Welcoming the New Year
at the Welcome Walkway

by Nyllone

 

 

For quite some time, members have been in anticipation with the opening of the Welcome Walkway that would serve as the “spawning area” of new members.  The introduction of the WW came along with the addition of the much loved emote, which is hug, some months back. 

 

It had undergone several changes, adjustments and improvements since I first went there.  The morning that I first visited the WW, I ran around in my Super Bunny Shoes like that of a three-year-old in her new playground.  I jumped, ran, tried almost every action tag I could see, and checked each nook and cranny of the vast area.  My There heart was just skipping in delight and excitement.  There was just so many things to discover, so many things to learn about, and so many things to enjoy.

 

As of this writing, the WW is now operational, and a small percentage of new members is already spawning there.  Seeing how fully directional the WW is, not to mention, with the assistance of the Greeters and the Island Guides, I cannot imagine new members to be as lost as I was when I first started.  With the WW, all they have to do is read, understand and follow what is being conspicuously flashed in their screen, (I’m telling you, it’s not easy to ignore, anyway! :P) and everything else will flow smoothly.  They just have to take time and enjoy being a new member in a new spawning area, because once they claim themselves not newbies anymore, they can’t go back to the Walkway. 

 

While in there, new members would be learning the basics, and all the other information they would need and want to know.  They get new newbie clothes– the Smiley red shirts for the girls, and the Smiley blue ones for the boys.  They get their first taste and feel of There in a different way, but with the same welcoming warmth. 

 

They would be learning how to use the try-its and the spas, how to do emotes with the Chat Instructor greeting them when they get close, and would be familiarized on the how-tos of the Marketplace and Shop.  They could play with the dogs, dance their hearts away and even play cards in the Activity Center. Their There-related questions would be answered by the Greeters and Island Guides.  And last but not the least, they would feel so intrigued and interested at the seeming “teaser previews” of the places in world in the Travel Center that they would be so excited to get in world and see what’s more in There. 

And speaking of which, you might be asking what’s more in There for non-newbies?  My gut feel says there’s more in store for all of us in 2009.  I may not have the slightest idea of what they could be, but I have one of the biggest hopes that there will be something worth doing the ‘’’yay emote again.  I am just as eager and excited as you are.   

But for now, as Year_2009 enters our world, I put on my IG uniform and flash a big smile to give it a warm and personal welcome.  ‘Welcome Year_2009.