
  4. Role-playing and/or having jobs is a significant part of the way Club Penguin runs. How could the island be our home without penguins out there enriching it as they work and talk with each other?
  5. Just relax and watch the hustle bustle of everyday penguins. It’s like people watching, in which you’re laid-back, watching crowds of people doing things and going their own ways. Unfortunately, the chat system is extremely strict nowadays, limiting the conversations to a bare minimum. Saying one word per speech bubble normally works, but can be irritating.

There you have it. You may have accomplished every achievement possible on the island and know everything about Club Penguin, but what you can do to have fun doesn’t vanish! Club Penguin provides us with the tools to utilize, it is up to us concerning how to use them. As always on CP island, imagination is endless.

second autism awareness event

You can host events, like one for awareness of a cause or something you want to spread the word and educate others about. In this picture, here I am with lots of other cool penguins raising awareness for autism.

Getting Started with Making Videos? Here’s a Handy Guide

/ Tech70 / 1 Comment

Once in a while, I receive questions from my pals on Twitter pertaining to videos. Here are some of those questions:

  • Should I start making videos?
  • What do you use to edit?
  • Which screen recorder do you use?

I’ve been creating Club Penguin comedy videos for nearly a year. Over the months, I have gained experience and practice. When I first started, my videos were quite primitive. Then, the effects became more and more sophisticated each time. I got inspired to make this series from Club Penguin’s #WaddleOn sketch show as well as awesome videos from penguins in our community! In my opinion, creating videos and making people laugh are fun, which is why I try to make videos on a monthly basis. Here’s a guide which may answer some of your video questions!

If you have not made videos yet and are considering to do so…

  • Go ahead and try it! Who knows, you may or may not like it. It’s up to you to find that out.
  • I recommend starting with a free program if starting out, because you may end up not liking video production. Windows Movie Maker has limits, but it is very good being free of cost. It’s the program I began with.
  • Try a simple screen recorder to capture footage. Or do what I did and just take still screenshots and put them in your video.
  • Don’t be concerned about the fancy stuff yet, like the motion effects. Focus on the content in your video first.
  • Once you post your very first video on YouTube, it is best to spread the word about it. Twitter is a very effective way. Don’t be shy to ask your friends to watch your video and leave a comment.
  • Don’t be discouraged if your video starts out with not many views/likes/comments. For most people, it takes time to build up your position in the video world.
  • If you don’t seem to enjoy a pastime in video production, you can stop. After all, it’s your choice to determine your hobbies. Don’t make videos to be famous, because that’s not what video production is about.
  • Most of all, have fun with creating videos and interacting with your viewers! 🙂

Check out my first Club Penguin comedy video. It’s very simple, but it’s nothing to fret about, being the first.

If you have already began making a few videos…

  • Like this pastime? Nice. Don’t like it? It’s fine, go with your instincts.
  • Now that you have some experience, you can manage your video’s content, plus any motion/sound effects and music.
  • Don’t overdo the effects. Keep everything in moderation! (Unless specific content in your video requires otherwise :P).
  • Looking for an affordable video editing program? Corel VideoStudio X8 has lots of neat features for a reasonable price, compared to other programs. It also comes with a good screen recorder.
  • Custom thumbnails are the first thing people see when they see your videos. Create your own thumbnails to make your video look enticing to watch.
  • Be sure to keep up with your subscribers and comments left on your videos. When somebody comments, whether its positive or negative feedback, reply to them! It’s a way to show that you’re grateful for their time to watch your videos.
  • As always, have fun creating your videos and interacting with your viewers!

My newest comedy video. It’s the 10th one in the series! See the changes from my first?

I’m glad to have begun video creating. I like to tell stories, bring laughter to viewers, and play with video effects. Good luck with your video adventure. 🙂

How to Become a Stamp Expert

/ Tech70 / 1 Comment

Do you want to earn more stamps? Well, look no further, because here is how to effectively become a master at it! You’re listening to a stamp collector here. I have 352/352 of the stamps (that’s right, all of them) and I’ve experienced the stamp adventure since it came out in 2010.

Just remember the 3 P’s: Practice, Perseverance, and Patience.

PRACTICE: You’ve heard this already, I’m sure, but practice makes perfect. You may not earn a hard/extreme stamp or even a medium one with just a single try. You’ll get the hang of it once you make several attempts. Once you got the flow and perfected all the techniques to reach the stamp, you’ll attain it.

PERSEVERANCE: Believe me, after many tries, it can get discouraging. You can’t let the failed attempts stop you from going any further though. Stopping doesn’t make the situation any better. You gotta keep going! It may take days, weeks, months, or even years, but what seems like the hardest stamp in the world CAN and WILL be earned.

PATIENCE: Sometimes, you get to the point where you’ve been spending a long, long time in one go trying to earn the stamp. Don’t stress yourself out. If you’re feeling the pressure, take a break, cool down, and try again later, like the next day. It ain’t good if you’re getting jittery each time you are so darn close to the stamp, and then you lose the game because of the nervousness. It’s one of those facedesk moments. It’s better to be patient and let the stress disappear to make later attempts in which you’ll be more successful in.

Remember, you don’t need to earn stamps at all. It’s not necessary. But they are personal game achievements and you’ll be proud of all of yours, especially the hardest of the hardest. Stamps are what makes games in Club Penguin fun! I just wish they could make more, but it seems like they’re at a standstill at the moment.

Do you need tips with a particular stamp? Just comment below with the name of the stamp and which stamp category or game it belongs to, and in a week, I will write a new blog post with guides for those stamps. I’m here to happily help with your stamp adventure! 🙂