Congrats to all of the people who won the “Blog for Thought” contest, namely rinsama, serenity, and Bi.  Along with everyone who won all of the other contests.   ^_^

In case you were wondering, I didn’t win the “Blog for Thought” contest. :(  But that’s ok ’cause I still got plenty of praise for my hard work (in the form of comments and other stuff).  Bi (one of the blog winners) even considered it one of her faves.  ^_^  So I should definitely feel like a winner.   Thanks guys for liking my blog.  ^_^  I hope to make more in the future.  ^_^

Some of my other friends who entered the contest didn’t win either.  But I think they deserve some recognition for their hard work.  Here’s a list of some of those people:

Ann - A sweet story about a young girl’s journey into “HKO” and how she made a difference in people’s lives.  (Awwww. X3)

Maneechan -  A sorta “when I was young” tale (just like James Cameron’s “Titanic”).  Featuring a glorious “HKO” “wedding” with the blog writer herself.  (Congrats Maneechan.)

ripplecloud - a sorta behind the scenes documentary on ripple’s Award-nominated Frightspinners film “The Witch”.   (Congrats on the Day with Hello Kitty event by the way. ^_^)  Also includes the video itself.

kittypolei -  A nice tale about the blog writer’s date in HKO Paris with her boyfriend (I think) EngineerRocky.  Not much in the text department.  But it does have a nice photo album.  Oui, oui!  (”Yes, yes!” in French.) ^_^  [By the way, she’s one of the friends I’ve made on SanrioTown BEFORE I started playing the game.]

Again, congrats to everyone (and I mean EVERYONE) who entered.  You should all definitely be proud.  ^_^

Oh and Happy Thanksgiving to those who celebrated it.  Sorry for the long delay on that too. hehe

Hey guys.   Sorry for the long delay.  hehe  I didn’t get a chance to introduce myself on here (or even explain the meaning of my name) mainly ’cause of the game and the “Blog for Thought” and other stuff.  More on the “Blog for Thought” later.

But anyway, my SanrioTown name is the_otakutopian1 (or the_otakutopian on “HKO”).   The name is a combination of the Japanese word “otaku” (meaning “fan”)  and the word “utopian” (meaning “someone who lives in a utopia”) with the word “the” added onto it to make it look like I’m from someplace called “Otakutopia”. hehe.   The idea for the name kinda came to me a few years ago when I remembered the name of a show called “Dinotopia” (combining “dino” as in “dinosaurs” and “utopia”).  I never really saw that show by the way.  But I thought the name was kinda cool.  ^_^  And since I’ve become a fan of anime, manga, Sanrio stuff, JPOP/JROCK, and even some non-Japanese stuff like “Star Wars” and “The Lord of the Rings”, I figured why not create my own version of the title?   And since “Otaking” ( a title I probably would NEVER earn)  had already been taken by some guy in Gainax (who create the anime “Neon Genesis Evangelion”, “His or Her Circumstances”, and others) and, of course, the late Steve Pearl (rest his soul v.v), I figured The Otakutopian would be a better title.  Plus, it sounds more like I’m from an actual world filled with fans of all types, be they fans of anime/manga, “Star Wars”, or whatever.

I know that the term “otaku” had a bad reputation in Japan, but I don’t think it’s really that bad a name.  Besides, I’m more of the American meaning of “otaku” (”anime fan” ^_^), even though I also like other non-Japanese stuff.  Plus, everyone is a little geeky in one way or another.  Nothin’ wrong with that, really.

By the way, the 1 on the end of my SanrioTown name is just there ’cause I tried to create an account with “the_otakutopian”, but it didn’t work.   So I tried another one with the 1 added on (as “the_otakutopian1″).  Hope this doesn’t sound too odd or anything.  hehe

And yes, I’m a guy.  But I also like cute things, including some Sanrio stuff and cute anime art (like “Shugo Chara” and “Lucky Star”).   In fact, most of the very first anime I’ve ever watched AND enjoyed had cute designs, like the “Unico” movies.

Some of my fave Sanrio characters include Hello Kitty, My Melody, Kuromi, The Little Twin Stars, Purin, and Charmmy Kitty.

Sorry if anything I said offended you in any way  I didn’t mean to.  I’m just telling you a bit about myself.  And that it’s ok to be a little geeky.  ^_^  Even if you’re a grown man who has a soft side for cuteness, like me.  X3

Oh yeah, I also have an account on GaiaOnline (as The_Otakutopian) in case any of you guys go on there too.  Plus you’ll also get a slightly more detail description on me in my profile.  Here’s the address:

http://www.gaiaonline.com/profiles/7830584/

I’ve already tried that site’s MMORPG “zOMG” until “HKO” comes back on.  So far, it’s pretty good.  ^_^  But I’m still looking forward to returning to “HKO” and all of my friends there and on here.  ^_^

Catch ya later.

My “Hello Kitty Online:  Founders’ Beta” Adventure

Hi everybody!  Founders’ Beta may have ended, but I’m glad I took the time to play it, even if it was a LONG time.  hehe  Having played some MMORPGs in the past, I didn’t really plan on logging back on when the beta ended.  Unlike most of those other games, “Hello Kitty Online” (”HKO”) is probably one of THE friendliest (and cutest X3) games you’ll ever play.

How it all begin:

I can’t remember exactly how I first heard about this game.  Though after seeing that episode of “South Park” where Butters said that he played “Hello Kitty Island Adventure” instead of “World of Warcraft”, I wondered whether or not such an MMORPG really existed.  Eventually I heard that there really WAS such an online game featuring Hello Kitty and all of her friends, and it was named “Hello Kitty Online”.  Having gained a liking to Kitty and some of the other Sanrio characters (Little Twin Stars, My Melody, etc.) recently through the years, I decided I should check it out.  Especially since I heard that “HKO” was different from all of those other games, mainly ’cause of the focus on friendship and skill mastering.  Plus it seemed a whole lot cuter.  X3  When I heard about the Founders’ Beta coming up, I immediately registered onto SanrioTown and applied for a spot in the game.  I was filled with joy when after a week or so, I got an email stating “You are now a Hello Kitty Online Founder!”.

When I first started out the game on opening night, I was pretty much a like every other newbie:  no friends, no guild and barely wearing any [game] clothes and having any knowledge of the characteristics of the game itself.

But as time went on, I found myself getting sucked deeper and deeper into the game’s friendly atmosphere.  However I once worried about having to restart my account because I found myself in one of the areas

Fortunately, I was freed by a “mysterious force” consisting of the combined efforts of the Game Masters (GMs) and the Rescue Squad.  Another “force” soon proved to be really helpful:  a guild and friends.

How I got into the Sailoria Guild:

Well it’s kind of a funny story really. hehe  At some point in the game I noticed some of the other players were wearing those white masks that some people normally wear when they have a cold or whatever (called “gags” in the game for some reason (not to be confused with what’s used to mute people) >.<).

Cute button picture though. ^_^

I asked around wondering where I could get one until I found myself visiting London (for the first time.)  There I met a female player named deadrose, who happened to be wearing a gag at the time.  After explaining where and how she got that mask, she added me to her buddy list and then invited me to her guild, which happened to be “Sailoria”. hehe  Little did I realize that this guild would change the way I looked at guilds in MMORPGs forever.  (By the way, just minutes after I joined the guild, deadrose visited me in Florapolis and gave me a gag she managed to snag later on.  I never took my gag off since. x3

Here’s a picture of deadrose the last time I met her on line. (without the gag.)

My Awesome Friends:

Besides deadrose (of whom I mentioned earlier), virtually every guild member (and even some non members) I met has been really helpful and friendly to me.  This made me want to be on the game more so that I would be able to help THEM.  Whether it was completing quests or just giving them food and supplies, I managed to help out as much as I could and gained even more close friends, like Kitty!, shesroyaltee, Danielle, and giovannapopstar.

Here’s a video featuring some of the many friends I’ve made in the game:

(Sorry that I wasn’t able to put everyone I met in the game.)

I had so much fun with my new friends that I sometimes found myself playing the game all night.

(Note to self:  NOT a good idea.  VERY exhausting.)

However, like in other games, there were still some rude players lurking around: whether they were constantly shouting and begging for stuff without making up for it or trying to do certain “things” to other players that I prefer not to mention.

  [*points to crowd*  You KNOW who you are!]

But despite that, I’m still glad that the SanrioTown/HKO community was a really friendly one.

Some of the Events:

Hunger Strike - By the time this event was given, I didn’t have the skill books needed to bake oat biscuits or roasted veggies (not that I was even at the proper cooking level to use them anyway. T_T )  I couldn’t even buy the seeds I needed ’cause I didn’t have enough London friendship points.  Fortunately, my guildmates and even some other players like Hellokitty from HKO_Founders were able to help me out with the quest.

After I was done, I tried my best to do whatever it took to make it up to them, mainly by finishing quests to boost friendship points and skills and helping my other friends and guildmates with their quests and events.

Monster Wrangler - This quest, on the other hand, didn’t take as long for me to finish.  Though the hardest part was actually beating up those crazy monsters (level 20) and getting their collars, especially since I didn’t have the max level clothes or wand to fight ‘em with (even if I WAS at around level 18-20)  Thankfully, I was able to get Senshi_on_ice and Miyabi to help me with the fighting.  I knew I had a lot of healing items (carrots, milk, etc.), but I wasn’t taking any chances.  hehe

Later on, I helped out some of my guildmates (Lexi, shesroyaltee, and SoldierX) with that same event.  Unfortunately, things didn’t go as smoothly as it did when Senshi and Miyabi helped ME. >.<  Why not?  Because when I tried to help my friends weaken the monsters, I ended up getting their non-transferable collars by mistake.

And if that didn’t happen, they just walked off regaining their health, and we had to fight them all over again.  Of course, we sometimes ended up “dying” (or rather got knocked out) because of it.

Amazingly, some of the times that I “died”, my friends managed to finish off the nasty little critters.  (YAY US!!)  shesroyaltee even called me her “magical collar getter person” or something.  Yeah it sounds kinda cheesy, but it was still pretty cute. :3

Happy Birthday, Hello Kitty - Of the three solo New York events, this was probably the easiest, considering all of the experience (and friends) I’ve gained so far.  Of course, I still had to get a LOT of food to create a birthday cake for Miss Hello Kitty herself.  But luckily, my friends and I managed to give each other the ingredients we needed.  (I even gave Kitty! some extra chocolate bars and milk I bought by mistake.  hehe)  When I finally went into the party room in London during the quest, I was like “WOW!” With all of the cute Sanrio characters and the cool dance music, I didn’t want to leave.  But I knew I had to ’cause Chocolat was waiting for Hello Kitty’s note in Florapolis.  When I gave it to him, I got the Grand Central Ticket and the birthday shirt that could OVER my “armor” top.  (Sweet! XD)

Build New York - Our guild tried to build the three New York monuments in our representative’s farms, but we only managed to finish the Empire State Building in the top 2.  But I was happy ’cause we still got the recognition we deserved for our hard work.  Of course, I was a little late for the show ’cause I had to help Lexi with her monster wrangler event.  But I still helped the guild by making carrot biscuits to recover their energy faster so they would build the buildings much more quickly.

Charity Event - Every active member on Sailoria had a part in the guild, no matter how small it may have seemed.  Whether it was farming, storing cooked food (mostly the reps’ responsibility), gathering ingredients, or just handing out fertilizer and other stuff to other members.  In the end, our team work once again paid off when we finished 2nd in the competition and made a LOT of food for the charity.  (We definitely won’t be the ONLY ones who are gonna be happy! XD)

Overall - Through thick and thin, my guildmates and I managed to help each other get through those crazy events.  (This is exactly how these kinds of games SHOULD be!)

Farewell Founder’s:

The last night of Founders’ (Nov. 8, 2008) was a memorable one indeed.  I tried helping some of my guildmates build their houses at their farms until I had to go to my guild’s final farewell party at Buckingham Palace in London.

Then I got to try my luck on the Kevent event, but I didn’t win anything.

But shesroyaltee won a flash drive.  (You go, girl! XD)

Then the guild participated in an special “wedding” for two of our own members:  Maneechan and Waltrik.  (Congrats, you guys. XD)

Finally, we all went back to the Harbor in our underwear. (Don’t ask. >.<)

Saying goodbye to Founders’ Beta wasn’t easy, but I’ve got to do lots of cool stuff and make lots of cool friends.  Plus there’s always the Open Beta.  So I shouldn’t feel TOO bad.  Besides, I could use the time off to recover from the Founders’ Beta. hehehe

Other Thoughts:

As I expected, the game was mostly female-dominated mainly ’cause of its cutsiness/girliness, which would explain why there weren’t as many MALE players (like me) in the game as there were FEMALE players.  But eventually, I ended up meeting some other male players.  Not just some of the GMs and Rescue Squad members like Neverender and AVA, but also regular players like me.  Although many of them were either the family and friends of some of the female players, it was still pretty cool to see that there were other male Sanrio fans.  And it wasn’t just kids playing this game either.  As it turned out, a majority of the gamers were in their 20s (like myself) or even older.  I guess it goes to show you that the works of Sanrio can be like the works of Disney:  great family fun for all ages (and maybe even both genders).

Beta in Review:

The Good:

1. Making, helping, and chatting with lots of friends
2. Almost everyone was really nice and helpful ^_^
3. Not like most other MMORPGs I’ve played
4. Feeling like a kid again
5. Great family fun for all ages (and MAYBE both genders)
6. Some of the cute and/or cool outfits, accessories, and characters
7. Getting the chance to express myself
8. Game made me a LITTLE more cheerful in real life (hehe)

The Bad:

1. All of those sleepless nights finishing quests and events
2. Game is WAY too addictive!
3. SOME people were still pretty mean (thankfully, not many)
4. Not as many MALE players in the game
5. Can be TOO cutesy/girly for some people

The Ugly:   (Nothing personal. hehe)

1. Those darn monster wrangler monsters!  Grrrrrrr!
2. What I ended up looking/feeling like after lots of hours of playing the game (o.o)
3. What some of the mean people were saying. [I thought this was an “E” rated game.]

End of Line:

Well despite the problems I’ve encountered in the game, I’m still willing to go back on and help all of my friends…and maybe make some new friends too.  I love you guys so much.

Well I gotta stop now and get some rest.  Writing this blog had taken a lot out of me.  It felt more like I was writing a dissertation for college. hehe  But I’ll be back for the Open Beta.

See ya later.

And get some sleep. ^_^

Hey guys,

Sorry for the long delay in making my first post onto my on blog.  I know it’s not much, but please bare with me, would ya?  I’ve been playing “HKO” for so long and I didn’t get much done on here during then.

Also, to be I didn’t really get many screenshots from the game till just a few days ago ’cause I didn’t know about the true power of the F11 feature.  I had to make my pictures the old fashion way:  by pressing “Print Screen”, then pasting and editing my screenshots on my Paint program.  Thanks to everyone who save me more time by telling me about the F11.

Sorry if I’m rambling, so I’ll just stay quiet for now.  hehe  But hey, nice meeting all of ya in the game.  And thanks for everything.  ^_^

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