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Revision as of 23:49, 15 August 2005 by 204.128.192.5 (talk) (Updated link)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Disney's Virtual Magic Kingdom, or VMK, is a free massively multiplayer online game run by The Walt Disney Company. It is a virtual representation of the Disneyland and Magic Kingdom theme parks, and contains areas and games which are based on real park attractions.
The beta version opened publicly on May 23, 2005 with Main Street, Fantasyland, and Adventureland available to players. The game was no longer in beta as of June 27, 2005.
Gameplay
A new VMK player begins by visiting "http://vmk.com/" and clicking "Enter Game". He then creates an account (linked to his email address), makes an avatar, and selects that avatar's gender and appearance (shirt, shoes, pants, hair, hat, face, and colors for skin and hair). The player also selects a "guest room" for his avatar (in which he can place furniture and posters he buys later); one room is provided for free, and additional rooms can be purchased later with in-game "credits". Then the avatar is automatically given a few tradable items (mainly tee shirts), and placed in the game.
Activities an avatar can do in the VMK include:
- Walking around from area to area, and exploring to find what sorts of things are available. He can also visit other players' guest rooms.
- Chatting with other players, though the available vocabulary is limited; see below.
- Trading pins, posters, shirts, and furniture with other players. These items are only virtual, and have no "real-world" significance.
- Playing games. The games that are currently available are:
- Pirates of the Caribbean, where two teams of up to four players each try to sink the opponents ships by sailing around and firing cannons.
- Castle Fireworks, where fireworks are launched into the sky and the player must click on each one with the correct symbol to detonate it.
- The Jungle Cruise Photo Safari, where points are given for taking photos of interesting things.
- The Street Party Music Game, where a player can sequence music loops into a song for avatars to dance to.
- Searching for Hidden Mickeys; see below.
- Searching for hidden characters such as Shrunken Ned and Captain Blackheart. Clicking on a hidden character awards credits and pins.
An avatar can "wear" up to eight of his pins at a time so that other players can see them in his profile. "Magic pins" can also be found which, when activated, create a brief visual effect.
In conversations, room descriptions, and other places where players are allowed to enter freeform text, the game uses an undisclosed list of allowed words. If a player types a word not on the list, it flashes in red to warn him that it will not be accepted; and if he tries to use it anyway, it appears to other players as "###". Some of the more notable words missing from the allowed list are all numbers, names of states, and names of major cities, presumably to protect players by preventing them from divulging their ages or locations. Rooms in the game are monitored by administrators; any attempt to outwit the safeguards and reveal personal information will result in a warning from an administrator.
A visitor to Disneyland or the Magic Kingdom can create an avatar at a special VMK kiosk. An avatar created in a park will start off with additional credits and items, and its profile (visible to other players) has a special "Born in the Park" icon in it. A park visitor can go on "Quests" in these two theme parks to win trading cards with codes on them which award in-game items. The purchase of certain items (such as a gold mouse ears hat or a collectible pin) will grant a collectible card with a code to obtain an item in the game.
The game is only in operation between 10:00am to 1:00am EST (7:00am-10:00pm PST).
The game engine uses Macromedia Shockwave, and appears to be based on Habbo Hotel.
Layout
The Virtual Magic Kingdom consists of "rooms", each depicted in isometric projection, and each with a distinct theme. Each room has at least one exit which leads to another room.
No more than fifteen avatars can occupy a room at any one time. If a player tries to enter someone's guest room which already contains fifteen avatars, he will be put into a queue to wait to enter. The public rooms all have multiple "instances", named after compass directions (such as the "North-East-East" instance), and each instance can have up to fifteen avatars in it. When moving around the public rooms, an avatar will be randomly placed in an instance of a room unless the player selects "Advanced Mode," in which he can select an instance for his avatar to enter.
Quests
Five in-park "quests" are currently available at Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom. (The specific questions in the quests are different in each park.)
A location on Main Street, U.S.A. in the Magic Kingdom or Tomorrowland in Disneyland provides quest handouts containing multiple-choice questions for the Adventureland, Fantasyland, and Frontierland quests, and a Tomorrowland quest is available online to print out and bring to a park. A player explores the park to find answers, then returns to his starting point so his answers can be checked and prizes can be awarded. The questions require the player to spot details in the park, such as counting the number of keys on the keyring being held by the dog in Pirates of the Caribbean.
Upon completing these four quests, the player is awarded up to three prize cards (with codes for in-game items) per quest depending on what answers he or she got right, plus a glow-in-the-dark wristband for getting all correct answers in any one quest. If the player completes all four quests successfully, he is eligible for a special VMK Insider Tour, which includes the Haunted Mansion quest and the opportunity to win more prizes.
Previously the tour was awarded after completing only the Adventureland, Fantasyland, and Frontierland quests, but shortly after the introduction of the Tomorrowland quest, that one became required as well.
A player must wait thirty days before trying again to win a prize or the wristband he has already won.
Prizes
These cards are given out at Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom. Each has a single-use code printed on it; entering this code into the game will grant the named prize to the player.
Merchandise cards
These prize cards are given with the purchase of various items around the parks. The locations are different for Disneyland than they are for the Magic Kingdom. One of the six cards can not be obtained from Disneyland; another can not be obtained from the Magic Kingdom.
- 1/6 Fantasyland Magic Mirror
- DL: buy any magic trick at the Main Street Magic Shop
- not available at MK
- 2/6 Happiest Celebration On Earth Pin
- DL: buy any pin at Astro Blasters in Tomorrowland
- MK: buy any pin at Frontier Mercantile in Frontierland
- 3/6 Golden Mickey Ears
- DL: buy any hat from any hat shop except Star Trader
- MK: buy any hat at Chapeau on Main Street
- 4/6 Frontierland Wanted Poster
- not available at DL
- MK: buy a photo at Splash Mountain or Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin
- 5/6 Retro Mickey T-Shirt
- DL: buy any shirt at Star Trader in Tomorrowland
- MK: buy any shirt at Sir Mickey's in Fantasyland
- 6/6 Disneyland Retro Penny Press
- DL: buy any candy at Pooh Corner Honey Spot in Critter Country
- MK: buy any candy at Prairie Outpost & Supply in Frontierland
Award cards
These prize cards are awarded in the parks for successful completion of quests. The complete set of cards is on display at VMK Central in the parks; not all cards are currently available to players.
- 1/30 Disneyland Golden Show Designer Collection
- 2/30 Madame Leota's Crystal Ball Collection (Haunted Mansion question 1 prize)
- 3/30 Aladdin's Flying Carpet Chair (Adventureland quest level 1 prize)
- 4/30 Haunted Mansion Ghostly Organ (Haunted Mansion question 5 prize)
- 5/30 Invisibility Magic Spell (Haunted Mansion question 2 prize)
- 6/30 Haunted Mansion Conservatory Guest Room (Haunted Mansion quest completion prize)
- 7/30 Stitch's Tomorrowland Teleporter (Tomorrowland quest level 2 prize)
- 8/30 Tomorrowland Rocketship Couch (Tomorrowland quest level 1 prize)
- 9/30 Tomorrowland Teleportation Magic Spell (Tomorrowland quest level 3 prize)
- 10/30 Captain Nemo's Nautilus Chair
- 11/30 Adventureland Retro Pin (Adventureland quest level 2 prize)
- 12/30 Adventureland Explorer's Suitcase Sofa (Adventureland quest level 3 prize)
- 13/30 Master Gracey's Grandfather Clock (Haunted Mansion question 4 prize)
- 14/30 Jungle Cruise Explorer's Tent Guest Room
- 15/30 Adventureland Jungle Cruise Hippo Rug
- 16/30 Adventureland Safari Lifestyle Collection
- 17/30 Adventureland Explorer's Safari Carpet
- 18/30 Gorilla Jungle Cruise Photo Safari Poster
- 19/30 Rhino Jungle Cruise Photo Safari Poster
- 20/30 Frontierland Ace of Spade (sic) Carpet (Frontierland quest level 1 prize)
- 21/30 Frontierland Cactus Armchair (Frontierland quest level 2 prize)
- 22/30 Frontierland Saddle Seats Sofa (Frontierland quest level 3 prize)
- 23/30 Big Thunder Mountain Teleporter
- 24/30 Haunted Mansion Rocking Chair (Haunted Mansion question 3 prize)
- 25/30 Fantasyland Castle Retro Pin (Fantasyland quest level 1 prize)
- 26/30 Prince Phillip's Briarstone (Fantasyland quest level 2 prize)
- 27/30 Huntsman's Heartless Hamper (Fantasyland quest level 3 prize)
- 28/30 Haunted Mansion Graveyard Tree (Haunted Mansion question 6 prize)
- 29/30 Virtual Magic Kingdom Credits
- 30/30 VMK Insider Tour (prize for completing the Adventureland, Fantasyland, Frontierland, and Tomorrowland quests; awards a VIP badge)
Badges
Badges appear at the top of a player's information window visible to other players. Badges cannot be traded.
- Born In Park: given to an avatar created at Disneyland or the Magic Kingdom
- VIP: given via a prize card's code; the card is given after completing the Adventureland, Fantasyland, Frontierland, and Tomorrowland quests to become eligible for the special park tour
- Here from Day 1: given to an avatar created prior to June 27, 2005
- VMK Staff: paid employees who help safeguard players; their names begin with "VMK_"
- Community Leader: volunteers who help with the game; their names begin with "CL_"
Pins
Numbered pins
- The Haunted Mansion (1/9): buy for 25 credits from Golden Horseshoe Saloon
- Fantasyland Castle (2/9): buy for 250 credits from "it's a small world" Imports, or in-park quest
- The Enchanted Tiki Room (3/9): buy for 25 credits from Shrunken Ned's Shop
- Adventureland (4/9): in-park quest
- Disneyland (5/9): in-park quest
- The Pirates of the Caribbean (6/9): buy for 25 credits from Shrunken Ned's Shop
- The Matterhorn (7/9): buy for 25 credits from "it's a small world" Imports
- Tomorrowland (8/9): buy for 250 credits from Star Traders
- It's A Small World (9/9): buy for 25 credits from "it's a small world" Imports
- Tomorrowland People Mover Retro Pin (2/5): was available for a limited time from Star Traders
- Tomorrowland Skyway Retro Pin (3/5): was available for a limited time from Star Traders
- Tomorrowland Motor Boat Retro Pin (4/5): was available for a limited time from Star Traders
- Tomorrowland Submarine Voyage Retro Pin (5/5): was available for a limited time from Star Traders
- Silver Mortimer: photograph thirty Hidden Mickeys
- Gold Oswald: photograph all fifty Hidden Mickeys
- Pirate Level 1 Bronze Doubloon: win ten Level 1 Pirates games
- Pirate Level 2 Silver Piece: visit Captain Blackheart after winning ten Level 2 Pirates games
- Pirate Level 3 Gold Sovereign: win ten Level 3 Pirates games
- Firework Level 1 Bronze: play four levels of Castle Fireworks, but get booted before reaching fifth level (one way to do this is to not score any points on the fourth level)
- Firework Level 2 Silver Rocket: play all five levels of Castle Fireworks
- Firework Level 3 Gold Spectacular: finish Castle Fireworks with a score above of 200,000, but do not win it
- Best Guest Room Award: a special pin occasionally awarded to the owner of a guest room chosen by VMK staff to be the best in originality and creativity
Magic pins
A magic pin must be worn to be activated. To activate it, either click the magic wand icon at the bottom of the screen and then double-click the magic pin, or type the pin's magic word. If a player has two of the same kind of magic pin, they can be combined for a longer effect.
- Buried In Treasure ("BlingBling!"): makes the avatar appear to become buried in gold coins. Available via a code in specially-marked boxes of Kellogg's cereal.
- Cursed Storm ("BoomCrash!"): makes the avatar spin around in a cyclone. Available via a code in specially-marked boxes of Kellogg's cereal.
- Dancing Inferno ("Inferno!"): makes the avatar appear to be dancing in flames. It is only given out by staff members during special events.
- Fireworks magic ("Rocket!"): makes fireworks shower over the avatar's head. To obtain it, get a score of over 240,000 in the Castle Fireworks game, but do not come in first place. (The requirements for this pin may have changed recently.)
- Invisibility magic ("Spooky!"): makes the avatar translucent. To obtain it, win ten Level 3 Pirates games, or complete the in-park Haunted Mansion quest.
- Magic Carpet ("Whoosh!"): makes the avatar appear to be floating on a magic carpet. This pin is not yet available to players, but its effects can be tried in the Spell Room in Fantasyland.
- Pirate Costume ("YohoYoho!"): makes the avatar appear to be dressed as a pirate. Available via a code in specially-marked boxes of Kellogg's cereal.
- Teleportation magic ("Jump!"): relocates the avatar to any other location in the room. To obtain it, complete the in-park Tomorrowland quest.
Character pins
Visit the characters to obtain these pins; see "Characters" below.
- Captain Blackheart
- Esmeralda the Fortuneteller
- Malificent the Dragon
- Shrunken Ned
- The Yeti
Other pins
- Aladdin: buy for 25 credits from "it's a small world" Imports
- Alice in Wonderland: buy for 25 credits from "it's a small world" Imports
- Autopia: buy for 25 credits from Star Traders Shop
- Cinderella: buy for 25 credits from "it's a small world" Imports
- Disney's Animal Kingdom: buy for 25 credits from Emporium
- Disney's California Adventure: buy for 25 credits from Emporium
- Disney-MGM Studio: buy for 25 credits from Emporium
- Dumbo: buy for 25 credits from "it's a small world" Imports
- Epcot: buy for 25 credits from Emporium
- Happiest Celebration on Earth: available from a card given upon purchase of a pin at a park; see "Merchandise cards" above
- Nightmare Before Christmas: buy for 25 credits from Emporium
- Rocketship: buy for 25 credits from Star Traders Shop
- Snow White: buy for 25 credits from "it's a small world" Imports
Guest rooms
When a player first creates his avatar in the game, he is given one free "guest room" which he can name and decorate with items. He is allowed to choose the style of his free room from these four:
- Tiki Tiki Tiki Room
- Boot Hill Shooting Gallery
- Mad Hatter's Tea Party
- Nautilus Submarine Room
If the character is creating his character in a park, then he is given another four rooms (one of each of the above) as a bonus.
The other rooms available are:
- Maleficent's Evil Fortress: purchase for 500 credits
- Tomorrowland Outerspace: purchase for 500 credits
- Jungle Cruise Explorer's Tent: available from a card won during the VMK Insider Tour
- Haunted Mansion Conservatory: available from the Haunted Mansion quest during the VMK Insider Tour
- Skull Rock: earned from a code given in the Kellogg's "Conquer the Sea" online game; see "Codes" below
A pirate ship room has been seen, and according to a VMK object list circulated online it will be named Pirate Prison, but this room is not yet available to players.
Characters
The first time a player visits one of these characters (by double-clicking on him or her), he is given 40 credits and a pin. Another 20 credits are given each time the player revisits the same character, as long as at least twelve hours have passed since the last payout.
- Captain Blackheart, in Pirate Treehouse
- Esmeralda the Fortuneteller, in Emporium
- Maleficent the Dragon, in Dungeon
- Shrunken Ned, in Shrunken Ned's Shop
- Yeti, in Matterhorn
Hidden Mickeys
There are fifty Hidden Mickeys in the game, appearing as mouse-eared logos embossed onto scenery in rooms. Hunting for Hidden Mickeys can be a difficult task, as they are faint and rather difficult to see, and it can take time to earn enough credits to buy film. Each room has at least one, and some contain two.
To begin the Hidden Mickey hunt, stop in to VMK Central and double-click on the camera sign. Buy a Camera and 3 Film for 200 credits. Additional packs of 5 Film are another 200 credits each. When you find a Hidden Mickey, photograph it with the camera icon at the bottom of the game window. Credits and pins are awarded after finding certain numbers of Hidden Mickeys.
These are the location descriptions given by the game as the Hidden Mickeys are found and photographed.
- Adventureland Bazaar, POTC entrance
- Banquet Hall, banner
- Banquet Hall, spiderweb
- Castle Fireworks Lobby, right turret
- Castle Fireworks Lobby, tallest turret
- Castle Forecourt, tower
- Castle Gardens, evil
- Castle Gardens, good
- Castle Spell Room, table
- Castle Spell Room, wall
- Central Plaza, brickwork
- Central Plaza, topiary
- Dungeon, dragon head
- Dungeon, dragon tail
- Elephant Bathing Pool, ruins
- Emporium, drapery
- Emporium, tarot card
- Explorer's Tent, rock
- Explorer's Tent, waterfall
- Fantasyland In the Sky, Matterhorn
- Forbidden Temple, chains
- Forbidden Temple, fallen column
- Gallery, Castle stained glass
- Gallery, Sleeping Beauty stained glass
- Golden Horseshoe Shop, balcony
- Golden Horseshoe Shop, wall
- Jungle Cruise Dock, pier
- Jungle Cruise Dock, wall
- Lost Safari Party, far shore
- Lost Safari Party, lion's den
- Main Street, VMK Central
- Matterhorn, stage entrance
- Matterhorn, waterfall
- Monorail Train, nose
- Music Game, rooftop
- Pirate Treehouse, sail
- Pirates of the Caribbean Game Lobby, sail
- Shrunken Ned's Shop, pirate flag
- Snow White's Hide n' Seek Forest, tree
- Star Trader's Shop, wall
- Storybookland, mine
- Storybookland, treetop
- Street Party Music Game, blinds
- Tiki Tiki Tiki Island, temple entrance
- Tiki Tiki Tiki Island, tunnel
- Town Square, Emporium
- Town Square, platform
- VMK Central, stage
- "it's a small world" Imports, crate
- "it's a small world" Imports, thrones
Codes
A player can enter codes to obtain items and credits. Each code consists of sixteen letters and numbers. They are provided on cards and wristbands given as prizes for quests at Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom, in certain issues of Disney Adventure Magazine, and in specially-marked boxes of Kellogg's cereal (Apple Jacks, Cinnamon Krunchers, Froot Loops, and Rice Krispies).
There are two kinds of codes. Single-use codes are unique and are only valid for one use by a single player; these are the ones given on prize cards. Multi-use codes are good for one use by any player; the same code is provided in each cereal box, for example. (An avatar can not use a multi-use code more than once. If he buys three boxes of cereal and gets the same code in all three, he can still only use the code once.)
There is a Kellogg's "Conquer the Sea" game online which will dispense one single-use code to a player. This code will award a few pirate-themed prizes including the Skull Rock room.
Below is a list of known multi-use codes.
- QNEL-NTBW-KLDU-GB2C: Awards 500 credits. Provided in the June 2005 Disney Adventure magazine.
- WBRK-LBAG-KQNL-B9N9: Awards 500 credits. Provided in the Summer 2005 Disney Adventure magazine.
- LAB9-RR3K-EBSK-B9D3: Awards a VMK T-shirt. Printed on the inside of the glow-in-the-dark wristband given as a reward for in-park quests.
- KLS9-R569-9RJK-CLUG: Awards a Cursed Storm magic pin. Available in boxes of Kellogg's cereal. (Before June 27, 2005, this code awarded a Buried in Treasure magic pin.)
- EUF8-B5BL-9RKC-Y9ZW: Awards a Buried in Treasure magic pin. Available in boxes of Kellogg's cereal. (Before June 27, 2005, this code awarded a Pirate Costume magic pin.)
- MTNQ-JDL9-AKT7-99BE: Awards a Pirate Costume magic pin. Available in boxes of Kellogg's cereal.
- 62RH-TFR5-773V-AEYM: Awards 100 credits. Apparently this code was in a VMK email advertisement sent by Disney.
Magic pins acquired through codes cannot be traded to other avatars. This prevents a player from getting lots of magic pins by creating several avatars, using codes to give them pins, and trading the pins to his main avatar.
Community
Players whose avatars meet in the same room at the same time can become "friends": one issues an invitation to the other, and if the other accepts, then each player will always be able to see if the other is online and in what game location, and will be able to jump instantly to the other avatar's location. Either player can cancel this "friends" connection at any time. Outside of friends, there is no way within the game to find out whether a particular other avatar is online or in what room.
Disney prohibits sharing personal information in the game (and its limited dictionary also adds a technical obstacle to this). Disney's stated intent is to protect the safety and privacy of its members, but this also prevents members from having a legitimate way of reaching each other outside the game.
Players have found a way around this by putting certain phrases in their public signatures, a short bit of text which is visible to any other player who clicks on the avatar.
- The use of "Dis member" or "Dis board member" means that the player is a member of the DISboards web site.
- The use of "Disney ears" means that the player is a member of the Disney EchoEars web site.
- The use of "Enter Caught" means that the player is a member of the Intercot web site, but VMK now prohibits this phrase from being used in signatures and room names, so Intercot members use "WDW inside and out" instead.
- The use of "VMK fan site . (thing to catch fish)" means that the player is a member of the VMKfansite.net web site.
Future
Frontierland and Tomorrowland are currently listed as "Coming Soon." According to information given on the VMK Insider Tour, these lands will be available in December. Frontierland will include the "Haunted Mansion Ghost Chasers" game; Tomorrowland will be visually inspired by the stories of Jules Verne.