View source for VZones Marketing E-mails - 1999-2014

Official communications from the VZones team can be found here.

==2000==
===January===
====Subject: Letter to VZones members====
 <pre>From ???@??? Sun Jan 09 20:52:56 2000
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Date: Fri, 07 Jan 2000 07:01:27 -0800
Subject: Letter to VZones members
To: x@there.freeserve.co.uk
Message-id: <0FNZ00MZ10EFAL@mail.avaterra.com>
Precedence: list
X-Header: VZones members

Dear VZones Members:

Over the last 6 months or so our VZones population has grown
faster than ever before. The massive new traffic has 
stressed our hardware to the limits, and in fact beyond. 
Over the Holiday, and again over the last few days, the 
hardware on which we run the VZones failed causing a lot 
of disruption for you, our valued members. For this I 
apologize and assure you that we are doing all we can to 
fix the problems.

On January 12, 2000 we will switch over to our new hardware 
configuration which is currently in the testing process.
This new hardware, together with several new software 
upgrades and a new hosting service, will provide a better 
and more reliable service. We have invested a large amount 
of time and money in these new upgrades, and the feedback 
so far from our testing group is that it was money well 
spent.

Again, I apologize for the inconvenience and assure you 
that we intend 2000 to be the best Avatar year so far!


David Andrews,
C.E.O.</pre>

====Subject: Announcement from Avaterra.com====
 <pre>From ???@??? Wed Jan 12 20:30:13 2000
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 hello@there.freeserve.co.uk; Tue, 11 Jan 2000 12:33:03 -0800 (PST)
Date: Tue, 11 Jan 2000 12:33:03 -0800
Subject: Announcement from Avaterra.com
To: hello@there.freeserve.co.uk
Message-id: <0FO6006Q9UF3QD@mail.avaterra.com>
Precedence: list
X-Header: All members announcement

Dear Member,

The time has finally arrived!  We will be upgrading to new servers this
Wednesday, January 12.  The cutover is scheduled to begin at 9:00 a.m. VZT
(PST) and completed by Thursday, January 13 at 9:00 a.m. VZT (PST).  We are
doing everything possible to ensure downtime is limited to 24 hours.

 What does this mean to you?

Once the cutover begins, neither VZconnections, nor the Dreamscape will be
available for a 24 hour period.  There will be no access to the Avaterra web
sites during this 24 hour period as well.  Full service should be restored
by January 13 at 9:00 a.m. VZT (PST).  There will be no "time warp" with
regards to the cutover, so all possessions, avatars, turfs, etc. will be in
tact when we return to service.

This also means that once the new servers are in place, we can look forward
to fewer crashes, shorter downtimes, and increased functionality of our
products.  We are continuing to work towards providing you with the best
service possible.

We apologize for this inconvenience, but in order to move forward, the down
time is a necessary evil!  Support will be available through the Delphi
forum(http://www.delphi.com/vzones) during this down time to keep you all
company, and inform you of any delays or problems that might arise.

We look forward to a successful cutover, and will see you all in worlds on
January 13th!

Have a great 2000!

Avaterra Team</pre>

====Subject: Announcement from Avaterra.com====
 <pre>From ???@??? Mon Jan 31 22:32:28 2000
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 Mon, 31 Jan 2000 14:07:24 -0800 (PST)
Date: Mon, 31 Jan 2000 14:07:24 -0800
Subject: Announcement from Avaterra.com
To: member@blarg.com
Message-id: <0FP800DSV04C07@mail.avaterra.com>
Precedence: list
X-Header: Dreamscape members announcement
X-RCPT-TO: <member@blarg.com>
X-UIDL: 21
Status: U


Dear Dreamscape Member, 

As we continue to increase membership in both Dreamscape (DS) and 
VZconnections (VZc), it has become clear that we must change the way we 
communicate with the DS community. We realize that the flow of information 
has suffered during this period of growth. The new direction that we have 
taken has removed a great deal of our time from direct community 
involvement. In order to improve in these areas, we have made the decision 
to appoint a "division manager" for DS. 

In an effort to improve our communication and support for DS, to adjust to 
the increase in the number of members in both worlds, and to have a contact 
that works exclusively on DS issues, we are happy to announce the 
appointment of Caretaker Electra as Dreamscape Manager. Electra, well known 
to you as person in charge of the Acolytes, will assume her new duties 
effective immediately. 

Oracle Electra will work closely with Senior Community Management (Delilah 
and Michael). Her primary focus will be to strengthen the link between the 
community and Avaterra by managing the Dreamscape within the community 
perspective, in conjunction with the long-term strategies of Avaterra. Among 
her duties are DS in-world staff (Caretakers and Acolytes) management, 
enhancement and development of the DS community, in-world policies, 
promotion of events, and most importantly in-world communication with 
members (including town meetings). Electra can be contacted via email at 
electra@avaterra.com. 

Michael and Delilah will continue with their roles of Community Management, 
continuing to focus more primarily on strategic issues and future growth 
opportunities of the zones. They will continue to develop and review 
policies and community philosophies for the zones. Included here are member 
support issues, community Issues, and community co-ordination across both DS 
and VZc.  Electra will continue to report directly to Michael and Delilah 

Please congratulate Oracle Electra, and join us in welcoming her to her new 
position! 

Delilah & Michael 
Community Management 

To remove your e-mail address from this email list, and help us to service 
you better, please forward an email to the following email address: 
remove@avaterra.com</pre>

===May===
====Subject: VZconnections rate changes, May 23, 2000====
 <pre>From: mlist@mail.avaterra.com
To: <???@avaterra.com>
Date: Tuesday, May 23, 2000 10:30 pm
Subject: VZconnections rate changes, May 23, 2000

Dear VZconnections Members,

It has now been almost one year since the inception of Avaterra.com and
during the last year, we've seen many changes, both inworld and out. We
continue to have the most vibrant, active communities on the Net, thanks
to you, our members.

Our numbers continue to grow -- through your word of mouth -- with the friends that you bring to our community.  Your enthusiasm and involvement in the growth of the community is at an all time high.  We've received countless suggestions for new features and further development, which we look forward to implementing in version 3.1. 

We are also working on opening some great new areas inside VZconnections, including the Turf Furnishings shop and a new area for current gaming hosts. In the coming weeks you will begin to see a redesign of the current layout, as we restructure the free areas.

Unfortunately, the current fees do not cover the expenses necessary to maintain the zone, and we are no longer able to operate under the current pricing plan. Therefore, it is necessary to raise the subscription rate to $9.95 per month, effective immediately for new members.

However, we are pleased to announce that we will be starting a referral program where members can earn free months just by referring friends and family to the Zones! For every referred member that pays for two months, you get one month free! Details will be available on our site in the coming weeks for this exciting new program available early this summer.

Also new is the Children Internet Protection Act passed April 21, 2000, which limit a sites' ability to capture data from a child under the age of 13. To comply with this new law, we will be reinstating the 14-day free trial with a credit card on our site immediately.

We will continue to provide Guide & Caretaker assistance in the zones, prize and events support, new objects in the vendos, as well as our hosting and support services. We plan to continue to strive for better service and reduce downtime to help foster the rich community that you, our members, have built. We look forward to enhancing the experience and growth of the community in the coming months.  

Thank you for your choice to use VZconnections and working with us in this time of transition/growth.

The VZconnections Team</pre>

===July===
====31st====
 <pre>Dear Members,

This communication addresses the recent events and some of the concerns
brought up in the immediate past.

A. AdultWorld

Many of you have heard rumors about a new Avaterra world that is supposed to
open soon. We are happy to now confirm these rumors. The new zone, a
separate world on its own server, will primarily cater to adult, 21+ topics.
AdultWorld is currently in development and taking shape quickly. However, at
this time we do not have a specific opening date. Please look forward to an
announcement for the soft launch of this new Avaterra Zone in the near
future.

B. Staffing Changes

It is with regret that we announce Eva Gailey/Delilah's resignation from her
position as Communities Manager. Robert Dunbar (robert@avaterra.com),
Caretaker in VZconnections, and Michael Vondung (michael@avaterra.com),
World Manager of Dreamscape and VZconnections, have been asked to assume the
position of Community Management for all Avaterra worlds.

C. Customer Satisfaction

We thank everyone who participated in David Andrews' surveys during the
downtime earlier this month. After careful analyzing of your valuable input
it is apparent that a portion of our members feel that customer service and
customer satisfaction is still one of the central issues. Improving this
situation will therefore be one of the main priorities in the upcoming
weeks. To be more specific, the development of a new help/service database
has begun, and we are looking into establishing a tracking system for your
customer service requests. Additional free-of-charge "add on" services for
our members may include Vzones email, and possibly the release of "inworld
mail" as seen in the Korean zone, Glass City. We can also look forward to
the introduction of the long-promised "Bring-a-Friend" program, as well as
frequent meetings with Avaterra's CEO, David Andrews.


D. Communication

In the first half of the month of August we will introduce an electronic
news system, accessible through a web page on a different web server (to
ensure its availability during downtimes). On this site you will be able to
access the latest information and news releases related to your favorite
Avaterra virtual zone. The Avaterra News information site's purpose will not
be to replace the vivid and greatly appreciated inworld papers, but we hope
to give you, our members, an avenue to stay informed without having to
search relevant news releases in forums and on various sites.


E. Upcoming Inworld Meetings

The next Community/Town Meetings for both worlds are scheduled for Sunday,
August 6th. The Dreamscape meeting starts at 12:00 PM (noon) PT, and the
VZconnection meeting is scheduled for 2:00 PM PT. Community Management, as
well as David Andrews, CEO of Avaterra, will be available to answer your
questions and address your concerns. Both meetings are limited to two hours
each. The regular DS town meeting on Saturday is cancelled (the normal
schedule will resume August 12th).


Avaterra.com, Inc.
http://www.avaterra.com
</pre>

===August===
====Avaterra Communication, August 26th, 2000====
 <pre>Dear Members,
Within this communication, we will address some of the upcoming changes that are to occur within Avaterra's Virtual Zones in the near and immediate future.

Pricing Plan Change for Dreamscape

We are pleased to announce a price reduction for Avaterra's Dreamscape. Effective October 1st, the monthly membership fee for Dreamscape will be lowered to $14.95. All Dreamscape accounts, existing and new, will continue to consist of two avatars that may be used at the same time ("multi avatar login").

Removal of Free ISP Access

Free VZConnections accounts obtained through former UK partners Scottish Telecom and Demon Internet will be disabled effective September 15, 2000. Individuals who currently access VZConnections with one of these "Free ISP Login" accounts will need to establish new, paid accounts through the normal sign-up pages located at http://www.vzones.com/join/newaccount.htm Delphi accounts are not affected by this change.

Trial Account Changes

Due to the wide-spread abuse of the "free trial" program, we are re-introducing the "ghost only" option for trial accounts. The "ghost only" option will allow interested individuals to explore VZconnections and Dreamscape without charge. However, trial account users may not unghost and do not possess ESP capabilities. Actively using the service, including receiving tokens and items, will require a full membership.

Delphi accounts in VZconnections are excluded from this change. The "ghost only" option for trial accounts will be implemented as soon as possible, and will be in effect by September 15th. Members found exploiting the current system to "harvest" tokens or harass other members risk the immediate closure of their regular accounts and the deletion of their possessions.

Upcoming Terms Of Service Changes

Due to the upcoming introduction of the adult-oriented zone, SeduCity, we are re-evaluating the Terms of Service for VZConnections, and will be encouraging a more family-oriented environment for this zone. Therefore, the tolerance level for harassment and offensive language will be reduced within VZConnections.

The Terms of Service for SeduCity will be targeted towards an adult audience, and will take into account that minors are not present. The TOS changes will be announced soon and will go into effect on January 1st, 2001.

KidsWorld in the Making

Although we cannot reveal details at this time, we would like to briefly announce that the development of a safe virtual environment, targeted at younger members, has begun. Although this world may not open this year and specifics are not yet available, we appreciate feedback and ideas for our upcoming KidsWorld.


Avaterra.com Management
Michael & Robert</pre>