Just before Christmas, in the dark of night, we finished work on this special edition Visions Christmas game trailer.

Just like the game is being developed, the trailer was made entirely with volunteers. But with the help of some on-call voice actors and a little grace from God, we were able to get it done. I hope you enjoy this Christmas game trailer.

With the celebration of Christ’s birth, soon follows the heralding of a new year. We are anticipating that 2010 is going to be an exciting year for our development team. We are planning the first of five scheduled Beta test launches in 2010. This will be the first opportunity for the public to access the game world.

Our goal is to have some of the intro-level quests completed. 2009 has been a really hard year for our development team so we don’t have as much done as we would like to have had done by this point, but we will still have something for players to do. I hope you will join us, and experience the first Beta launch of Visions! Stay tuned on our progress on our website http://www.visionsgame.com

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Hey guess what! Did you like some of our ties but they were just a little too high? Today only $10 off ties from Zazzle http://zazzle.com/tinyzoo* Use this code! EMAIL12TIES1

This offer good on ANY ties in our store. Chariots or otherwise.

John 3:16 tie

Luke 2:4-9 tie

Chariots tie – white

Chariots tie – Black

Chariots tie – Simple black

Visions tie – Simple black

Visions tie – white

Company tie – elegant black

Merry Christmas tie – white with colored words

EMAIL12CALS9

So I was talking to a friend today about how the economy is effecting my family.  I was telling her all the things I have tried to attempt to generate some additional income to make ends meet, and fundraiser idea our family has attempted for the activities my children are involved in, and how nothing has worked.  Convinced that I’m just not doing it right, or just not trying hard enough, or just approaching the solution from the wrong angle, she suggested that I try using some of my drawings instead.  Figured it can’t really hurt, so I spent a couple hours tonight putting together a calendar with some of the drawings I have made over the years. I only make 10% on each sale (the minimum possible listing) but their base price is so high I don’t feel comfortable raising it any higher.  So you can get my calendar here.

http://www.zazzle.com/custom_drawings_calendar_2010-158520472673915643

And if you order today or tomorrow (as I understand it) you can get $9 off your calendar purchase by entering this special code:

So put in your order right away!  Get one for yourself and one for a friend. If you don’t like the drawings perhaps you would like the Visions calendar instead. I made one of those earlier today when the $9 discount special was announced.

http://www.zazzle.com/visions_2010_calendar-158678326135363557

Support our development efforts with any purchase from the Zazzle store. Browse all our products in the tinyzoo store. http://www.zazzle.com/tinyzoo*

Would you like to keep up to date on new products posted in either our Zazzle or Cafe Press stores? Join our facebook page!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tinyzoo-Promo-Store/197962819932?ref=mf

Merry Christmas!

http://www.zazzle.com/tinyzoo*

Don’t know what to get that special someone in your life?  How about something that says MERRY CHRISTMAS from the bottom of your heart!

Everyone likes a new Tshirt!

Get one with a snowy scene:

http://www.zazzle.com/merry_christmas_snow_border_t_shirt-235105013473959045

Just the words “Merry Christmas”

http://www.zazzle.com/merry_christmas_words_only_tshirt-235094278221725654

Or one that will last the whole year long

http://www.zazzle.com/visions_palms_black_t_shirt-235251667952505317

Or for the special man in your life, get him a new tie that is both elegant and expressive.

http://www.zazzle.com/scripture_wear_tie_christmas_white_luke_2_9_14-151556696754221327

Check out these new gifts and more at our Zazzle store!

Merry Christmas!

Recession Buster! Micro Funding.

By Laurene Wells

There’s a new game in town and everyone’s a winner! Laurene Wells from Oregon and her Visions staff at Heaven’s Blessings Tiny Zoo are leaping at the chance and invite everyone to join them. They are creating a family friendly online game called Visions with an entirely volunteer team. The entire production has been created out of pocket after hours, often working late into the night, and the team collaborates over the internet from all over the world. As they approach their first beta testing release date however, they face some larger expenses, but they have found a new opportunity to raise the funds needed. It’s called Kickstarter, an online micro funding opportunity, and you can find their project here:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1799801709/visions-a-christian-mmorpg

There are a few unique concepts employed in this opportunity. The reward system gives everyone a chance to obtain a “piece of the pie” even at the smallest contribution level. The Visions project is offering such enticing things as extra game downloads, authentic ancient Roman coins (not replicas!), and even an opportunity to write a quest that will be included in the upcoming beta test release! The project only gets funded if they reach their goal, and the pledges are only collected if the project gets funded, but if they reach their goal everyone wins! The pledges get their rewards and the project gets it’s funding, and everyone goes home happy. There are no surprises, all the rewards are stated specifically on the page, so each person will know exactly what they are getting before they pledge their donation.

This opportunity seems a little bit like the Boy Scouts fundraising sales, only at a professional level. It is inviting the community to participate in the creation of something new and innovative that otherwise might not reach it’s completion. Supporters can pledge any amount, and they get something special in return that they can’t get anywhere else, something that is only available through this project. And they also experience that warm feeling inside when they know they have helped someone else achieve their dreams, that philanthropic gratification.

People who launch a Kickstarter project are participating in an opportunity to defeat the recession on a massive scale. Where every other business funding strategy depends on big corporations, with deep pockets, restrictive guidelines, and frightening gatekeepers; this funding opportunity is open to everyone with internet access and capitalizes on the grand scale of consumer interest. Traditional funding depends on corporate investors, and large banks. Kickstarter funding depends on individuals, regular citizens, to vote for their favorite projects with their pledges. Not unlike the scene in the movie “Ants” when they realized that they didn’t have to be ruled by the big grasshoppers anymore, that by sheer numbers they could conquer the grasshoppers and take over their home by themselves despite their small size, this micro funding opportunity works much the same where a bunch of people with a little bit of input can accomplish great things.

The Visions project is targeting their project to gamers who are interested in more meaningful content, and families who are looking for positive alternatives to the other games available on the market. Because the content Laurene is designing in Visions is such a groundbreaking concept in the game industry, and because the game is being produced by a Homeschooling Mom and a volunteer team, the traditional industry investors won’t even talk to her. But she and her team of developers are absolutely convinced that the game they are making is in demand by an untapped market of families, and Christians, and people who are interested in history or education, that they press on every day to bring this new online game to the public. The first public beta test is scheduled for March, 2010 which is right around the corner. But to achieve that goal they need funding for cluster servers, office supplies, and marketing expenses, which is where the Kickstarter project comes in to save the day. And the best part is, pledges have the opportunity to become involved in the project as well!

Visions is a family friendly Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game (MMORPG) set in the ancient Roman empire, starting on the island of Cyprus. As development continues the terrain will be expanded to include more of the holy land as well. Visions gives players the chance to experience history. They will go back to 100 AD during the reign of emperor Trajan, experience the political climate, and learn a trade to support themselves. A great deal of research has gone into the design of the game in an effort to create a more realistic environment that will have educational value while the players are having fun. Visions is a quest and skill based game, meaning that the focus is on learning and improving skills as opposed to killing things to gain experience based levels. Their slogan is “A different kind of game for a different kind of gamer” which they believe there are a lot of people out there who would enjoy playing games with their family or friends, if the focus was taken off of killing and redirected to more meaningful interactions. There will still be enemies to conquer, possessions to defend, prizes to be won, and challenges to overcome, but the focus will be on achieving goals, not slaughtering monsters. The hope is that families and friends will find a common ground to play together, to strengthen relationships, and make the world a better place as a result.

The Visions project deadline for Kickstarter is the end of November. So anyone who wishes to participate in this opportunity, maybe use the pledge rewards for Christmas presents, needs to log in and act fast. Time is almost up!

~-~

Laurene Wells is the Producer of Visions and owner of Heaven’s Blessings Tiny Zoo. She resides in Oregon with her husband and four homeschooled children. Her development team is located all across the United States, Canada and around the world, and they meet online via the internet. Anyone who is interested in contributing to the project as a volunteer developer can apply online or learn more about the game at www.visionsgame.com

(Forwarded from email. I felt it was worth posting.)

There recently was an article in the  St. Petersburg Fl. Times. The Business Section asked readers for ideas on:  “How Would You Fix the Economy?”
I think this guy nailed it!
_____

Dear Mr. President,

Please find below my suggestion for fixing America ’s economy.  Instead of giving billions of dollars to companies that will squander the money on lavish parties and unearned bonuses, use the following plan. You can call it the “Patriotic Retirement Plan”:

There are about 40 million people over 50 in the work force.  Pay them $1 million apiece severance for early retirement with the following stipulations:

1) They MUST retire.  Forty million job openings – Unemployment fixed.

2) They MUST buy a new American CAR.  Forty million cars ordered – Auto Industry fixed.

3) They MUST either buy a house or pay off their mortgage –Housing Crisis fixed.

It can’t get any easier than that!!

P.S. If more money is needed, have all members in Congress pay their taxes…

Mr. President, while you’re at it, make Congress retire on Social Security and Medicare. I’ll bet both programs would be fixed pronto!

This is my Mom’s recipe for Popcorn balls or Carmel Corn. We made Popcorn Balls a couple weeks ago and they were SOOO yummy! I had forgotten how good they were.

I think next I will make caramel corn with pecans.

Anyone may use this recipe in your kitchen, but please do not publish it in any reproductions. Thank you.

Caramel Corn (also Popcorn Balls)

2 c. Brown Sugar
1 c. butter (2 sticks)
1/2 c. white corn syrup
1 t. salt
1/2 stp. baking soda
12 c. popped corn
1 c. nuts (for Caramel Corn – optional)

Have popped corn ready on 2 large cookie sheets for carmel corn, or one very large bowl for popcorn balls. (leave extra space for stirring in the bowl!)

Combine brown sugar, butter, syrup and salt. Bring to a boil. Boil 5 minutes.  Stir in soda (it will froth and bubble – stir quickly!). Pour immediately over corn. Stir while pouring so coating totally covers the popcorn.  Backe in 250 oven for 1 hour.  Stir every 15 minutes. Remove from oven. Stir while cooling.

VARIATION: To make Popcorn balls, DO NOT BAKE. Pour mixture over popped corn. Stir well until all is coated.  Use butter to protect and grease your hands, and shape into balls. Set aside. Wrap in plastic wrap and store in a dry place.

2 Thessalonians 1:3-5 (NIV)

I am home sick today.  I’ve had a low grade fever off and on for a couple days (I think that part is finally over) and cough, and sneezing, and head and chest congestion, and a mild headache. So I thought I should stay home from church so I don’t make the little old ladies and gentlemen sick with my coughing and sneezing. I am not so sick I can’t work, in fact I stayed up late last night editing that stupid video some more.  But I just don’t want to make others sick too.

While I was laying in bed this morning thinking about this, a message seemed to come to me. Or maybe I imagined it. I’m not sure.  But I want to share this with you, perhaps it will encourage someone.  I had thought of some verses I’ve read in the past, and I want to share them with you.

1 Thessalonians 3:1-7 (NIV)

¹So when we could stand it no longer, we thought it best to be left by ourselves in Athens. ²We sent Timothy, who is our brother and God’s fellow worker^[a]in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, ³so that no one would be unsettled by these trials. You know quite well that we were destined for them. ⁴In fact, when we were with you, we kept telling you that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way, as you well know. ⁵For this reason, when I could stand it no longer, I sent Timothy to find out about your faith. I was afraid that in some way the tempter might have tempted you and our efforts might have been useless. ⁶But Timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought good news about your faith and love. He has told us that you always have pleasant memories of us and that you long to see us, just as we also long to see you. ⁷Therefore, brothers, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith.

I think in some ways this says if we are not being persecuted, facing trials and tribulations, and being challenged in our faith, then we’re doing it wrong.

James 1:2-5 says
²Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. ⁴Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. ⁵If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.

So I think this is saying, we really should be persevering in our work for the Kingdom of God despite our circumstances, through sickness and health, through trial and triumph, through poverty and success, through pain and well being.  We should expect these challenges to happen, and we should face them with courage that God is on our side, and that He will help us weather the storm and trust that if the waves become too rough that He will calm the seas.  But if the seas do not seem to be calming, then trust that it means God is using your life as a witness to the world that He is strong enough to bring you through the storm to victory despite the circumstances surrounding you. We should not be looking for excuses to take a break, we should be looking for more opportunities to spend time working on the tasks He has called us to do. When we have to take a sick-day from our day jobs, that should be an opportunity to have a work day on Visions. When we have a pay-cut (like my husband had this last week) in our income, we should ask God to show us how to turn this into an opportunity to demonstrate His divine provision in our lives.

Thanksgiving and Prayer

³We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing. ⁴Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring.

⁵All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering.

Do not feel like God is throwing you to the wolves, or that He is allowing you to be attacked by the enemy and is doing nothing to protect you. For the Bible promises that we are shielded by God’s divine power.  We will face trials, yes. But not without God walking by our side to help us every step of the way! And it is for a purpose: to grow our faith.

1 Peter 1:5-7
⁵who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. ⁶In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. ⁷These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

I don’t know about you, but if I’m going to go through trials and sufferings and grief, I would much rather do it WITH God, than without Him!  I see that non-believers suffer trials and tribulations also. But they suffer without hope. We have hope in Jesus!  The Bible has a lot to say about hope!  Do not be discouraged, we have HOPE in the LORD!

Psalm 25:4-6 (NIV)

⁴ Show me your ways, O LORD,
teach me your paths;

⁵ guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my Savior,
and my hope is in you all day long.

⁶ Remember, O LORD, your great mercy and love,
for they are from of old.

Psalm 33:20
We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield.

Psalm 43:5

Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.

Isaiah 40:31

but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Jeremiah 29:11

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Lamentations 3:24-26 (NIV)

²⁴ I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him.”

²⁵ The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him,
to the one who seeks him;

²⁶ it is good to wait quietly
for the salvation of the LORD.

Acts 23:6

Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees and the others Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, “My brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee. I stand on trial because of my hope in the resurrection of the dead.”

Romans 5:1-5
¹Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we^[a]have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ²through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we^[b] rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. ³Not only so, but we^[c] also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; ⁴perseverance, character; and character, hope. ⁵And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

Romans 12 the entire chapter has a GREAT DEAL to say, I think, to our topic.  Please read the whole thing if you have a moment. Here are some highlights.

⁵so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. ⁶We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his^[b]faith. ⁷If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; ⁸if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.
⁹Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. ¹⁰Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. ¹¹Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. ¹²Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. ¹³Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

¹⁴Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. ¹⁵Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. ¹⁶Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.^[c] Do not be conceited.

Romans 15:4

For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

Romans 15:13

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 9:9-11

⁹For it is written in the Law of Moses: “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.”^[a] Is it about oxen that God is concerned? ¹⁰Surely he says this for us, doesn’t he? Yes, this was written for us, because when the plowman plows and the thresher threshes, they ought to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest.

1 Corinthians 13:13

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

2 Corinthians 1:10

He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us,

Ephesians 1:17-19

¹⁷I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit^[a] of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. ¹⁸I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, ¹⁹and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength,

Colossians 1:27

To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

1 Thessalonians 5:8

But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.

When we interview new recruits, we tell them to put on their armor of God. We warn them to expect unusual and immediate challenges to arise which will seem to attempt to deter them from participating on our team.  Some I think don’t really believe it can be this predictable, but it happens to 100% of people who have joined our team. Notice here that HOPE of salvation is what protects our head!!!  When we let doubts and discouragement (I’m guilty here!) enter our minds, it is like blow to the head without a helmet on!  When targeting wild game for food, what is the best place to aim your bullet? The head, drops them right in their tracks and doesn’t damage any of the meat.  What stops our development faster than anything else? Is it lack of finances? Is it lack of marketing? Is it poor health? No… it’s doubt, discouragement and dispair!  Put on your helmet of HOPE in salvation!  Be strong an courageous! The LORD IS WITH YOU!

Joshua 1:5-9
⁵ No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.

⁶ “Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. ⁷ Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. ⁸ Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. ⁹ Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”

And if the Lord is with us, who can stand against us?  What reason have we to lose hope, to take time off from doing His good work, to delay another day in accomplishing what he has called us to do today?  When Jesus said “Go into all the world and teach all nations” I think he meant “right now!”  Not, “after life is perfect and you have nothing better to do,” but “go now!”

Mark 9:40

for whoever is not against us is for us.

Romans 8:31

What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?

^{Matthew 28:18-20
18}Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in^[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

I hope this is an encouragement to you today. Do the good work which God called you to do. Do it to the best of your ability. And do it with diligence and perseverance.

God bless you.

-Laurene

The concept behind Kickstarter is to have a lot of people pledge a small amount to accomplish something great!  Artists, musicians, small business owners, explorers and even game developers all find a warm welcome in this new opportunity to help one another, and help themselves at the same time.

We just launched our project on Kickstarter TODAY! Come check it out!

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1799801709/visions-a-christian-mmorpg

Thanks for supporting us!

Still have 2 contests in the running. And people can vote once a day.

This one at startup nation is for a publicity package:
http://www.startupnation.com/homebased100/contestant/7272/index.php

This one at Idea Cafe is for a small business grant:
http://digg.com/d31788K

(Remember to Click the DIGG button!)

Both would be helpful to our efforts. We’re really close on the Startupnation contest, I have no idea how we’re doing on the Idea Cafe contest. Thank you for voting for us!