Newsletter 26 March 2007

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Awesome new in-game features are revealed along with the answer to last week's photo puzzle. Yavn's got the latest VMK news, now get in the know!

Yavn Speaks!

Dark Days Ahead

Winter is finally over and spring break is looming just around the corner – but something else is looming on the horizon, something dark and it's on the way to VMK! (Now don't skip to the good stuff yet – we're serving up some tasty info you'll want to eat up before getting to dessert!)

How to Clear a Room

Silly me, last week I forgot to tell you about one of the coolest features in the new build – the Clear Room button! Now you can send every single item you've got in a room back into your inventory with the click of a button.

Just one click of that red button – and everything in your room is placed back into inventory!

No more removing items one by one – you've got to happy about that – I know I am! Now we just need a way to sell back items in bulk!

Last Chance For EPCOT Questing

Alright, this is the last week to grab that EPCOT Guest room – in fact, you have until the end of the week to complete the 4 EPCOT Quests.

EPCOT Guest rooms only available until the end of March!

The reaction to the Quest has been phenomenal (thanks to all of you who played) if you haven't Quested, don't want to miss out! Once the EPCOT Quests are gone there's no telling when you might be able to get that EPCOT Guest Room again.

Anyone for a Makeover?

Just a quick note, the weekly Room Makeovers will now be showcased in the Event Info section on this very Newsletter page! Don't forget we're making over 2 rooms each week now – maybe your guest room is next!

Tomorrowland Quests

Another reminder for all you Questers out there – we're getting reading to re-launch the in-game Tomorrowland Quests. If you want to get another star for your Diving, Driving and Flying Pins you'll need to make sure you've completed the current in–game Quests. (Don't worry if you don't complete the Quests, you'll still be able to win the pins, but you'll only be able to get a 2nd star.)

What's it for? Flights of fancy – to the Inner-Space Shop.

Also many of you have noticed that both the Disneyland and Magic Kingdom Tomorrowland Quests have been removed from the VMK website – don't worry, they'll both be back very shortly with a brand new Quest reward – the Red Inner–Space Suit Magic Spell. (Yes, this will be coming to the Magic Kingdom too!)

Ride On!

So did you like the little image of the strange critters last week? As many of you guessed the creatures are from none other than Alice In Wonderland (and of course, the Alice In Wonderland attraction in Disneyland). But what does Alice In Wonderland have to do with VMK? Well, Alice will help kick off something brand new for VMK – Dark Ride Attractions!

The Alice dark ride – coming soon to VMK!

That's right, the Alice In Wonderland attraction (as well as one more ride… but you will have to wait to see which one!) has been lovingly recreated in VMK! (How awesome is that?!) Now, to give you an idea of how much detail went into this wonderful new addition, over 120 new furniture items have been created – just for Alice!

How do the new rides work? Well, when they open take a walk over to the brand new Fantasyland Courtyard and enter through the turnstile, pay your credits (sorry they're not free – but you may win something very cool for just riding… more on that next week!) and hop on!

The team really pulled out the stops to make the VMK versions of these attractions as faithful as possible to the Park versions. We also added some new functionality to the game to help make the current ride system work better. The main change is a new animation system that allows items (like furniture) to animate when a player passes by the object. And just like the real Park attractions – our dark ride tracks do not allow players to hop off the ride until it comes to an end!

I don't know about you ride builders out there, but every time we have a Ride-A-Thon we have to block both sides of every piece of track. One more really cool feature is the new track system can support both Fantasyland Dark Ride vehicle types, how exactly does that work? Well, the track you use to launch the ride is associated with a vehicle type – so if you place an Alice Track starter – you'll get an Alice In Wonderland Caterpillar Vehicle. Place the starter from the other ride and… well you'll see!

Hair-raising New Style

Since we're on the topic of new stuff, how about a new hairstyle for boys and girls! In honor of the new Alice in Wonderland attraction we present Alice In Wonderland hair for girls! And for the guys, a cool new surfer do – perfect if you are a fan of Troy from High School Musical.

Hair's too your new look!

Gotta Fly Now!

Well I need to get packing, literally. That plane to Asia leaves in just a few days and I've got to get my gear in gear. But before I go I'll leave you with this pretty picture and a riddle:

What do you get when you cross Dark Rides, the new Fantasyland Courtyard and a Sword In The Stone?

The thrilling answer and news from my trip to the Far East in next week's Newsletter – don't miss it!

See you in VMK, Yavn

Community Reminder

From 13 March

Remember, it's against the VMK Values to create or open ANY type of 'relationship' room (rooms that include words like 'meet,' 'pick,' 'get,' 'find,' 'have,' 'taken,' etc.) in VMK. You'll be warned and possibly banned for opening any type of room that promotes this activity.

For more information or a reminder of what's acceptable in VMK refer to the VMK Values page.

Think Green

Learn how you can make a difference!

"The natural resources of our vast continent are not inexhaustible. But if we will use our riches wisely, if we will protect our wildlife and preserve our lakes and streams, these things will last us for generations to come."

– Walt Disney

Kids, talk to your parents first about how you can use these great tips in your home!

Ways You Can Make a Difference

1. Plant a Tree: Besides looking great, trees eat carbon dioxide (that's a global warming greenhouse gas), they also help keep the planet cool. Plants (and trees in particular) also provide shade and evaporate water into the atmosphere, which increases cloudiness, which also helps keep the planet cool.

2. Turn it Off: Did you know that many electronic devices remain on even after you hit the 'off' button? It's true, many new electronic devices (like video systems and computers) go into a 'standby' mode. To save energy switch these devices to the 'power save' mode. If your device doesn't have that option, unplug it.

3. Pass the Trash: Sure you've heard about recycling, but do you recycle? Remember, cans, bottles, plastic and paper can ALL be recycled. Check with your local city council for recycling facilities in your area and stop throwing away recyclable goods (like soda cans and plastic water bottles). You can also make some extra cash when you recycle cans and bottles, so check with facilities in your area for redemption programs they may offer.

Green Facts:

• More than 8,000 acres of property at the Walt Disney World Resort are designated as a permanent wildlife conservation area and will never be developed.
• According to the American Forestry Association, if every American family planted a single new tree, the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere would be reduced by a billion pounds a year.
• A typical family car puts 19 pounds of CO2 into the atmosphere for every gallon of gas it uses.
• Walt Disney World has solar-powered traffic lights installed at many intersections around the Resort. These lights help save energy and reduce energy cost.
• During the past seven years, water-saving initiatives at the Walt Disney World Resort have saved nearly 2.5 billion gallons of water.

Event Info

EPCOT Quest Until March 31st

VMK Racing Day March 25th

'Think Green' Entire Month of March

Earth Day Ride-A-Thon March 23-25

Room Makeovers Every Tuesday and Thursday

EPCOT Quest

Test your knowledge of EPCOT by playing the new in-game EPCOT Quest! To play press the Quest button ('Q') on the VMK Player Interface Bar, then select the EPCOT Quest from the list. Answer all ten questions correctly and you can win an Epcot Guest Room!

New Quest are released each week and will run until March 31st, so get in the game and get Questing!

New EPCOT Quest launches on March 19th and March 26th.

VMK Racing Days!

Strap on your helmet and kick those tires, it's the start of the race season and VMK is going to get your motor running! Join HOST_Sparky on select Saturdays and Sundays during the racing season for special VMK racing events!

These special racing games like Chase Race and Race to the Finish will take place during a real auto race – so you can watch the big race and race in VMK at the same time! And only on VMK Racing Days can you win the VMK Racing '07 Pin. Keep an eye on the Event Info box and the Community Calendar for more updates and a schedule of race events.

The next Race Day is March 25th.

'Think Green' Month

All through the month of March, VMK is going green. Learn how you can do your part to help reduce waste and make the world a better place to live! 'Think Green!'

Check the Think Green section for tips on saving the planet, all through the month of March.

Earth Day Ride-A-Thon

Show your support for the planet in our Earth Day Ride-A-Thon.

Earth Day Ride-A-Thon March 23rd, 24th, 25th

Room Makeovers

Two lucky players are selected randomly each week for a Room Makeover by our talented team of Room Designers. Join us weekly as we post their story (including before and after pictures) here in the Event Info section of the Newsletter. Submit your room for a Makeover through the Contact Us Tool.

The winners of this weeks Room Makeover are bluespaceranger and LilBoyBlue.

Here's HOST_Lily and HOST_Hula with details of the Makeovers… Take it away Lily and Hula!

HOST_Lily

Greetings Space Rangers! HOST_Lily here to tell you about bluespaceranger's new Pizza Planet.

When I found our galactic hero, bluespaceranger, he was pacing around his new EPCOT guest room trying to figure out what to do with it! He wanted a room that would be fun for other Space Rangers to visit and I wanted to help him get to infinity and beyond.

Together we came up with the great idea of having a Space Mountain shuttle car crash through Spaceship Earth and land on the Pizza Planet! The result? Mission accomplished, just take a look at those before and after pics!

The EPCOT room that craved pizza - before the Makeover.

And after! Grab some pizza, play some video games - and give a big Galactic Congratulations to bluespaceranger!

Over and out! HOST_Lily.

Thanks HOST_Lily, let's take a look at another Room Makeover courtesy of HOST_Hula:

HOST_Hula

Aloha! When I first found LtlBoyBlue he already had a great start on his Tiki room! He was busy covering the floor with bamboo rugs when I surfed in. Our big challenge was transforming this room from a steam boat showroom to a hidden oasis. Crates were the first order of business and I used a bunch of them! The idea was to give the illusion that we weren't just sailing off the shores of the Big Island – but that we were actually on it! So up went the walls to add some privacy and enchantment to the room.

LtlBoyBlue had already placed a Tiki King center stage and it was overlooking a grand fountain - because we all know the peaceful sounds of flowing water adds an island feel to any room!

Before the Tiki gods moved in.

Now this is a tropical oasis!

Mahalo, LtlBoyBlue for letting me help build a new tropical paradise! Have an enchanted evening!

Aloha, HOST_Hula

Top 5 FAQs

This week's Top 5 Frequently Asked Questions

1. I've sent in a problem through Contact Us but no one has replied - why haven't I heard from anyone?

We respond to every email we get within 24 hours - but some email providers (like AOL.com, Hotmail.com, msn.com, Comcast.net, Cox.net, rr.net and Earthlink) block our responses.

If you use any of the email providers listed above, or haven't gotten a response from us, this is the reason.

Some email providers have Spam Filters that automatically block email from an unknown source and you have to tell the program (the email application) to allow email from that source. To get email from VMK, go into the preferences for your mailbox and allow mail from: [email protected]. (Please note, this email address DOES NOT receive email except via the Contact Us form.)

You also have the option to submit an alternate email address (this option is under the Send Details box) in the Contact Us tool if your provider won't take our replies. We suggest setting up another email account, like yahoo.com to get our replies.

2. Why is VMK Staff or a Community Leader ignoring me?

If you're talking to a VMK Staff member or a Community Leader and it seems like they're ignoring you, keep in mind they may be away from their computer.

Also, many times when VMK Staff are in a room they're there for a specific reason and may be unable to respond to your questions or requests at the time &ndash don't take it personally, they're just doing their job. If you have questions when you're in-game that can't be answered by VMK Staff, check out the VMK FAQ located in the HELP section (that's in the upper right corner on the VMK homepage) on the VMK website.

3. I logged on into VMK and my character and stuff were gone - why was my account was deleted?

If you haven't logged into VMK for six-months or more - that account will be deleted. We need to delete unused accounts periodically to clear out room in the database for new users. If you don't want your account deleted, make sure you log into the game occasionally to keep your account active.

4. Why can't I log into the game and play VMK?

If you try to log into VMK and it's either closed or the site is too busy – don't panic. Sometimes VMK closes for improvements and will open again momentarily. Also, when there are many players in the game, this can cause VMK's system to become very busy – this is normal. Just wait a few minutes and try again later or wait until the Kingdom is less crowded.

5. My room needs a makeover - how do I get one?

Enter it in the Room Makeover contest! Just go to the Contact Us section on the VMK website. (The Contact Us link is located at the bottom of the every VMK webpage.) Then choose "Room Makeover Submission," fill in your information and the VMK Staff will evaluate your submission. Rooms in need are chosen for a Room Makeover. Good luck!

For more information about these or a complete list of VMK's most frequesntly asked questions, check out our FAQ.

Yeti's Tips & Tricks

From 21 March 2007

You've got questions, Yeti has answers.

The Yeti answers your gaming questions! This week tips on how to buy a camera, how to avoid trading scams and the inside scoop on Treasure Detector Magic! No wonder he's called the 'King of Q&A'!

How do I buy a camera?

So it's time to take some pictures, but you don't have a camera? The Yeti will show you just the place to find one.

Select the VMK World Map and click the Main Street area.

You will be taken to the Main Street map.

From the Main Street Map click on VMK Central.

In VMK Central you will see a Jolly Roger flag – double click on it.

After clicking the Pirates flag a pop-up window will appear that looks like this:

The Camera cost 200 credits.

If you have enough credits, you can buy the Camera. You're also able to buy film and a photo album from this window. Once you have selected your items, click the BUY button. Now say cheese! You've got yourself a brand new Camera!

How do I Trade with someone?

You have some items you don't really want anymore, and you want to trade them for something different – but how do you do that? The Yeti is the Master of Trading! I will show you how!

When you are ready to trade with a player, click on their avatar.

Player Info window.

A player information window will pop-up – select the green TRADE button from these options.

Once you click on a person's trade button, they can choose IGNORE, OK, or CANCEL.

• If you choose the IGNORE option, this will ignore that player for a few minutes. You won't be able to see anything they write, and they won't be able to contact you for a few minutes.
• If you choose OK, the trade process will start.
• If you choose CANCEL, it will cancel the trade. The player will not be ignored.

Once the trade is accepted by the other player, this window will pop-up:

Now you can select which items you wish to trade.

Double click on an item and it will appear in your side of the Trade window. You can also see what the other player is offering in their side of the Trade window.

If you feel comfortable with the trade, click 'YOU ACCEPT.'

Another window will pop-up confirming that you want to make this trade. Review all the items and click either OK if want to confirm the trade, or CANCEL if you decide against the trade.

This is YOUR LAST OPPORTUNITY TO CANCEL THE TRANSACTION AND GET OUT OF THE TRADE.

Once you click OK, the trade is completed. Have fun with your new item!

Can you tell me more about Treasure Detector Magic?

The Yeti can definitely help you learn more about Treasure Detector Magic. First of all, you can only obtain Treasure Detector Magic by completing the EPCOT 3 Quest. The EPCOT Quest can be found by clicking on the QUEST or 'Q' button at the bottom of the window.

Click on the NEXT QUEST button until you reach the 'EPCOT Trivia Quest 3.' Then choose PLAY THIS QUEST.

Once you complete the Quest, you will be awarded Treasure Detector Magic. In order to use this Magic, access it from your Inventory (this is the button that has a chair icon on it) at the bottom of the window.

The Inventory Window will pop up:

Select the PINS tab and then double click on the Treasure Detector Magic to wear that pin.

Close that window and click on the MAGIC WAND button:

After clicking the MAGIC WAND icon, your MAGIC window will appear:

Double click on the Treasure Detector Magic. This is what it looks like when you use Treasure Detector Magic:

It's magic!

After a few moments the map will disappear. If nothing else happens, that means you didn't win anything. However, if you DO win something, a pop-up window will appear letting you know what you won:

Hey! Treasure Detector Magic really works!

Hope this helps! Good luck!

Do you have a game related question for the Yeti? Send it to me through the Contact Us section at the bottom of this page. Be sure to have your VMK registration info with you (the email and information you registered with) and select "Dear Yeti" from the drop down menu. While I can't respond to each and everyone personally, I'll answer the best (and most frequently asked) questions here.

Push's Trash Trivia

This tree is an 'icon' for our natural resources. Name the tree and the Disney Park it appears in.

Know the answer?

Send your answer using Contact Us at the bottom of this or the main VMK webpage. Be sure to have your VMK registration info with you and select Push's Trash Trivia from the drop down menu.

Out of all the correct answers, three players will be randomly drawn as the winners and sent a cool prize. But hurry! Only entries submitted by the close of game on Friday will be accepted.

Here's the answer to last weeks Trash Trivia question:

Question: This EPCOT attraction gets dirty to put you in touch with the planet. What is it?

Answer: Living with the Land.

Living with the Land will teach you about the planet and how you can protect it.

Did you know: Living with the Land is one of the few Disney theme park attractions that you can actually explore from backstage. By booking a 'Behind the Seeds' tour you can get a glipse at new farming techniques like Hydroponics, Aeroponics, and Aquaculture – but you also get a chance to walk through part of Living with the Land from backstage.

A glimpse of the future – from backstage!

Located in The Land pavilion at EPCOT in Walt Disney World, Living with the Land opened to the public on December 10, 1993. The attraction features a 13-minute boat ride through several 'lands' – including a tropical rain forest and the American plains – and explains the importance of taking care of the environment and how much we depend on the land for our survival.

You won't just learn about fruits and vegetables on this ride, you will also see fish-farms, in fact, you might even be looking at your next meal!

Most of the fruits, vegetables, and fish grown here are used at Disney restaurants around EPCOT.

Congratulations to the 3 lucky (and randomly picked) players that sent in the correct answer for last week's question!

sorsha

LafChill

FarStar

Your prize is on its way!

Top Players

What makes a Guest Room award-worthy?

Guest or Game Rooms that stand out show originality in concept and design. It could be a use of conventional furniture in unconventional ways, the use of a theme or color, or humor.

Elijaho wins top honors this week in the Best Guest Room category.

Game rooms that get the nod offer a new game idea or a new twist on an old favorite. In all rooms we look for room owners who welcome everyone with a smile and show a willingness to answer questions about their room.

Check out this week's Best Guest Rooms and Best Game Rooms.

Best Guest Rooms

Make a wish! In Elijaho's room, Fantastic Fantasmic Fountain, take a penny from the penny press and throw it into the fountain to make a wish!

Best Game Rooms

Ready, set, go! PolarFish runs the fun game room Super Spring Races!, where the first team to complete a course and fill up their score cards – wins!

Best Player Quests

Are you ready to rock? You better be if you are going to take see.low's I Need Some Space! Quest. If you know a thing or two you may just win an out of this world prize!

Players who have been previously recognized for their design talents will receive the VIP award.

VMK Cards

The first card from Series 3 is here!

Get the Animation Viewer by playing the Animation Quest at Disneyland or Walt Disney World – redeem the code on your card for this cool virtual prize.

Check out the VMK Rewards Card Checklist and make sure you have all the VMK bling! What cards do you have in your collection?

Scam Alert

If you promise Players a prize - you must award it!

If you're running a game in your room – play fair. If you promise an item to a winner, you must award that winner the item. Failure to do so is considered a scam by VMK Staff and you will be BANNED for this type of activity. If you're a player that was supposed to win an item and didn't receive it – use the HELP button and report the scam.

Remember, if you are ever have a question about fair play you can always check the VMK Values or the FAQs – your question will probably be answered there.

Staff impersonation is NOT allowed in VMK!

Impersonation is never allowed in VMK. If a player says they are VMK Staff, make sure they're wearing the orange Mickey Pin and wearing either red (for Staff and HOSTS) or blue (for QA) Mickey ears.

VMK Staff will always wear the orange Mickey Pin.

You can always spot STAFF and HOSTS because they wear red Mickey ears.

You can identify a Community Leader by the 'CL_' at the beginning of their name and their blue wizard hat pin.

Remember, VMK Staff will never ask you to trade any items. If you have other questions check out the FAQs page!

Scamming of any kind will get you BANNED!

It's great to have a popular room in VMK, but it's not OK to get players into your room by scamming. Pretending to have an item that you don't have, in order to get players to come into your room, is considered a scam and you can be banned from VMK!

Beware of "free" rooms

There are some players that advertise their rooms as "free," but when you enter them, they force you to pay up or get booted from the room. Beware of these types of rooms and report players who engage in this activity.

Safety Corner

Hate Speech will get you banned!

Hate speech is not tolerated in VMK. If you see someone using this type of language in the game – REPORT THEM!

Engaging in hateful or offensive behavior is never appropriate - doing it in VMK will get you banned from the game, in most cases permanently. Help keep VMK a safe and fun virtual place for everyone! :-)

Enter 'pay to play' rooms at your own risk!

In some rooms you must 'pay' the room owner to stay in that room. If you choose to do this, you are doing so at your own risk. Once you 'pay' (credits or give items to the owner) – if you're booted from that room – VMK will NOT be able to get your stuff back because you entered this room at your own risk.

Do NOT share your personal information!

It may be tempting to ask someone for their personal information (where they live, instant messenger names, etc.) – but asking for this information will get you BANNED!

Please spend some time reviewing the VMK Values, and remember to keep your information private.

Quests

In-Park Quests!

PLAY THE DISNEY ANIMATION QUEST!

Play the latest VMK In-Park Quest now at The Magic Kingdom® and Disneyland® - put your knowledge of Disney animated films to the test!

Going to Disneyland® Park or Magic Kingdom® Park? Play the in-Park Quests! Learn more here.

<strong>High School Musical Quest</strong>! Watch the movie, visit the Parks and answer all the questions to win cool stuff!

Get the <strong>Thrill Seekers Ques</strong>t for the Walt Disney World® Resort here!

The Tomorrowland Quest is still available: Download it here.

Contact Us Tips

Problems? Contact Us!

When you use Contact Us to ask a question or report an issue, please be aware of the following:

If you use AOL or EarthLink for e-mail, you won't receive our response, as AOL e-mail filters block our replies. Please provide an alternative e-mail in the Contact Us form where it asks for your e-mail address.

Some Spam Filters will automatically block e-mail from an unknown source unless you tell the program to allow it: To get email from VMK, allow mail from [email protected]. (Please note this email address does not receive e-mail except via the Contact Us form.)