User:Mellyb10

Webosaurs is a MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game), which involves a virtual world containing online games and activities, developed by Reel FX Entertainment. Players can use cartoon dinosaur-avatars and play in a landscape-set world, with a variety of different themes. Beta-testing was made available to the general public on June 25, 2009 and has expanded since then - making it an online community. Free non-memberships are available, revenue is predominantly raised through paid memberships, allowing players to access additional features (such as the ability to buy more virtual clothing, and in-game pets through use of in-game currency.)

The game was designed for ages 5-12. Thus a major focus from the developers has been on child safety, including offering a "Safe Chat" mode, whereby users select their comments from a menu; filtering that prevents swearing and the revelation of personal information; and moderators (along with veteran players) who police the game.

History and Development
The Webosaurs domain was originally bought in 2007 by Webosaurs Director, Jacques Panis, after noticing a lack of a popular virtual world in which his two sons could safely interact with each other and others. He soon joined VFX company, Reel FX Creative Studios, who also saw the potential to create a unique online environment for others to interact in. Reel FX hired the Metaverse Mod Squad to provide moderation services to the game, and outsourced development to two other companies. After two years of development, Webosaurs released into closed-beta on June 25th, 2010, and then after many months of beta testing, Webosaurs officially went into General availability on October 22nd, 2010.

Subscribed Membership
Players may buy membership, which allows them to get more features in Webosaurs. Players who buy membership get access to more armor styles for their avatar, more virtual furniture for their caves in game, change into different avatar styles, allow them to own a pet in game, and will be able to buy clothing items. Also, members get a larger cave, with extra features, and a small mini-game. Finally, they get a package containing a membership card, and if they get a 6-month, or 1-year membership, a comic book detailing the adventures of the main characters.

Non-Members
Webosaurs provides a "non-membership" option. Although such play is free, it does not include all the benefits of being a member. Non-members may still purchase armor for their dinosaur, buy cave items, and play games. Non-members may also receive and use items given out at parties that are held for all players. Non-members cannot enter the "Bluggin' Beach Bunker" (a member's only room), purchase pets, purchase some armor, or purchase some actions/furniture. Non-members have a smaller cave as well.

Emoticons
Players can choose to express their feelings by using emoticons. This feature can be used by both subscribed members and non-subscribed members. When the game released, there were only 8 emoticons, but on January 12, 2010, 8 more were added. There are 16 emoticons, such as many happy faces, a sad face, and an angry face. Each emoticon can be viewed from a speech bubble above the avatar's head.

Items
Players can use the virtual coins they collect from playing mini games to purchase various items from a variety of different shops. There are shops for actions, armor (the basic type of virtual-clothing), furniture, and virtual-pets. Subscribed members may also make their own player cards and purchase dinosaur-avatars.

Each player has a player card, used to store inventory such as player card backgrounds, downloads, virtual-clothing, and different dinosaur-avatars. Clothing may be worn by all players, however some of it is only available to subscribed-members. The same applies for furniture for "caves" (the basic virtual-house.)Subscribed-members also have the benefit of having a larger cave than non-subscribed members, and may have music in their cave as well.

Pets
Subscribed-members have the option to buy virtual-pets, once they unlock the "Understory Layer" (a virtual-room you must unlock with a quest to purchase pets). Pets are available as a smilodon (known throughout the world as "Little Fang"), crocodile, and porcupine.

Pets also have a happiness bar chart to indicate their status. Pets that are not "taken care" of will run away, and have to be replaced. This also applies in the case of when a player owns a pet, but their membership expires.

Scrolls
Scrolls can be found in every landscape-set room. Scrolls contain comics of the main characters Rexxy, Stretch, Horns, and Pterry (the Webosaurs mascots) discovering and exploring the island. They were used to unlock virtual-rooms, but on February 27, 2010, you could have access to most rooms without scrolls, after many players didn't know how to use or find scrolls.

Webosodes
"Webosodes" can be found all over the world. Webosodes are videos featuring Nigel Marven as the host, as he talks about and shows players different animals, such as bats, crocodiles, tigers, and much more. Webosodes can be viewed by both members and non-members.

Dino Surf
Dino Surf is a free iPhone game that was released on January 26, 2010. Players are able to choose from 4 different characters. The player races to the finish line while maneuvering through obstacles, jumping over ramps, and running over arrows to get a speed boost. If you make it to the finish line you can move on to the next level. The objective of the game is to finish each stage in the shortest amount of time possible. There are 4 different landscapes (desert, swamp, snow, and volcano) each consisting of 4 stages. After completing the game, the player receives a promotional code that they can use in the online game to receive 1,000 coins of in-game currency.