<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> BB EEE TTT A B B E T A A BB EE T AAA B B E T A A BB EEE T A A CCC OOO M M PP A N N III OOO N N C O O MM MM P P A A NN N I O O NN N C O O M M M PP AAA N N N I O O N N N C O O M M P A A N NN I O O N NN CCC OOO M M P A A N N III OOO N N +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Beta Companion to the Kymer Clarion Vol 1 Iss 33 26 Mar 1996 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ This Is Vol 1 Iss 1 of This Special Insert Supplement +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ A special Beta insert for those who dream with the CLARION Published by and for Avatars of Kymer in Phantasus in the Dreamscape BETA COMPANION Editorial Board & Staff: Acolyte Rosaleah Acolyte VIQer Acolyte Milen Marianne G Acolyte BLD Stalker !*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*! Copyright 1996. The contents of the Kymer Clarion And it's Beta Companion, are the intellectual property of all the individual authors. The Kymer Clarion and it's Beta Companion are not to be redistributed in whole or in part without prior permission of the Editorial Board and the inclusion of our copyright notice. !*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*! Index: Opening Remarks.........................................Marianne G Seen on the Beta Streets..........................Acolyte Rosaleah I dreamed I saw.........................................Marianne G How did you decorate your turf?......................CLARION STAFF Flying Rumors and Did you Try?..........................Marianne G Article Submission...................................CLARION STAFF +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++ OPENING REMARKS +++ It's great to be here, and I want you to know that we've been working on this issue for over a month now! So if it's a tad dated.... we can't help that, but now that it's off the ground, hope that we can keep the work up. Which brings us to you and your part in this. This is basically your section of the paper. I said that the Beta People were the best, most creative and expressive people around. The CLARION is betting on that with the issue of this paper. We know you want more. More means of expression, more ways to get your ideas out and discussed, more interaction with the other Beta people you don't always get to see on the less crowded beta streets. This is the place to be expressive, to give those ideas a public airing, and to post events, trials, etc.... The more vocal you are with your submissions, articles, and input into this BETA COMPANION, the more often you will find it waiting to be downloaded from the BETA Library Section. We're all busy in our waking world and dreaming world life, some more then others, but frankly, this can be enjoyable, readable, and not time consuming to put together with a little help. We've started you off with some Feature Ideas and articles, and we're inviting you to run with them. Is there a feature here you would just LOVE to be the contributing or byline writer for? Is there something you don't see that you'd like to organize and get off the ground for the next issue? Would you like to be an unpaid staff writer for future issues? Let us know! We want you to take over control with the articles so, frankly, all we have to do is piece it together, write an intro, upload it and tell you all it's out there for download. Show us that you can perform consistently and your name can even join ours at the top under "BETA COMPANION Editorial Board & Staff"! You can apply to take over the Turf Decorating or the Rumour Column or any others you come up with. Applications should include a sample of what you want to do with it and what future you see for it in the Regular CLARION when/if your beta specialty goes live. Byline Contributions for Seen on the Beta Streets and I Dreamed I saw are always accepted. Yes, these volunteer positions could also lead to an unpaid staff position on the regular CLARION. So give us a shot, and thanks for listening to all of this. Which brings me to my last comment. Besides this issue that is only in the BETA Library, and should ONLY be shown to Beta Testers, or Talked about in BETA (please remember your non-disclosure agreement) there is another new CLARION insert being uploaded at this time to the Regular Newstand Library... Possibly two as this goes to press earlier then the others. The one I know for sure will be done is the CARTOON PAGES, the one still in the work as of now is to be called the NEWBIE SUPPLEMENT and is geared towards informing the Newbies of what to NOT do, or where they can find help in the dream. We hope you also take time to look them over and contribute to their survival. Now where would I be without a quote from my dreamtime reading material to end the column, so here it is, from the BOOK OF CHOKE: Spread your wings and fly! Jump as high as you can and exhault in your dream for to dream with joy and lightened spirit is to bring happiness to the dreams of all. However, do not fly or jump with a can of CHOKE in your hand, or your exhaultation may result in a CHOKE Explosion. Then again, that may also spread joy to those there to witness it.... - By Marianne G from the BOOK OF CHOKE +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++ SEEN ON THE BETA STREETS +++ By Acolyte Rosaleah The froot has come to beta! How did it get past customs? I don't know, but beware of those who come bearing turf welcoming gifts! By now that froot is so hard, that if thrown, it would classify as an unregistered weapon. PatW's fuzzie, Bob, is now happily at home in his own room in PatW's turf. Of course, Bob had the very first turf ever in Phantasus: a small box that he inhabited inside PatW's pocket. Now Bob can boast of having the only turf in his room in a turf. We all know that the first item you place in your fireplace goes into the fire (if there were a fire). Some of the oddest things we've seen in that spot include a sun head (talk about bringing coals to Newcastle!), a snowman (is that asbestos snow? this snowman hasn't dripped yet, much less melted!), a skull ... well, the list just goes on and on. We hear, though, that the most popular item for this spot, after the Tut head, which fits so nicely, is the newbie head. Ouch! We saw JR trying to see how many avatars he could put on his turf lease. By the time we got there, he had only about five, so we don't know how many he finally got. Duckolyte Longwalk was talking about making a pond in his turf. He wanted the misty marsh in the fall morning look that ducks love so well. We haven't seen the results, but we hear he succeeded! We spotted Piemur at the turf spray vendroid explaining that he was moving from a 3-room to a 4-room turf. He'd been conservative, at first, but after discovering just how much stuff he'd been packing in his pocket, he decided to go for the 4-roomer. He had to dig a little deeper into his wallet, but, after all, as he notes, we're all rich here. Speaking of which, have you noticed, as I have, that when you have 25,000 tokens, 60 tokens/hour doesn't seem like so much? I mean -- when was the last time you checked on your ATM account? Hmmmmmm?? +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++ I DREAMED I SAW +++ By Marianne G I really should get these glasses fixed.... cause when I go into the dream, I find that I see things that others don't! I have decided that I'm going to share some of them with you, and I encourage you to discuss them on the beta boards, send in your response to us for the next Beta Companion, and tell me if you also, when you just squint your eyes just ever so slightly... don't see what I see, or perhaps you see something else? I dreamed I went to the apartment building, and then I went one region past .... and lo, I saw a teleporter there that ID'd as TURF TELEPORTER ... It's about time they got a new teleporter stop added to the dream I thought, and such a convenient location! After I visited my turf, I needed some more decorations, so I left the building and headed toward the Magic Shop. One region away from the building I saw an ATM machine had been added to the locale. Neat! I really needed to get some extra tokens, and this so close to turfs made it perfect for my needs. As I checked out my balance ... I noticed that the top of the compass/ sewer cover on the street was slightly opened. Investigating further, I raised the lid to find stairs leading down. Heading down, I found myself entering an establishment that had a sign saying it called itself THE HIDDEN TREASURE and it was packed with useful items. One section had basic furniture. Another had combo lockers and locking chests that came with a notice that once placed and locked, they could not be moved. Just the thing to keep the treasures safe in your turf! You wouldn't even have to worry if you had guests in, once locked, no one could take your items anyway. But the final section took my breath away, not an easy feat after all I've seen on the dreamscape. It was filled with the perfect little knickknacks to make your home a home. It also had a full line of snack food and other basic neccesities. I overheard someone talking and saying...."If you like something in this area, take it, the selections are constantly changing...." I would have to remember that and to come back often. The special that week was on pizza slices .... but instead of a generic name, they were identified as pepperoni pizza, meatball pizza, cheese pizza, deluxe pizza, vegetarian pizza .... the selection was amazing! It was a good think I purchased a locking chest ... I needed it to cart away all my purchases... I was so exhausted, I went back to my turf.... only to wake up to the dream and find I was still in my yet undecorated turf and it had all been a dream in the dream ;;sigh;; Or is that a teleporter I see out of my turf window?....... +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++ HOW DID YOU DECORATE YOUR TURF? +++ By Clarion Staff Following is the answers of Clarion staff members when they were asked the question, HOW DID YOU DECORATE YOUR TURF? You get to try and guess which staff member gave which reply. And then, we want to hear from you! Tell us what was the first thing, or most important thing you did to make your turf feel like home? Send replies into 72007,221 and we'll publish our pick of the best in the next BETA COMPANION to the KYMER CLARION. Now for the answers to the question from our staff members - +++ It's more of a group HQ than a private Turf, actually. A spacious 4-roomer with deep crimson masonwork & wall to wall red carpeting. Scarcely decorated due to the lack of conventional furniture, the foyer serves as the Main Desk for visiting guests. One room over, is the Common Area where members & nonmembers alike can mingle for a fireside chat -- it is decoratively candle-lit & contemporary music styles permeate the locale from the room's sound system, from who's charm even the Turf's spider inhabitants can't help but be enchanted. The room is further highlighted by giftboxes of exchanges past; a model replica of the vessel that delivered the group safely from the doomed shores of Caribe; and the seat of honor, in the center of the flames, adorned by a handcrafted voodoo doll of Steve Case. A truly symbolic statement, to say the least. Room #3 serves as the Meeting Room for our members, public or private as the situation might call for, but always where the phrase "Taking care of business" transcends from philosophy to lifestyle. The fourth & final room behind a stunningly decorative door is the Treasury room -- accessible by Executives only, in avatar mode. A small fortune in tokens resides behind these doors along with an ever growing stockpile of prizes & inworld rarities, including among its earliest editions: a heart-shaped chest; a lockable chest & key; and allegedly, one of two fabled 0 Tokens rumored to still exist after the extinction of this phenomena in the earliest days of recorded history on the Dreamscape! A treasure, indeed! And if you'll pardon the expression, one of Kymer's most priceless artifacts! +++ Decorate?? I was kinda hoping it would decorate itself or Passion would come over for a visit and take pity on me. Well, ok, first thing I did was get a guard spider to keep it safe. The rest of the stuff is in the trunks and I'll get around to it. Maybe even before turfs go live! +++ The wall of the frontroom is Rainbow, and so is the exit sign. The hearth became a Seascape by the Dreamscape, with a star in the honored fireplace spot, a palm frond and canarie on the grass, and a boat and fishes in the sea. The next room is the Green Room, painted all in green, of course. The room behind the door is a climate-controlled storage space. It looks a lot colder in there than it really is. +++ I went and got ALL the stuff I've been collecting through out my time in Phantasus.... I mean, *EVERYTHING*... and I started sorting through it. I'm about halfway done right now... I've gotten my Newbie Head collection sorted in one box, vampire-related things in another, miscellaneous heads in a third, etc., and spare tokens in a special sack devoted to them. (I know; sacks can hold things other than tokens now, but they still seem representative of tokens in my mind.) All this is in the back room of a four-room turf. The other rooms are.... well, hopelessly cluttered as I undo the complexities of six months of directionless collecting. I'd tell you exactly what it looks like, but trust me... you don't want to know. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++ FLYING RUMORS AND DID YOU TRY? +++ I have occasionally been accused of either not really listening, or messing things up when I retell them..... I think it's part of my memory problem, it's not that I didn't hear it...... it just goes into my brain and comes back out of my lips mixed up....... Knowing that in advance, perhaps you shouldn't take these overheard rumours tooooooo seriously. Not to mention the fact that some think I have an overactive imagination that embellishes most every- thing processed by that brain... (Brain? What Brain?). Rumour has it that if you go and visit the apartment manager, there is a way to access a Haggle Mode. One that allows you to negotiate on the price of that there turf. I tried Alt+H with no success.... (Well, you can't blame a gal for trying!) The downside to the rumour is that if you try ripping him off for TOO much, he gets huffy and raises the price. Oh well, I'm sure you can always come back and try again later, after he forgets the incident..... As for those who have wondered about the Turf maintnance, we hear there is a Janitor on staff. Or, better known as a Turf Maintnance Specialist (in these days of Political Correctness). One has to wonder what he spends his days doing, since there are still no bathrooms to unclog, no windows to unstick and no smoke alarms to replace. This part is a tad fuzzy, but he, supposidly is called Mr TuMS (think that's that Turf Maintnance thing......) and he's the one who clears out the turfs of unpaid renters! Not only that, but word I hear is that all items left behind, which are not sold to make up for unpaid rent, is his to keep. I've heard he occasionally is known to meet apartment dwellers at the elevator and take them down to his place in the basement where he sells the confiscated items cheap! Now.... on to the Have you tried part.... I need everyone's help on this.... I need you to send in suggestion of things you'd like to try, but due to lack of avatars, etc... are unable to. Or, to tell us when we publish them here, if you HAVE tried that, and what happened? So what have I been wondering about? Part of it was posted once on the Beta boards.... but I have to wonder. There you are, throwing a party for your friends in your turf. They are all over the place having a great time. You set the option so they can stay after you leave, and go out to get a minute of quiet..... Looking for just a minute away from your friends, who are whooping it up in your apartment, you go and visit the apartment manager. He, however, has no time for you, he's on his computer playing in some interactive thing called Worlds Away, and hardly takes his eyes off the screen..... some people get SO addicted to these computer simulations.... You get into a fight over it, he tells you leave why don't you, and you break your lease! Now what happens? What happens to the friends in your turf? Does it not take effect till all of them have left? Do you still have time to go up there and pack your stuff? If you go up there, will it be there with your friends in it? Will you have the ability to throw out guests... etc? And what if you change your mind? You go back to the apartment manager, and sign up for a new lease? You name the apartment what your old one was named..... Can you? After doing this, if you go to the Elevator, and head up to it, which do you end up in? The old one with your friends still partying away? A new empty one? The old one till you've all left, and then next time you go back, it's a new one? WHAT HAPPENS!!!! Please contact me at 72007,221 and let me know. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++ ARTICLE SUBMISSION +++ If you have a letter to the editor, an answer for any of the articles written here, or an article you would like us to publish in this edition, send it to 72007,221 and mark the subject as BETA COMPANION! This is very important so it does not make it into the Regular CLARION published in the Newstand Section of the Library. In the text of the letter accompanying the file (.txt or .gif format only please) or before the article, please let us know what it is in response to, or if it is just an article done on your own. <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> BETA COMPANION Vol. One, Iss. One a Supplemental Insert to the Regular KYMER CLARION Volume one, Issue thirty-three, copyright 1996 Clarion Price: Free Editorial Board Rotating Editors: Marianne G, Acolyte Rosaleah, Acolyte VIQer, Acolyte Milen This issue edited by Marianne G Posted to WorldsAway Community Forum on March 26th, 1996. >*<>*<>*<>*<>*<>*<>*<>*<>*<>*<>*<>*<>*<>*<>*<>*<>*<>*<>*<>*<>*<>*<>*<