Here are reprinted forum posts and newspaper articles of note that were originally featured in the Virtual Planet newspaper and are being reprinted here in their original form wherever possible.

1999

July

10th

Consumable Items, an Invitation to Brainstorming! - July 10, 1999 by Michael (World Manager)

Taken from: https://web.archive.org/web/20020425001820/http://www.vplanet.org/

Dear Members,
Several of you have mentioned that they believe we need more "consumable" items. I agree with you, and we are now starting to work on strategies in this sense. And this is where we need your input and your ideas!

Let me explain what "consumable" items are. There are, in theory, two different kinds:

1) Items with charges: These items can be used x times, then they run out of charges and can be pawned for a small amount of tokens. Spraycans fall into this category. You can use them 3-5 times, then they are used up and worthless. Other items of this kind could be: magic wands that teleport you to a locale of high interest (Elevator, V-Mart, a certain city (in NRW), etc.); expensive magic wands that let you engrave an item, fireworks that can be used 10 times, full bottles of whiskey that turn into empty bottles after you sipped three times (with a nice gulping sound), etc.

2) Items with a lifespan: Currently we have no items of this category, and the technology doesn't support it at this time. However, such items would last a certain period of time. For example: Vases with flowers that turn into empty vases after a week or two, snowballs that melt after an hour (and vanish), single roses that disappear after a week, food items that can be eaten (might or might not enchant your avatar and provide special abilities for a short period of time, could also be random), candles that burn out after 12 hours (and vanish), cigarettes that disappear after a while, etc.

Excited? Okay, now: Be creative! Think of items that would fall into one of these two categories. Only rule: Other avatars cannot be manipulated with these items. So no wands that mute someone else for 10 minutes, or eggs that can be placed in someone else's turf and after a week the turf becomes unusable <g>, etc. Also think about how these items would affect the economy and the community, and the product as whole. Would it open new possibilities? Are some of them of commercial value? (Can they be marketed, and if so, how?)

Put on your thinking caps, and tell us your ideas. Be Utopian, think in new dimensions, and think BIG! We have a good chance to expand the technology, and make the product even better, and more exciting. Let's work on the things we have always dreamed of. Now is the chance, and each of you is invited to help.

Michael
World Manager
Avaterra.com Inc.