Anyone Remember When... - Memories From Early VMK

[Renpener]

VMK is so much different than it used to be when you think about it. Does anyone miss all those old things that used to be a pain? A lot of you probably know all the explanations, but I know there's lots of considerably new players that have never heard of some of this stuff. This is what I missed:

- Teleporter ' Rides '. These were made usually with Jungle Cruise teleporters and stoped when the teleport section of it was moved back a space. However it was continued with teacups until the teleporting spot on the teacup teleporter was moved back. Big thunder mountain teleporters were also used at that time, yet very rare to see a ride use them. Closest thing you see to rides like these nowadays are seat and teleporter rides (the way Ranch's Virtual Haunted Mansion is set up).

- Hippo Rugs and Tiki Fountains being used for water. We barely had any water objects back then. Having a lake in your room also meant having a hippo party or a water garden included! I found it very funny back then, and never see that idea used anymore.

-No Frontierland and Tomorrowland (and no New Orleans Square either). May sound weird, but does anyone remember how eager we all were for it to come out? I LOVED coming on each day hoping it would be there. Now I come online and open up the tomorrowland tab on the map and just think ' been there done that '.

- Life before the VMK pass. You know, know that we can walk around and still be in a line, for some of us it just makes us sit down longer at our computer. Before that, I was able to maybe go outside and get some fresh air, maybe watch a little TV (not the best thing, but heh), eat a snack, or make a few phonecalls without having to tell my friends to hold on for a moment while I sink a pirate ship.

- VMK Staff before green ears existed. At least they could express themselves with their hats and hair.

- When actually owning a hat (besides the pink VMK trucker hat, goofy hat, fishing hat, and explorer hat) made a person ' rich '. I'm not exactly sure what I miss about this, but I remember how when the hats came out, a lot of people didn't feel so special that they had the hat before. I think those hats were the sorcerer hat, gold ears, black ears, and mission space hat.

- Easy access to the Star Trader (now known as Inner-Space Shop). I really don't like how I have to walk about a minute and a half in the game just to buy something in the special's section of the store.

- The old monorail. We could travel ' in style ' (according to VMK), and not crash!

- Being able to go online and think ' Hey! I might be able to get inferno today if I make it online for the staff game, and get in there before the room closes! '. Back then, the staff game usually ended when all the players were gone and happy. At least we could go in line and know we had a chance to play. And we also had the chance to win inferno once a week.

- The Spell Room and Discovery Island. Those rooms made me feel like I had magic I didn't when I first started. So sad to see them leave


- No HOST staff members. Before hosts, a staff member would just put up a game because they felt like it, and would give out some awesome pin prizes sometimes! I like the hosts thing now, but does anyone miss when there weren't games planned in advance so that we all knew?

- Staff members with us no longer. Remember HOST_Annie, Fusco, VMK_Zev, HOST_Bella, and VMK_Flight? (of course, there are newer staff members that are now gone too, but these are from a while back...)

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What I dont miss:

- The hairs that you could only get when you made your VMK character. This was the curly girl hair and the front spiked boy hair. I'm not sure if that's their names, though. I am SO glad that we have the choice to wear them whenever we want now, even if I never use that hairstyle

- The dc monster. Good ridance!

- How we never had that trading sign above our heads when we traded. People would yell at me for not paying attention to them while I was in trade!

- When winning a prize in a ride competition meant getting an item 2 weeks before it came out to the public. This points directly at the Everest Ride competition.

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Anything you miss or don't from early or ' year old ' VMK?

~Ren

 

[jasonpwns]

What about Host_babs? Or was it vmk_babs she has been gone and now is

 

[Diznygrl]

I kinda miss it. But only for nostalgic reasons. It's funny to think back and laugh at all the wacky stuff we put up with back in those days, but so many improvements have been made since then that I'd never want to go back. The only true advantage that beta had over nowadays is less people playing, resulting in less encounters with rotten behavior.

 

[Pirate-Emery]

I miss the great fun I had during Pin Trading Weekend last Fall. Where the whole lot of us had signed on with different accounts, attempting desperately to get into the room before our 30 minutes were up. Talking excitedly in the specific day's thread regarding what pins the Host was wearing. Crying when we dc-ed next in line to trade. Trying again and again to get into the queue, knowing that we all had a shot of being #50: it just depended on how lucky you were.

That was the greatest time I've ever had online. Ok, so it was a tad unlucky that I traded away two Mighty Eye pins, not knowing how much they'd be worth, but I still have a wonderful memory of the event. Can't have something like that now, seeing as VMK has grown exponentially in population. Instead, they have the pin trading/item trading events in the early afternoons when a good number of VMK-ers aren't online.





I also remember last summer, the exact day the Caribbean Fortress room was released in the parks, I was part of an amazing closing. Just me and Hula. I searched 'Caribbean' so that I could close in a new room, and I saw a room that had only one Mickey. It was owned by HOST_Hula. I enter the room, thinking it to be filled, but it's just Hula standing around. She says 'hi' and I return the sentiment. With 10 minutes left of VMK for the night, we muse over the fact that no one found her room. So, we dance and I suppress the urge to ask for Inferno. In fact, the thought never crossed my mind until folks asked if I did. It was an amazing closing. Now, I fear, the Hosts are too busy/tired with VMK that they don't feel the fun in closing. This comes from the fact that players attack them asking for stuff. They are seen not as fun friends, but people who are popular and rich.

 

[WWEDUDE]

What about Host_babs? Or was it vmk_babs she has been gone and now is

Both... for a time she was vmk_babs then she was host_babs she didnt host many games... last one she hosted was in baseball month i think.

 

[WWEDUDE]

Remember when frontierland came out... 2005 christmas i believe.
Then when sci-fi drive in came out everyone said if you fill all the cars you get snowman magic.... with the max number of a public room being 16 or whatever there was 1 short. Then vmk staff sent a message saying you cant get snowman magic
First theme month.. monsters inc.

 

[aengus]

I kinda miss it. But only for nostalgic reasons. It's funny to think back and laugh at all the wacky stuff we put up with back in those days, but so many improvements have been made since then that I'd never want to go back. The only true advantage that beta had over nowadays is less people playing, resulting in less encounters with rotten behavior.

This is exactly how I feel. I had great times, but I have to say, I think VMK has only gotten better. I didnt answer the poll because I didnt think anything would fit where I stand.

 

[CaptHook34]

I agree. Vmk was much quieter and had less drama when it first started.

 

[Lovela]

I miss free inferno..

 

[mikeyandscoobyx2]

i wasn't here from the beginning, but when i joined. All tikis were on sale, karo chairs, and other great stuff in the Ned Shop. Now its all just junk. I also miss the shorter amount of players on. Due to Dc, and not many people knew about VMK about a year or so back then.

I also miss the Staff Costumes that were green, they were alot easier to spot. The Costumes they have now look like harry potter uniforms.

 

[Loves Disney]

I remember those days!

I also remember the Pin Trading Room events were players would have to create a room for pin trading and "judges" would go from room to room and pick out which ones were the best.

The space suits were by far one of the most rare items in vmk and if you had one of those, you were rich.

The events were not expected.

The Halloween maze of '05! 'nuff said lol.

I remember when girls could buy the babydoll dresses.

I remember a time when the number of players in the game averaged at 200 and when it got to 500 it was a lot - nevermind the milestone of reaching 1000 players in the game.

 

[Peri]

I miss the old fireworks. I also think people were friendlier and if someone had "guest" in their name, they were more likely really new and not just some clone trying to get donations.

What I like now is that I have forged some special friendships with really cool people!

I liked before when stuff was affordable.

 

[mikeyandscoobyx2]

i also miss being new. When i was new and i got on VMK i would always think in my head. yes! time to go to my room and make a guest room. And then when i finished with the guest room i would sit and admire it. I miss the old days so much. It would be great to see VMK have a ' Bring Back Retro ' Day. Where for just one day, VMK brings back the greatest things. But i dont think that could ever happen. Fireworks, Monorail, and other stuff like that. And there was alot less scamming going on too. When i joined i dont think i ever been a victim of the scamming. Its pretty cool to remember the first days you joined VMK. Besides, it was alot more fun to make a guest room back then because you could buy alot more stuff. Now most stuff is probably beta, or rare, or retired. Ned Shop to me turned into a flea market. Its so boring. They have nothing good in my opinion.


VMK Bring Back Beta Days!!

 

[ShadowKittyKat]

- Teleporter ' Rides '. These were made usually with Jungle Cruise teleporters and stoped when the teleport section of it was moved back a space. However it was continued with teacups until the teleporting spot on the teacup teleporter was moved back. Big thunder mountain teleporters were also used at that time, yet very rare to see a ride use them. Closest thing you see to rides like these nowadays are seat and teleporter rides (the way Ranch's Virtual Haunted Mansion is set up).

Well we knew that was coming...

I miss those times when I didn't worry about rare stuff... well that's long gone LOL

I miss those times when I could just sit in a room and talk to friends and not be bothered...

I remember when space pants were cool with any shirt and matching flip flops

 

[Loves Disney]

I remember when space pants were cool with any shirt and matching flip flops

They aren't anymore?! lol

 

[ShadowKittyKat]

They aren't anymore?! lol

Okay, let me rephrase that... cool to me

 

[LuNaReVe]

Remember when frontierland came out... 2005 christmas i believe.
Then when sci-fi drive in came out everyone said if you fill all the cars you get snowman magic.... with the max number of a public room being 16 or whatever there was 1 short. Then vmk staff sent a message saying you cant get snowman magic
First theme month.. monsters inc.

Haha! I remember that. I was so new I actually tried doing that!

 

[Shaymojack]

i wasn't here from the beginning, but when i joined. All tikis were on sale, karo chairs, and other great stuff in the Ned Shop. Now its all just junk. I also miss the shorter amount of players on. Due to Dc, and not many people knew about VMK about a year or so back then.

I also miss the Staff Costumes that were green, they were alot easier to spot. The Costumes they have now look like harry potter uniforms.

Everything in Ned's is junk...? I have to strongly disagree with you there. Most of the items are difficult to use in a "cool" room, but if you know how just about everything in there is awesome.

 

[SilentDiscoveries]

i remember the good ole days... The first day i found vmk I went straight onto it and walked down all the streets and wondered why they had tabs for lands but no land inside it.. LOL! I also remember the Sifi-Dine-In Car sitting were that little rumor for snowman magic was.. heh i even tried..

I liked when there wasn't many people cause then you could talk to someone and know their listening bc then u didn't worry about if they just want your rare or not ...

Good times, good times...

 

[Captain Brain]

I miss being able to play fireworks, that's for sure! I can't do well at all in this new fireworks thingy.

I loved the teleporter rides, they were a lot of fun, lol.