Thursday, April 16, 2009

VIP Membership and Currency Exchange in Fashion Communities

In the era of social networks and communities, it is amazing how many different niche groups you can find. If your interests are Aviation, there are groups surrounding all aspects of flying. If you are in to Modern Dance, there are networks that focus on sharing experiences and tips on how to do the 'next' dance moves. What we focus on this blog are the fashion sites, the communities that allow for us to dream and design our own clothing and put that out to the rest of the world.

What we can do for free is endless, if you are in to fashion design you can check out any number of free design sites. We have listed many of those on this site previously. But what we haven't listed are the a number of sites that allow for you to design, but also that are paid! It does seem counter-intuitive, but many it is increasingly important to note that most of the free sites we have reviewed also have paid functions. What a better way to gauge your favorite than checking out the research we have done?

We have found 7 sites that we think are at the forefront of the design and community for fashion. Many of these sites have their own internal “currency” which in some cases are stronger in a US Dollar exchange rate than many country's own currencies!

Here is a table overview the statistics and figures for upgrading free accounts, or just getting more $$$ to fly in your virtual private jet...


Currency

Cost

You Get

Users

Stardoll.com

Stardollar

$5.95/Month
$39.95/Year

SuperStar VIP

29,280,000

Meez.com

Coinz

$10 Prepaid Cards

Get Coinz

4,600,000

IMVU.com

Credits

$6.25/Month

VIP Club

30,000,000

Frenzoo.com

Gold Coins

Special Selection

VIP Status

Not Disclosed

Secondlife.com

Linden Dollars

$9.95/1 Month

$6.00/Month (year subscription)

Premium Member & Land Purchases

15,000,000


WeeWorld.com

Gold Points

$5 / 2500 Points

Lots of coins

26,000,000

GaiaOnline.com

Gaia Cash

$1 / 100 Gaia Cash

Ability to buy special items

17,204,000



In terms of direct currency exchange, Gaia, WeeWorld and Meez offer the paid coins services to offer a way out of spending many hours working to gather enough coins to purchase the expensive items. Offering the option to buy virtual currency needs to have incentive, and there are many cool items that can only be purchased by obtaining the respective virtual currency.

The other course of action for these paid options is offering elite services. In Stardoll, when you subscribe to be a Super Star VIP, you are get the ability to own your own fashion shop- allowing you to design, buy and sell your own fashion line. You get exclusive High-End designer labels from both Stardoll and from real world designers. The most interesting aspect is that you are able to send global broadcast messages to the entire Stardoll community.

In IMVU, the paid subscription allows you to be able to register your name, instead of having 'Guest' in front of your user name. With that you also get Super Powers, and VIP Badges in the game. If that isn't enough, you get many upgrades and features that are unavailable to the 'normies'.

One of the biggest names in virtual reality is Second Life. The coolest feature of any of these sites is the ability to buy your own virtual land for development when you become a Premium Member. You can use this to design the topography, housing, and to top this off you also get a monthly allowance of Linden Dollars.

The newest community in the bunch is Frenzoo. Since they are in Beta still, the VIP program is given as a gift to highly active members in the design community. VIP members get the ability to design clothing for either men or women and sell their designs in their own shop. Your profile picture receives a VIP badge, which makes you stand out in the crowd. There is a gold coin function to buy coins, but it has yet to be introduced to the beta community.

If you are looking into what deals are out there for getting new features and coins, I hope this helps you compare what is out there. We love to add functionality to every game we encounter, and with these seven sites there are many things we would love to get our hands on!

VIP Membership and Currency Exchange in Fashion Communities

In the era of social networks and communities, it is amazing how many different niche groups you can find. If your interests are Aviation, there are groups surrounding all aspects of flying. If you are in to Modern Dance, there are networks that focus on sharing experiences and tips on how to do the 'next' dance moves. What we focus on this blog are the fashion sites, the communities that allow for us to dream and design our own clothing and put that out to the rest of the world.

What we can do for free is endless, if you are in to fashion design you can check out any number of free design sites. We have listed many of those on this site previously. But what we haven't listed are the a number of sites that allow for you to design, but also that are paid! It does seem counter-intuitive, but many it is increasingly important to note that most of the free sites we have reviewed also have paid functions. What a better way to gauge your favorite than checking out the research we have done?

We have found 7 sites that we think are at the forefront of the design and community for fashion. Many of these sites have their own internal “currency” which in some cases are stronger in a US Dollar exchange rate than many country's own currencies!

Here is a table overview the statistics and figures for upgrading free accounts, or just getting more $$$ to fly in your virtual private jet...


Currency

Cost

You Get

Users

Stardoll.com

Stardollar

$5.95/Month
$39.95/Year

SuperStar VIP

29,280,000

Meez.com

Coinz

$10 Prepaid Cards

Get Coinz

4,600,000

IMVU.com

Credits

$6.25/Month

VIP Club

30,000,000

Frenzoo.com

Gold Coins

Special Selection

VIP Status

Not Disclosed

Secondlife.com

Linden Dollars

$9.95/1 Month

$6.00/Month (year subscription)

Premium Member & Land Purchases

15,000,000


WeeWorld.com

Gold Points

$5 / 2500 Points

Lots of coins

26,000,000

GaiaOnline.com

Gaia Cash

$1 / 100 Gaia Cash

Ability to buy special items

17,204,000



In terms of direct currency exchange, Gaia, WeeWorld and Meez offer the paid coins services to offer a way out of spending many hours working to gather enough coins to purchase the expensive items. Offering the option to buy virtual currency needs to have incentive, and there are many cool items that can only be purchased by obtaining the respective virtual currency.

The other course of action for these paid options is offering elite services. In Stardoll, when you subscribe to be a Super Star VIP, you are get the ability to own your own fashion shop- allowing you to design, buy and sell your own fashion line. You get exclusive High-End designer labels from both Stardoll and from real world designers. The most interesting aspect is that you are able to send global broadcast messages to the entire Stardoll community.

In IMVU, the paid subscription allows you to be able to register your name, instead of having 'Guest' in front of your user name. With that you also get Super Powers, and VIP Badges in the game. If that isn't enough, you get many upgrades and features that are unavailable to the 'normies'.

One of the biggest names in virtual reality is Second Life. The coolest feature of any of these sites is the ability to buy your own virtual land for development when you become a Premium Member. You can use this to design the topography, housing, and to top this off you also get a monthly allowance of Linden Dollars.

The newest community in the bunch is Frenzoo. Since they are in Beta still, the VIP program is given as a gift to highly active members in the design community. VIP members get the ability to design clothing for either men or women and sell their designs in their own shop. Your profile picture receives a VIP badge, which makes you stand out in the crowd. There is a gold coin function to buy coins, but it has yet to be introduced to the beta community.

If you are looking into what deals are out there for getting new features and coins, I hope this helps you compare what is out there. We love to add functionality to every game we encounter, and with these seven sites there are many things we would love to get our hands on!

Thursday, April 2, 2009

iNetMania : Monopoly Game for iPhone

iNetManiaTrying to bankrupt your best friends in financial social games like Monopoly was always a popular hit all times no matter as a board game or on your computer. Monopoly eventually would evolve into an iPhone game and the time has come in a not very cool looking name, iNetMania. Actually it is the digital version of another popular board game, ServerMania.

So, what are the rules? You own a fictional website and try to make money online by attracting more visitors than your rival. Squares are full of server costs, marketing related items, advertising income etc. Your destiny mostly is determined by landing squares. Like Monopoly, they can be positive or negative according to your rolling die luck. This high quality and fun iPhone game can be played by up to 4 people, humans like you or computer. Graphics, animations and playability is top level. I just didn't enjoy the sounds much. It could be better for sure.

Overall, if you enjoyed Monopoly like games before, iNetMania is your new baby for iPhone (and iPod Touch surely)

iNetMania website

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

The Top 5 Fashion Design Sites on the Web

Once again we are back finding out the best in Fashion sites, this time we want the best that allow designing of your own fashion.

In this Top 5, each of these sites carries their own unique touch to creating fashion. The best part of each of these sites is how much creativity is allowed by all of us users! It's no wonder these games are so popular, because instead of picking and choosing, we get to draw – shape – sew – and dream.

1.Girlsense
2.Frenzoo
3.Roiworld

4.Fashion Fantasy Game
5.Polyvore


Girlsense
The greatest part about designing fashion is sharing it with the world around you. Girlsense does a great job of allowing you to pick any item on the site and completely restyle it and decorate to match your imagination. After you save your designs, you can open a shop to sell the fashions to other designers in Girlsense and make yourself into a true fashionista online!

You get to choose your avatar at the beginning and build your way to the top, just like real life- and definitely as stylish!

Frenzoo
Taking dress up games into 3D is the future, and in Frenzoo, the ability to design clothes in 3D is a reality. Starting out in Frenzoo you can buy fashion or design your own, and there are more than enough items already in shops that were designed by others to spark your creative juices. Just like Girlsense, you are allowed to open a shop and sell your own designs! The create tool is very powerful for being online, as seen below- you get to design on a 3D mesh!


Roiworld
Delving into the world of fashion, Roiworld offers hundreds of mini-games designed to allow us to dress up avatars into any combination of clothing. Since this list is about “fashion design”, we draw attention to the 'drawing' function in Roiworld. As the picture shows below, you are able to draw ontop of your avatar into any design imaginable. Since this works more like a photoshop or paint, it takes a steady hand (not pictured below). The fashions you create on this can be saved, and then entered into competitions- which give you the ever sought after fame!

Fashion Fantasy Game
In fashionfantasygame.com, you get to design clothing combinations based upon color and pattern styles. Becoming a VIP in-game means you can design clothing color patterns, and place those onto any template in the design shop (below). The community has shops for each person, like the other sites on this list, and the important thing about this site is that each outfit gets rated as you design it! And of course, the first few times you will be a 'disaster'. It helps you get better, promise.

Polyvore
This site is the only of the 5 that uses real fashions (not virtual) but it involves a great sense of creativity, and that is what fashion design is all about. Within Polyvore, you are allowed to mix and match any fashion items and group them together, which is interesting because you can choose anything! The design creation center pictured shows how you can mix sizes colors shapes and accessories in one place and then save those designs. Even though there is no avatar to speak of, the site is definitely worthy of a top 5 spot.


There you are, our top 5 fashion design games- Give them a try, and we know you will find something you like! And maybe meet a few friends along the way.

The Top 5 Fashion Design Sites on the Web

Once again we are back finding out the best in Fashion sites, this time we want the best that allow designing of your own fashion.

In this Top 5, each of these sites carries their own unique touch to creating fashion. The best part of each of these sites is how much creativity is allowed by all of us users! It's no wonder these games are so popular, because instead of picking and choosing, we get to draw – shape – sew – and dream.

1.Girlsense
2.Frenzoo
3.Roiworld

4.Fashion Fantasy Game
5.Polyvore


Girlsense
The greatest part about designing fashion is sharing it with the world around you. Girlsense does a great job of allowing you to pick any item on the site and completely restyle it and decorate to match your imagination. After you save your designs, you can open a shop to sell the fashions to other designers in Girlsense and make yourself into a true fashionista online!

You get to choose your avatar at the beginning and build your way to the top, just like real life- and definitely as stylish!

Frenzoo
Taking dress up games into 3D is the future, and in Frenzoo, the ability to design clothes in 3D is a reality. Starting out in Frenzoo you can buy fashion or design your own, and there are more than enough items already in shops that were designed by others to spark your creative juices. Just like Girlsense, you are allowed to open a shop and sell your own designs! The create tool is very powerful for being online, as seen below- you get to design on a 3D mesh!


Roiworld
Delving into the world of fashion, Roiworld offers hundreds of mini-games designed to allow us to dress up avatars into any combination of clothing. Since this list is about “fashion design”, we draw attention to the 'drawing' function in Roiworld. As the picture shows below, you are able to draw ontop of your avatar into any design imaginable. Since this works more like a photoshop or paint, it takes a steady hand (not pictured below). The fashions you create on this can be saved, and then entered into competitions- which give you the ever sought after fame!

Fashion Fantasy Game
In fashionfantasygame.com, you get to design clothing combinations based upon color and pattern styles. Becoming a VIP in-game means you can design clothing color patterns, and place those onto any template in the design shop (below). The community has shops for each person, like the other sites on this list, and the important thing about this site is that each outfit gets rated as you design it! And of course, the first few times you will be a 'disaster'. It helps you get better, promise.

Polyvore
This site is the only of the 5 that uses real fashions (not virtual) but it involves a great sense of creativity, and that is what fashion design is all about. Within Polyvore, you are allowed to mix and match any fashion items and group them together, which is interesting because you can choose anything! The design creation center pictured shows how you can mix sizes colors shapes and accessories in one place and then save those designs. Even though there is no avatar to speak of, the site is definitely worthy of a top 5 spot.


There you are, our top 5 fashion design games- Give them a try, and we know you will find something you like! And maybe meet a few friends along the way.

Best Anime & Cosplay Sites Online

One of the fastest growing trends in the USA is cosplay. Since the first true instances of cosplay originated in Japan, the trend of dressing to mimic the appearance of manga or anime characters has taken to online portals. Where you can enjoy 3D virtual cosplay by designing and dressing up virtual avatars at places like Frenzoo, IMVU and Meez, the following list contains some of the best and most active cosplay sites you can find on the web.

1. Cosplay.comcosplay site

Cosplay.com is one of the largest and most noteworthy sites dedicated to the world of cosplay. Containing a marketplace, very active forums and even a cosplay calendar (USA). The best social feature of this site is the ability to buy and commission costumes!

cosplay japan2. CureCos

Cure Cosplay Community is a Japanese/English site that does a great job and utilizing user interactivity. The interface is easy to use and gives cosplay a great location to hang out and share photos of their best and favorite costumes.


3. Cosspacecossplay social network

Cosspace takes the MySpace approach to networking, giving a strong community with many different features enabling cosspace to involve users much more. There are costume ratings (by other users) polls, video submissions, quizzes, expansive forums, and the ever popular gallery. Cosspace is simple in design and supports 3 languages (English, French, Spanish).

4. Cosplay Walker

japan cosplaySpeak Japanese? Perfect! Cosplay Walker is mainly in Japanese, but offers a fun space for the cosplay fan to share designs, and if you get rated the best out of other fans on the site, you get a front page mention! If only I spoke Japanese fluently so that I could get a front-page mention!



5. Cosplay F
orumfrench cosplay

We're keeping it international for this site too! This forum is all in French, but there is a very large presence in their discussions- and for good reason! The environment is very festive and has thousands of active users! When any cosplay forum has a group dedicated to this cos theme: Groupe Walker Texas Ranger : Japan Expo 2009 – you can count me in.

Want to share your favorite character or anime pic or even how you think stories should have ended, etc... Anime online has a large forum community backed by their own RPG game and Arcade online. The coolest feature is the 'Watch & Discuss' where you can.... watch and discuss shows with other people (Sorry its USA only). Which means for us in Asia we don't online animeget this feature. The gallery has a lot of user content, and it is a good time to get ideas for upcoming cosplay events and even to design new gear.

7. AnimeNewsNetwork

The ANN is a great site for upcoming events/shows/anything! The first page when you see when arriving at ANN is the newsfeed, which is constantly updated keeping us in the know! How great is that! There is an Encyclopedia to give you a refresher course on your characters/shows and there is also an editorial wiki page to let you share your opinions. But don't forget the huge forum that is always buzzing with activity.

8. Daz3d

If you are in to ultra-realistic Anime & Manga design, Daz3d is a downloadable tool that assists in 3D design. I still don't know how to work it, but once I do I may actually make something worthwhile. Check out their 'Hall of Fame' for unreal photos!

9. Cosplay Meetup

An honorable mention, cosplay meetup is a site made on meetup.com, which different cosplay groups from around the globe have listed their location for other cosplay fans of anime and manga to join in with a large group!

The world within Cosplay fans of Anime and Manga is large and expansive, and we can't wait to dive into the different sites here and get to know more about our fellow Anime lovers! Enjoy and share often!

Best Anime & Cosplay Sites Online

One of the fastest growing trends in the USA is cosplay. Since the first true instances of cosplay originated in Japan, the trend of dressing to mimic the appearance of manga or anime characters has taken to online portals. Where you can enjoy 3D virtual cosplay by designing and dressing up virtual avatars at places like Frenzoo, IMVU and Meez, the following list contains some of the best and most active cosplay sites you can find on the web.

1. Cosplay.comcosplay site

Cosplay.com is one of the largest and most noteworthy sites dedicated to the world of cosplay. Containing a marketplace, very active forums and even a cosplay calendar (USA). The best social feature of this site is the ability to buy and commission costumes!

cosplay japan2. CureCos

Cure Cosplay Community is a Japanese/English site that does a great job and utilizing user interactivity. The interface is easy to use and gives cosplay a great location to hang out and share photos of their best and favorite costumes.


3. Cosspacecossplay social network

Cosspace takes the MySpace approach to networking, giving a strong community with many different features enabling cosspace to involve users much more. There are costume ratings (by other users) polls, video submissions, quizzes, expansive forums, and the ever popular gallery. Cosspace is simple in design and supports 3 languages (English, French, Spanish).

4. Cosplay Walker

japan cosplaySpeak Japanese? Perfect! Cosplay Walker is mainly in Japanese, but offers a fun space for the cosplay fan to share designs, and if you get rated the best out of other fans on the site, you get a front page mention! If only I spoke Japanese fluently so that I could get a front-page mention!



5. Cosplay F
orumfrench cosplay

We're keeping it international for this site too! This forum is all in French, but there is a very large presence in their discussions- and for good reason! The environment is very festive and has thousands of active users! When any cosplay forum has a group dedicated to this cos theme: Groupe Walker Texas Ranger : Japan Expo 2009 – you can count me in.

Want to share your favorite character or anime pic or even how you think stories should have ended, etc... Anime online has a large forum community backed by their own RPG game and Arcade online. The coolest feature is the 'Watch & Discuss' where you can.... watch and discuss shows with other people (Sorry its USA only). Which means for us in Asia we don't online animeget this feature. The gallery has a lot of user content, and it is a good time to get ideas for upcoming cosplay events and even to design new gear.

7. AnimeNewsNetwork

The ANN is a great site for upcoming events/shows/anything! The first page when you see when arriving at ANN is the newsfeed, which is constantly updated keeping us in the know! How great is that! There is an Encyclopedia to give you a refresher course on your characters/shows and there is also an editorial wiki page to let you share your opinions. But don't forget the huge forum that is always buzzing with activity.

8. Daz3d

If you are in to ultra-realistic Anime & Manga design, Daz3d is a downloadable tool that assists in 3D design. I still don't know how to work it, but once I do I may actually make something worthwhile. Check out their 'Hall of Fame' for unreal photos!

9. Cosplay Meetup

An honorable mention, cosplay meetup is a site made on meetup.com, which different cosplay groups from around the globe have listed their location for other cosplay fans of anime and manga to join in with a large group!

The world within Cosplay fans of Anime and Manga is large and expansive, and we can't wait to dive into the different sites here and get to know more about our fellow Anime lovers! Enjoy and share often!