Interview with Avatar Ametza - September 9, 2012

Toni Stradling: I am here today with Avatar Ametza who has kindly agreed to meet with me and have a bit of a natter about his Empires involvement and I am also looking forward to hearing about his whole second life as it looks a little different to mine.

Mr Ametza welcome and thanks for joining me today.

Avatar Ametza: Thank you for having me

Toni Stradling: Perhaps i can start by asking you how you came to hear about the empires game?

Avatar Ametza: Well it was from my brother and SynsualSyn Sawson and Juice [Zanzibar]

Avatar Ametza: my brother is Maliki

Toni Stradling: is he your brother in real life or on here?

Avatar Ametza: Both rl and sl
Avatar Ametza: he brought me into sl in 2008

Toni Stradling: I see and what attracted you to both second life and the empires game?

Avatar Ametza: Well after they told me about it I looked at some UTube videos and saw what it was about and decided to give it a try then it was not as good as it is now and then TE came along with them and well next thing you know I was playing it also and progressing right on up the chain

Toni Stradling: oh in what way was it not as good as now?

Avatar Ametza: well if you saw what I looked like then and what I have become now you would see it takes a while to find the right look for yourself and make yourself look as good as you can. I looked like something from... well... lets just say I was a mess then and now I look like a person. lol

Toni Stradling: yes, please tell us what do you enjoy about playing the empires game?

Avatar Ametza: It is exciting with the Trader coming and going; and the Alchemist coming and trying to get the potions right, and that Dungeon Quest [with] the mean creatures that beat you up and kick you out, omg that is too funny

Toni Stradling: Right I think I have not encountered the dungeon quest yet but am sure I will fail as I am terrible at those things

Avatar Ametza: Well the problem is finding the right path in the caverns to follow and then having the items needed to get thru it, I will make it sooner or later

Toni Stradling: well good luck with that, do you have aspirations to be a king yourself in the empires game?

Avatar Ametza: Oh yes who wouldn't want that but of course staying in Charm not leaving my family it is the Best I have been with they are a lot of fun

Toni Stradling: well some do not want it because of the time it takes and the worries involved

Avatar Ametza: Well I am a Vampire King in Bloodlines so I figure if I can do this with all the people under in this i can do it as a King in Tiny Empires too, it should be just as fun or even better

Toni Stradling: Please excuse my ignorance but could you tell me what a vampire king means on here?

Avatar Ametza: Well when I came in to Bloodlines I was under a King in Bloodlines and learned a lot of what to do. As I came to be a King I formed my own clan and started getting people to liege to me like in Tiny Empires and formed a union like that and soon i had a lot of people that have followed me around and stayed with me as in the same way, yes lots of people call us a bunch of Blood Suckers but we are just a family and a bunch of good friends that like to have fun just like in TE and it has become a great part of my SL life here also
Avatar Ametza: The King is the Ruler in the Family

Toni Stradling: I see I think it is a good aspect of second life that one can choose different lifestyles, thank you for explaining that. May i ask you if you think that Charm should be doing anything it is currently not doing?

Avatar Ametza: No it is doing great and our Queen is awesome she is there helping us and she has events for us to go to and always there in some way to to help, explain and save the Charm Family when needed. It is a great Kingdom and I myself are glad to be part of it

Toni Stradling: Well that is good to hear, tell me if you were the designer of the empires game what changes would you make to it if any?

Avatar Ametza: Wow that is a good question, I would really have to think about something like that, but I know if you gave me some time to think about it as I get further along in it, I would have something, but right now all I can say is that the Alchemist is the one that needs work -still trying to figure out all the potion mixtures, that is the hard one

Toni Stradling: oh I am clueless on that whatever I choose has no effect

Avatar Ametza: haha

Toni Stradling: tell me do you play the other empires game the science fiction one?

Avatar Ametza: oh know I have enough work just trying to keep up with this one and remembering the potions and what I have already done
Avatar Ametza: smiles

Toni Stradling: yes I agree
Toni Stradling: May I ask you about your profile on second life? You make it clear that your real life is your own concern, do you not see any crossover between real life and here? For example do you not think it is important to know about someone's real life before you become attached to them on here?

Avatar Ametza: Yes I do agree as a matter of fact the one you can see in my profile now with me is the woman I have actually made a rl and sl relationship with and we plan to see each other soon, it takes a right connection in here to find someone but once you are around them enough and you have or make the right connection with them, it is possible to have something become of it in rl, trust me, but then like I tell a lot of people this is not just a game to all, sometimes things do happen and feelings do come out and you get attached to someone then things can happen in good ways and in bad ways. But we are all people and we have feelings everyone needs to remember that and figure which way you want the game to go.

Toni Stradling: Yes I agree with that
Toni Stradling: well alas i must go off to the day job soon, is there anything you would like to say about empires or second life that I have not asked you?

Avatar Ametza: Well all I can say if you haven't tried it you should cause you don't know what you are missing, there is a lot to do here and you can be what you want and achieve so much in here maybe be King or even a Millionaire

Toni Stradling: yes indeed well it was kind of you to invite me to your home and I hope you have continued success both in the empires and in your bloodlines kingdom and thanks for sharing your thoughts with us today.

Avatar Ametza: Thank you and I was glad to share it with you. It was great meeting you and doing this others need to do the same and maybe more would come to have as much fun as I have.

We've Got Forums!

What a great way to discuss Tiny Empires and Charm when you are away from SL. Thanks to Maliki Lupindo and Synsational Difference for dreaming this up, making it happen and sharing with all of us!

Go see! Go post stuff!
http://tinyempires.vwmasterbuilders.com/index.php

and if you can't see the link above (cause I can't) cut and paste and go here:

http://tinyempires.vwmasterbuilders.com/index.php

Harvest Party - September 8, 2012

Come join us in your finest harvest time garb! 

Dj Corvan has been putting his mind to finding us some tunes that will set our toes a tappin. 

Hostess Lundy will be keepin that conversation movin. 

So come dance or hang out with us  on the castle roof on Sat 9-8 at 2PM SL

See you then!

Thanks to everyone who stopped in, spent their evening with us, or even got up early to attend our monthly event. Each event has it's own little flavor (aside from theme) and that is because of all of you! Now, on with the photos..

 Arletta stopped in to spend some time with us!

 DJ Corvan shakin his tail feather :)

MB takin a break!

Toni and pj (well pj's back)

 Lundy in her harvest finest!

 MissGina showin us her dance moves!

 girins and Francine - hmm square dancin?

There's pj! (and now Toni's face is blocked *sigh*)

 91 and his pitchfork - look out!!

 Francine showin off her lolli!

 distant view of the dance floor

 Maliki lookin bad ass!

 girins - grabbed him as he was settlin' in!

Well let's see, there is MissGina, and Maliki and me.

 Gina and the Spaceman!

 Another view from the castle roof

 Rorke - keeping the riffraff at bay.

 lessee...there's 91 and Corvan and 

I think Arletta and MB in the background

 Lundy and Rorke!

 91 aka Haystack Hal for the evening :)

Hooray pj and Toni together.. with no blocked/hidden faces :)

First Documented Quest Success in the Realm!

Quest completed 8-22-12 (Francine is just a slacker and hasn't posted it until now)

From the SL desk of 91 Luminos:

Sept 1163   Abbott gives word "Fall"

Aug 1177    Quest begins..discover entrance etc. (next day and after relog)

Sep 1177    Use the word "Fall"

Oct 1177    Pay 8 acres to landowner

Nov 1177    Continue Way Choice: up staircase/down staircase/left    chosen=left

Dec 1177    Find gold and silver jewelry worth 36 million gold
*page 2*    Pay crone 18 million gold to read fortune

Jan 1178    Card=Empress "Crone cackles wildly you're rich! Hand it over!" Takes 24 million gold                    ...lol bitch!
*page 2*    Cave Giant awakes roars with rage stomps your way.
                   Choice: Full charge/Fight dirty/Run past 
                   Chosen =Full charge

Feb 1178    "Giant forgets to fight seeing tiny humans rush him"  gain 13 million gold
*page 2*      Door with locked seal.
                    Choice: pick lock/align crystals/unlock with magic/bash it down/use key
                    Chosen=use key (previously found on purchased acre)

Mar 1178    Door opens key breaks on removal. Elementals block way.
                   Choice: Full charge/Fight dirty/Run past/Rely on magic/Rely on steel  
                   Chosen=Rely on steel

Apr 1178    Prevail over Elementals. Find 24 million gold. Final Battle-Red Dragon guards
                   treasure at end of dungeon.
                   Choice: Enter combat/Fight dirty/Retreat/Bribe with 47m gold 
                   Chosen=Enter combat

May 1178    Success!   Citizens give parade, name on HUD prevails on quest etc.
                    Reward=70 million gold, 6 gold bars, 5 acres of land, a blue potion and
                    a draught of Quantrain

Yay!  lol sorry a little rough but pertinent info should all be there. Good luck on your Quest!

Interview with Christal Aya - July 18, 2012

Toni Stradling: I am here today in an empty irish park as technical issues prevent us from being on the beach at charm with Christal Aya who has kindly agreed to give up some of her time to tell us a few things about her life on here and in Tiny Empires

Toni Stradling: Christal welcome and 

thanks for joining  me today

Christal Aya: Thanks, my pleasure. 

Christal Aya: It's nice that you're taking 

time to do this, Toni.

Toni Stradling: Oh I enjoy this it gives me a chance to meet other members of the kingdom.

Toni Stradling: perhaps I may start by asking you how you came to hear of the empires game?

Christal Aya: OK sure.
Christal Aya: Well, back in 2008 I was running two live music venues in SL (Red Rock, a rock club, and Mama's, a blues club) and spent a lot of time going to see performers at other clubs. Through that I met Bratt Lunasea, who was running a club and he managed to recruit me for his downline in Charm. It took a lot of convincing, but he was tenacious. *laughs*
Christal Aya: He was pretty heavily into it at the time and, well, once I start something... I got into it pretty heavily as well.

Toni Stradling:  right, i wonder how he managed to convince you to join this game?

Christal Aya: Well after I asked a million questions about it and what the point of it was, and he got tired of it -- he used to call me "the interrogator" -- he simply said "Just try it! Does there HAVE to be a point?!"... or something like that. So anyways, I figured what the heck and got the trial HUD. I was pretty busy at the time so I didn't know if I'd stick with it, but I did. It kind of lures you in and then the social aspect kept me in it.

Toni Stradling: yes it can be quite addictive especially at the begining I think, what did you enjoy about it at the start and do you still enjoy the same aspects of it now?

Christal Aya:  Well, to be honest, I haven't been in SL much recently and haven't been actively recruiting, plus my downline is very quiet, so we are just content to remain in Charm, which has always treated us well. I play from time to time and try to keep up to date. I have a lot of respect for Rexx and Francine and how they've kept the Kingdom alive.
Christal Aya: As to what I enjoyed about it when I was active... meeting people. I mean when you are actively recruiting, you are constantly reaching out to new people and stariting converstaions, and the bribes also instigate conversations. I made a lot of good friends that way.  Still have many of the kings and queens in my friends list and keep up with them.
Christal Aya: My very first recruit was Swankhaven Blitz, and he was a complete pitbull when it came to the game. He built his downline quickly so I mostly ended up in a support role to help him with training new recruits and helping plan "princess parties" lol.
Christal Aya: He ascended fairly quickly to create a kingdom called "Swank" after that, which has since morphed into another name.

Toni Stradling:: princess parties?

Christal Aya laughs at the memory.   
Christal Aya: Oh yes. He mostly recruited ladies and one of the rewards for them when they achieved princess status was to hold a party. There would be a "watch" as they approached 1000 acres, and then I would send out a big announcement and we would plan a party, usually at a club somewhere, with music and dancing.

Toni Stradling: actually that sounds like a good idea

Christal Aya: It was actually very nice for them to receive that recognition, and a good way to make sure you let everybody know that you were personally interested in them. There was a point when we were having these parties once a week, and sometimes more than one princess was celebrated at a party. So we grew quickly.
Christal Aya: About that time, all the Charm lines were growing quickly so there were a lot of princes and princesses ascending to their own king and queendoms. That would have been in probably the late summer or fall of 2008.
Christal Aya: Charm was in the top 10 and could have been bigger if the lines had stayed, but Rexx insisted that we all promote people striking out on their own. It was a matter of pride for him that they felt confident and excited to create their own domains.

Toni Stradling: yes was that about the time we had that 24 hour party?

Christal Aya: I don't recall that one.... I do know that AMS was having a lot of parties at that time.... crazy parties :)
Christal Aya: Much pole dancing and nudity and... well... fun fun fun :)

Toni Stradling: well I probably passed on those parties

Christal Aya: lol
Christal Aya: I wasn't in the AMS group so only heard about them second hand.
Christal Aya: We all used to spend a lot of time at the AMS sim playing games and in voice.

Toni Stradling: there is a criticism I have heard about the game that after awhile it loses its attraction as one gets so high that people stop bribing you or even that you reach a maximum land holding how do you feel about this?

Christal Aya: I think that's a reasonable concern. I mean, with the exception of an extension I think you can buy with gold bars, everybody is limited to 2000 acres. However you can give your acres away to your downline or others you are recruiting when you get to that level. I haven't yet hit 2000 acres yet as I kept giving them away. But I think with anything, people  eventually start to lose energy if they aren't stimulated anew..
Christal Aya: Plus, the introduction of TE 3000 really hurt the original TE. Everybody switched over there for something new. I wasn't willing really to make the investment, so I didn't move, but many did.
Christal Aya: I'm not sure how well that game is going. To me, it just seemed like more of the same. I mean, when you are starting up a downline it can be a LOT of work if you want to do it right, and that comes with many rewards, but unless there is something REALLY fresh to pursue, yes, people become apathetic.
Christal Aya: To be fair, I think the emperor tweaks the game now and again. I mean with different HUDs and such that you can buy, but I don't think it's enough.
Christal Aya: There are tons of kingdoms created and evolving even now as far as I can see, so there are still many playing the game. I have actually heard old-timers in SL who complain they are seeing a larger problem and that is with SL not growing at the same rate that it was back in the day... so the problem may be larger than TE.

Toni Stradling: I have found the 3000 game to have no social element at all to be honest with you as everyone already knows you are not going to accept a bribe and nobody has even tried

Christal Aya: Well people used to bribe me a lot back when I was actively playing... even after I became a VIcereine, so I don't think it has to do with levels necesarrily, but rather an overall apathy or something.  Perhaps the level of training and investment isn't there as it once was.  Dunno.
Christal Aya: It would be interesting to get the perspective of a new player, in Charm or a smaller growing kingdom, to compare.

Toni Stradling: yes good point, well you have been succesful in this game i notice you have something after your name on the standings which I do not have it looks like a very thin book could you tell us what this represents?

Christal Aya: One moment, let me look at the standings page.... 
Christal Aya: Ok, so I have four symbols. The only one that you don't have in comparison is the disaster research symbol. There are three things that you can research: Famine, Disease, and Crime Waves. The Federation HUD makes offers that give you 20 turns to spend gold on researching one of these things and you can save your population from these disasters without even attending the HUD if you have fully researched one of them. You can only research one at a time. I chose to research Famine, so that symbol is a stem of wheat. The Disease symbol is a red cross. I can't recall what the symbol for Crime Wave is, but it protects your "imaginary" population from crime waves and your downline from sabotage I believe.   Here is a link for more info: http://malixu.me.uk/tinyempires/index.php?title=Citizens.

Toni Stradling: ahhhh thank you for that information I shall look out for that offer.

Christal Aya: OK. Just remember that you can only research one at a time, and you have to pay 20 times to complete the research. If you decide to research famine, for instnace, and then after the 10th payment, you change direction and go to research crime waves, you will lose all your Famine research credit.

Toni Stradling: Like me then you have always been in charm have you ever had any temptation to try another kingdom?

Christal Aya: I was actually pulled to another kingdom once when Bratt moved the line, but I moved my downline straight back to Charm. He and his liege created the kingdom Acheron after that and tried to lure us back, but I never wanted to leave Rexx. And Rexx (and now Francine) reward handsomely for loyalty, so the answer is no.

Toni Stradling: good we are happy that you are happy here, is there anything at present that you feel charm should be doing which it is not?

Christal Aya: Gee, I can't really think of anything myself. I think that question would best be posed to a really active player, perhaps some at different stages of the progress up the levels. That would offer you a more current and fresh perspective.

Toni Stradling: fair comment, do you have any regrets about anything that has happened in your empires life?

Christal Aya: Yes. There were times when my pride was very heavily invested and I reacted rashly or emotionally to things that I should have been more even-tempered and understanding about. There is a level of maturity you attain after awhile of game play.
Christal Aya:  I suppose that is true in SL and RL as well  :)
Christal Aya: But It all worked out in the end

Toni Stradling: and have you ever had any aspirations to be a queen yourself?

Christal Aya: I have completed the path to royalty, just to say I have done it, so I could, theoretically, ascend any time, but I have no desire to do so.

Toni Stradling:: oh may i ask why?

Christal Aya: Several reasons. By the time I reached that point initially, I was working a full time job with a lot of overtime, I was running two music clubs in SL, which was taking 20 to 30 hours a week, so I didn't have the time to commit to it, and after that I was partnered for a couple of years. Make no mistake, it is a lot of time to run a kingdom. Also, I was and still am perfectly content to support Charm. I am proud to remain a princess here.

Toni Stradling: well it certainly sounds like you have had a very full second life

Christal Aya: It's been pretty good. :)

Toni Stradling: may I ask you about your empires nickname I actually found two for you are you the royal star shooter or the royal sleeping beauty?

Christal Aya: Royal Sleeping Beauty
Christal Aya: Well it was back after I had just become a princess, there was a group of us that used to spend a lot of time on voice playing Greedy Greedy or trivia or just shooting the crap about whatever. That was a lot of fun. Many times that we were on voice, however, and it was late in the night for the people in the SLT time zone, like Rexx, or early morning for people in the UK or Europe, and afternoon for the people in Australia. But for me, it would have been 2, 3 or 4 am.... sooooo as you can imagine, I sometimes drifted off while my mic was still on.
Christal Aya: Eruanna, one of my direct subjects, is in Holland and Rexx is in California and they conspired to give me that name one night when they caught me (softly?) snoring into my mic lol.

Toni Stradling: ha ha I like that story

Christal Aya: *grins*
Christal Aya: So who is going to interview YOU Toni?

Toni Stradling: I  do not think anyone is interested in interviewing me I have no funny stories to tell

Christal Aya: I wouldn't sell yourself short. I might take a swing at it. :)

Toni Stradling: ducks quickly

Christal Aya: lol

Toni Stradling: Well Christal it was kind of you to come here today and share your thoughts with us, I hope this venue has not proved to cold for you

Christal Aya: Glad I wore my jacket. It's a beautiful sim by the looks of it. I might poke around a bit if that's ok.
Christal Aya: And thanks Toni. Good luck with your interviews.

Toni Stradling: thank you

Hawaiian party - August 11, 2012

Had a great time with this party

hope everyone had a blast. 

DJ Corvan and Hostess Lundy did their best to impress 

and pulled off another great evening!

Photos below:

 91!

 91 Showin us his dance moves!

 Betsy took in the sun before dancing!

 ChristieAnna spent some time with us!

 ChristieAnna's view as she danced the night away!

 DJ Corvan is his birds nest!

 DJ Corvan at closing time!

Francine dancing as usual!

 Night time view (AMS in background)

 Day time view (Castle Charm in background)

 Henry stopped by.

 Distant view of the dance floor with Castle Charm

 Hostess Lundy danced into the wee hours!

 Hostess Lundy and girins groovin' to the beat!

 Mak got his Hawaiian on!

 Rorke showin us he has a fun side!

Aloha!

Thanks to  91 Luminos for providing some of the photos.

Interview with Desari Aeon - July 2, 2012

Toni Stradling: It is such a beautiful summers day here at Twilight Cove that I have even  removed my jacket. I am here with Desari Aeon who has kindly given up some of her time to chat to me today.
 

Toni Stradling: Hello and nice to meet you Desari

Desari Aeon:  hello and likewise

Toni Stradling: perhaps we can start by asking you how you heard of the empires game and what attracted you to it?

Desari Aeon: I first heard of the game from my spouse at the time, Geo, and it gave me something to do while dancing at a couple clubs that i used to go to
 

Toni Stradling: this was your spouse on here?

Desari Aeon: lol no he was my spouse RL too

Toni Stradling: ahhh and what appealed to you about the game?

Desari Aeon: was something that presented a challenge, something to do when i was really bored lol, then just became something I was always doing

Toni Stradling: yes I once saw it described as an addiction within an addiction

Desari Aeon: very to the point yes lol

Toni Stradling: so please tell us did you join your husband in his kingdom?

Desari Aeon: yes i joined Geo in thousand lights, where he was back then and have stayed with him in some way through out all the changeovers lol

Toni Stradling: and now you are here in Charm was that by choice or through the kingdom changing?

Desari Aeon: we ascended out of Thousand lights, and after a few kingdom bounces landed here thankfully

Toni Stradling: Are there any major differences between the kingdoms you were in? I myself have only ever been in Charm
 

Desari Aeon: compared to the others Charm is more laid back so to speak, everyones entitled to play how they want without repercussions from the upline and its a lot more fun since we joined Charm, thousand lights and bristol both took the game way to seriously to point where under some people if it were a guy lieged to a female it was in essance a marriage of types which has always confused me lol

Toni Stradling: well that certainly sounds most distressing I would not have like to have been married to one of the lieges  I had

Desari Aeon: oh it was, that was actually how i got introduced to the game, nothing like having your spouse tell you hes married to someone in a mini game just for being their subject lol

Toni Stradling: yes that must have made your domestic situation quite confusing

Desari Aeon: not really i made my thoughts on it very clear to him and her and then to the person who suggested the idea in the first place, which stopped that line of thought for a few of them at least

Toni Stradling: do you still get the same pleasure out of playing the game or has it waned as most games tend to do?

Desari Aeon: I'm not on as much as I used to be but when I am i still enjoy it as much and have some challenges in the game that I still have to meet

Toni Stradling: oh do tell what these are please

Desari Aeon: well the biggest goal is getting myself to personal princess, I've been playing TE for 4 years and still havent gotten far beyond personal duchess lol, even though I am in fact princess rank

Toni Stradling: I am sorry can you explain the difference twixt princess rank and being a personal princess

 

Desari Aeon: princess rank means 1000 total acres, personal princess means 1000 personal acres

Toni Stradling: ahhhh i see thank you and one day would you like to be a queen?

Desari Aeon: oh no, not me lol, I'm happy just being a follower in this game and helping my cousin obtain her goals

Toni Stradling: oh you have other members of your real life family playing this?

Desari Aeon: yes i do, my Cousin Skylar plays and is the current head of our group with her ideas for being a queen herself :)

Toni Stradling: i find it quite refreshing that you are open about second life with your real family many keep it as some kind of a secret pastime

Desari Aeon: some understand it and some dont, i see second life as a way of making friends who with any luck can become good Rl friends as well, and if anything else its a constant learning experience

Toni Stradling: agreed, is there anything you feel Charm should be doing which it is not at present?

Desari Aeon:  not really no lol, im not on enough to know everything that goes on in Charm but i know myself and those who came with our group to Charm have had nothing but good to say so cant really improve on that lol

Toni Stradling: well that is encourgaing to hear. if you were able to make any changes to the Empires game what would they be?

Desari Aeon:  hmmm only change i would love to see is how much gold per acre we can get without having to have fed active lol :)

Toni Stradling: yes that is a good point. Has playing the game helped you make more friends on second life or as some think has it restricted the number of friends you have made?

Desari Aeon: hasnt really made a difference for me lol, my friends come from all areas of SL from the Furry community to strictly human and are friends because of mutual interests,  however i have convinced a few of them to play in the game, even if they no longer play now :)

Toni Stradling: good, may i ask you why you choose to be a furry as you term it on here?

Desari Aeon: i actually bounce between human and fur, or neko which is a cross between the two, because im comfortable in all areas on here, Furry however is a bit more open to anyone who comes in doesnt matter who you are as long as your as laid back as the rest lol

Toni Stradling: I see and you are presumably enjoying the whole second life experience for you to be on here still after 4 years?

Desari Aeon: yes i still enjoy it, however I'm not on as much as I was when i started, RL is more of the priority than here but when Im on its still as fun as the old days lol if not a little quieter

Toni Stradling: well Desari it was very kind of you to come over and share your thoughts with us

Desari Aeon: not a problem, just glad i remembered to get online this time lol

Toni Stradling: ok cheers it was good to meet you and I hope we meet again maybe at the next charm function

Desari Aeon: likewise

Toni Stradling: take care bye for now

Desari Aeon: you too