ALL THE GAMES 2020-2021: A Feather in Your (re)Cap

Fri, 09/03/2021 - 12:00pm by SaraP

September is upon us and with it we bid farewell to another Summer Game. ALAS! Give yourself a pat on the back and a hug because it’s OVER, it’s DONE, and it’s been a SPECTACULAR YEAR (and a half). 

That’s right, you’ve been playing ALL the GAMES not just since June 2021, but since MARCH of 2020! We’ve had BUMMER GAME 2020, SUMMER GAME 2020, WINTER GAME 2021, and SUMMER GAME 2021. You deciphered the CIPHERS, you clued in on the CLUES, you decoded the CODES, you were on point with your POINTS, you homed-in on the HOMECODES. Speaking of homecodes - they were SUPER POPULAR! So popular that we’re going to be making some changes to how they work next year so everything runs smoothly, but rest assured that they’ll be back!

Anyway, 2021 has been WILD. And now, dear players, it’s most definitely time to fluff our feathers and settle in for a nice winter’s rest. We know here at Summer Game Headquarters it’s time for a break because a little birdy (a LITTLE CHICKEN to be exact) told us. This particular chicken has visited ALL THE BRANCHES, kept tabs on ALL THE LOGS, participated in all the behind-the-scenes SHENANIGANS, witnessed all the CODE REDEMPTIONS, all the ANGST, all the TRIUMPH. This little chicken has pulled out their chicken-sized calculator and crunched some SERIOUSLY BIG NUMBERS. So here’s an eggceptional statistical run-down of 2021...

Players
7,858 players scored points this year. Let’s just spell that out for emphasis: there were SEVEN THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED FIFTY EIGHT players during the Winter and Summer Games!

Badges
An INSANE 266,374 badges were earned in 2021. SGHQ dropped 440(!!!) badges this year. That means each badge was earned, on average, 605 times! Keep in mind that 440 badges is about TWICE the number of badges usually dropped in a single year (thank you, Winter Game) and players still CRUSHED IT. The top three Summer Game badges were Log Jammer with 3393 awards, Super Summer Reader with 2727 awards, and Westgate Wayfarer with 2371 awards. Apparently, player dedication runs DEEP.

Codes
How many codes were floating around out there? A record 1,963. Of those, 610 were HOMECODES created by players! And GUESS HOW MANY TIMES THOSE CODES WERE REDEEMED. Well, we have to give you three numbers: 800,764 regular old badge codes were entered and 804,046 homecodes were entered, which means that a total of 1,604,810 codes were typed into devices across town. SGHQ just unlocked a MILESTONE, because that’s well over a MILLION code redemptions.

And then there’s POINTS
Players earned a staggering 141,708,438 points this year. That’s MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF POINTS. It’s like we were out there taping points in windows around town and just leaving them there for the taking! Oh right, we literally did do that.

BUT HERE’S THE THING. Those stats were just from this year - 2021. And it feels like we should take a moment to reflect on THE WHOLE ENCHILADA. All the Games since March of 2020. When life turned upside down we wanted to give it a little pizzazz (the fun kind). So we launched The Bummer Game. Then, for the first time, we played The Summer Game without getting to see any of our players’ lovely faces. We made do. Then we kept going and added The Winter Game because life still needed that extra bit of pep - that ray of sunshine on all those cloudy days. Then we rolled right into another Summer Game. And it’s been… A LOT. Just how much is “A LOT”? This much:

Since March 16, 2020 (the first Bummer Game badge drop), SGHQ has created 786 badges, which means that, on average, a new badge has been created EVERY 16 HOURS for the last 17 MONTHS. It’s all been for YOU. The best group of players a library could ask for!

And with that, we are hanging up our SG hats until SUMMER GAME 2022. For real. 

Until then, wear that (little chicken) feather in your cap with PRIDE and, as always, THANKS FOR PLAYING!!!

Badge Drop #12: The SG Punnacle

Fri, 08/27/2021 - 12:00pm by ohheyitselle

Have you climbed and clawed your way to the SG Summit? Reached the Point Pinnacle?? Obtained a Culmination of Codes???

Well, SG Players, dear sweet beautiful SG Players. This is it. This is for you. It’s all for you. Everything we’ve done has led to these POINTS: 

THE COMPLETIONIST BADGES!!!!!!

They are our Magnum Codeus, our Point de Résistance, our Shrek Forever After. 

Why? Because YOU deserve it. If you’ve earned all the badges in each series then JOB WELL DONE! If you haven’t… there’s STILL TIME!!!! You have until 11:59 PM on August 29th to get as many badges, codes, and points as you can! 

After earning all those points, be sure to go on a SPENDING SPREE in the SG Shop!! Place your orders by midnight on Monday, September 6th!! 

So, without further ado...

BADGE DROP #12

What a wild ride this has been, dear Players. After 4 Games over the course of 17 months, we here at SG Headquarters are hanging up our badge-writing sweatbands for now. But don’t you worry, we’ll spend our time flipping through our pundexes to make sure we are bright-eyed and funny-tailed when we come back for SUMMER GAME 2022 on JUNE 10TH! 

So until then… 

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR PLAYING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Badge Drop #11: FASTEST MOMENTS IN TIME

Fri, 08/20/2021 - 12:00pm by SaraP

We’re wiping the sweat off our brows after what feels like the FASTEST sprint through summer. But...BEEP BOOP boop BEEEP!...Did you hear that?! It’s the SOUND of Mission Control at SG Headquarters spitting out 12 all new, fully ALIVE, badges for you to solve! But we have to face the facts: we are living in a fleeting MOMENT in TIME. The last day to earn 2021 points and badges is quickly approaching on August 29! 

We’re not crying...you’re crying! Or maybe it’s these chopped ONIONS in the break room! Either way, you better boil about ELEVEN pots of TEA and don your FINEST CODE-cracking hat, because we’re in the homestretch! 

BADGE DROP #11

You’ve got even more CHUTZPAH than us, dear players. Stay bold and THANKS for PLAYING!

Badge Drop #10: Here Be Badges

Fri, 08/13/2021 - 12:00pm by ohheyitselle

ATTENTION! ATTENTION!!!!!

Players BEWARE!!!! 

Today’s badges would make even the most seasoned players GLACIALLY freeze in their tracks!

But, we assure you there is no need to FREAK OUT!!! 

Yes, there may be FLYING LIZARDS, big-eared SQUIDS, and the most terrifyingly cute CHICKEN you ever did see, but we know you can handle anything with your critically acclaimed SMARTS! So let those fears you've been BOTTLING UP go!!! 

Speaking of going... If you want to make a HOME CODE, you better act FAST! The LAST CHANCE to make a Home Code is today until MIDNIGHT!!!

BADGE DROP #10

So shake off any badge-fearing vibes, get out there, and PLAY!!! 

Badge Drop #9: GOOD SOCIETY DWELLERS

Fri, 08/06/2021 - 12:00pm by SaraP

Good afternoon, Dear Players, how do you do? Feeling grand? Feeling swell? Perhaps even...AUGUST?? Well of course you are! You are no mere peasant, LIVING THE SIMPLE LIFE. No, no, no. YOU, my loves, have traversed the globe on a PLANE of the imagination. You are DWELLERS on the deepest mysteries of life - Summer Game mysteries, that is! You WALK with your head held high. You are dressed to the NINEs on all occasions because you are HI SOCIETY! The epitome of HORTICULTURE and grace! 

Indeed, everywhere you TURN you have friends in all the right places! Thus, you ought not to squander this FINAL WEEK TO CREATE HOMECODES - society is a fickle beast and your power and influence to create will disappear after this week, but your homecodes will live on through the end of summer!

For those of you with a penchant for the SQUIRRELiest of Treton’s quandaries, please allow us to introduce you to THE WICKIE INQUIRY badge - a special badge with a unique structure that will immerse you in a new mystery occurring in our very own Treton. It may not be for the faint of heart - you will, after all, be required to rifle through the cryptic contents of a forgotten briefcase and decipher the passcodes of great grandfathers who disappeared under unusual circumstances -  but those of you willing to accept the challenge and persevere will receive a very fine TRADE (in points and accomplishment) for your effort! 

BADGE DROP #9

You have been, as ever, a terribly GOOD SPORT, so THANKS for PLAYING!

Badge Drop #8: REVIEWING Our TIME

Fri, 07/30/2021 - 12:00pm by ohheyitselle

Wow. It’s ALREADY the end of JUNE!!!

Huh? What’s that now?

 ...It’s the end of JULY?!?!? That’s IMPOSSUMBLE! 

Whelp. While we have apparently been COASTIN’ in the SG TRENCHES, TIME is flapping its WINGS and FLYIN’ by!!! That’s okay, though. We’re still HOLDING it together. For the record, we’re not mad, but maybe a little SALTY about it.

The end of July means there are ONLY 2 WEEKS LEFT TO MAKE HOME CODES! So get on that!! TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE!! 

The GOOD NEWS is: Regardless of how fast this summer is moving along, we still have a whole month left of FANTASTIC badges like THESE!!!

BADGE DROP #8

We’ll keep you POSTED on any new major time passing SECRETS and THANKS FOR PLAYING!

Badge Drop #7: RAINBOW BALLOON PANDEMONIUM

Fri, 07/23/2021 - 12:00pm by SaraP

It’s HIGH noon here at SG Headquarters and we’re OVER THE RAINBOW to share some new badges with you! Crank up the MUSIC and let PANDEMONIUM reign as you HUNT for CODES, wade through the TRENCHES (of the catalog), dot every I and CROSSWORD every T on your way to glory! (We don’t want to pop your BALLOON, but those little details can sometimes make a difference.) Where will little CHICKEN’S MEMORIES lead you??? What will all the LETTERS spell???? What will be the moral of the story when you’ve defeated the evil SKELELORE?????

BADGE DROP #7

The answer is ANY BODY’S GUESS, but we know you’ll figure it out. THANKS for PLAYING!

Badge Drop #6: Be a STAR

Fri, 07/16/2021 - 12:00pm by ohheyitselle

Hey. Can we take a minute to let you in on a secret?? We here at SG Headquarters think that you are SUPERB. You are the highest FLYER. If you were a KNIGHT, you would have the shiniest armor. You’re our BEST FRIEND and our relationship will only GROW to MAMMOTH heights. 

Yeah. We went there.

We like you a lot. You? 5/5 stars. And we want to know the things that YOU, our shining STAR, like too!!! So pass out some STARS in the catalog and earn some BADGES while you’re at it! Oh!  We also have a full CONSTELLATION of other badges here for YOU too!!!!

OH! Another thing!!! If your SG Pockets are getting too full of POINTS, thank your LUCKY STAR because the SUMMER GAME SHOP opens at 6pm TONIGHT!!!! 

BADGE DROP #6

So keep shining bright, dear players, and THANKS FOR PLAYING! 

Badge Drop #5: WELCOME TO THE GALAXY

Fri, 07/09/2021 - 12:00pm by SaraP

WELCOME BACK, Gamers! It’s a new Friday, with new BAOBADGES, and some TRULY good news. AADL is welcoming you back to the buildings on Monday!!! But, you probably already knew that. Of course, we’ve made it so that you can continue to play the ENTIRE game without setting a single foot in here (if you want) - you know, to PLACE YOURSELF as you re-enter the social GALAXY. 

But if you want to, you can TREK back in on Monday to any or all of the FIVE branches. You can do it FAST! You can do it slowly!! Whatever the CASU may be, we’ll be so glad to see you when we do! In the meantime, you can BET on these badges to keep you occupied...

BADGE DROP #5

Happy Friday and THANKS for PLAYING!

Badge Drop #4: LOG DAYS OF SUMMER

Fri, 07/02/2021 - 12:00pm by SaraP

Can’t see the FOREST for the trees? You’ve been on quite a WALK through the WILDs of the catalog. All we can say, dear gamers, is boy have you LOGGED some miles (and reads/shows/listens)!! You know what this means???!!!! It’s time for some LOG JAMMER trophies!!!! 

While you’re out there, grab your badge-hunting gear and climb some PEAKS, explore a GROTTO, and maybe see a FOX or even its TALE! But first, a few safety rules for the journey: 

• wear bright COLORs at all times (or dull ones)
• avoid FALLing DOWN (without knee pads)
• bring breadcrumbs into any and all LABYRINTHS
• keep a CROSSWORD to stay sharp
• but don’t keep SECRETS from your friends

No need to worry about the WEBS (of silk, lies, flies, or otherwise). Those are 100% SAFE and FINE! I mean, WHAT COULD GO WRONG in a forest full of webs??? Alright, Bilbo, here ya go...

BADGE DROP #4 

There’s MUCH to do and more to LOG! So get CREATIVE, REMAIN calm, and THANKS for PLAYING!