Plushie Tycoon – Neopets
Plushie Tycoon (PT) is an educational game in the “Games Room” on Neopets. Each round lasts about one month, starting within the first few days of the month, depending on when the programmer manually starts it. The game ends at midnight NST on the last day of the month.
The goal of PT is to turn a 50,000 NP (Neopoints) investment into a profit by managing a plushie manufacturing business. By selling plushies, your aim is to have more than 50,001 NP by the end of the month to qualify for prizes.
New Changes!
Recent updates to PT prize distribution now include both cash on hand and the number of plushies sold/manufactured. Be aware that these changes may continue to evolve, so keep an eye on any updates for further adjustments to the prize structure.
Getting Started
- Create Your Store:
Click the “create store” button, and note the time and day you start. Tax Man will arrive every 7 days, so keeping track is important. - Time Zone Setup:
Set your time zone to maximize your ability to monitor the game’s updates, which happen from 10:01 am to 5:01 pm NST every day. Choose your time zone carefully so that you can be present for most of these updates. - Initial Setup:
You start with 50,000 NP. The first step is to pay the rent on your factory, warehouse, and store, which costs 3,270 NP, leaving you with 46,730 NP.
Buying Materials
Your goal is to start by producing plushies using materials available on the market. Plushie prices fluctuate based on supply and demand, so the key is not to make the same plushie as everyone else.
Basic Plushie Needs:
- 1 Packing
- 1 Stuffing
- 1-6 Rolls of Cloth (varies by plushie type)
- Some plushies require an accessory.
Plushie Types by Cloth Requirement:
- 3 Rolls of Cloth: Bori, Bruce, Buzz, Chia, Cybunny, Gnorbu, Grarrl, Hissi, Ixi, Kau, Kiko, Koi, Moehog, Tonu, Tuskaninny.
- 4 Rolls of Cloth: Draik, Elephant, Kougra, Lutari, Xweetok, Yurble, Zafara.
Material Pricing Strategy:
Check material prices and buy when the total cost for 1 job of a plushie (including cloth, stuffing, and accessories) is below 3900 NP. Here’s a quick guide:
- Cost < 3900 NP: Start with 6 jobs.
- Cost < 2900 NP: Start with 8 jobs.
- Cost < 1800 NP: Start with 10 jobs.
Prices fluctuate each update, so if materials are too expensive, wait.
Daily Discounts: Each day, one material type is discounted. However, don’t rush to stock up just because of the discount. Always ensure that prices are truly low before buying.
Starting Your Jobs
Once you have the materials, head to your factory and start new jobs. To begin, create jobs of 100 plushies each. If you need more than two jobs, you’ll be asked to expand your factory, which costs money.
Hiring Workers
To manufacture plushies, you’ll need to hire workers:
- 250 Trainees and 25 Managers work best for your initial jobs. Avoid hiring Dropouts as they are ineffective.
- Hire workers for only one update to save costs. Fire them after the update to minimize expenses. Your workers should complete 50-75% of the jobs.
- Workers are more efficient with more jobs, so this workforce can handle up to 18 jobs.
Managing the Warehouse
After production, plushies will move to the warehouse for loading, which takes 3-4 hours for a basic level 1 warehouse. The plushies will automatically load, and you can ship them out for a fee of 278 NP per 100 plushies.
Selling Plushies
Plushies will sell during game updates (10:01 am to 5:01 pm NST). To sell effectively, you need to upgrade your store and buy advertising:
- Upgrades: Start with 3 levels each of carpet, lighting, and store security.
- Advertising: Buy 3 levels each of flyers, gifts, candy, and clothing.
This initial setup will cost around 8,736 NP, and you’ll need at least 1,000 NP cash on hand to keep your store running smoothly.
The Importance of Cash Flow
Always maintain at least 1,000 NP on hand to cover the salary of the one manager you can’t fire. If you don’t have enough cash, your manager will drain your account, and you may miss paying important expenses.
Scaling Up
Once you’ve sold your first plushies, continue reinvesting the profits. Build more jobs in your factory, expand your warehouse, and continue upgrading your store. Over time, work towards making larger batches of plushies (200 per job) for greater efficiency. However, keep an eye on your worker-to-job ratio to avoid delays in production.
Rent and Taxes
- Rent: Rent is due every 7 days, but there is a grace period of up to 48 hours to pay it without penalty.
- Taxes: The Tax Man arrives 7 days after starting your game and takes a percentage of your profits if you have more than 50,000 NP. If you don’t update your game in time, you’ll face penalties such as plushies selling for 0 NP.
Advanced Tips
- Inventory Management: Your inventory space increases as your cash on hand grows. Be mindful of inventory limits to avoid waste.
- Expanding Workforce: As you scale, you may need to tweak your worker count. Keep adding jobs and expanding your factory while making sure your workers are optimally productive.
- Strategic Selling: Pay close attention to selling prices and material costs. Even a small profit is better than no profit.
Help & Resources
If you have questions, head to the Plushie Tycoon help board on the Games Neoboard. You’ll find helpful community members who can offer tips and guidance.
Good luck and happy tycooning!
