Ameba raises the profile

It's been a while since I posted ... but I couldn't pass up an opportunity to comment on the new profiles.

Hate 'em.

Why?

Too jumpy
They ... jump! I hate that! When I say "jump" I mean that when I click on one person to another the position of where the profile is on my screen changes. It jumps.

With the old profiles the position stayed steady. I could place the profile window anywhere I wanted and it would stay ... just like a well behaved dog.



In the end ...
I will admit that I don't mind how the information is laid out. The addition of when the player's account was created and their last login date is a great addition. Ameba gets a point for that. Although I don't like the placement of the URL in the 'Details' tab. It should be visible straight away in 'Basics' tab.

And that's how I feel about it.

It's a good change, it just needs some tweaking.

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Photo Credit: Pictured (header): ♠MiNoBoo♠, toyo(旬)

700 AG Later...

Just to prove that Ameba is taking advantage of the innocent youth of today, I spun the Ribbon premium gacha 14 times at 50AG per spin.

700AG blown in a matter of seconds and six ribbon cushions later.  I wanted to sock whoever decided to give out a ribbon cushion almost every other spin!  WTF?!

Did this happen to anyone else??  Did ANYONE actually get the blond wig?  I think not!

Ameba, the jig is up... you guys have hit an all time low.  Stop with the premium gacha already.

Really? I mean, REALLY?!

I wished I could say that I'm all that surprised but I'm not.  Having been quite busy, I've neglected logging onto Pico for about a month (I'm sorry Instigator! May will bring lots of blog posts!).  Keeping my fingers crossed... I logged onto Pico tonight hoping (more like praying) that Ameba would wow me back into submission.  I even purchased AG thinking I might review some new items...

Well, I'm going to have to be a little bit more patient and sit on most of the AG I purchased.



Looking at the news bulletin I could tell right away that Ameba is mainly still premium gacha orientated.  I'm disappointed.  Why can't we just buy the stuff we want?  I know I sound like a broken record but it's ridiculous that because our demographic is mainly children Ameba feels like they can take advantage.  Yeah, I said it, I think Ameba is taking advantage of children!  Granted, there has been increase in premium gacha machines in Pigg as well but at least they get a chance to spin once for free... which to me screams that the Japanese Pigg players are not diggin' on the premium gacha either.  No one likes to give anything away for free if they don't have to.



Ameba, you couldn't even create some new sakura items?  I call bull***t!  Stop being lazy and greedy! Create some items that aren't for premium gacha that are new and exciting.  I'm disenchanted and utterly underwhelmed at this point.



Anywho, I'll try to end on a positive note.  The newly released wigs at the sakura room are actually kinda cute.  I'm going to get a lot of use out of this one!

Hopefully, next time my post will be filled with fun new things to see and buy but for now I'm left with quite a bitter taste in my mouth.

New Changes

It looks like the new Gummies betting function isn't the only thing Ameba has added to Pico.

Changing buttons
This is the most obvious change: the 'Travel' icon has been changed to 'Navi' - short for navigation, of course. I don't really see any benefit for changing this. What if the player doesn't know what the word "navi" stands for? There are other players than just English speakers in this game.



In my opinion, the 'Travel' was more suitable and easy to understand.

I don't even know why they did this. Well, dear me! I mist be going blind to not see the tabs at the top of the menu that say 'Travel', 'Park', 'Games' and 'Event'. Ameba decided to make them even bigger for us.

Get productive, Ameba!
These changes are really harmless. But they also don't benefit any of us either. Or, even more, they are a complete waste of time. Why can't they use the time that they put into these useless adjustments to create something productive? - like a trading system. Yes! A desperately needed trading system for all the doubles and triples in my 'Closet' from Gachas. They give me pain every time I look at them. (Of course, I am too money-loving to recycle any of them for as little as 10 Gummies.)

New language park
But don't get me wrong. Not all the changes are bad.

For example: Ameba added a new park area to World Community Parks - Vietnam Park - and I give them credit just for this one. There are more than just a few Vietnamese-speaking Picos here. I have actually seen quite a few myself. Creating Vietnamese Park is indeed a good idea.

Bugs in the system
Well, there are not only a little changes that have been made by Ameba, but an error has been going on for a very long time now. We can only wait for the day that Ameba notices this annoying little bug and fixes it.

Here's the error I'm talking about:



Oh, a ring error! Just fantastic! (Yes, I'm being sarcastic.)

With this error, whenever people ring you the "An unknown error has occurred" bubble pops up. This means the person who rang you won't show up on your 'Today's Rings' list ... unless you reload your browser.

Whew! Enough said. It is indeed a pain in the neck.

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Scarlett has her own blog, Scarlett's Pico Life. Check it out!

Slotting challenges linked to childhood obesity?

Okay, maybe that is a far stretch... but I don't know!

Unless you're buying those slotting gems, I'm guessing these things take days to complete.  Personally, I never get past the first two blocks.  At least if I decide to sit my booty down long enough to complete the second level I would get a chair this time instead of gems..  A chair that looks like it's an old gacha item :/

But any who, this is all besides the point!  My point is... Ameba needs to stop making these crazy slotting challenges that requires a kid to sit for hours every day for a week to complete. Childhood obesity may not exist in Japan but it's real yo.

Don't even get me started on gambling addiction...

We need a non-blond revolution.

I've noticed a trend with Ameba Pico. And I'm not talking about all the unscheduled maintenance breaks.

It's about wigs. Have you ever paid attention to the colours of wigs in Pico. Usually they're always dirty blond. Or as Ameba calls the colour, /bg. I'm guessing that stands for beige ... but I don't know anyone who has beige hair. It's blond, redhead, brunette or raven. Beige doesn't exists as a natural hair colour. It's what you paint your walls.



I took a look back at all of the wig product releases since January. The blond options come out far more often than anything else.

Blonde wigs:

• March 28: More Strawberry Lolita Premium Gacha
• March 26: Strawberry Lolita Premium Gacha
• March 20: Sakura Bath
• March 15: Pop Color Wigs
• February 29: New Party Wigs
• February 15: Pink Heart
• February 7: Valentine
• January 6: Stylish Leopard

Non-blonde:

• February 24: Fluffy Sheep
• January 27: Showtime Premium Gacha
• January 23: Japanese Gothic Premium Gacha
• January 19: British Premium Gacha

If you prefer to have black, brown or red hair Ameba is not giving you many options. I don't know about you, but I prefer to not be a blond.

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Another thing about wigs ... most of the non-blond (black, brown or red) wigs require you to spin Premium Gacha for a chance to win them. WTF? Wigs shouldn't be part of any AG campaign. Players should be able to buy them ... period ... hands down ... end of story.

Whether this is simply lazy community developers or Ameba's part or a bad case of Eurocentrism I'm not sure. All I know is it's annoying. And I can't be the only one who thinks this.

I don't want more yellow, blue or pink hair. I want to see more natural blacks, browns and reds!

Ameba Pico language.

To kick things off here's a commentary from a tweenage writer. She's been a great encouragement to Picostyle and we're hoping this is the first of many posts she'll contribute to the blog. We simply call her "The Young Gun". - The Picostyle Team



Every day we travel around the game, searching for props, doing our daily ring backs and greeting our buddies. But seriously, how hard is it to complete your sentences with a period? I mean, the game's amazing and stuff. But are the players aware of how they speak inside the game?

It's necessary for you to write and speak in correct grammar. Not only will it make you look smart, but it keeps the place's chat box neat.

No one would appreciate people typing LYK DIS or lIke ThIS. Yes, we can say it saves time to type in shortcuts. Besides, this is the internet. It should already be natural to use shortcuts like, brb, gtg, btw, etc. But it only costs 3 seconds to complete your sentences with proper capitalization, correct grammar and of course-- spelling.

Here are a few funny things I;ve noticed about the language we use in Ameba Pico:

• lol is used even when the person isn't really laughing. It's overused to the point where it is now just an expression of being speechless. And what's worse is that people are putting along unnecessary letters like lolz, lolsxz, etc.
• afk is a reasonable shortcut to use ... but there are some people that can't understand what it means. I've tried telling this to my close friends in real life, and they don't know its meaning. So chances are, a lot of players aren't aware of this word.
• curse words your mother would not approve of. Unfortunately, this game has been open to several curses like The F Word -- as well as swearing in non-English languages. The F Word can be used in any type of sentence. Though it gets filtered, players still find a way to use it.

Sure, using these words are much more convenient. But if you want to look smart and neat, I suggest you better start cleaning your vocabulary and fixing your punctuation. After all, it isn't so hard to do it.

Insta-Party in Pigg!

Copico's room.

She's the life of the party, every time she warps to me I give it about two minutes before her loyal posse shows up. Look how kawaii everyone is! WHY do Pigg players seem to have so much more personality and spunk when compared to Pico players? Is it because we're running around with mostly Japanese people in Pigg and they're known for enjoying showing off their street style? (Want proof? Check out the Japanese magazine FRuiTS and it's counterparts.) Is it because Pigg players are older and wiser, having already made all their fashion boo-boos in their youth they now know how to dress cool? Or could it be just simply the fact that Ameba Pigg offers more clothing and accessories?

I DON'T KNOW.

Help if you can.

I am pretty sure that everyone has at least an inkling of what is going on in Japan. It is heart wrenching for me to watch any footage of the tsunami's destruction. My thoughts are with those who have been touched in any way shape or form by this tragedy.

There are many ways you can give to relief efforts to help victims of the disaster in Japan.

Donate to relief efforts at Donation Park in Pico and Pigg
There are moments in life when it is important to pull together and lend support within in your means. Ameba Pico and Ameba Pigg have created Donation Park areas where you can purchase red balloons - hand-held or room decorations. If you can donate, please do.

The funds raised from balloon sales will go to help to aid the victims who have been effected by the earthquake in Japan. The announcement on the official Pico blog is does not mention which charitable relief organization the funds will be going to, but the announcement on the official Pigg blog states that the funds will go to Red Cross relief efforts. Hopefully, Pico will be specific about the charity and amend this info soon.

Current fundraising in Pigg
Though Pico has yet to announce how much as been raised, astoundingly, CyberAgent Inc (the creators of Pico and Pigg) are matching dollar-for-dollar all funds raised by Pigg players! Catero and I are astonished that within the past few days 371,307 in the Pigg community have raised ¥43,642,350 which CyberAgent matches, bringing the total to a whopping ¥87,284,700. That's over $890,000 U.S. dollars!

Donate to relief efforts through a charitable relief agency
For those who are not comfortable comfortable donating through Ameba you can donate directly to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. The The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world’s largest humanitarian that acts before, during and after disasters and health emergencies to meet the needs and improve the lives of vulnerable people “without discrimination as to nationality, race, religious beliefs, class or political opinions”.

If you are a Lady Gaga fan you can also contribute to disaster relief in Japan by pre-ordering the We Pray For Japan jelly bracelet that the flamboyant pop singer has designed. Bracelets will ship on March 25, 2011. All proceeds will go towards Japan relief efforts. Visit the Gaga store for Australia ($5.00), France (€5,00), Germany (€5,00), United Kingdom (£5.00), or United States ($5.00).

Every little bit counts!

If you choose to donate to a charity, make sure it's a credible organization, like the Japanese Red Cross Society, Unicef, Save The Children, or International Medical Corps. Donate now »

Learn how to donate safely:

• The Village Voice: What Is the Red Cross Doing With Your Donations to Japan?

• KMPH Fox 26: BBB Offers Tips When Donating to Japan

Show your support even if you can't donate
You don't have to have money to support relief efforts. You can show our neighbours in Japan that we are concerned for their health and well-being through other courteous gestures:

• Wear red or red-and-white in a showing of solidarity
• Put a link to a Red Cross, Unicef, Save The Children or International Medical Corps donation page in your profile URL
• Put an encouraging message in your profile
• Organize a solemn event in your room
• Encourage your family and friends to donate
• Anything else that is positive and reassuring

Let's show some love, people!

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Photo Credits: Photo 2: L7-Laia releases her balloon in Donation Park • Photo 3: Apple~苹果 (middle) wears red-and-white to show support for Japan along with Catero (left) and Peggy (right)

Deprived of Clothings?

Yes, you heard that.

First of all, I'd like to wish all those ladies a *late*.... Happy International Woman's Day!  <3

And back to the subject. It's already March and we still have the winter clothes. Nope, no Spring clothes even though MANY of us already despise winter.

The coats are still being sold, the boots are still being worn. Isn't time to switch to the 50's (in Fahrenheit of course!)?

These fashion statements enrage me. Engrage me to the point of using a meme.

And as I said, the boots are still being worn. Isn't it March, people!?!? We should be out frolicking in the fields of butterflies and candy canes, and pretty little daisies. I guess Pico is being realistic, and saying "Well, it gets only up to 50 in early March". But, I do not approve.

It's ironically hot.

Pico staff, I am awaiting some spring/summer clothes.

Huggles and kisses,
Ora18

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A Warning About Hackers:
On a side note: I have heard from Caмbria that there is a hacker lurking on Pico. He/she is hacking the rooms of the top 30 Pico rooms. I just wanted to make this side note so you guys can be safe.

Caмbria and I have both locked our rooms to be safe. I advise you guys to do the same, maybe not lock it so no one can enter, but just lock it so only your friends can enter.

You must agree that it is better to sacrifice a few rings rather than sacrificing a few clothes, AmebaGold money, room decor items, etc.

I think that the March 10th server maintenance is basically for finding who is the hacker, and stopping them.

Stay safe, guys! <3

Pico Families: Good or Bad?

Written by:


Pico families wouldn’t bother me as much if they weren’t so exclusive and elitist. Why should a person have to change the way they look and act in order to gain entrance into their social network?

One of the longest known thriving Pico families is the Makino family who are very exclusive when it comes to new members and events.

I have had several run-ins with members of the Makino family ... and let’s just say we aren’t on good terms. Each Makino has the same characteristic same eyes and same ghostly white skin. Where did the individuality go? There are also knock-off "Makinos" who are known as the Makitsu family. The started off as knock-offs, but then became a side group of the Makinos.

Again, where is the individuality?

I have witnessed their ridiculous events where they allow you into the event and ask you if you would like to join, but then deny you admission. Why would you ask then, but then deny admission? Just for a laugh?

People are so desperate in order to gain entry into the Makino family that they will dress their Picos up with the preferred characteristics and pretend that they are one of the family.



As I said earlier the Makinos and I aren’t on good terms. I’ve had ups and downs with the family leaders because I told them that their elitist attitudes was rude. Can’t I voice my own opinion? Well, as soon as I said that 5 Makinos were down my throat insulting me and telling me that I was just jealous of their family. WHO CARES? That little dispute got me kicked many of the Makino room events; so I guess I’m well-known to them now.

A similar altercation happened with the Makitsus. I voiced my opinion and I ended being put out of most of their rooms.



I mentioned that the Makitus were a knock-off group that has now turned into a side-group of the Makinos. The Makitsus now exhibit the same elitist traits as the Makinos. These families do not support individuality and whatever their leader says goes. It's like they can't think for themselves ... but why is that? Has there been a little bit of brain washing?

These families walk around like they are better than everyone else when they really aren’t.

Not all Pico families are exclusive and elitist. For example the Bleue family does not bother me at all. Though I still think the idea of a "group" that demands conformity is wrong, the Bleues value respect and individuality. Members can think for themselves and act on their own.

On the flipside, I find the Cullen family to be utterly stupid because this is Ameba Pico not The Twilight Saga.



Apparently, Pico families are the new fad for Pico, but what about the people who aren’t allowed to gain entry this makes them feel bad and unwanted. People shouldn’t feel like this. People should understand that they can be an individual and they can think and act on their own.

Be an individual forever and always.

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Photo Credits: #1-4 by ROM-eo™; #5 seen on michelley123.blogspot.com

Get well soon, Pico

Written by:


I've noticed something has happened with Pico lately. Pico keeps having a silly willy error that doesnt let me get into some rooms sometimes. I'm kinda crazy 'cause I feel like I can do nothing on Pico.



It takes forever to load things and it makes me desperado to play.



Ugh man.. I guess Pico isn't well enough to work on the game. Pico has probably caught a fever. :(

Get well soon, Pico. I hope I can catch a glimpse on you again soon. <3

Best regards,
butthead ☆

A Tale of a Tail ... of NO Tail.

Piggy, I have fallen hard for you. The allure of fishing is strong and I am weak to it's temptation ...

You have wooed me good, Piggy! But why must you make it so hard to win prizes?! I do not approve, Ameba ... GIVE ME THE GOODIES!

I have invested way too much time in Pigg fishing ... it's almost embarrassing. -sigh- What is a girl to do?! Copico, tell me your secrets?! Don't be so modest about your fishing skills, I see the award in your room.

Look at her mad skills ... as I just stand there floundering ...



Pantsless fov is no help to me either. Clearly, he is only here to distract me from my mission: to win the coveted turtle in hopes of gaining some pretty kawaii clothing prizes.



UGH. PIGGY, LOVE ME! I want to win some items! There is not much time left!! -insert Pico whine here-

Piggy Rage.

You can't tell from this picture but I'm really upset. So upset that I did not earn enough ame to buy this pink space suit that sweet_mom and Catero are wearing. I was nearly there 409 ame (Gummies) ... when they raised the price from 500 ame to 3,000 ame. WHY AMEBA WHY?!



My kawaii space dreams. :(

GONE.

So I spend my ame... Avril Lavigne blocks and doll seems like a good investment! Piggy, me no likey you so much right now.

Ayuhime's Doppelganger

Click here to see larger image

Ayuhime, you may just have a twin in Pigg. I couldn't tell for sure since she cleverly concealed her identity as soon as I was onto her. But try to squint hard and look at her profile image! Coincidence? I think not.

The many reasons I love Pigg

Written by:


Hello everyone this is ten.ten. and to coincide with Ameba Pigg: 2 year anniversary celebration I'd like to congratulate the Ameba Pigg team by sharing what makes Pigg special. For those of you who may not know, Ameba Pigg is the older sibling of Ameba Pico. While Pigg is older than Pico and has a Japanese interface that's not the only difference between the two. With over 2 million players there are good reasons as to why the numbers keep growing.


Get style.
First, I'd like to mention the fashion and shopping aspect of Pigg. One of the largest aspects of Pigg is the number of items it offers. There are new items added and rotated out fairly quickly! For the shop-a-holic it may murder your Pigg wallet but remember it's not in vain. Pigg frequently collaborates with real life companies and artists as well, such as Sanrio (including Hello Kitty), AKB48, Disney, BAPE, AnCam, Doraemon, and even Gundam Wing! Pigg has over 50 shops and definitely meets the demands of the Pigg fashionista or interior designer.

Get loaded.
If you're over the age of 18 in Pico you may be familiar with the casino. Pigg being the older sibling takes things to a whole different level. Pigg allows players to purchase gems and when used during the game it gives the player an advantage unique to the game. For example, if you use a gem in Blackjack you will always receive an ace as one of your cards. Pigg recently opened the VIP area complete with new VIP items. You must be a Gold card member to even enter the area and maximum bets are up to C$25,000!

Get game.
Say you are under the age of 18, the Tsuri (Fishing) Game gives you a great sense of accomplishment. This game allows you to choose from 5 areas and 4 levels to play in. If you catch all the fish in an area you can unlock wonderful prizes and if you prefer you can even buy a pet penguin! If gambling isn't your thing then fishing gives you another niche to fit into.

Get involved.
Last, but not least, are the players and the company. Pigg works very hard to constantly provide items and hold events to keep their members logging in frequently. Even Japanese celebrities play the game. Ne-Yo held a fan meeting event through Pigg, and on February 23rd The Black Eyed Peas will hold a Q&A session! Currently there are 3 events being held. Very recently Pigg will be opened a new area which NASA/Space themed! Please applaud Pigg for doing such a great job and if you ever find yourself bored on Pico remember Pigg is just an URL and a click away!

Join me!

• Ameba Pigg Link
• Ameba Pigg Blog link
• English Pigg community
• ten.ten pigg ID: ☜ღαηgєℓღ☞
• My Pigg blog
• My LiveJournal blog