I give up. When I started to do a Where Did That Come From post for some of the main characters we win or can buy in this event, I realized quickly that EA and the Writers are REALLY reaching into their huge grab bag of random characters to come up with the offerings for “Moe’s Ark.” People keep asking why it’s named that. I suspect now that it has to do with the “Two of Everything” concept.
And I get it. We have more than 600 different episodes from which to pull…so why not just close your eyes and reach into the bag, and see if you can make it work with the Event Theme (that someone most likely came up with while doing the same sort of word game).
And not to take away from the overall outcome, like a good Gumbo, it’s not so much that all of the parts actually make sense, its how you use them. But, trying to make some connections to the episodes and the title? Uhm…not so much.
Let’s break down where some of the Primary Prize Characters came from. But, I’m warning you…if you are looking for “Moe” or “Ark” or even “Zoo” in the titles…you are going to be confused.
And yes…I am going to do some “Spoilage” here...as most of this is posted in another place, who also supposedly signed an NDA saying he wouldn’t. But, I digress…
Some of this you knew…some you won’t…but just know that they are all in this update, at some point. I won’t go into details…except to tell you (like we did with Sarah Wiggum) that they are coming. OK? Ok.
Larry Kidkill – Springfield Zoo Entrance.- “Eight Misbehaven” (S11E7)
Brittany Brockman – Act 1 Prize – “Lisa VS Malibu Stacey” (S5E14)
T-Rex Act 2 Prize- “The Day the Earth Stood Cool” (S24E7)
Teenage Homer – Act 3 Prize.- “The Way We Was” (S2E12)
Azzlan Unlocks with Serfsons House – Premium – “The Serfsons” (S29E1)
Kitenge – Unlocks with African Tree Resort – Premium “Simpson Safari” (S12E17)
Joan Bushwell – Unlocks with Chimp Refuge- Premium – “Simpson Safari”(S12E17)
Allison Taylor – Unlocks with Taylor House- Premum – “Lisa’s Rival” (S6E2)
Knifey Spooney – Unlocks with Crocky Waters -Premium – “Bart-vs- Australia” (S6E16)
Sarah Wiggum – Unlocks with Springfield Aquarium- Premium – Actually in LOADS of episodes…so it’s about damn time we saw her! BUT…none of the episodes mentioned above. Pass the Gumbo please…
There will also be a chance to get “Yo Yo”
which is some sort of giant Kangaroo character who unlocks with the “Worm Train” when Act III really goes off of the rails (if worm trains had rails). But, I won’t even begin to try to tie that one together…or maybe I will, to make my point.
Look, I know it seems like I am being unduly hard on “the creators” for this event. But, HolyFreakinShirt! Would it be so hard to actually do a major event that is actually pulled from one, or even just two similar episodes???
Not here folks. Not even close.
Eight Misbehavin’? According to the WIKI “”Apu’s wife Manjula gives birth to octuplets. Everyone in Springfield soon pitches in to help, until a couple in Shelbyville gives birth to nine, causing everyone to forget about Apu and Manjula.” Ironically…this is the most “Zoo-Centric” of the episodes, as Larry Kidkill places Apu’s octuplets into the zoo, and gives them a show “Octopia.” Is any of this in the event? Nope. Except for Larry.
Lisa VS Maibu Stacey has absolutely nothing to do with the zoo…or animals…or well much of anything, except for Malibu Stacey and Lisa. Fail.
The Way We Was? Has about as much to do with a zoo, or the ark, or anything related to either, as Homer does coming back from the past, to become another “Time/Space Offender” in our Springfields. Bah. Silly. Out of place. ONE line in the game dialogue tries to pull it together and make sense. I won’t spoil it…as the concept itself is enough of a spoiler.
Let’s see…we all know that the Serfsons was a parody of “Game of Thrones” and Azzlan was just a side joke to make fun of Christianity. The only tie-in to the Ark or a Zoo? He’s a lion. Get it? Azzlan is a lion (when he isn’t being symbolic Jesus). So, we’ll make him part of the zoo. Ugh. Please. time for the rapture. I loved this episode. It could have been an entire event on its own. But, nope…
Lisa’s Rival has nothing to do with Zoos, Arks, or Animals…and I mean nothing. How/Why? is all that comes to mind. Don’t get it. But, I guess we were due for Allison Taylor. After all…we finally have Sarah…right?
Bart -vs- Australia seems like it could have some real “Zoo-Centric” stuff. But, mostly not. It is mostly about Bart defiling Australia…and then bringing in an invasive Frog, which spreads throughout the land. AHA!!!!!!!!! Finally a tie-in to the event…kinda.
Simposon’s Safari- is finally an episode that makes sense for this event, and brings us a couple of characters that also bring some of the best content/decorations. According to the WIKI, “In a frantic search for food Homer finds a box of thirty-year-old animal crackers, which contains a gold giraffe – which means he has just won an African safari.“
The plot could actually have been a better event than this zoo/ark business. After winning the trip, and then meeting their tour guide, Kitange, “They then find their way to Joan Bushwell’s Chimp Refuge where they seek Dr. Bushwell’s help. At the Chimp Refuge, the poachers attack. The Simpsons help Dr. Bushwell to fend them off, until Lisa found out that they were with Greenpeace. Greenpeace explained that they were trying to save the chimps because Dr. Bushwell was running a diamond mine, with the chimps as slaves. Dr. Bushwell gets erratic and slightly crazy and offers the Simpsons diamonds in exchange for their silence on the matter. The Simpsons accept and go home with a lot of diamonds. On the plane, they notice another billboard, this one showing that Kitenge had now become president.” Like I said…. it makes as much sense as this event.
But………the BIG MYSTERY of “what in the hell is a Worm Train?” was solved when I re-watched “The Day the Earth Stood Cool” where we are introduced to the “coolest family in Springfield” (transplants from hipster capital of the world, Portland, Oregon), who have a pet Armadillo (which appears in our petting zoo) and a weird little son named T-Rex, who should be in a zoo, who show’s Lisa a video on his iPad, which depicts the Worm Train and Yo Yo…the flying Kangaroo…for exactly 5 seconds.
Again…the writers have decided that making sense of one or two episodes just isn’t as fun as Random Character Gumbo…and we are offered characters from a flash by on an iPad inside of a One-Off Character’s house (the Hipsters leave by the end of the episode).
Gumbo. I’ll just say it here. Without crayfish and shrimp…it’s mostly just potato soup. And frankly…this thing just barely holds together as a base for the parts. While sometimes, throwing together a bunch of stuff in a pot and cooking it up and calling it something special works…usually, it just looks and tastes like a mess.
WDTCF??? Pffffftttt…. You don’t have time.
But, we got Sarah! Woot Woot! She’s Ralphie’s Mom! She makes sense!
Even if she was 300 donuts (which may add to her shape) and has nothing to do with a zoo…and ark…or monkeys.
But please explain the drastically overpriced Butterfly Maggie
Sorry…I can’t. For me it was an “INSTANT PASS!!”
Somewhat unrelated but does anyone know – can we move the zoo or does it need to stay on the land EA gave us for it until the event is over? I’m running out of room!
Thanks!
It can all be moved or stored. I’m outa room too…nd will likely be placing most of the next round outside of the bonus area.
Yes, we finally got Sarah Wiggum …. but as a Character, shouldn’t she be grouped with the Wiggum Family vs Moe’s Ark Characters? 🤷🏼♂️
I haven’t got the time to get a bowl of Gumbo, but I do have time to stop and get a Monte Cristo Sandwich on the way home from work ! 😀
I guess one could say this Event is like a Sandwich – two slices of bread and a variety of filling in between – but will a Mini Event make up for certain “?” from EA ? I hope so. 🥙
Yo Yo is an homage to Dot and the Kangaroo an Australian animated movie series from the 1970’s-1980’s.
So I wasn’t crazy for thinking that the second I saw them? I LOVED those movies as a kid. May pony up for them for the nostalgia alone.
Azzlan is a parody of Aslan, a character in the Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis. Most of the books are just heavy handed Christian allegory. Hence, the joke about Azzlan trying to convert everyone.
Hence. Love the word, “Hence.”
Yes…CS Lewis’s kids books were loaded with allegory. Hence, I wrote “Azzlan is a lion (when he isn’t being symbolic Jesus)”…
But for me, one of Lewis’s best books ever, was a short little book called the “Screwtape Letters.” Hilariously on point…
I love the Screwtape Letters. I even had a cat named Wormwood.
Nice!!!
I’ve somehow never heard of that book. Worth tracking down, Patric?
If you like great ironic Christian writing.
Sorry if this isnt the place to ask, but I wanted to make sure someone actually saw it. I noticed that before you could buy Manjula and Brandine in the regular store. If I don´t get them now in the mystery box, do you think I can buy them later on when I have the donouts saved up, or will they be gone forever once the zoo part ends?
Brandine, yes. Until she comes back again. Manjula is a vault item, so you’d have to wait for her to come back around.
Thank you, Patric! You perfectly expressed my own frustrations in a way that helped me see that others do indeed understand and are just as frustrated. I feel so much better after nodding and laughing through your analysis. I enjoy your Friday rants, but this Thursday post was definitely one of your best.
I like the randomness of this event. Even the worm train will look good in my train graveyard. It’s already got the crashed train restaurant, the train that came with Christmas last year and a trolley car.
I’ll just be happy that I actually got some characters I do want with this event. Though still wish we were given characters through levels and more of the characters we actually want were at least in the prize track.
Still I’m glad to have Sarah, Allison, Brittany and Knifey Spoony.
As to Patric’s post regarding calling this Event Moe’s Ark because EA presents 2 of everything……
Today’s Quiz – how many of each type were brought aboard the Ark?
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I just purchased ‘Sir Elton John’ – used to lift weights with a neighbor as we listened to Crocodile Rock. So it was a must buy for me.
As for the ACTUAL character EA supplied, I’m awaiting to see if sometime in the near future a “Sting Ray” is offered to accompany it.
Just wish the Crocodile Waters themselves were a smidge larger and that they provided income.
I don’t mind the random oddness. Having the characters is what’s important to me, not how they are presented. With that said, I had no recollection of T-Rex or the kangaroo and am not working towards either of them. It was not a great episode so I blocked it from my memory I suppose.
I still don’t understand will it be a question kind of thing where if you get it right you get a character like the moe in the white suit and(although a little before my time playing this game my buddy has it) the homer who is super strong… or is it just you must pay kinda thing?!?
Of topic for this post, sorry but I just got T Rex the last prize in act 2 and don’t see any point doing the tasks until act 3, is it better waiting till act 3 or will the task disappear. Don’t see any point sending everyone to the zoo tasks either. apart from upgrade currency which I have lots of as I have upgraded all I want or bonut round which I don’t need as I Kem a little for what I want in my town. Just sounding of a bit but constructive feedback appreciated lol
Same here…taking a break till act 3. Already at 40%, so no need to sweat the upgrades and I think taking a break between acts keeps me from burning out on the event. By the time act 3 starts, I’ll be ready for the grind again and looking forward to the new toys.😁
At 30% and in act 3 will finish quickly and upgrade what I need to build an area I like then move on, looking forward to adding some more to my Jurassic area.
*****
Correct assumption. We don’t allow those links here. Has been the same rule for 5 years… nothing has changed.
It’s outlined here…
https://tstoaddicts.com/about/addicts-guidlines/
I removed the link and you still censored me. I was talking about the game. Link was to another site talking about the current event. You provide information on the game. They do the same, very good information for the current event. Why would you censor that.
I didn’t censor the original post, it’s blog policy (and clearly written in our guidelines) so one of the other moderators deleted it. As it’s our policy. (and that site doesn’t provide information, they provide spoilers. And often times the information is incorrect, or not verified) Your second post, where I *** it out is to let the issue die. You’re still talking about information that violates this site’s guidelines, so rather than delete your comment again and not answer why we deleted it, I ***’d it out and answered your question as to why your original post was deleted.
I’m sorry if you don’t agree with it, or accept it but that’s policy on this site and this community. We delete links like that quite regularly every time there is a new update, or someone is trying to give out information to the next act via a link or context of their comment.
Bottomline, don’t post links to spoiler sites, don’t talk about spoilers and don’t talk about sites that have spoilers and your comments won’t be edited/removed. Pretty simple rule.
Nothing makes sense in my life anymore so why should the game I have played for 5 years be any different, EA have reached down to the bottom of the barrel and scraped together this 3 act fiasco, maybe this is the way forward for our game and at the end it won’t look anything like the Springfield we know. EA prove me wrong, an event that make sense in a Springfield sort of way we can all relate to, does that make sense?
Seriously, I’m astounded in the way they E.A tries to wrap 3 or 4 episodes where some extra mentions something related to the event instead of using an actual episode that would make sense like the episode that actually has the Simpsons going to the zoo.. the Canyonaro episode with the rhinos would be perfect it’s a whole episode about the zoo..
Thanks
What I’m wondering is why my rhino has a baby EMERGING FROM AN EGG?!? Someone at EA think it’s a dinosaur or something??
It happened in the episode
Via a long story I ended up watching the Lion King with my Niece and Nephew, past weekend. They had never seen it and been 20 plus years for myself.
Damn it made me feel old lol. Anyway it stills holds up! They loved it. Reminded me of this event.
Who knows! Maybe it’s outsourced and the creators of these challenges have never seen an episode of Simpsons! 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 call it gumbo I call it minestrone! 👍👍👍
Yeah, I agree with you, Patric, that this event is a weird one. A zoo is a cool thing to get to design, but I think some of their choices have detracted from the event overall. Continuity has value after all. Subtract the unrelated, and a mini event would have gotten it done. (and done it better).
I like gumbo, even EA gumbo. If an event was limited to one or two episodes, would there be enough new stuff to make an event? I actually get a kick watching old Simpsons and seeing these odd people, places and things from my town showing up in an episode.
Wait…..WHAT? I’m still trying to digest the upcoming craziness. Worm train? Seriously? WTF??? Um….ok. I KNEW there was a reason i stopped watching YEARS ago! Sheesh. Looks like i can take it easy during Act 3. Lol. I gotta say, though….I really have liked the prizes and purchases thus far. Yes…even the micro-aquarium. 🐠🐟🐠🐙
This thing was only on screen for 5 seconds…so you could have watched the episode and missed it if you sneezed at the wrong time.
My question is, and maybe someone already pointed this out, but since when does a Rhino give birth via an egg?
I mean, it’s been awhile since I studied that stuff and my 12 year old isn’t around to ask, but I don’t think they do. LOL !!!
Tip: Put the Rhino in the center spot of the Great Plains zoo addition.
They did when they were dinosaurs… But, wait until act three comes. All bets are off.
It’s actually my favorite part of “Simpson’s Safari” and is cut out of the reruns.
A baby Rhino comes out of an egg
Lisa: Rhinos don’t hatch from eggs
Homer: What did you just see, Lisa?
Lisa: but…
Homer: What did you just see?
Yes, well, this event is as organized and sensible as the u.s. is right now, so i dunno, it kinda makes sense given the writers of the simpsons are always making social commentary about what’s going on around us. Nothing makes sense anymore, why should this event? PT Barnum would love being alive right now.
Oh, almost forgot, this should have been a WTHDTCF post 😂😂😂
🤘😆👍
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Thank you Patric… and AMEN!
Have a chance to get yo yo?
Although I am partial to ‘classics,’ I do not have a particular preference as to whether Events are episode-based or not. The means by which EA spliced this Event together, however, are sloppy and incoherent, both in terms of the story, with which I have become less and less engaged with over the years, and content, which often feels forced, if not out of place.
Although I like the zoo concept, I have to agree, they could have done a better job tying things together with story and structure, and providing more zoo-related content, maybe something like providing well-researched Items in three Acts – land, air and sea creatures. Organized and ‘sensical.’ How difficult is that?
Apparently…above their pay grade.
ZING!!!
Perhaps EA was afraid of what PETA would come after them with,
After all, look what has happened with innocuous Animal Cracker Boxes.