Games Master Challenge - My First Year

Hello, Friends! 

It's been 16 months since I joined Neopets - the online virtual pet website full of games, fun and awesomeness. 
Around 27 minutes ago the Games Master Challenge - a site event - finished up for another turn. 
For the first time I decided I would join. 
This time it was between Sun and Moon - and the leaders/worlds that took part were of no interest to me (hello Team Tyrannia). 
To compete, you need to pick a team. Seeing as I don't like Summer AKA sun, I decided to go with team Moon. 
The Games Master Challenge involves the participants to compete in certain challengers over seven days. 
The team you pick determines the games you play and there's usually a theme. 
The only games I usually play on Neopets are the card games - I love them ha ha. 
Card games aren't a part of the Challenge. 
To say I struggled a little bit was an understatement - I didn't have a mouse for 6 out of the seven days (which is needed for some games), I started on day three of the Challenge and most games  I hadn't even heard of, let alone played them. 
But I loved the comp! 
There was a board that you could go to, to talk about challenges, team comradery and to help each other out - which is great to see. 
After you win a challenge they reward you with prizes - I really wanted to win the snow background which was achievable if you completed a game challenge - which I didn't achieve, so that was sad.
Did I mention that Team Moon won :) very exciting to be on the winning team, and I'm loving the trophy which has been added on my page lookup - yay :) 
I played about 40 games in total - I succeeded in half the challenges. 
And I received a Games Master 3 Trophy - which is pretty alright, considering my...ahem, skill (or lack thereof). 
Next time I see a Games Master Challenge (I think it's every so often, but not sure exactly when) I'll definitely join again. 
If you play Neopets let me know if you joined this time round. 
Love to hear from you. 

Go team Moon - and well done to all participants. 

Money Makes The World Go Round...So How Can I Get My Hands on Some?

Daydreamer is in a pickle. 
She needs some serious cash...and fast. 
Uni is starting soon, textbooks to pay for, parties to attend. 
But her cash flow is starting to dwindle, and some extra cash wouldn't go astray. 

Because I'm big on the Internet world (I surf it a lot more than what I should) I think a good idea would be to make a little dough on the Internet scene. 
There's a lot of paths you can take, and a lot of scams and frauds. There's also the chance to make money in pretty dubious circumstances - I'm looking at you cam girls! 

But what path should she take. Here are some options that I'll lay out (for my benefit, really). 

Money for your opinions: 
A big thing now is paying the public for their opinions on products, lifestyle, anything really. These come in the form of surveys (usually) that ask you questions on why you like a product, what brand of *insert whatever here* you buy, what attracts you to a product, blah, blah. The list goes on. As the Internet world expands so do companies expanding online to get the most out of advertisement and marketing - and they're willing to pay you for it. 

Freelance writing:
Now as a writer this stood out to me. May even be a path I chose to take. Websites will pay anything up to $5-$250 (according to some research) but this depends on the site, word limit and the time and type of article you will write. At times a certain amount of knowledge is required to take on an article and some require a formal tone. There are some available that aren't as stringent on the tone. 

Selling your hair online: 
'Whah, selling your hair!' I read somewhere that a guy who had 'virgin hair' (hair un-tempered in any way AKA no colour, artificial drying, straightening etc) is making big bucks for growing out his hair and selling it online. For long hair, people are willing to pay hundreds, even thousands. But make sure you pick a trusted and legit site. 
People use human hair to make wigs, hair extensions  hair on dolls, etc (just in case you were wondering). 

Creating your own blog: 
Well this is funny isn't it? Despite Daydreamer having a blog, she doesn't actually make money from it. This is mainly because this blog is full of my own opinions and own interests (which clearly don't entertain the public as much clearly) thus not bringing in a big network. 
To create money from a blog:
Come up with a catchy, original name that can be remembered. 
Make it fresh and exciting as to keep people hanging around. 
Have a theme, aim and purpose. 

There are more ways to make money online - these are just a few - and Daydreamer is still on the lookout. 

Maybe, just maybe I'll find a money tree. That would solve my problems. 

Google Images 

Just When I Thought I couldn't get any Cooler

With the long uni break, the fact I don't have a job, I'm so bored and I have nothing to do, I decided to revisit a part of my childhood. 


For those who are aware, I joined Pottermore recently and I've really gotten into it ("go Ravenclaw.") It's fun  and I can play it for a couple of hours with no problem. But I do find it can get repetitive and I eventually get sick of it. I honestly don't know how people could play on it all day long.
What is a fun part, is the common room forum - now that can be really entertaining. But the creator's of Pottermore really need to tweak it a bit, because it's not faultless (sorry, but I had to say.) 


This got me thinking of when I was a kid, during the times I got into Neopets. Another online game with the same principles as Pottermore, (instead of a Harry Potter world, you entre the world of Neopets) but has a WAY better forum/chat area. 


So for about a week now I've been thinking about Neopets and what happened to the Neopet I completely abandoned. I don't feel bad though - it's been years and the only thing I remember about it, was that it was blue, and I think it was a water creature, type thing. 
And let's face it; they aren't REAL pets anyway. 


Then today (I blame boredom) I decided to create a new Neopets account. Besides the forums, I really loved the games they had on that game, they were addictive and I wouldn't get off the computer until my mother/grandmother/father were calling me for dinner.
So I did. I created a new account. 
It was exactly how I remember. And to boot, they gave me gifts as a new member (OK, I would've gone back to my old account, but I have a new email now, and I wouldn't have been able to remember my password, for the life of me). 


So with the new gifts in my inventory and a happy (new) Neopet, I went searching for my favourite game. And with the click of the games button I found it - right there in the favourite section. 
So I clicked to play (after I remembered how to). 
 But after the game loaded (a lot more quicker thanks to the addition of broadband in my family) the game started. But unfortunately the game had changed. 
The stones for example were smaller (I liked the big stones personally), there were different tools to use, they added these buttons part where a dinosaur flew past when you pressed on of them. 
It was different, the game was different. And I didn't like it. 


I started to doubt my new account, when I thought I'd hit the forum section. 
There are different forum rooms depending on what you want to talk about. So, I clicked the newbie section (well I haven't played in years). 
But alas, scrolling down the topics, none of them got my attention. So, I thought I'd start my own post. 
After I'd clicked the post button a message came up; "no posting until you have had the account for 24 hours." Damn. 


That was it for me. I logged off. And I don't have any attention in going back. I might though, suss out other games, but other than that, I doubt I'll be a heavy Neopets player. All well. 


Guess it's back to Pottermore. 

Potter More - Cheating in the Game!

Oh My God, so, I've had Potter more for around three days or so - and my brother and I have uncovered something very foul in the game...cheating!

OK, so technically we didn't discover it, and it's been going on for a while, but I'm still seriously shocked.

So yes, Potter more is an online game - and with a gazillion glitches they must have to deal with, I have just discovered cheating. But it's not only cheating, but cheating on a grand scale.
People have been creating more than one account, which they are put into a different house. Then using the new account, they deliberately lose house points for their rival houses; with this new account.
During potions, you can blow up your cauldron, which loses points for your house.
You can also verse people in your house for duels and lose deliberately, gaining points for your original house.

There is also a house common room chat forum, where only people in your house can view the posts.
It has been discovered that people have been discussing plot plans to target other houses and make them lose points.
So, there's the cheating on a grand scale.
People are actually devising plans, talking about sabotage, in common rooms where others are unaware that this goes on.

So, I know it's the Internet - and there are going to be haters and bad people who only like causing havoc. But c'mon people they ruining what is supposed to be a fun, new, Harry Potter experience, which can be shared with all around the world.
They are abusing a game and taking (what is just a game) far too seriously.
I think the online world is forgetting that this is only a game, and people who are cheating are ruining it for everyone.

Please, if you read this and you are one of those cheaters - please stop, no one likes a bully.

Pottermore: entre Harry's World

Today I took my Harry Potter obsession to a new level, when I signed up to Pottermore.

I've known about it for a while - I even have a friend who won a competition, allowing her to be one of the first people to experience the wizarding world on a whole new level.
Then (in May of this year, I believe) my brother signed up as well. He has more than a few friends who also play the online game; add to that, their brothers and sisters, who no doubt, have it as well.
So, my connected community, is already, deep into the game.
Then (presuaded by my brother) my mother signed up.
I watched her play some of it.
This included picking a pet (you can choose between an owl, cat or a toad), and having your wand be chosen for you (you answer questions) and I even watched the sorting ceremony; again you answer questions about yourself, so they can determine you best fit.

And then it was.

I had to join too.

Watching how they took you through the chapters, the graphics and the interest of Harry Potter was partly because of it. But I have to admit, watching those questions, to determine what you got, really got me wondering. Naturally my answers were different than my mother's and I wanted to know what wand I would recieve, or what house I would be placed in.

So what is Pottermore? I would say an online game, but I feel (and so would HP fanatics,) it's the Harry Potter experience. I'm not far in, but I believe it takes you through all seven books, experiencing everything Harry, Ron, and Hermione had too.
As I mentioned you get sorted into one of the four houses, you can earn points for that house, you can duel, learn spells, make potions - you live and breath the Hogworts world. And all through your computer screen.
Because it's online, you can verse and meet people from all over the world - of course you don't know who they really are (you get a username, picked out, which detatches who you are, from that in the game).
You have your houses common room, where you can view your houses leader board - so, who in your house has earnt the most points for example. You can also go into the Great Hall, which you can look at the houses leaderboard.

But not a Harry Potter fan? They take you through each chapter of the book - so you never feel like you don't know what is going on, or how to do stuff.
It's extremely close to the books, so I would suggest if you want to get into the Harry Potter phenomenon, you read the books first.
However, if you just want to get into this kind of gaming experience, then you should check it out as well.

So, I've only just begun my journey; I chose a brown owl as my pet, my wand is made of dogwood (or something like that) and the house I was put in was Ravenclaw.
I have no doubt, as I get used to the game and how it works, the more addictive the game will become.
But for now, I'm only a newbie, and I'm still getting used to the whole experience.
But as a serious Harry Potter fan - I'm sure I'll love every step of the way.