April Hunt WORLD OWNER Chat

[Sierra Jakob]

I'm so excited to announce that we are currently organizing a Kitely Sim-Wide Hunt to last throughout the month of April. We are likely to use a number of themes, including the Trickster April Fool, April Showers, April Bunnies, and Easter Eggs. Dundridge is quite energized about doing something involving NPCs. My mind is racing with possibilities already. Would you like to be involved? This can be either a small or a large project for anyone involved--depending on what you want. My contact info is near the bottom of this post. Also, if you are interested in participating in setting up the hunt, please join the group "April Hunt Setup Group" ASAP. Thanks a bunch!

What is a Hunt? A Hunt is where individuals travel to a variety of worlds searching for gifts. Gifts are often a bit hidden so some exploration is involved. In the process, visitors discover new places, have fun, get one or more gifts, discover a potential shopping experience, and tell their friends.

What should CREATORS know? You don't have to have a fancy world or a shop to participate in the hunt. We can pair you with a WORLD OWNER so that your lovely creation(s) can serve as a gift(s) during the hunt. Be sure to include in the gift bag a notecard advertising your services or products, your webpage, etc. Include a group invite, etc. Don't be shy--get the word out about your works.

What should the participating WORLD OWNER know? This is a great opportunity to get visitors. You don't have to be able to create gifts--we may be able to match you up with a CREATOR. If you have upcoming events, be sure to advertise those on billboards on your land. You may want to schedule events during the hunt or even themed around the hunt. If you have a group be sure to have group joiner available for visitors if you want to recruit.

What should the ROLE PLAY world owner know? This is an opportunity for you to increase your membership, perhaps by a good percentage. If you do not have avatars actively on your world at all times to great visitors, you may want to invest in an NPC programed to interact with visitors during the hunt. I would suggest you speak with Dundridge Dreadlow or some other talented NPC designer.

What should a MERCHANT know? Whether you give one gift or more, be sure that it is of sufficient quality that the hunter is gratified. When they leave your area, you want to be sure they associate a good feeling with your world and your shop. Be aware that usually, hunters don't spend money during the hunt. My recommendation is to be patient. I have noticed that in the months after the hunt, if your products are priced right and in demand, you will notice many of those same hunters return with their friends and their cash. Hunts bring longer term results. So invest in a good gift and be sure to insert your landmark and advertisement notecards. Invite them to join your group. Plan a big sale for during the hunt to take advantage of the increased traffic, perhaps.

If you would like to participate, please email me with the subject line APRIL HUNT, indicate in which of the duties below you might be interested, at sierrajakob@live.com. Also, if you already know you are either really enthusiastic or you want to put minimal energy into it, let me know that too. Thanks!

We need people willing to do one or more of the following:
1) Open their world to visitors for the hunt
2) Offer original creation gifts for the hunt
3) Publicity
4) Basic Logistics Liaison
5) Man the "Hunter Help Desk"
6) Man the "Hunt Provider Issues Desk"
7) Events Coordinator

Thank so much! More news later.
--Sierra Jakob

[Sierra Jakob]

Who's Who (so far) in the Upcoming April Sim-Wide Hunt

Amiryu Hosoi has entered her world into the hunt and has gifts

Ariana Monaron - will provide a gift for one or more world owners in need

Deuce Halsey - will enter Donnybrook Beach world into the April Hunt with two or three hunt objects with different gifts, including mesh furniture and custom t-shirts with probably with a "Spring Break" theme.

Dot Matrix - will offer Hax Nuit and Skysong worlds for the hunt, if we need it, and hopes this will help.

Dundridge Dreadlow - will have gifts and his world will be part of the hunt; he will contribute something to do with NPC's, and databases.

Handy Low - will open his world and is creating a special gift just for this occasion.

Jo Elisa - opening up her world to the Hunt and will have gifts

Johnny Magic - will give the Hunt a shot by having some gifts hidden around his world

Kayaker Magic - is creating some awesome stuff! I'm not going to tell you yet--It super secret and a surprise! (MAGIC EGGS!)

Marstol Nightly - is opening up one or two of her worlds to the Hunt and providig gifts

Motley Mariposa - is happy to offer several gifts and may also have a medieval world ready to participate in the hunt.

Oopsee Joseppe says "count me in"- he'll have the hunt on his world and make his store available to those who don't have one.

Ozwell Wayfarer - will donate some prizes and offer his region as a location; he reports he has lots of houses, a huge castle and a cave network plus a nifty scheme for hiding stuff! Ozwell says that if there are other creators who would like him to host their gifts on his world, his is open for that.

Paislee Myrtle - will open her world and will have a gift. If someone needs a world to place their gift on, she will also let her world be used for that.

Pam Broviak - is interested in participating

Ruby ODegree - is creating multiple original mesh gifts and opening multiple worlds to the hunt

Sally Cherry - is entering 4 worlds.

Selby Evans - Blogging the Hunt Events. Doing a documentary video throughout the month of April!

Sierra Jakob - will have gifts and open up a world to the hunt, is getting the ball rolling on the hunt

Get in on the fun! Add your name on the list by contacting Sierra Jakob at sierrajakob@live.com

[Sierra Jakob]

Just to keep you updated, I'm sending the following card out to as many folks as I can find today. If you receive one--please do pass it along to anyone you think might want to participate!

The contents of the notecard is as follows:

Hello,

Thought you like to know about the Kitely Sim-Wide Hunt to last throughout the month of April.

***********************
After you read this card, it would be very helpful if you could shoot me an email to let me know if you can participate in setting up for the April Hunt and how you would like to participate. My email address is sierrajakob@live.com.

***********************
THE HUNT

Your participation would be very welcome. Actually it's a great opportunity for merchants, world-owners, and Kitely to generate publicity and excitement. Hunts usually result in a steady upswing in social participation, exposure and of course business in the 6 months following the hunt. So getting as many of the Kitely community involved as possible could have a really positive effect on our coming year.

If you've never participated in a hunt before--no worries. All you will want is to have an original gift to offer visitors to your world. If you don't have a gift, we should be able to find a creator to help you out. You just set the gift out for visitors to find--make sure they can take a copy--and your part of the work is done.

So it can be very simple to participate. But....if you want to do just a bit more....if you would like for people to really stop and visit your world while they are there.... if you would would like those visitors to return to your world later....to join your group...... to attend events...to shop....---then there are little things you can do to improve the visitor's experience while they are there.

We will provide you with Special "April Hunt" gift boxes, "April Hunt" Signs, and (other little goodies yet to be determined)--as well as lots of ideas to make your April Hunt as successful as possible. You can keep it simple or you can go as crazy as you want!

We will also include your world on a MASTER LIST so Kitely Hunters will know what worlds to visit to hunt for all these fabulous gifts.

***********************
FORUMS: Event: April Kitely Hunt

You can read more about the Hunt in the Forums at http://www.kitely.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=1251

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JOIN THE GROUP: April Hunt Setup Group

If you want to participate in setting up for the Hunt, please join the group : APRIL HUNT SETUP GROUP

***********************
PLEASE PASS THIS NOTECARD TO ANYONE ELSE WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING IN SETTING UP THE HUNT

[Sierra Jakob]

Questions & Answers

Question: "How many different gifts or gift bags can I offer to the public during the hunt? Is there a limit?"
Answer: "There is no limit. Give as many as you like."

Question: "How many worlds can I have active in the Hunt?"
Answer: "There is no limit"

Question: "How will people know my world is featuring the April Hunt?
Answer: "The current plan is that the public will have access to a master list that the April Hunt Committee will provide them with. We will try to verify that each world really does have the basics set up to participate in the hunt before the world appears on the list."

Question: "What kind of gifts can I offer?"
Answer: "We prefer original creations. Quality gifts are best. We would like to stay away from items like LK freebies that are so abundantly available already--for the hunt, please. Remember to keep within the maturity level for which your world is set.

Question: "Is the hunt open to ADULT WORLDS ?"
Answer: "Absolutely."

[Sierra Jakob]

What's the Latest News on the Hunt? ---NPC's, Faberge Eggs, Rabbit Holes, and Flying Gifts!

I am busy hand-painting beautiful little Faberge Eggs for World Hosts to stuff gifts into. Hosts can use these or anything else they want to use--there is no requirement. But if theses eggs are used, then the Goddess of the Hunt will keep up with how many eggs are gathered and by who and on what world.

Kayaker Magic is making an "egg of a different color", so to speak! A wonderful flying egg, which World Hosts can also stuff gifts into. But this gift is never to be found in the same place at the same time. So friends can not tell each other where it is! lol! This is a great one to put a really good gift into! It flies slowly all over the region.

Thanks to Dundridge Dreadlow, we are going to have a lovely "Goddess of the Hunt" NPC to greet the hunter to each world. She will make various vague pronouncements, including how many Faberge eggs (with gifts inside) are on a world, and whether there are other types of gifts hidden on the world. She will also reveal the general direction the hunter should travel to find a rabbit hole.

A rabbit hole (a' la Alice in Wonderland and the Easter Bunny) is a teleporter that sends the hunter randomly to one of the other worlds participating in the hunt.

I plan to open a world soon for the April Hunt Setup Group, so you can come and look at some of the items we are getting together for you to use to set up for the hunt if you like--you get to pick and choose. I think the NPC & rabbit hole will probably be expected by the hunters, so you world hosts will probably want those--so hunters don't get confused. Also, I'll make up some notecards with ideas on them to help you get ready and prepare your gifts.

It's going to be lots of fun! Try to be ready to start on April 1st if at all possible. If you cannot start on April 1st, then start before that day. We want to make sure that on April 1st--the official first day--every world on the list actually is rolling! Contact me if you have any questions. We are still working on items above--I'll contact you as soon as they are ready.

[Sierra Jakob]

17 Days till the April Hunt begins! Let the preparations begin!

Please ASAP email a list of the names of Your Worlds which will participate in the hunt to sierrajakob@live.com with subject "April Hunt World List".

I will contact you with additional instructions.

[Sierra Jakob]

Here is a sneak peak at the Gift Eggs...

[Sierra Jakob]

Eggs were made available to World Hosts on Saturday 3/22. If you are a member of the April Hunt Setup Group, or have emailed me with the name of your participating World(s), then you have received a message about how to get the eggs. Time to start stuffing them!

[Pam Broviak]

I just put out all the eggs with gifts at the 3D ADA Toolkit for Local Government world and am ready for visitors!

[Deuce Halsey]

Do we have to put out all eight eggs to participate? I was only planning to put out two or three eggs on my world.