Hi Whyvillians,
It's that time again! Hopefully, the majority of you cast your vote in the previous round and understand how the Senate Race works. Each of the six contestants that made it through are very capable of the position and worth voting for, but, as you have probably gathered, this is a competition and we are trying to come out on top. While many people have campaigned in the BBS, sold faceparts supporting their campaign, and have held contests to gain your support, you may have noticed I wasn?t. To me, gaining votes isn?t about how popular or nice you seem; it is about expressing your ideas and how you want to improve Whyville. And that is exactly what I intent to do if you are willing to vote for me.
After meeting with City Hall, I realized that many of my ideas were unrealistic. They may have seemed fantastic and helpful for the site, but now that I'm looking back on them, they were a bit farfetched. This time around I hope that even if my ideas may not seem as exciting as other candidates?, they will have a good chance at happening.
To make things easier, I?ve categorized my ideas into sections that will appeal to certain groups of Whyvillians.
For the BBSers
If you enjoy going on the BBS, these ideas are for you.
After all the great updates we've been given, it is hard to ask for much more. So instead of listing a bunch of new features to add to the BBS, perhaps there could just be some ways to make things easier. For example, maybe instead of manually typing in the codes on how to bold things, italicize things, underline them, and color them, there could be a section at the top of the BBS message box where you can select these features. I know that for me, the updates were great at first, but as the weeks passed by I got too lazy to type in all the < and # symbols. This idea could help citizens more easily access some of the new features they have.
Another thing that could be helpful in the BBS is an updated search bar. The one we currently have is great for looking up posts that certain Whyvillians have made, and for seeing what kind of topics have been discussed. What isn't so great about it is that some of the features don't always work. For example, the way you can view "latest BBS posts" this person has made through their City Records doesn't show many of the posts that are actually recent. Also, it shows some posts made on 12/8/69, which is more than likely incorrect . . . Getting updates would be greatly appreciated.
For the Chatters
If you enjoy going into chat-rooms and meeting new friends, these ideas are for you.
Something that seemed to be popular amongst certain chatters I met up with not too long ago was the idea of a new room. Many of the chat rooms on Whyville today are old and have been around for a long time, and the idea of something brand new coming around seemed exciting to the citizens I met. Almost all of them suggest having a game somehow attached to this room.
An idea that was popular was a way to take a "cruise," around the world and stop by several places. This is similar to the Warp Wagon, but the cruise could cost clams and take you on an adventure that can teach you geography and help you appreciate other cultures. If this is impossible because of sponsor issues, it is understandable, but none the less is a well-liked idea.
Another thing that people wanted was more board game options. There are many unused rooms in games such as Chinese Checkers, Checkers, Kalah, and Tic Tac Toe. Many citizens said that they would love to see new games use the server space that these extra rooms take. The games that could possibly show up around Whyville are Chess, Chutes and Ladders, (Snakes and Ladders,) Scrabble, and Bingo.
For the Facepart-Enthusiasts
If you love designing, buying, or selling faceparts, this section is for you.
Currently, it is pretty easy to find faceparts in Akbar's Face Mall, but it can still be difficult in some cases. For example, if you were looking for a red hat but had NO idea what it's called, instead of searching through dozens of hats you could simply select that you wanted to see red faceparts under the hat section. Designers can select up to three colors per facepart right before they submit it to Akbar, that way it can be easy to navigate through the constantly expanding amount of faceparts in the mall.
There should also be a way for designers to reserve one of their faceparts for themselves. Often during new arrivals, parts sell out very quickly. I'm sure you as a buyer have experienced seeing a part you really wanted out of stock right before you get it, so how do you think it would feel to be the actual designer and not get your product? It isn't fun, which is why this idea could be very helpful!
The last idea I have for this section is something that won't even require the City Workers to take time out of their busy schedules, and that is to just ignore remakes. It isn't fair and it isn't right that they have to happen, but there is nothing that the City Workers can do at this point in time to prevent it. Several people will say that they already do not purchase parts by remakers, but by making posts in the BBS you are still giving them satisfaction. Seeing remakes of parts they you took the time to create and design is terrible, and I fully understand why it is discouraging to want to create more faceparts after this has happened. Even though there won't be instant results, if remakers are ignored they may stop. They are in for the fame and fortune, so if you disapprove of them don't let them get to you. Designing is a wonderful thing, and it's a bummer that remaking has to spoil the fun of it, but the problem won't be solved by creating ruckuses in the BBS.
On a final note, I'd like to thank everybody who has voted for me in the previous round, or in the previous race. I've had a lot of fun being your senator and I understand what it takes to be successful at it. It's been enjoyable talking with the City Workers, (they're very helpful and really do have your best interest in mind. They simply aren't superheroes and can't tend to everything all at once. Don't be so hard on them!) And it has also been nice hearing what people suggest on how to make Whyville better. I would be honored if you'd take the time to vote for me so I can finish what I have started.
Thanks again for all the past (and hopefully present) support you guys have given me.
Have a nice day
-Marissa
