User:Spriteless/Gaia

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Gaia Online (formerly known as Go-Gaia) is a online forum and games site founded on February 18, 2003 by Derek Liu (Gaia username Lanzer), Josh Gainsbrugh (username L0cke), Long Vo (username VO) Ling and a team of their friends, Studio XD artists, and programmers/web designers. The site currently revolves around its forum, avatars, and in-game currency, but is expanding to include features such as games.

Gaia's forum is the

Gaia Friends List - Allows users to flag another user as either a friend, making it easier to see their posts, or as ignored, hiding their posts.
Gaia Journals (v.1.0) - This is a type of weblog.
Thread Subscription - A user-specific list of favorite threads that allows easy location of commonly-visited places.
Gaia Standard Time (GST) - Gaia's own time zone indepent of the rest of the world. A normal 24-hour day in Gaia happens in 12-hour cycles, meaning there are 2 Gaia days in one Earth Day.
Avatar System (v.3.0) - Each user is given an avatar to represent their account on the site. Avatars may be posed and given items to customize their look.
Password Retrieval System - A standard system for recovering lost account passwords.
Gaia Fishing (v.1.5.3) - A small Flash-based minigame that allows users to fish on the site, either alone or in groups. Users can fish at Bass'ken Lake, the Port of Gambino, and the Durem Reclamation Facility. Prizes are given on a monthly basis to users who catch the most fish, or junk, at each fishing area, and an overall prize is given to the best fisher out of all the sites.
Going Postal - A small display of user fanart about the site.
Gaia Hangouts - A small, Instant Messenger style feature where users can communicate in a two-way chat. This feature has been recently removed from the site.
Gaia Housing (v.1.2.6 beta) - Allows users to have a customizable home on Gaia.
Gaia Downloads - Provides content and images (backgrounds) related to the site for the benefit of the users.
Gaia Casino ~ Gaia Slots - Another small Flash-based minigame, based on slot machines. The users are able to bet special tokens to win tickets, which they can then exchange for prizes exclusive to the casino. Single-player and multiplayer modes.
Gaia Casino ~ Gaia Cards - A blackjack game that also allows you to bet tokens and receive tickets.
Optional Word Filters - Allows users to choose a customizable level of profanity filtration on the site. 'Bad Words' will be shown as a *.
Inventory Organizer (v.0.38 alpha) - Allows users to more efficiently move and sort their Gaian items.
Gaia User Ads - Allows users to advertise Gaian threads on the site for real-world money.
Post Templates & Actions - New Post Templates have been added so now when making a post you can use the default speech bubble, or you can use several extra borders, or display your friends/inventory at the top of the post. Post Actions can now be used to generate random numbers and dice rolls, making it easier to run lotteries and games.
Profile System - Features About Me text, Currently Equipped Items, Wishlist, Comments, and Multimedia.
Guilds - Private areas have been set aside for users to create guilds of every kind. Creaters of the guilds can make many choices, including making various subforums within the main forum and how exclusive guild membership is.
Gaia Towns (v. 0.994) - Using a Flash based system, Users are able to 'walk' outside of their Gaia Homes and interact with other individuals, and can enter houses of others, and engaging in live chat. Towns are made of neighborhoods, and each neighborhood can have up to six houses. Users have the option to 'warp' to other towns by way of a user directory. Also, you can catch Bugs, pick up Trash, and dig up flowers when walking around. To get to towns, enter the Train Station in Barton Town. In towns if you press /w "Gaia Name Here" "Message Here" (no quotation marks) you will "whisper" and only the person who you sent it to will see it.
Gaia Avatar Arena - This feature is somewhat similar to the Art Arena in the sense that users vote for the avatar they think looks best, the higher and more votes an avatar gets, the higher it goes up in rank. The feature resets every week with Avatar submissions beginning on Monday and ending Monday at midnight. At the end of the week the top ten avatars are rewarded with gold, first place receives 50,000 gold. Second place receives 30,000 gold. Third place receives 20,000. Finally fourth through tenth place receives 10,000 gold. Furthermore, first place also receives a spot in the Avatar Spotlight. The Avatar Spotlight award is currently not available at the moment, the developers want the system to stablize first before hooking it to the front page.
Gaia Exchange - This feature allows users to trade found items from the various games into usable items.
Gaia Housing Arena - This is almost exacly like the Avatar Arena, with the change that you're submitting your House instead of Avatar.
Gaia Store - You can now purchase real life versions of certain in game items, including OMG and AFK hats, Kiki Kitty and Grunny plushies, and Gaia t-shirts (New t-shirt coming soon with a picture of your avi on it). They also sell posters with Gaia themed artwork. The only payment method currently accepted is PayPal.
RPG/Quest System - Recently released in Nov 16th 2006 The Gaia Quest System was taken down due bugs and reinstated in Nov 22th 2006. Only one Quest has been released: New Users Quest, which is a sort of introductory quest and the reason it was taken down due to unexpected slowdown on the servers. The main idea of the Gaia Online Role-Playing game is to allow users to participate in both individual and group/guild quests, where they may possibly gain exclusive items. Some of these items may be parts used in combinations to create equipable items for the user's avatar. At the moment it is unknown if the Quest System will allow users to obtain old Monthly Collectibles.

1 Gaia Gold, Random Events, and Items
2 Features to Come
3 List of Gaian NPCs
4 See also
5 External links

[edit] Gaia Gold, Random Events, and Items

Gaia gold is the currency of Gaia Online forums site. It is earned in several different ways.

Making new threads: 7-10 gold
Replying to current threads: 5-7 gold
Voting on polls: 10 or 0 gold, depending on flood control
Traveling around the site without posting or other activities, (also known as "lurking"): 0-4 gold per each new page
Submitting ones art to the an Arena (housing, avatar, art): Same amount as lurking
Voting or commenting on the different Arenas (housing, avatar, art): 7 gold
Selling art or other services in the "Mini-Shops" forum: Variable, price set by vendor .
Donations from other users: Variable
Selling fish caught in the Fishing mini-game to other users or the fishing store: Variable; 1-25 gold per fish on average
Selling Tickets obtained by gambling at the Casino: Variable. No set price; determined by market conditions.
Selling unwanted items to other users: Variable
Selling unwanted items back to the stores: Half of the original store price if it is a store item. Non Store Items can no longer be sold back to the store, and must be sold in the Market.
Buying items then selling them for more making a profit (known as "exchange whoring"): Variable
Selling items found in Gaia Towns: Variable, depending on the item

All gold amounts will decrease after repeated use of the feature, with the exceptions of exchange whoring and sellback.

In addition, one can get random events. One example is the "pink link". This is when a specific thread in any of the forums glows neon pink. When it is clicked, the user gets one thousand bonus gold. Other examples include the Wooden Enchanted Trunk or Golden Enchanted Trunk, which holds a random uncommon housing item, a brown gift box, which replaced the previous Enchanted Trunk, a Pink Giftbox, which contains a random rare item, and the Blue Giftbox, which can give a user anything of the other events (1000 gold, a rare item, or an uncommon item). Blue Giftboxes also hold a few of their own unique treasures, which are not obtainable in the other rare event boxes. During the April Fool's Event of 2004, when the box was first seen, the boxes exploded in the face of the user, causing soot to cover the avatar's face. It wasn't until later that they were re-released as the total random event giver.

A new rare event is a Store Discount. This can be used in the real life "Gaia Store" as a discount to buy real items, such as real life plushies, or virtual sealed letters for on Gaia.

Once a user has earned gold, they can use it to buy items to dress up their avatar. The items range from "normal" clothing like gloves or socks to fantastic accessories such as tails, fairy and butterfly wings, or halos. New hairstyles unavalible to starting users can be purchased at the Salon. The "better" or "rarer" items cost more gold. Many new items such as different plushies, instruments, and weapons are rumored to be in planing.

The option of donating to Gaia is also available. For every $2.50 one donates, one receives a "sealed donation letter". Around the 15th of every month the letter will open, revealing a "Thank You Letter" for that month. This letter, when opened, allows choice of two new items available only to those who donated. Users can sell the "sealed letters, "Thank You Letters," or "donation items" for gold to other players or keep them if they prefer. Some rare donation items that have been released in the past include a Halo (the first donation item), DJ/portable headphones, a devil tail, an angelic sash (a white scarf that defies gravity and floats around one's avatar), and the OMG and AFK hats (fuzzy little hats that look like creatures). Due to the limited amount of them and the increase in users, these items tend to rise in value rather quickly. The administrators of the site have promised that these items will never be re-released on Gaia. However, through recent conventions, administrators give users who show up a chance to spin a wheel which offers a small chance of receiving an old donation, rares, uncommons or a store item.

In addition, Gaia also holds events for Easter, April Fool's Day, Halloween, Christmas, and New Year's Eve. Sometimes, a so-called "event item" is given, which becomes rare over time, and increases in value. These items, as well as the rare donation items, have become somewhat of a status symbol in recent years. Other user-run events are often run during the year, such as a Summer carnival that was held on June 19 and a ball held in October. Events like these have no administrator interaction, and are completely run by a user.

[edit] Features to Come

Tattoos and Piercings - A tattoo and piercing store will open in an unknown location and will be run by two NPCs named Devin and Natasha. As some tattoos will cover the head and body, bald avatars will be an option. The recent avatar system upgrade has been officially stated to support tattoos, which should be on their way.
Library - It has been said that Gaia Online has grown away from its link list, which has been removed and replaced with a library, where it it believed that past events, history, NPC profiles and similar data will be located for new users.
Guild Halls - At Otakon 2k5 the Gaia administrators stated that Guild Halls will be released in the future, these places will be huge Homes in the town system for the entire guild to live in.
Housing Rares - Rares for housing have been released, and confirmed to be circulating that some of the items being in line of the popular Angelic/Demonic series.
Casino - The Casino has been released but it has been made clear that other games will be released. The only currently available games are slot machines and Blackjack. The admins stated at Otakon 2005 that they have plans to add poker at a later date.
Advanced Journals - in the Template Previewer for the GAIA Journals, Rion. Journal mentions that, "Also, many templates have customizable features, like colors and fonts. Please note that some customizations are a bit confusing, and are only available to advanced users (who have paid the fee to upgrade their journal)". This is evidence that there at some point will be released a buyable Advanced Journals feature.
Journal Store - One idea for Gaia Journals is to have a store where you can buy various upgrades for it. Some of the upgrades would be the ability to change the background color on certain templates, like how the beta test moderators were allowed to.
Music Store - Not only will there be a store to buy musical instruments for your avatar, but it's rumored that you will be able to buy 'music notes'. With these notes it might be possible to put together a tune for inside your house (note: this is only a rumor).
Class System - Even before the Battle System comes out, users will be able to choose their job class. No definite classes are known. A significant amount of weapons and fantasy/role-playing related clothing may be released alongside the class system. Some currently released items, such as the Staff of the Angels, Demonic Pitchfork, and Fire/Ice Gauntlets, have been confirmed as probable weapons. It was recently mentioned that Gaia-specific classes, such as "Spammer" may be added in addition to traditional RPG professions.
Battle System - A fully-functional battle system designed to allow users to engage in interactive battles against monsters, and later on possibly even other users. Said to be based on Final Fantasy Tactics, the battle system will likely be isometric grid-based, much like how Gaia Homes are. The battle system will incorporate the class/job system and weapons which can be equipped to the user's avatar. While many users are eagerly anticipating the release of the battle system, just as many others are worried about the influx of new users that this will bring to the site, causing inflation in the pixelated items. Many users are also worried about the server issues that both the new feature and the aforementioned increase in new users will probably bring. There has been no confirmed information about the structure or flow of the battle system. However, at AnimeExpo 2005, B5 is quoted as saying that because they are still in very early progress of the Battle System, nothing can be officially confirmed. - There has since been a preview released at an Anime convention attended by the admins. It can be seen on youtube.com Battle System Preview
Digging Game - Originally there was to be a digging game that was hosted by an old miner named Reinhart. Currently it has been cancelled because it was too similar to Minesweeper, however Reinhart is supposed to still be released. As to whether or not the digging game will eventually be released is unknown.
Pets - Even as a vast amount of users on Gaia Online are anti-pets due to the belief many have the inefficiency of NeoPets, an equally vast amount of users on Gaia Online are interested in a pet system being introduced. The user L0cke, a member of the administrative staff, has stated that the pet system on Gaia Online will have to cater to the audience of Gaia Online, not NeoPets, as they understand that each site appeals to different audiences (note: this does not mean pets will be released on Gaia, it is not confirmed).
Personals - While the Personals were open in the past, they were closed due to difficult moderation of the forums. In the future a newer, efficiently designed and reconstructed Gaia Personals will be released (Note: this is only a rumor).
Gaia Locations - Not much is known about this feature, except that a beta version was accessed by a user and leaked.

[edit] List of Gaian NPCs

Barton Town
- Ian - Former owner of Barton Boutique. Was arrested for setting fire to the Gambino Mansion during Halloween 2k5.
- Rufus - Ian's talking and barking cat. He is currently in charge of Barton Boutique.
- Rina - Hostess of Towns, guide in the new profile system, owner of the Flower Shoppe, and an expert in bouquet making.
- Leon - Keeper of the Gaia Guild Network, older brother of Rina, and member of the G-Team
- Agatha - Owner of Barton Jewelers.

Bass'ken Lake
- Old Man Logan - Owner of The Ole Fishing Hole. Can make hats out of fish and some trash. Member of the G-Team.

Isle de Gambino
- Johnny K. Gambino - The previous "Most Powerful Man in Gaia", an aristocratic man, most likely from a wealthy bloodline. Very much alive, after having popped out of his son Gino
- Gino Gambino - Son of Johnny K. Gambino, and heir to his wealth and power. Fussed over by many fangirls (and some fanboys). Is also The Masque, Gaia's first superhero.
- Bucho - The Gambino family's Head of Security.
- Sasha - Owner of Gambino Outfitters.
- Ruby - Owner of the Gambino Hat Store.
- Peyo - Ruby's kid (Father unknown) and creative maker of paper hats.
- Meredith - The faithful banker.
- Lex - Host of Gambino's Casino.
- Becky - Host of Prize and Joy.

Durem
- Anna Corinne Von Helson - A member of Gaia's second aristocratic bloodline, and one of the self-proclaimed "Most Powerful Women in Gaia". Presumed dead.
- Marie Von Helson - A member of Gaia's second aristocratic bloodline, and one of the self-proclaimed "Most Powerful Women in Gaia". Presumed dead.
- Edmund - Owner of H.R. Wesley. Member of the G-team.
- Moira - Owner of Durem Depot. Can make inks out of bugs.
- Vanessa - Owner of Salon Durem.
- Geebus - Doorman for the Gambino Mansion in Durem.

Aekea
- Liam - Owner of Crate and Apparel. Builder of robots, and local pretty boy.
- Josie - Host of Housing Commission in Aekea.
- Bildeau - A robot that works at The Faktori. Sells wall paper and floor tiles.
- Bloudeau - A robot that works at The Faktori. Sells furnitures. Seems to love humans.
- Ribateau - A robot that works at The Faktori. Sells doors, windows, and shelves. Seems to hate humans.

GAIA Towns
- Bogie - The mad robot who stores your bugs, and can apparently taste them.
- Feebie - The depressed robot who stores your trash, and gets sick because of that.
- Yappie - The happy robot who stores your flowers.

Events
- Cindy Donovinh - Gaia's No. 1 (and only) news reporter, working for GAIA 9 Action News.
- Jack - The Halloween Spirit.
- Chick - Appearing in the Gaia Olympics 2k4.
- The Sniper - The person who shot Leon on April 1, 2005.
- Easter Rab-bot - The cyborg rabbit who gives out Easter Baskets, at Easter.
- Santa Claus - The old man who gives us Gifts, at Christmas.
- Mrs. Claus - Owner of the S CORP Guild whom gave us elf clothes at New Year's Eve

G CORP
- Grunny - A green undead rabbit with a tendency for symbiotic brain take-overs.
- LabTech013 - One of the early G-CORP LabTechs. He was killed before Halloween because he knew too much.
- LabTech062 - One of the early LabTechs.
- LabTech101 - One of the early LabTechs. He had a somewhat upbeat personality, despite being a relentless worker. Most famous for randomly shouting "I LOVE working in a SECRET UNDERGROUND TEST FACILITY!!!"
- LabTech123 (Doctor123) - One of the two surviving Labtechs after the mansion incident. He is absent-mindedly cheerful, and it is speculated that he worked a desk job, perhaps as a filing assistant. He's also the man who re-created the G-Virus.
- LabTech126 - One of the early LabTechs.
- LabTech137 - One of the early LabTechs.
- LabTech138 - One of the early LabTechs.
- LabTech247 - One of the early LabTechs.
- LabTech722 - A big Gambler at Gambino's Casino.
- LabTech909 - He's addicted to coffee.
- LabTech912 - The only LabTech who bought a Vial of Unknown Liquid. Unlucky her, she thought it was a combo perfume & lotion that would make her skin perfect forever.
- LabTech957 - He held a Home Internet Theatre, but no one showed up.
- LabTechX - Original supplier of the Vials of Unknown Liquids that cured Zombieism. Later he realesed all the Grunnies from the lab in the Gambino Mansion.

S CORP
- ElfTech003 - A very sensitive elf who collects rubber bands.
- ElfTech013 - He was killed before Christmas because he knew too much.
- ElfTech062 - Overseeing manufacturing; it's his last Christmas before retiring.
- ElfTech101 - A new employee of S CORP, very gullible and bad at keeping secrets. Also screams "I LOVE WORKING IN A SECRET ARCTIC TEST FACILITY" (Much like the LabTech with the same number)
- ElfTech123 - Not an internet-savy elf - he orders lunch for his fellow employees.
- ElfTech126 - A new employee of S CORP, he seems to have a crush on ElfTech912 and doesn't like the cold.
- ElfTech137 - Recently moved into S CORP's R&D department. Can't keep the ladies off him because of his red eyes.
- ElfTech138 - Has built a shrine to ElfTech137.
- ElfTech247 - He seems to know more about what's going on than the other elves.
- ElfTech319 - Business as usual. An elf with a solid routine.
- ElfTech369 - She tries to make sure her fellow elves maintain a healthy diet.
- ElfTech403 - Elf who is very in tune with astrology. Loves bananas.
- ElfTech404 - He is the inventor of various poorly-conceived foods, and an avid Larry Pottar fan.
- ElfTech571 - He's worried about the current goings-on, but hopeful that things will turn out fine.
- ElfTech722 - He was the The Amazing Elf, until the police started searching for him. Then he changed the name to The Amusing Elf so he could continue his Magic shows in secret.
- ElfTech909 - Spends most of his time putting toys together.
- ElfTech912 - A new S CORP employee, she's very excited about her job and loves snow.
- ElfTech957 - Recently transferred to the night shift and has been cleaning a lot lately. Has a crush on ElfTech369.
- ElfTech977 - A very introspective elf.

Alien Related NPCs
- Ron Bruise - A VERY EXCITED NPC WHO LOVES LIFE! YEAH!!
- ALIEN_UFO_01 - An egnimatic alien rumored to be wrapped in bacon, not much is known about him.
- ALIEN_UFO_02 - ( Narf ) A kind hearted and sweet natured alien, who has a bit difficulty speaking english.
- ALIEN_UFO_03 - An alien.
- ALIEN_UFO_04 - ( Zoit )An alien.
- ALIEN_UFO_05 - An alien.
- ALIEN_UFO_06 - ( Zooeep) An alien.
- ALIEN_UFO_07 - A very questionable alien with strange motives, he beleives he's a secret agent.
- ALIEN_UFO_08 - An alien.
- ALIEN_UFO_09 - ( Flarn ) An
- ALIEN_UFO_10 - An alien.
- ALIEN_UFO_11 - An alien.

NPCs yet to come
- Reinhart - The NPC of a Mining Game which was never released.
- Natasha - One of the NPCs in the Tattoo Parlor.
- Devin - One of the NPCs in the Tattoo Parlor.
- Jack Rackham - Found by a user who tried to make an account that name. Possibly a pirate or a sailor of somesort that recides near/at Gambino docks.((Although all names with Jack are considered close to the NPC, Jack, People still believe this to be a future NPC.))