Cartoon Orbit

Cartoon Orbit

Cartoon Orbit front page, 2000-2002
Commercial?	Yes
Type of site	Trading card game
Registration	Yes
Owner	Turner Broadcasting System (Time Warner Inc.)
Created by	Sam Register
Launched	October 2000
Current status	Defunct

Cartoon Orbit was an online gaming network created by Turner Online to promote its shows and partners^[1]. The original site was registered in May 2000, with the beta phase ending in September. Cartoon Orbit officially opened to the public in October 2000.^[2] After the site began to suffer from lack of maintenance beginning in 2005, Cartoon Network shut down Cartoon Orbit on October 16, 2006, leaving users with a "Thank You" certificate as a token of their appreciation.

History

Cartoon Orbit was the brainchild of Sam Register, who was also behind the development of CartoonNetwork.com in 1998. He went on to become the creative director of CartoonNetwork.com as well as Cartoon Orbit from 2000-2001 before leaving to pursue television development with Cartoon Network in its Los Angeles studios. He came up with the idea for Orbit after seeing PBS's Sticker World. After Register left Cartoon Orbit, Art Roche became the creative director of CartoonNetwork.com, a post he continues to hold. Justin Williams was the project lead at Turner and Director of Community for Orbit until 2003, when he began working on other Cartoon Network interactive projects. Lisa Furlong Jones, Sharon Karleskint Sharp, and Robert Cass created content and wrote copy for Cartoon Orbit, while Noel Saabye and Brian Hilling provided art and animation.^[3]

The original name of the site was to be "Cartooniverse." This name can be seen in various early Flash animation and screenshots, but upon release, the name of the site was changed to Cartoon Orbit. The reason for this was because the copyright for it was held by someone else at the time.

Cartoon Orbit was originally built using parts of Communities.com's "Passport" software (not to be confused with the current Communities.com, which is unrelated). This software was a 2D, avatar-based chat server, where members could decorate their own spaces. Most of the chat functionality was removed, but the decoration part of the software was used extensively for displaying and editing cZones. Until the complete conversion to Flash, references could still be found in the HTML source code to passport "room servers," and links to technical documentation on Communities.com's web site.^[4]

Viant worked on the site as well, offering project and business management for the development and beta and back-end software development for the user and content management. Scott Gutterman served as the lead at Viant, and Stacie Spychalski, David Gynn, Chris Griswold and others managed plans, requirements and developed the code. Before being acquired and ultimately closing, Viant went on to work at several Turner Broadcasting/Time-Warner projects from 2000-2002.

For the first few years, the site was updated weekly. Beginning in mid-2005, it became apparent that Turner Online stopped maintaining the Cartoon Orbit site. Updates were ceased in February 2006, and many reported bugs went unfixed. On August 17, 2006, Cartoon Network removed the navigation for Cartoon Orbit from its main header. The link could now only be found on the bottom of the home page. This caused many users to speculate that Cartoon Network had nearly given up completely on Cartoon Orbit, and some anticipated its closure. The same users also pointed to the recent AP press release from Cartoon Network about developing a then-unnamed cartoon-based MMORPG as proof that Cartoon Orbit would soon be a thing of the past.^[5]

Starting September 29, 2006, users were no longer able to sign up for and create new Cartoon Orbit accounts. When clicking the "Join Now" button, the user was presented with a "Registration is Closed" page. On October 2, 2006 a notice that Cartoon Orbit would close was posted on the front page.

We regret to announce that Cartoon Orbit will be closing October 16, 2006.

Since the launch of Cartoon Orbit in 2000, we have been amazed and honored by the dedication of our fans. From the days of Orbit Worlds and cZone Spotlight to the introduction of gToons, it's been a memorable ride creating and developing this site for you throughout the years.

As a small token of our appreciation for your incredible loyalty, we would like to offer you a Thank You certificate featuring some of our favorite gToons. We'll automatically insert your username and first login date--just click below to print.

Cartoon Orbit officially closed in the early morning of October 16, 2006. The link that was placed at the bottom of the home page was redirected to Cartoon Network's Spanish site. Directly linking to their web address, however, showed that Cartoon Orbit was still online. The following day, the login was removed from the homepage, and anyone who tried logging in on another site page was disallowed. All links to Cartoon Orbit now redirect to the Cartoon Network homepage.

Features

Players were given points to purchase stickers, called cToons, from the in-game store, called the "cMart." Players could also receive cToons, gToons, and cRings (the game's assets) by entering special redemption codes, during special events, bartering with other players (trading), or in an auction format.^[6]

cToons came with a wide range of functionalities. Most were static, but some were animated and/or had sound. Other cToons, when clicked, played mini-games or had special functionality (such as a Dexter's Laboratory-themed cToon that automatically counted down to Albert Einstein's birthday).

Players were given their own gallery spaces, called cZones, to decorate with cards of their choice. One could further customize their cZone by changing their cZone's background.^[6]

Items

Three main collectibles were available in the Cartoon Orbit game: cToons, cRings, and gToons.

• cToons: The main collectible item of Cartoon Orbit. cToon was short for Cartoon, just as eMail is short for Electronic Mail. They could be thought of as trading cards or more accurately e-stickers (as they could be displayed on a cZone). cToons could be plain, be animated, play sounds, or both. Some cToons were part of special sets, and developed their own names. These included:
  • Golden cToons: cToons that were gold in color; some of which were very rare.
  • Ad cToons: Sponsored advertisement cToons. Typically gained via a code, and some of which would disappear after the promotion ended, be changed to remove the advertisement logo, or replaced with a different cToon altogether.
  • Code cToons: cToons that were only available by entering a code, and after a designated amount of time, were expired. They could be found on Cartoon Network commercials, on promotional items, or at sponsor sites. Codes were also revealed during Cartoon Cartoon Fridays.
  • Game cToons: cToons that, when placed on a cZone and clicked, opened a miniature flash game. Some of them would give you a 'prize' code cToon at the end if you achieved a certain target.
  • Checklist cToons: cToons that, when placed on a cZone and clicked, were able to be printed off by the user so they would have a checklist of all the new cToons due to be released that month. New checklist cToons were created from November 2001 to June 2003.
  • Sticker cToons: Much like a traditional sticker, most had quotes or quips from the character portrayed. The majority of the sticker cToons were released in 2001.
  • Holiday cToons: First released at Christmas time in 2001, these quickly became some of the most popular cToons in Orbit. In 2002 and 2003, inexpensive Holiday presents were created which were meant to be freely given to other players. After Christmas, the present cToons were automatically exchanged for a real cToon.
  • Auction Only cToons: cToons that could only be purchased from Orbit Auctions.

• cRings: Much like a webring, cRings joined players together with a common theme. In the early years of Orbit, clicking on a cRing took you to another player's cZone that was displaying that cRing.
  • Blue Back cRings: Very rare cRings that got their name from the blue background they were created on.

• gToons: Cards used in the game of gToons.
  • Slam gToons: A rare type of gToon with special abilities.

gToons

gToons logo

gToons was Cartoon Orbit's own collectible card game. Launched on October 14, 2002, over 400,000 users were playing after the first two months^[7]. gToons closed along with Cartoon Orbit on October 16, 2006, although it has been stated that it might return "as a stand-alone game sometime in the future with new sets of game pieces to collect".

In December 2007, gToons resurfaced as "Action Packs" for the show Transformers: Animated^[8], followed by a Ben 10: Alien Force version becoming available in April 2008^[9]. Though the game is now only available in a single-player mode, the rules and design are virtually identical to the original.

Gameplay

Five separate expansion packs were released between 2003 and 2006, each with different gToons contained inside. Players assembled 12-card decks to compete with each other, and a standard game lasted only a few minutes. Cards represented characters, places, and props from shows broadcast by Cartoon Network like Dexter's Laboratory, Ed, Edd, and Eddy, and The Powerpuff Girls. Each card had a color, value, and occasionally a special effect that could modify the value(s) of other card(s). Two colors (determined by the "bottom" card of each player's deck) were goal colors: if the two colors were both "neutral" colors (black or silver), the higher total point value won. If there was exactly one non-neutral color (blue, red, yellow, green, purple, etc.) between the goal colors, a player with more cards of the non-neutral color would receive a 15 point bonus to their total before determining victory. If neither color were neutral, a player could win by having more of each color in play than the opponent; otherwise, the higher total value won.

Areas

• Challenge Zone: An area where players could challenge others to a game of gToons.

• cMart: An area where players could buy cards. Cards could be sorted by show, by character, by price, by type, by prop, or by set. Most cToons did not stay in the cMart for long and were soon sold out.

• cZone: The part of the Cartoon Orbit site that belonged to the user. They could decorate their cZone with any of Orbit's cards like a gallery or sticker book.

• cZone Directory: Where a user could find other people's cZones. They would type in their user name, find the name, or find it by letter. There was also a cZone Spotlight (a list of some particularly well-made cZones).

• Showcase cZone: An area where users could view new cToons and updates on Orbit, and also the main Live Trading area.

• My Collection: An area where Orbiters could view their cards. Cards were able to be sorted into categories by show or by type. Users could also hide their cards from trading or even delete them.

• Auctions: A standard auction setup which allowed players to put cToons up for sale. The highest bidder at the end of the auction received the cToon, and the seller received the bid points minus a small fee. Auctions were introduced in August 2002.

Past features

• My Favorites: A section where one could visit someone's cZone and add them to a Buddy List. The Buddy List also allowed a user to see if the person they added was logged in. If they were logged in, they could choose to "follow" the person and go to the section of the website that they were currently located at. The cZone Directory somewhat resembled this.

• Team Orbit: A group of 100 Cartoon Orbit users who were chosen to make suggestions about the game after it was released to the public. Team Orbit only lasted a few months in 2001, and it was replaced by the ideas and comments coming from numerous fan sites.

• ToonFlash Newsletter: A newsletter that Cartoon Orbit periodically sent out to all users via email.

Orbit worlds

Before the transition to Flash in 2002, there were "Worlds" on Cartoon Orbit. These were based on fictional places from the Network's cartoons, and they came complete with a quote or quip from that world's characters, a poll, and links to "Spotlight" cZones.^[6]

• Centersphere: The landing page when entering Orbit. From here users could go to the other worlds.

• Townsville: "Formed eons ago by a spectacular collision of sugar, spice and everything nice, Townsville shines in the night sky with a unique pink hue. The surface of Townsville is highly diverse: the younger, lower terrain of the northern hemisphere is full of flowers, whereas the older, higher terrain of the southern hemisphere is often densely populated by squirrels."

• Dexter's Laboratory: "Home to the boy genius himself, Dexter’s Laboratory is chock full o’ Bunsen burners, vials of bubbling green liquid and all sorts of mechanical doohickeys."

• Scooby World: "Accidentally discovered by Shagnacious P. Rogers III, a part-time toongazer and full-time resident of Coolsville, the atmosphere of Scooby World is rich in spookiness. Notable for natural resources such as Scooby Snacks and Malt Shops, visitors to Scooby World are often seen roving the landscape in colorful utility vehicles known as Mystery Machines."

• Bedrock: "The distinctly primitive Bedrock, Cartoon Orbit's earliest known formation, hovers a mere 36 million miles from Centersphere. Despite its boulder-strewn surface, which yields sparse vegetation, Bedrock boasts all the luxuries and locations of modern prehistoric life, from the Polarock camera to the masto-vacuum. In other words: Don't take it for granite."

• Cartoon Networld: "The story of Cartoon Networld is the story of cartoon stars who migrate here daily from the television screens of a grateful populace. Cartoon Networld is a first-rate retreat with many pleasing amenities, a sunshine playground for the top cartoon stars. Warning: the atmosphere of Cartoon Networld may alter the central humor system of visitors who encounter its numerous laugh-inducing environments."

• Kids' WB Backlot: This was added after the removal of Bedrock.

• Toonami: This was added after the removal of Bedrock.

References

1. ^ "Cartoon Orbit Members Top 300,000". TimeWarner.com. http://www.timewarner.com/corp/newsroom/pr/0,20812,668510,00.html. Retrieved 3 October 2010. 
2. ^ "CartoonNetwork.com to Launch Cartoon Orbit". TimeWarner.com. http://www.timewarner.com/corp/newsroom/pr/0,20812,667848,00.html. Retrieved 2009-03-16. 
3. ^ "Cartoon Orbit summary". Steve Holland. http://www.steveholland.com/what/cartoonorbit.html. Retrieved 2 October 2010. 
4. ^ "Communities.com, Turner Broadcasting Collaborate for Cartoon Orbit Development". HighBeam Research. http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-68878177.html. Retrieved 2 October 2010. 
5. ^ "Cartoon Network, Grigon Team For Kids MMO". Gamasutra. http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=10135. Retrieved 2 October 2010. 
6. ^ ^{a b c} Fritz, Steve. "Cartoon Network Launching Fans Into Orbit". Mania.com. http://www.mania.com/cartoon-network-launching-fans-into-orbit_article_17625.html. Retrieved 3 October 2010. 
7. ^ "Adobe Success Story: CartoonNetwork.com". Adobe.com. http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/showcase/index.cfm?event=casestudyprint&casestudyid=3038&loc=en_us. Retrieved 3 October 2010. 
8. ^ "Transformers Animated Action Packs game". CartoonNetwork.com. http://www.cartoonnetwork.com/games/transformers/actionpacks/index.html. Retrieved 2 October 2010. 
9. ^ "Ben 10: Alien Force Action Packs game". CartoonNetwork.com. http://www.cartoonnetwork.com/games/ben10/actionpacks/index.html. Retrieved 2 October 2010. 

External links

• Massive Cartoon Orbit Archival Project, a collaboration of information surrounding Cartoon Orbit