This powerful looking claw, suspended within mysterious purple liquid, floats in a jewel encrusted vial.  The vial itself is made of yet another claw, its metallic talons holding fast to its precious contents.

This magical claw comes to us from the savage jungles of South America .  It is the claw of the mighty Condor.  The Condor is the largest flying land bird in the Western Hemisphere.  The ancient Inca peoples worshiped the condor.  It has been rumored that this claw may have formed part of some  ancient ritual, although we have been unable to get more information as to its origins.

What an amazing item to display in your space; make sure that you complete the four weekly challenges and win yours!

I’m just longing to find out what the August item might be.  In June we received the snake vial curled around its own venom, and now in July we can win The Claw.  When the Combobulator comes with the V2.0 release, I can only wonder (with a small shiver up my spine) just what these three will be transformed into.  Snake venom + condor claw + ?… may equal something quite frightening!

Tell me more about the Loyalty Challenge

To win The Claw, you’ll need to complete four weekly challenges before the end of July.

What’s the Weekly Challenge?

The weekly challenge is to complete one featured mission, Gambit task, or Peanut Labs task each day for three days in a row.

The first weekly challenge you complete, you’ll win 1000 tokens and move up to Emerald level.

The second weekly challenge you complete, you’ll win 1500 tokens and move up to Sapphire level.

The third weekly challenge you complete, you’ll win 2000 tokens and move up to Ruby level.

The fourth weekly challenge you complete, you’ll win 3000 tokens and move up to Diamond level.

As you complete each weekly challenge, you’ll see your gems ‘fill up’ in your gem holder on the right side of your screen.  The lines underneath show how many daily missions you have completed for the week.

Like to know more?

Once you’ve completed a weekly challenge, you won’t lose that challenge if you skip a week or if a new month starts.  When you complete the Diamond level you get the collectible for the current month.  To get all three Loyalty Challenge items, you need to complete four weekly challenges before the end of June, four by the end of July, and four by the end of August.

To read information about the Loyalty Challenge inworld, just click on your gem holders which are located at the top right of your screen.

~ Kent Kronkite

In honor of the many Americans that make up the growing SmallWorlds community, we’ve got a lot of great stuff planned to help you celebrate the 4th of July.   We’re hoping that you’ll choose to spend your Independence Day right here in SmallWorlds – and we’ve got lots to entice you with!

[a small piece of the original Independence Day document]

We hereby proclaim a Week of Feasting – Starting 29th June!

As you’d expect, we’ve got a huge celebration party planned, starting with a fantastic Independence Day Feast!  The doors will swing open just after midnight on the 29th June SWT.   Come hungry, because we’ve arranged a Hot Dog Eating mission for you!

The space is totally red, white and blue, not to mention as ‘star-spangled-bannered’ as you might wish for… come pay a visit!   As well as hot dogs (a necessity for any Independence Day feast!), we’ve got outdoor Barbeques, USA-themed music, everything you need to soak up a good strong dose of that great American patriotic spirit!

And Fireworks Galore!

Independence Day would be incomplete without lots of fireworks, and for our celebration party we’ve pulled out all the stops.   We’ve taken advice from some serious pyrotechnic experts  and arranged a stupendously impressive fireworks display for you!

One of our pyrotechnic advisers spoke in tones of awed reverence as he told me about the 2009 Macy’s fireworks show in New York City – apparently this will  feature more than 40,000 shells exploding at a rate of more than 1,500 per minute (8 times more than their 2008 show).  Wow!

For those unable to to attend this impressive-sounding show, the SmallWorlds display will start after midnight on Monday 29th SWT and go on non-stop for several days (it’s a little smaller but much longer than the New York City show!).  And the best thing about our fireworks display is that you can come along with ALL of your friends, no matter where in the world you all live!  How do you get to see the fireworks? Once you’ve competed in the Hot Dog Eating competition, you can unlock the entrance to the fireworks display.

Independence Day – Special Items

We’ve got some great new items to help you decorate your space, giving it some real 4th of July style. Make a visit to Garden Life and pick up a picnic table and barbeque.  You can also purchase your own Independence Day balloons from the Independence Day Room.

Star Spangled Banners all the way!

To end this report, I thought I’d include a couple of interesting 4th of July tid-bits…

• Here’s a link to a very creative 4th of July video, using footage of many past US presidents – i think you’ll enjoy it!
• In July 1776, the estimated number of people living in the newly independent nation was 2.5 million.  The population of the USA this July 4th will be 304 million!
• And, lastly a quote from the Declaration itself:   “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness”. -The Declaration of Independence 4 of July, 1776.

My very best wishes to you all for Independence Day 2009.  I look forward to seeing you at the feast and at the wonderful fireworks display!

~ Honesty Blaize

In fact, V2.0 has so many exciting new features that despite working day and night for weeks, the SmallWorlds team have unfortunately found it necessary to delay the release date.  But don’t panic, its just a small delay, moving the release date out just a few more short weeks out from the end-of-June date we had given you previously.

When you see all the great things coming up I’m sure that, like me, you’ll understand why the release date got pushed out a little.  So come citizens, let’s take a look!

Autumn, Winter or perhaps Lava-Theme your Outdoor Spaces!

Remember last winter when everything went white? Now you can choose to change the theme of your outdoor space, choosing between four different options – Autumn, Winter, Lava and Default/Normal.

This feature is available to all citizens, and you can change your theme as often as you  like!

Changing a theme will change the overall ground and  water appearance of a space; items like trees, plants and rocks will transform to fit in with the chosen theme.   You’ll be able to access Themes using the Space Settings panel and Theme Settings will replace the Lighting tab (existing lighting functions will be incorporated into the Theme tab).

Create a Group!

Ever wanted to form a members-only club here on SmallWorlds?  Good news! The upcoming release includes a ‘groups’ function, enabling you create your own groups, from fan clubs, to special-interest groups… perhaps even a vampire nest!

You’ll be able to assign a specific space to your groups, as well as manage security and memberships..   You can choose to make groups private (e.g. “My Friends”) or open to anyone (e.g. “Fans of Star Trek”).

You’ll also be able to search in-world for groups, linking you with like-minded people… helping you to  make even more friends here on SmallWorlds!

What about the Combobulator?

Citizens, alongside all this exciting information, I have news of an unfortunate delay.   Our developers have just made the discovery that the much anticipated  Combobulator requires a code change to work – and this change can only be done as a part of the V2.0 release.   You can probably guess what I’m going to say next – sadly the Combobulator cannot be released until V2.0.

The whole SmallWorlds team would like to offer their sincere apologies to all citizens who have been patiently waiting to combobulate their dragon eggs.  I can assure you that your patience will be well rewarded!

Risking all, I stole once again down to the SmallWorlds Laboratory to see if I could discover more.  I located the Combobulator, and spotted something in a locked room next to it.  I moved quietly towards a peephole in the door, sure that I would finally discover the dragon egg combobulation prize.  Then I heard some armed guards approaching.  I was so frightened I didn’t even look through the peephole!  I did manage to snap this one quick shot with my camera as I fled in terror.

The picture was not of good quality, but it sent shivers down my spine when I saw it.  I know you are waiting with great anticipation to combobulate your eggs – but I feel must warn you that when the time comes, you do so with caution.

Challenges and Wagering

Enjoy a little wager here and there?  Love throwing down that gaming gauntlet?  In Version 2.0, you’ll be able to play games for either tokens or gold and really get your adrenaline pumping!

You’ll be able to challenge your friends to better your scores in all Player vs Player games (those requiring 2 or more players to play simultaneously -  e.g. Chess, Chinese Checkers, Pool, etc.).  Or you could send your friends a token wager using in-world email or through your social network page for single player Arcade games.

You’ll be able to play the game of your choice, get the highest score possible, and then challenge other people to beat it. Your opponent will have 3 attempts to beat your score.  If you lose the wager; you can always go and practice some more, make another wager and win it back!

Not being a terribly competitive person myself, I’m not sure I’ll do much wagering (I really prefer a nice crossword) – but I am looking forward to Johnny Wilde’s reports on all the fun that citizens are bound to have with this great new feature!

Player Vs Player Games

The new Player Vs Player gaming is going to be a lot of fun, citizens!   Remember the new Game Arenas being created? Here’s another one you’ll be able to play in soon!   If you’d like to create a team, you might like to do so first using the new groups function.  Together, you can then enter a game arena, challenge another team, decide the bet and then may the best team win!

There’s no need to form a group to use the arenas –  you can visit a Game Arena on your own and look for a team needing an extra player.  As Johnny Wilde reported recently, your avatar attributes will come in extremely useful to you now – you’ll want to go for high health and speed attributes depending on what game you’re playing.  If you’d like more details on PVP gaming, read Johnny’s recent blog post for full details.

SmallWorlds Orientation Space

Want to know what else you can do in SmallWorlds? We’re launching a new Orientation Space for both new and existing players.  It will serve a  similar function to the current first-time-user screen, but as you can see, the space will be much easier to use as well as providing a friendlier introduction to SmallWorlds!   Here you’ll find introductory videos, missions, as well as other help to get new citizens up and running in SmallWorlds in no time at all.

Even if you’re a SmallWorlds regular, you’ll find it a useful place to visit to get your bearings again.

A Bigger, Better SmallWorlds Chronicle!

The SmallWorlds Chronicle is set to expand for V2.0.

Yes, your favorite online community newspaper is due to get much bigger and better!  It’s a really useful thing to check in with when you first log in, and very soon you’ll be wanting to read it from cover to cover.  Here is an image of one of the new sections. As you can see, Honesty and I, and our team of new colleagues, are going to be busy!

We’re adding some great new pages; here are a few new columns you can look forward to:

• ‘Interior Design Nirvana’  - Interior Design with Coco Jones
• A comprehensive ‘Help’ section where all your questions will be answered
• Style Virtualista  - with Clothing & Style adviser Remy Montoya
• Interviews with SmallWorlds citizens
• Contributions from SmallWorlds citizens (Yes, that means you!)  I’ll be bringing you more details about this very soon!

Bathrooms

Hugely requested, and long awaited… all those citizens who have been ‘holding on’ for some months now will be able to indulge in a long hot soak or steaming hot shower. Ahhhhh!

Smallworlds  - getting better all the time!

I’m sure I’m not alone in feeling that with each and every release, SmallWorlds just gets better and better!  And remember, this is simply a ‘sneak preview’ – that means there’s MORE to V2.0 than I’ve been able to share with you here!  I’m looking forward to bringing you the full story on the 2.0 release soon.

In the meantime, keep building those Citizen Levels!

~Kent Kronkite

What are Citizen Levels?

Citizen Levels are going to be the most important attribute your avatar can have.  They can be achieved by earning Citizen Points.

1 Citizen Level = 20 Citizen Points

Earn Citizen Points by Inviting Friends

• Invite a friend from your Social Network (Facebook, MySpace, Bebo), and receive 1 Citizen Point instantly!
• When that friend installs SmallWorlds and comes into the world for the first time, you get 20 Citizen Points.
• If you invite a friend using email or the ‘Make a Friend’ option on the Avatar Editor, then when that friend enters SmallWorlds and verifies their email, you get 1 Citizen Point. When that friend gets to level 20 in any of the XP Paths (Gamer, Explorer, Artist, Social), you get 20 Citizen Points.

You gain a Citizen Level for every 20 Citizen Points earned. Got 20 friends on a Social Network? Invite them all in one swoop, and jump up one Citizen Level. If all those friends come and check out SmallWorlds, your Citizen Level will be over 20 and you will officially be part of the SmallWorlds Elite!

Earn Double Points!

For a limited time only, Dan SmallWorlds is offering to give everyone DOUBLE Citizen Points! That’s right, from June 5th until Version 2.0 is released, Dan will match any Citizen Points you earn by inviting friends, point-for-point.

Earn Citizen Points for VIP Membership

All VIP members will now receive 60 Citizen Points (3 Levels) per month. That means if you purchase a 12 month VIP membership, you’ll receive 720 Citizen Points (36 Levels)!  These Citizen Point earnings will be applied retrospectively for all VIP members.  This applies to all VIPs whether purchased by Gold or otherwise.

What will Citizen Levels give me?

• Access to new exclusive ranges of items.
• New Title system, including being announced when you enter spaces
• A weekly salary of Gold when you complete the weekly Loyalty Challenge
• XP and Token Bonus when doing missions.
• Boost your avatar’s natural Health and Speed. Important for PvP Game Arenas (read more about these here).
• Take part in special Votes that determine future features and events in SmallWorlds.
• Gain advantages in upcoming Mini-Games, that will in turn give you special in-world privileges (this will be in a future release).
• Some of the above features will be available in the V2.0 Release, and there will be more benefits to having high Citizen Levels in the future.

I Want a Higher Citizen Level!

It’s easy! Just start inviting friends using one of these methods:

• Click the Share button while you’re inworld and follow the prompts to invite friends by email or through social networks.
• Sign into SmallWorlds on Facebook or MySpace, then click the Invite Friends to SmallWorlds link.  This link is at the bottom of the Facebook or Bebo window, and at the top of the MySpace window.
• Send someone a postcard of you in SmallWorlds!  Just click on the camera to take your shot, then follow the prompts to send it.
• Make an avatar for a friend! Click on the Make a Friend link in the Avatar Editor and have fun making an avatar for them.

I’ll be asking Darren to speak about the recent economy changes within SmallWorlds, clarifying some of the concerns which have arisen, as well as solutions to address the inequities which arose from the changes. He’ll also give us a taste of some pretty exciting stuff coming up over the next 3 to 6 months. So, cozy yourself up and let’s hear what he has to say…

Honesty: Darren, thanks for making time to talk!  I’m curious to know what drew you into this business. Why virtual worlds and online gaming?

Darren: I’ve spent a great deal of my working life in this arena… gaming and 3D companies, so I’ve put a lot of hours in at the coal face!  But really I just love gaming!  In  my leisure time I play a lot of on online games. I think I must have played nearly every MMORPG that’s ever been created. I play online FPS games – of course I love playing in SmallWorlds too!

Honesty: What ‘floats your boat’ in your spare time?

Darren: When I get a little more time away from creating SmallWorlds, I’d like to play some more tennis as well as dust my mountain bike off and head out into the forests – there’s some awesome tracks in NZ.

Honesty: There’s been some recent changes to the SmallWorlds economy. What were the reasons for the changes?

Darren: It’s not only Dan SmallWorlds who has ambitious plans for SmallWorlds. We’re wanting to add new elements, develop new types of gameplay, create new content… the reality is that in order to keep taking the game to the next level, we need to improve our ability to finance our new developments by encouraging more players to buy or earn Gold. Change is always difficult, and thanks to all the feedback from our great community, we now know that the changes have had a few negative impacts and we’ve been working hard to find solutions to them.

Honesty: Thanks for bringing that up Darren.  As you know there are citizens out there who feel that earning tokens and doing missions now hold less value than before, as does purchasing gold and VIP. Can you address these concerns?

Darren: Sometimes when you make changes it’s hard to see some of the fallout.  We will always listen to the community and we’ve heard your frustrations.   One of the big complaints has been that earning Social XP for Offers diminished the reasons for doing missions and buying gold. So we’ve decided to remove Social XP from offers - when you complete a Gambit or Peanut Labs offer you will receive Gold only. So, as of early next week, Social XP can again only be earned in-world, particularly by completing missions.

Honesty: Many citizens have been saving their tokens for a long time to purchase high-end wearables only to discover that these are now a gold-only purchase. A ‘token amnesty’ has been mentioned. Can you tell us about that?

Darren: Their frustration is understandable. We’ve come up with a solution that I think you’ll all like. For a four-day period, from Friday thru Monday SWT, we’ll be opening a temporary store, the Token Thrift Store. All wearables that have been previously available for tokens (and are now only available for gold) can be purchased again for tokens - for a limited time only! Monthly collectibles and unreleased items will not be sold! The store will be staffed by a moderator to assist you. Please visit this forum thread for important information about the store before you visit.

I also want to add that 50% of items in SmallWorlds can still be purchased with tokens, and normally there is at least one item for each “set” or range of items that can be bought with tokens - you just need to look out for them.

Honesty: You’ll be aware that Gambit and Peanut Labs offers are unavailable to many citizens outside of the US.  What about citizens from other countries?

Darren: I agree, it’s not as fair as we’d like it to be, and we’re limited by these third-party companies as to what offers they have on their systems. Currently, many are only available to US citizens. Finding a more inclusive solution is important to us, and we are looking.

Honesty: I’ve heard rumors about Citizen Point payouts for those who purchase VIP memberships…?

Darren: You’ve heard right, Honesty.  We’ve decided to add yet another great benefit to the VIP membership package. All VIP members will now receive 60 Citizen Points (3 Levels) per month. That means if you purchase a 12 month VIP membership, you’ll receive 720 CPs (36 Levels)! These CP earnings will be applied retrospectively for all VIP members.  This applies to all VIPs whether purchased by Gold or otherwise.

Honesty: Darren, I think all these changes are going to be appreciated, thanks to you and the team. To finish off, we’re all so curious to know more about what’s coming up in the next 3 – 6 months…

Darren: Well Honesty, there’s a lot to share! Obviously I’d like to keep a few things up our sleeves but here’s some of the exciting stuff we’ve got coming up…

• NPC’s – Non Playing Characters:  These are avatars that you will be able to purchase, then customize using the avatar builder. Then, using the NPC Artificial Intelligence (AI) Interface, you’ll be able to create this character to serve you! You may want a bartender, a bodyguard, a ghoul – the choices are endless. Citizens will be able to dramatically extend the in-world experiences they create, from The Sims(tm)-like doll houses, to mini MMOG-like adventures.
• Smarter Pets – Building on the NPC system, we’ll be extending the abilities of your pets and their ability to interact with items and other players. Now you really will be able to teach your old dog some new tricks!
• Clothing Range Extends & New Clothing Stores: We’ll be substantially extending the current range of clothing items. What’s more, we’ll be adding the ability to purchase clothing in-world at a range of new clothing Stores! You will be able to enter the store, try on an item, and if it looks cool, make your purchase!
• More New Games: We’re working with a number of Game Developers of single and multi user games to connect them into SmallWorlds high score and tournament systems – great for all you avid gamers out there.
• New Furniture and Interactive Objects:  We’ll be continuing to make new furniture releases and interactive items over this period, so you can keep the look of your space fresh, as well as evolving the online experiences you create.

Honesty: Thanks so much for your time Darren, that’s a lot of great  information I can share with all SmallWorlds citizens!  I’d like to summarize the main points:

• Token Amnesty:  A four-day opportunity to purchase those high-end wearable items you’ve been saving for as a token-only purchase.
• Earn your Social XP by doing missions and other in-world activities – no social XP for doing offers.
• Citizen Points as part of VIP package - 60 Citizen Points  / 3 Citizen Levels per month
• NPC’s, Smarter Pets, New Clothing + more… lots of exciting stuff to look forward to in the future!

Well there you have it Citizens, SmallWorlds really does listen!

I really enjoyed catching up with Darren, and hearing his responses to your concerns.  It’s so exciting to learn some of the  upcoming features we all have to look forward to!

I’m signing off now,  I’m off to Mysterios to make sure I’m clear about what items I want to buy with all the tokens I’ve been saving up, in readiness for my late night visit to the Token Thrift Store! Maybe I’ll see you there.

~Honesty Blaize

As an introductory special, you can find them at Dan’s Imports at a great price - 50% off normal retail!

What is SoundCloud?

SoundCloud is a site that allows you to upload your own music and have it play through one of these stereos.  (You can tell they’re SoundCloud players by their orange display panels).  You can also search for and play music that other people have uploaded, as long as those tracks as marked ‘public’.  You can add up to five public tracks to your playlist.

These SoundCloud players are perfect if you’ve got a great music collection you want to listen to, or if you want to broadcast your own tracks.

(Please respect SoundCloud’s community guidelines and only share tracks that you have the right to share).

Use the links below to get started right now.

What Do I Have to Do?

We’ve been working with Peanut Labs to ensure their surveys are easy to complete.  For most of them, there’s no need to give away any personal information or buy anything.

How much can I earn?

If you play missions for 30 minutes you can earn up to 600 tokens.  Compare that to doing offers with Gambit and Peanut Labs.  In 30 minutes you can earn up to 1,000 Gold, which equals 10,000 tokens!

There are of course other offers you can choose to complete, the surveys are simply one option.

Making Gold is Easy and Quick!

If you haven’t tried earning Gold before, why not give it a go?  If you’re already earning Gold, it’s just become easier to make more!

Gold Payouts have Doubled!

From today, SmallWorlds has doubled the Gold payout on all Peanut Labs and Gambit machines, making it even easier for you to earn Gold. That means if you’ve been used to receiving 500 Gold for a survey, now you’ll receive 1000 Gold!

What Do I Have to Do?

We’ve been working with Peanut Labs to ensure their surveys are easy to complete.  For most of them, there’s no need to give away any personal information or buy anything.

How much can I earn?

If you play missions for 30 minutes you can earn up to 600 tokens.  Compare that to doing offers with Gambit and Peanut Labs.  In 30 minutes you can earn up to 1,000 Gold, which equals 10,000 tokens!

There are of course other offers you can choose to complete, the surveys are simply one option.

Making Gold is Now Easy and Quick!

If you haven’t tried earning Gold before, why not give it a go?  If you’re already earning Gold, it’s just become easier to make more!  Use the links below to get started right now.

New Teller machines

We are installing new Teller Machines in all shops, so you can do Peanut Labs and Gambit offers and surveys from within any store.

Now, you’ll be able to browse the shop for the items you want, then earn the gold you need to purchase… without leaving the store. How’s that for convenience!  The Factory is still open for  business, for those of you who enjoy the ‘industrial vibe’ as you earn.

Helping Dan build SmallWorlds with more Gold Purchases

Dan SmallWorlds makes no secret of his big and ambitious plans for SmallWorlds. He wants to open more shops, build more spaces and create more games for you and your friends.  He wants to make SmallWorlds into THE best place on the web!

In order to help him do this, we’re going to make more items Gold-only purchases.  It was becoming clear that the number of token-only purchases were holding back some of Dan’s cool projects.  He is so eager to get working on them - and needs your help to build SmallWorlds even bigger and better, making it more fun for everyone!

Double Gold Payments Mean You Can Get Everything on Your Wish List!

That’s all from me citizens, I need to rush off - I’ve got a ‘hot date’ with a Peanut Labs machine!  My generous Gold earnings will mean that I’ll be able to afford that little gift I’ve been wanting to buy for my favorite Chronicle colleague!

~ Honesty Blaize

But wait, there’s more! For a limited time only, Dan is offering to give everyone DOUBLE Citizen Points! That’s right, up until Version 2.0 is released, Dan will match any Citizen Points you earn by inviting friends, point-for-point.

Read on, citizen.  You don’t want to miss this special opportunity to become part of the SmallWorlds Elite!

How do I earn Citizen Points?

It’s easy - invite your friends! Dan says we need more people in SmallWorlds, so we can build more items, shops, games, arenas and worlds. Therefore the first Citizen Points (CP) are going to be awarded to players who invite their friends into SmallWorlds. It couldn’t be simpler!

• Invite a friend from your Social Network (Facebook, MySpace, Bebo), and receive 1 CP instantly!

• When that friend installs SmallWorlds and comes into the world for the first time, you get 20 CP.

• If you invite friends using email or a postcard, then when that friend enters SmallWorlds and verifies their email, you get 1 CP. When that friend gets to level 20 in any of the XP Paths (Gamer, Explorer, Artist, Social), you get 20 CP.

You gain a Citizen Level for every 20 CP earned. Got 20 friends on a Social Network? Invite them all in one swoop, and jump up one Citizen Level. If all those friends come and check out SmallWorlds, your Citizen Level will be over 20 and you will officially be part of the SmallWorlds Elite!

So, what do Citizen Levels give me?

• Access to new exclusive ranges of items.
• New Title system, including being announced when you enter spaces
• A weekly salary of Gold when you complete the weekly Loyalty Challenge
• XP and Token Bonus when doing missions.
• Boost your avatar’s natural Health and Speed. Important for PvP Game Arenas (read more about these here).
• Take part in special Votes that determine future features and events in SmallWorlds.
• Gain advantages in upcoming Mini-Games, that will in turn give you special in-world privileges (more on this in a future blog).
• And a lot more in the future.

Okay, I’m convinced. Where do I sign up?

Just start inviting friends using one of these methods:

• Click the Share button while you’re inworld and follow the prompts to invite friends by email or through social networks.
• Sign into SmallWorlds on Facebook or MySpace, then click the Invite Friends to SmallWorlds link.  This link is at the bottom of the Facebook or Bebo window, and at the top of the MySpace window.
• Send someone a postcard of you in SmallWorlds!  Just click on the camera to take your shot, then follow the prompts to send it.

What Else?

Coming Soon - we will show your Citizen Level ranking on the front page of the Newspaper.

So what are you waiting for? Go forth, citizen and help us make SmallWorlds the biggest thing to hit the Internet since… well… the Internet!!

Your Questions Answered

Your citizen points are being recorded now, but won’t show up on your profile until the V2.0 Release.

You will receive citizen points for friends you have already invited up to June 4th.  The Double Points promotion is valid for points earned by inviting friends between now (June 5th) and the V2.0 Release.

More FAQs are available in this article’s forum thread.

It’s coiled around a vial of its own deadly venom.  But fortunately for us all, it’s been encased in hardened gold.  This snake was released inside a glass jar on June 1st, but mere glass wasn’t enough to restrain it.  After the snake managed to break the jar and bite a citizen, the SmallWorlds team decided to recall and re-release this item.  Just, please, be very careful when handling this vial… the snake trapped inside is deadly!

The snake is the first in a new series of three items.  If you complete the loyalty challenges in June, you will win the snake.  The other two prizes in the series will be available to win in July and August.

The items in the new series will, of course, be able to be combobulated once you have all three.  The combobulator will transform them into an amazing new bonus item. What on earth could be produced from a venomous snake, I wonder?  Surely it must be something truly terrifying!

The Combobulator… Coming In Late June!

If you’re looking at your dragon eggs and wondering about the combobulator, I must offer you my most sincere apologies.  There has been an unavoidable delay in getting the combobulator up and running.

Combobulation is extremely delicate and difficult to achieve.  The SmallWorlds scientists have been working day and night for weeks to try to get the machine working correctly.  Some of the combobulation experiments have gone horribly wrong!  I cannot bear to share with you exactly what came out of the machine during some of those failed experiments.  All I can say is that it’s lucky the scientists barely have time to sleep, because their nightmares must be terrible.

In the interests of public safety, they will be unable to release the machine until late June.  I will keep you updated with an exact date as soon as we know when the combobulator will be ready.

It will be worth the wait, citizens, I promise!  When three dragon eggs are placed inside the combobulator, what comes out the other end will be amazing.

Tell me more about the Loyalty Challenge

To win the snake, you’ll need to complete four weekly challenges before the end of June.

What’s the Weekly Challenge?

The weekly challenge is to complete one featured mission or Gambit task each day for three days in a row.

The first weekly challenge you complete, you’ll win 1000 tokens and move up to Emerald level.

The second weekly challenge you complete, you’ll win 1500 tokens and move up to Sapphire level.

The third weekly challenge you complete, you’ll win 2000 tokens and move up to Ruby level.

The fourth weekly challenge you complete, you’ll win 3000 tokens and move up to Diamond level.

As you complete each weekly challenge, you’ll see your gems ‘fill up’ in your gem holder on the right side of your screen.  The lines underneath show how many daily missions you have completed for the week.

Want to know more?

Once you’ve completed a weekly challenge, you won’t lose that challenge if you skip a week or if a new month starts.  When you complete the Diamond level you get the collectible for the current month.  To get all three Loyalty Challenge items, you need to complete four weekly challenges before the end of June, four by the end of July, and four by the end of August.

To read information about the Loyalty Challenge inworld, just click on your gem holders at the top right of your screen.

Wild tigers are apparently at the top of the food chain, and so it might be wise to make sure you get in plenty of food stores before you buy your very own Woods.  We’d hate to hear of people having trouble with hungry tigers.. even worse, think of your pets!

Woods is a handsome specimen, we’re sure you’ll agree.  We’re not so sure about this Tiger’s golfing skills, but don’t be surprised if you get a sudden urge to head to your nearest mini golf game soon after donning this awesome wearable.

Pick Up Your very own ‘Woods The Tiger’ - today!

As you’ve come to expect, Woods is only available in Mysterio’s during the month of June - just 2000 Gold and no XP required.  He’s a worthy investment; some monthly collectibles are selling for astronomical amounts just a few short months down the track from when they were released.  Don’t miss out!  Get yours while you can for only 2000 gold - only in June.  You’ll be unable to resist the urge to go wave that beautiful stripy tail around at a few friends.

We learned recently that a group of Tigers is called, guess what… a Streak!   Last month it was herds of Ollyphants, and this month it looks like we’ll be treated to Streaks of Tigers.  Lately it’s been starting to feel decidedly ’safari-like’ in some public spaces.  Great fun!

- Honesty Blaize

Developer 1: “Run… run…. RUUUNNN!!! he’s after you!”

Artist 5: “I’m going as quick as my suit will let me… man, I wish I had more speed!”

Developer 4: “Woohoo!  Come on you guys, we’re nearly at the flag!! I think we’re gonna do it!”

What was going on?  Not a mission, that’s for sure.  I discovered that the development team have been going hard the last few weeks, testing out some new team games.  That’s right, Player Versus Player Gaming is coming very soon to SmallWorlds!

Game Arenas

The art team told me they haven’t just been helping test the new games.  They’ve also been busy creating some awesome new Game Arenas. Check out this one below - it’s a mining outpost on Planet Zehara.  That looks like one mean planet; see the molten lava?

Wanna Bet?

When the new games are launched, you’ll be able to have a wager on who wins.  Believe me, it’ll make you run extra fast and play extra hard if you’ve got gold or tokens riding on the game!  The spoils will be divided up between the winning team members.  Yep, it’s Game On - and may the best team win!

When you arrive at a Game Arena, you’ll first join a team, the bet will be decided and then you’ll be teleported to the Game Arena.  You’ll have a team color so you can easily see who’s on your side.

How Fast and Healthy are You?

Before now, avatar attributes haven’t been that important to SmallWorlds gameplay. Sure, it’s been cool to be able to zap around faster than some of your friends, but when you’re racing to capture that flag, suddenly your attributes become really useful!

As well as extra speed and health, certain wearables will give you protection against spells which could be cast on you during gameplay, depending on the game you’re playing.  Before joining a game, you’ll want to take a look through your wearables, to make sure you’re wearing something that will increase your speed, health, and protection attributes - your team will love you for it!

What Kinds of Games are Coming?

There will be several basic game rulesets, which will produce a wide variety of fun and challenging games. From v2.0 onwards, new arenas with different scenarios will be introduced every week or so, so you’ll always have something cool to play!

The basic game rulesets are:

• Capture The Flag - Teams score points by retrieving a flag (or item) and returning it to another place on the map.
• Tag - The game is to tag other players if you are “it”.
• Elimination - Teams must try to eliminate all the players on the other team.
• Domination - Teams must try to control certain points on a map.
• Search and Destroy - One team must attempt to perform a task at a certain point on the map, and the other team must try to stop them.
• Ball Games - Similar to tag, but the point is to try and be “it” and to score for your team.

Some examples of actual Game Arenas are:

Run Zombie Run!

This is a game based on the Capture The Flag ruleset. Each team starts in a graveyard, and must go and retrieve the souls of their ancestors back from an angry god. Each team has a different destination, but their paths cross in the middle, making for mischief and mayhem.  When a team member collects a soul from their god, they are transformed into a zombie. As you know, zombies aren’t the fastest guys in town, and so their team must protect them while they shuffle back to the graveyard. If the zombie is hit by the other team, then the soul is returned to the god, and the player is teleported back to the graveyard to start again.  All sorts of other twists make this game both hilariously funny, but also requiring great team tactics to win.

Paintball

Paintball is based on the Elimination ruleset. Team tactics play a big part in this game, along with good weaponry (a variety of paintball weapons will be available). Physical puzzles will make the game more intense, forcing teams to work together to trap and eliminate the other team.

Of course, Paintball can also be used in other styles of gameplay, like Capture The Flag, Domination and Search and Destroy.

Gridiron Stadium

Fancy a game of American Football? Pass the ball, block, tackle, and score that touchdown! Team positions and tactics will play a big part in winning, as well as speed, so you’d better start working towards that Level 50 Jetpack you always wanted.

When Will They Be Here?

The new Arena Games will be part of the V2.0 release.  Yes, you heard it here first!  The V2.0 release is a real beauty, and it’s due in late June.  Over the next couple of weeks Kent and Honesty will be dishing up on what other cool stuff will be in the next release.  Trust me, you’re going to love it!

Earn XP While You Play

The new Arena Games will earn you XP points while you play.  And of course, the more XP you have, the faster and better the wearables you can buy.  So - just like in real life - lots of practice really will help you play better.

I Can’t Wait!

I’m totally amped!  If you’re anything like me, now you know what’s coming up, you just can’t wait to get into it.  Well, I’m spending the time getting prepped so when the Arena Games arrive, I’m ready!

Here’s what I’m doing right now:

• Carbo loading (Pizza at Al’s Diner does the trick)
• Levelling up and saving up for a super-fast jet-pack
• Looking out for some team mates who are doing exactly the same thing!

Catch you all in a Game Arena in June.

- Johnny Wilde

PS. I know you’re wondering who I am and why it’s not Kent or Honesty bringing you this report. To find out more about me, check out the SmallWorlds Facebook page.  And don’t forget to become a Fan of SmallWorlds while you’re there.

The 1960s was an amazing decade.  Maybe you even remember it?  You could have burnt your bra, done the twist, or watched the moon landing. You could have listened to Martin Luther King Jr saying, “I have a dream,” or gone crazy with Beatlemania. But no matter what you were doing, chances are that you were doing it on furniture just like this.

Couch and Chair

This gorgeous couch and chair are upholstered in 100% synthetic imitation vinyl.  Not only comfy, but beautifully finished in funky colors. Guaranteed to feel great when you sit down wearing polyester flares, this fabric is of course highly flammable, so be careful when lighting your next cheese fondue!

Round Coffee Table

This coffee table has a clear top and is the perfect accessory for placing next to your couches and chairs, so your guests can set down their root beer floats.  The table lamp looks stunning on top of it.

Floor-standing Lamp

Not just a way to light up your conversation pit, but a fashion statement too!  The red plastic shade is both stylish and functional. Tall enough not to get in the way of your Twister parties and bright enough to illuminate all your Pink Floyd posters, this floor-standing lamp is a must for every retro living room.

Table Lamp

Perfect for intimate settings, this white lamp won’t clash with your bright caftans or your most psychedelic flares.  A great light for flipping through your Captain Action comic books, or for reading ‘Where The Wild Things Are’ to little Bobby.

Rug

Get ready to party!  This rug is not only groovy, it’s nice and thick for guaranteed comfort while you’re down on your knees doing your famous Jimi Hendrix guitar solo.

As soon as I heard this furniture was available, I rushed straight out to redecorate my own apartment.  I tried plenty of different looks until I decided on my favorite.  Want to see some of my efforts?  I’ll be uploading a whole album onto the SmallWorlds Facebook Page shortly.  If you’re a SmallWorlds fan you’ll get notified when the album is posted.  If you’re not already a fan, please click the Become a Fan link on the page.

All this fantastic furniture is now available in the SmallWorlds Emporium.  You can Twist in there, do the Funky Chicken, or the Locomotion… groove in any way you want, just get yours today.

- Honesty Blaize

Judging the Unusual Avatar Competition was the toughest job I have had to date.  There were so many wonderful entries, it was very difficult to narrow down the list. In fact, I was so overwhelmed by the quality of your submissions, I had to give out extra prizes.  The top three will also receive additional prize money - including a first prize of 5000 gold!

I have added the winners’ photographs to the SmallWorlds Facebook page. Click here to view them on Facebook.  You can share the photos with your Facebook friends by becoming a fan of SmallWorlds on Facebook.  Just click the Become a Fan link on the page.

So without further delay, here are the winners of the competition.

In First Place:  Mariam Icecream

I visited Mariam to congratulate her and ask what her inspiration was for creating such an unusual character.
“What i liked about my entry was that my skin color was pale and how unusual is that?! You don’t see many peeps with white skin walking around.

I was shocked when i found i won first place! I wasn’t expecting any prize at all! I had tons of fun creating my avatar for the joy of it!

This was such a great competition and a great opportunity to showcase your uniqueness and unusuality of your avatar! Even if you didn’t win, always remember that If you had Fun you Won!”
Thank you for your strange and unusual entry, Mariam!  You have won 5000 gold.

In Second Place: Josh Thebeast

When I congratulated Josh, I asked him why he thought we picked his avatar for second place.
“Umm well I think maybe how I made everything not match and different colors.”
Then I asked how he felt when he found out he’d come second.
I was like very happy and it was unexpected. I never would have thought I would have won 2nd. I didn’t think I would have got anything lol.
Thank you for picking me out of everyone else and good job to the ones who got 1st and 3rd. I had fun making my person.”
Thanks, Josh.  Your avatar certainly looks unusual!  You have won 3000 gold.

In Third Place: Gelwyn McCloud

Congratulating Gelwyn on her winning entry, I asked what her inspiration had been for her unusual avatar.
“My inspiration was to create a character that would be difficult to forget.  I guess I accomplished that goal!”

Thanks, Gelwyn, you sure did.  I especially liked your green hair. You have won 2000 gold.

Runners Up (in no particular order)

You all had done such a wonderful job in the competition that I chose seven runners-up! These seven will win 1000 gold each.
And now, here they are in all their unusual glory.

Catina Cavarini

The simplicity of Catina’s look was very effective, I thought.  When I congratulated her, she told me she was very pleased to be chosen as a runner up.

“This competition was a new experience to me. It just got me all jumpy and excited. I wanted to make the weirdest avatar possible and there were many choices to choose from. It was my chance to freely express my creativity. After many clickings and changing and tweakings, my avatar was created. Up until Sunday, judgement day, I was always checking the forums to see everyone else’s unusual avatars and I thought they surpassed mine tremendously. I started feeling like I wouldn’t have a chance. I felt a little better when someone suggested voting me. Now, I have placed runner up, and I just feel so proud of myself. The secret, I believe, is creativity, imagination, and enjoyment.”

Fish Girl, by Stormi Weather

Stormi’s avatar was striking, and a popular choice as a winner. Stormi had a few words for me:
“I’d like to say thank you so much for choosing my creation as one of the runners-up. I didn’t really have an idea of what to create until I was looking through the edit avatar options and saw those huge fish lips, and well, it went from there! So thank you once again, I hope there are a lot more contests like this in the future, I’m sure everyone had great fun making unique avatars”.

Ashley Woronekin the Second

Ashlee’s creation, with its purple hair and yellow suit, certainly stood out from the crowd!  Ashley had this to say about his win:

“Hi. First off I would like to say this is an honor to win this competition as one of the runner ups. As soon as I heard about it I knew I had to enter an avatar. As for inspiration for the avatar well….the gold….lol.”

Granny Betty, by Nelvea Moonchild

Granny Betty looked to me like she’d had a very troubled youth!  When I caught up with Nelvea to congratulate her on her win, she filled me in on some facts about Granny:

“4 important Facts about Granny Betty are:

1. Her favorite motto is ‘To save time, let’s just agree that I know everything.’
2. She is Nelvea’s grandmother
3. She is 86 years old and a big fan of Janis Joplin (don’t tell Granny that Janis died, it would break her heart)
4. She always has cookie supplies in her boots.”

Dave Peoples the Second

With Dave’s creation, I especially liked the outfit he was wearing. It seemed very unusual!  Dave looks like the type of friend who could easily out-score me in a game of Blox.

Wakhaa Lalala

Wakhaa’s avatar looks very enthusiastic and friendly… but at the same time, slightly crazy!  Her colorful clothes complete her look nicely.  Wakhaa looks like someone I might enjoy spending time with at first, but would eventually be forced to get a restraining order against.

When I caught up with her, Wakhaa had this to say about my comments:

“hi Kent, you right about her! LOL… sometimes she play with her unusual friends too but they didn’t win this competition. congrats for everyone! cheeerrrss….

Amy Flower

Unfortunately, Amy hadn’t kept her unusual avatar, so I wasn’t able to get a photograph of her unusual face.  But when I congratulated her, she was very happy and pleased to find out she was one of our lucky runners-up.

“Kent, I am honored to win such a cool competition. I just wanna say congrats to everyone who entered. Your avatars were so silly!”

Congratulations again, to all our prize-winners. I only wish I could have given all entrants a prize - you all deserved it!

This competition has been a true success.  Thank you all for entering and for creating such unusual avatars.

And finally… I was so inspired by your creations, I had a little go at becoming more unusual myself.  I know I have a way to go before I am as unusual as some of you out there, but I had fun trying.

Best wishes to you all.

-Kent Kronkite (the somewhat unusual)

In addition, a lot of you have been asking what your Dragon Eggs will transform into.  The answers to both of these questions are, of course, top secret.  But being a determined investigative reporter, I resolved to try to find out!

Placing myself at great risk, I managed to smuggle myself into the highly secure and top secret SmallWorlds Loyalty Challenge Lab.  Located in a hidden warehouse, it’s patrolled by guards with freeze-ray guns and savage pets that have been trained to kill.

Citizens, what I saw there  was nothing less than astounding.  As I peeked out of my hiding place, I saw swarms of scientists in white lab coats working feverishly on an amazing-looking machine. I was certain I had found the Combobulator!

Okay - Whats a Combobulator?

Some of you may ask, “What on earth is a Combobulator?” It is indeed an incredible machine.  It can take Loyalty Challenge Items and completely transform them!

For example, over the last three months you may have collected an Ice Dragon Egg, a Fire Dragon Egg and a Whirlwind Dragon Egg.  If you have all three, you will be able to insert them into the Combobulator.  But what I needed to find out was, what magnificent item will the Combobulator create from your eggs?

SmallWorlds citizens, I was determined to find out!  The moment the scientists turned their backs, I crept closer to the machine.  I heard whirring and grinding.  Then a terrible scratching noise and what sounded like the clanking of a chain.  The intense light coming from the machine almost blinded me!  Suddenly there was a noise from the door.  I barely had time to dash back to my hiding place before an important-looking man bustled in.

The man seemed highly distressed.  “Isn’t the machine working yet?” he asked the scientists.  “It must be ready for June!”

The scientists grovelled and babbled excuses.  Going by their sun-deprived skin and red-rimmed eyes, they are working day and night to get the machine finished in time.  I only hope they will succeed!

“Did you know that many people have been asking questions?” said the man.  “They seem confused about the details of the Loyalty Challenge Series.”

The poor scientists looked as though they might burst into tears! I could barely stop myself from leaping out of the crate I was hiding in, just to reassure them. I have taken it upon myself to clarify the Loyalty Challenge Series for you all.  But before I do, I have a very exciting piece of news!

After the man left, the scientists started talking about something else - the NEW June Loyalty Challenge!

New Loyalty Challenge Series Starts in June

I strained my ears to hear as the scientists walked further away from my crate.  I could only pick up a few words here and there.

“Transform… great reward… dedicated players…”  And then I heard it!  One short, bald scientist was warned to be careful, as: “It could kill you with just one bite.” SmallWorlds citizens, I feel sure the warning was about June’s Loyalty Challenge reward.  If June’s item is a dangerous creature, what horrors lie in store for July and August?  And I tremble even thinking about what the Combobulator will eventually transform the new items into.

Just then, a team of workers burst in.  To my shock, they were collecting the crates - including the one I was hiding in!  I stayed absolutely still as they picked up my crate and carried it away with them.  It took a super-hero-like leap and I had a very rumpled tie by the time I’d managed to escape… but I was determined to bring you the amazing images I had taken of the Combobulator.

Using the Combobulator

If only I could have let the scientists know that I was on their side! Here are the details they would want you to know about the Loyalty Challenge Series:

• At the beginning of this Loyalty Challenge series, you were limited to owning only one of each of the three dragon eggs.  You can now own two each of the three kinds of dragon egg - Fire, Ice and Whirlwind.
• Teams of SmallWorlds scientists are working hard to get the Combobulator ready for you.  Sometime in June its secret location will be revealed.
• If you have one of each kind of Dragon Egg (Fire, Ice, and Whirlwind), you will have the opportunity to visit the Combobulator and insert your eggs.  They will be transformed into a very special bonus item. You can retain any additional eggs you have in your inventory.
• Current scientific expertise means  that the transformation will at this stage be a one-way process.  This means that you will need to decide if you wish to a) keep your eggs or b) use the Combobulator to transform them into a special item.
• If you wish to purchase more eggs after you have combobulated your three original dragon eggs, you may do so.  This means that you will be able to own the “combobulated” bonus item and keep up to two of each egg in your inventory.

I hope this has been a useful clarification for all citizens.  My undercover assignment was a risk worth taking for you all!

Monday, June 1st - A Very Important Date

It’s not long until we shall all be able to discover the new Loyalty Challenge item for ourselves - June is just around the corner!

If you complete the current Loyalty Challenge on Monday the 1st June, you will receive the new item.  I’ve already earned all my Dragon eggs, and I am excited to find out what surprises the next series will hold.  I can’t help from shivering with anticipation when I think of it!

And please rest assured, SmallWorlds citizens, that I shall continue to put my liberty on the line to bring you every important update as it happens.

~Kent Kronkite