COMING SOON: Summer Game 2023!

Wed, 05/03/2023 - 6:00pm by SaraP

That's right players! SUMMER is COMING SOON. And we all know what comes with summer: buckets of iced tea! Wait, no, water balloons! Well, yes, all that AAAAAAND...THE SUMMER GAME!

Here's what's coming soon:
READING CARDS!
BADGES! 
LAWN & LIBRARY CODES!
THE PRIZE SHOP!
POINTS-O-MATIC! 
MORE SURPRISES THAN EVER BEFORE!

Stay tuned as we get ready, because your summer - Summer GAME, that is - is gonna be happenin' RIGHT HERE starting JUNE 9th!!!

Until then, keep cool, carry on, and THANKS for (ALMOST) PLAYING! :D

Summer Game 2022: The Magic Numbers

Fri, 09/02/2022 - 5:03pm by SaraP

We really autumn be working on next year's Summer Game already, but we're still basking in the last (unseasonably) warm rays of a truly glowing SG 2022. Wanna know WHY? Because Summer Game 2022 was our BIGGEST YEAR YET!!! Please pause your Labor Day weekend preparations. Lift your head up off the couch if you've been recovering from a wild first week of school. Hold off on sipping your pumpkin spiced goods or laying out your halloween decor (or posting memes about them) for JUST A SEC! We mean that - feel free to continue all those activities immediately after this PSA. Let's look at at what you fall have accomplished over the summer, dear players...

Players
We are delighted to announce that a grand total of 10,114 players scored points during the 2022 Summer Game! This is, by far, the stat that is nearest and dearest to our hearts and this year's is a RECORD-BREAKER!!! We are nerds on many levels here at SGHQ so we dove deep into the numbers over the last few years and we're gonna really fly our stats-loving flag high (brace yourself):

2022 = 10,114 players
2020+2021 (we rolled it all together because...covid. womp womp) = 7,858 players
2019 = 9,491 players

THE MATH...
(10114 - 7858) / 7858 = 0.287 = 28.7% increase over 2020/2021
(10114 - 9491) / 9491 = 0.065 = 6.5 % increase over 2019 (squeeeee!)
10114 > 10000 = MORE THAN 10,000 OF YOU!!!!

WOWZA! We couldn't have this much fun without EACH and EVERY one of you!!!

Badges
You guys blew ALL those other years out of the water!!! Players earned 300,264 badges this year. We have NO WORDS! And that's rare. We do, of course, have some numbers, though. It's an 11.2% increase over last year. In other words...er...numbers, badge earns increased by as much as wholesale inflation back in March. So you know it was a LOT. O_o

Codes
More good news! 2,162 codes were created and 1,101 of them were Lawn & Library codes!!! Folks made ALMOST TWICE as many (80.4%) Lawn & Library codes this year as they did Home Codes last year. And just how popular were all those codes of all kinds??? Altogether we're talking about 1,564,266 code redemptions. So if you need to rest your code-typing digits for a minute, that's LEGIT! 

Points
It's time for the biggest, baddest, most jaw-dropping number ever mentioned in relation to the Summer Game. This past summer, players earned 233,700,673 points. You, dear players, are SUPERSTARS. You've earned 28.7% more points than any SG Cohort EVERRRRR! At least, we *think* you did. We dove deep, but we didn't dive deeper than the last time we restructured the points economy. And...fun fact...yes, we really do use the phrase "points economy" at SGHQ. 

Anyway, we love UNLOCKING MILESTONES. We love BIG NUMBERS (depending on the context). But most of all, we love...YOU! Our PLAYERS! 

This BIG Summer Game is over, fall is here (in practice, if not temperature), and now we're taking our annual big break so we can drop all new values into our SG Fun equation for you in June of 2023!!! THANKS FOR PLAYING and for being THE MAGIC in all those magic numbers that happened this year!! :D  

XOXO,

Summer Game Headquarters

Badge Drop #12: THE LAST DROP

Fri, 08/26/2022 - 12:00pm by ohheyitselle

Is it ALREADY the end of August???? Is it ALREADY time for the coveted COMPLETIONIST BADGES to be REVEALED and AWARDED??? Can that possibly be??? Here at Summer Game Headquarters, it certainly feels like the time has FLOWN by, but some of you players have been spending the past 3 months…

Looking at piles of LEGOS, 

Recalling TOYS of the past, 

Fostering GARDENS of OLD,

Putting on your RED-colored glasses, 

Taking note of CHICKEN’S wild adventures, 

Becoming one with the CRYPTIDS,

Perusing and pondering ART, 

Completing so many CROSSWORDS and AADLEs 

Exploring UNEXPLORABLE places,

Spotting SEQUELS and joining SUPERGROUPS, 

ALL WHILE traipsing all around the LIBRARY, CITY, and PARKS!!! 

If you caught BADGE FEVER this summer and waited with bated breath every Friday at noon when the badges dropped all so you could devour badges upon badges until there were no more badges left to do… then BAD NEWS! You may ALREADY BE DONE WITH THESE COMPLETIONIST BADGES!!!! Feel free to sit back and relax this go around. Maybe enjoy some iced tea! Or a scone! Or a pat on the back!!! (Note: all pats on backs must be self distributed. Summer Game Headquarters is not responsible for any back patting injuries sustained during this time.) Heck, you may even want to attend the Game Over Gala this Sunday from 3-5pm at the Downtown Library!!! You can find more information about that HERE!!!! 

If you HAVEN’T caught BADGE FEVER… then GOOD NEWS!! You still have time to get codes and earn points before Summer Game 2022 ends on Sunday, August 28th at 11:59pm!!!! While you’re at it, you should ALSO enjoy some iced tea!! Or a scone!!! Or a pat on the back (Note: see above back patting disclaimer)! Because we here at SG Headquarters support a ~Little Treat Lifestyle~ and YOU ALL DESERVE LITTLE TREATS!!!  Heck, you may even want to TREAT YOURSELF by attending the aforementioned Game Over Gala!!! Some may even say the Game Over Gala is OUR NON-EDIBLE TREAT TO YOU!!! 

SPEAKING OF LITTLE TREATS- You’ll have until the end of the day on Monday, September 5th to spend your hard earned points in the Summer Game Shop! PLEASE NOTE: Some shop items may take longer than anticipated to arrive due to supply chain issues, but they WILL arrive this fall!!! 

But that’s enough rambling, HERE ARE THE COMPLETIONIST BADGES!!!!!!!! (Plus one badge for the GAME OVER GALA- did we mention it is ON SUNDAY??) 

BADGE DROP #12

We’ll be back for Summer Game 2023 starting in June 2023!!!! 

AND THAT’S ALL THERE IS TO IT!! What a Summer Game this has been! From the very bottom of our hearts here at SGHQ... THANK YOU FOR PLAYING!!!! 

Badge Drop #11: Wonderful Golden Times

Fri, 08/19/2022 - 12:00pm by SaraP

Well, folks, it’s been a WACKY and WONDERFUL summer. Our FUN IN THE SUN is slowly fading into a GOLDEN memory. Our FLIGHTS of fancy are getting a wee bit AADLEd. But, WAIT A MINUTE!!! This ship still hasn't sailed! We’re IMPRESSED by your Summer Game panache and we know you’ll still be traipsing AROUND all week, searching for those last elusive codes. So, despite the fact that the TIME has *almost* come for us to call it quits for the season, we here at SG Headquarters have not DESERTed you!

Let us be totally clear: we will never truly desert you, Dear Players. It’s just an issue of summer V. not-summer. Summer’s end is now nigh and the Summer Game GOES with it! Sunday, August 28th is the last day to play the game! After that, you’ll still be able to spend points in the Summer Game Prize Shop through Monday, September 5th!

Until then, here you go!!!...

BADGE DROP #9

And, as always, THANKS for PLAYING!!!

Badge Drop #10: It's Not Over Yet!!!

Fri, 08/12/2022 - 12:00pm by ohheyitselle

It’s week 10 of the Summer Game which can only mean one thing… THE END IS NEAR-ISH!! 

No need to panic though, dear players, we here at SG Headquarters try our very best to be the HOSTS WITH THE MOST and we REFUSE to say the Summer Game is over until it’s OVER! You still have time to sink your teeth into the SWEET TREATS of badges, you can still TOY around with CROSSWORDS and AADLES, HECK- you can even FEAST YOUR EYES on a whole array of LAWN AND LIBRARY CODES! 

Speaking of Lawn and Library Codes…

While there is a little over two weeks left of Summer Game 2022, you have until Monday, August 15th at 11:59pm to create your Lawn or Library Code!! You’ll still be able to collect Lawn & Library Codes until the very end because, as we mentioned earlier, IT’S NOT OVER TIL IT’S OVER!! 

In the meantime…. HERE ARE YOUR BADGES!!! 

BADGE DROP #10

Enjoy and THANKS FOR PLAYING!!

Badge Drop #9: Classic Review Tips

Fri, 08/05/2022 - 12:00pm by SaraP

It’s that time when we start rewarding you for all the REVIEWS you’ve written this summer about books and movies, CROSSWORDS and CHICKENS! So here’s a tip that might TIP THE SCALES in your points balance: you can write a review about any item in our CATalog!!! Technically our catalog doesn’t include crosswords or chickens, but it does include FIELDS for searching (though you can’t review the search field itself). It also includes CLASSIC WHODUNITS (you can totally review those). There are a lot of RED things, too (people love red cover art for all sorts of media!!!). Heck there’s probably a bunch of books about TEDDY bears and Teddy-the-dogs, if not Teddy Talks. 

So leave your fellow library lovers some POWERFUL reviews and then go maybe even REVIEW the REVIEWS with the Points-O-Matic Review Reviewer mode!!! Or, if you love a hands-on activity that really builds community and allows for some healthy competition, maybe participate in (or just show up and attend) the 17th annual LEGO Contest this Sunday, Aug. 7 at Kensington Hotel! Or do ZERO of those things (but at least do LEGO - it's gonna be rad) and simply use your IMAGINATION to solve some badges, because we are dropping L’EMOUR of them right now!...

Well, after we remind you that you have just 10 days left to create your own Lawn or Library Code: the last day to create is Monday August 15th! 

No time to WASTE - the POWER is YOURS!

BADGE DROP #9

You’re WELCOME and, as always, THANKS for PLAYING!

Badge Drop #8: The Great 8

Fri, 07/29/2022 - 12:00pm by ohheyitselle

It’s week EIGHT and quite frankly, that’s GREAT!!! Or in the paraphrased words of Lady Gaga it’s INCREDIBLE, SHOW-STOPPING, SPECTACULAR, NEVER THE SAME, TOTALLY UNIQU-… Wait… did we say SPECTACULAR???? *checks notes* WE DID!!!

What a WILD coincidence because TOMORROW just so happens to be the SUMMER GAME SPECTACULAR. Did you get that?? The Summer Game Spectacular will be on Saturday July 30, 2022: 1:00pm to 4:00pm at Veterans Memorial Park (2150 Jackson Ave)!!! There will be GAMES!!! CODES!!! FACE PAINTING!!! POINTS!!! LIVE PERFORMANCES!!! And FUN!!! Click HERE for more information!! 

But all of that is tomorrow. Today, we have CHICKEN!!! LEGOS!!! ART!!! OLD NEWS!!! FROGS!!! CROSSWORDS!!! SEQUELS!!! And MORE!!!!!

ALSO, BIG NEWS!!!!! You asked and we listened!!!! Starting today, the Summer Game Map has received an update that makes it easier to tell which streets and blocks have Lawn Codes! There are just as many codes as before, but we tweaked things so the heat map is more helpful when you are out and about! SAME CODES, MORE SPECIFIC BLOBS!!!!!! You still can't catch 'em all, but you'll have an easier time catching several. We've ALSO added pins for Explorer and Partner badges found around town!! HUZZAH!!!!!!! 

Our exclamation point counter is going off the charts, so we better get to the DROP!!!!!!!!!!

BADGE DROP #8

Stay SPECTACULAR, dear players, and as always THANKS FOR PLAYING!!! 

Badge Drop #7: Legendary Star Festival

Fri, 07/22/2022 - 12:00pm by SaraP

It may be Art Fair weekend. It may be a perfect time to lounge on the BEACH. Or maybe it's time to CATCH A MOVIE in the air conditioning. Perhaps it would be best to ditch those full length INSEAMS for some TINY shorts! But here at SG Headquarters we have regular-length shorts and STARS in our eyes for all you STAR GIVERS out there! So we’re SEIZING THE CLAY - and the DAY! - and simply GIVING away a ton of points for all those stars you’ve given the items in our collection! 

So maybe stay at HOME (or come to the library!) and water your PLANTS (or leave them little cacti alone) and, when the summer heat lulls in the evenings, look to the SKIES (or the catalog) and admire the constellations of stars that YOU have worked so hard to BUILD up there! Of course, if you’ve been a SLACKER, well it’s time to GIVE IT A SQUIRREL and rate some items you’ve seen, watched, or listened to! Or DON’T! It’s totally up to YOU how you earn your POINTS!! We’re just here to give them out!!! Okay, here you go:

BADGE DROP #7

You’re TRULY LEGENDARY! THANKS for PLAYING, superstar!

Badge Drop #6: Mid-Summer Crisis

Fri, 07/15/2022 - 12:00pm by ohheyitselle

Mid-July already?????? NO NEED TO PANIC!!!! While summer seems to be CRUISING ALONG, we here at SG Headquarters are pumping the BREAKS because we’re still SAVORING this SUMMER for all it is!! NO saying SAYONARA to SUMMER yet!!!!!

Badges are still dropping, Chicken still has loads of adventures to go on, Crossword puzzles are still puzzin’, things are somehow STILL getting lost in those dang LEGO bricks, there is still a whole HERD of RED critters to discuss, and Lawn & Library codes keep popping up all over the GALAXY. 

PLUS, our first EVER A2CAF Mini will be TOMORROW, JULY 16th at the Downtown library!!! You can find the day’s information HERE!!! 

AROUND AND AROUND WE GO!!! 

WHEN SUMMER GAME STOPS??  NOBODY KNOWS!!!! 

Well…we DO know when it stops, but we still have buckets of time before we get there!! So for now…. CHECK OUT THESE BADGES!! 

BADGE DROP #6

Have SO MUCH FUN, stay cool, and THANKS FOR PLAYING!!!

Badge Drop #5: LAWNS and LIBRARIES and PRIZES, OH MY!

Fri, 07/08/2022 - 12:00pm by SaraP

ALRIGHT! Here we are - it’s week 5 and we don’t know where the TIME is FLYING! You’ve been LOGging your reads, your listens, your watches. And while you’ve been logging, we’ve been PINEing to give you more points!!!! Soooooo…here you go: all the Log Jammer badges that reward you for…well…all your WONDERFUL logging!

It’s a FRUITFUL week here at SG Headquarters in more ways than one, though. The Game is like a FARM (perhaps a tree farm) - orderly little rows of badges flourishing under the hot sun as far as the eye can see! Not only can you earn this week’s cornucopia of DIGITAL bragging rights (aka badges), you can now do these things, too:

Browse THE SUMMER GAME SHOP!
- The shop opens for PRIZE BROWSING at 6pm tonight! View, browse, drool over what you want, and get ready...
- The shop opens for ORDERING at noon on Monday July 11! 
- FUN FACT: Nothing will run out of stock, so order any time through August 27th.
- Choose up to 4 items and spend any year’s points!
- These prizes are ALL the prizes available this year and everything will be in The Summer Game Shop when it opens for orders. No Classic Game Shop this year.

Create LAWN & LIBRARY CODES!
Aha! The moment you’ve all been waiting for…the return of HOME CODES! Well, SORT OF. Home Codes have evolved and SG Headquarters is now bringing you better lawns & libraries all across town with LAWN & LIBRARY CODES!!!!!!!!!!

What it is
Starting NOW, you can create your very own code to display either on a Lawn Code Sign OR on a Library Code Card. Lawn Code Signs are special lawn signs (which we provide) that you place next to your sidewalk, street, or parking lot. Library Code Cards are special mini code signs (which we also provide) that get zip-tied to one of our five adorable Summer Game Stops. What is a Summer Game Stop, you ask? It's an SG sign on a perforated pole outside each branch - kind of like a bus stop sign, or a train stop sign, or just a stop sign, BUT FOR FINDING CODES :D

How it works
1. Stop into any branch to pickup a Lawn Code Sign OR Library Code Card BEFORE you register your code online…
2. Create the code by going to play.aadl.org, selecting the My Players quick link, and scrolling to “Player Details”. Click the link to "Create a Lawn or Library Code" and follow the directions.
3. Write the code legibly in ALLCAPS on your sign/card.
4. Put it up in your lawn or on one of our Summer Game Stops! 
5. You have until August 15th to create a code, to give players a chance to happen upon them before the game ends.
6. Use the new Summer Game Map to get started with Summer Game Stop locations (updates coming soon)!
7. It’s not like Pokemon - you will NOT BE ABLE TO CATCH ‘EM ALL!!! Have fun as you stumble upon these serendipitous little surprises throughout the community!

Phew!!! Now that you’re IN the LOOP, it’s TIME to KNOCK out some code-hunting. And code-making. And code-happening-upon. And prize-previewing. Go!

BADGE DROP #5

Thanks for reading this super long Badge Drop and THANKS for PLAYING!