Vanessa Mythdust

Pi is something that has always fascinated me. It's a number that goes on forever in a seemingly random fashion. Everyone knows the first three numbers are 3.14, but where it goes from there and where it eventually ends up well ... that's a mystery to most. It's hard to believe, but I've been writing here at MMORPG for a little over three years. Having just toured the KingsIsle office for my first time back in the summer of 2015, I was the perfect person to do a teaser article for the chilly Wizard101 world that was yet to come - Polaris.

Wizard101’s spring update hit the Test Realm recently and I finally got the chance to take a look at all the new features and changes. While I expected this update to mostly focus on “quality of life” additions, KingsIsle actually provided a pretty good balance by also including a brand new event and a pair of skeleton key bosses.

There are 2 - well, sometimes 3 - things I love about April. First, April is my birthday month, though, I’m sure that’ll become less exciting as I continue to age. The second (which is conditional) is Easter. When it falls in April, I finally get to consume unhealthy amounts of pastel-colored chocolates without feeling one ounce of guilt. The third? April Fool’s Day. Seeing all the crazy things companies come up with is hysterical. Joining in on the fun, KingsIsle released their 2019 April Fool’s Day mount this past Monday named “Maximum Horsepower.”

I’ve always been fascinated by complex and somewhat crazy connection theories. The Pixar Theory in particular is one that I heavily follow. Even if things don’t match perfectly, there’s just something fun about exploring what ifs and drawing dotted lines where the creators never intended them to be. Or did they?

For those who were playing Wizard101 at the time, 2015 was a pretty cool year. Jewel socketing made its introduction, sought-after gear could be found in ultra dungeons, and the players welcomed the beginning of the third arc with open arms. However, the beginning of frequent in-game contests/tournaments is something that, in my opinion, disappeared all too quickly.

So there I was ... trying to maneuver around Marleybone during Sparck’s community livestream last week. He’s currently questing in the dark gang-infested world and I wanted to join in on the fun. Although it’s nice to revisit old areas and take in all the tiny details I missed before, unexpected trips can also lead to unpleasant reunions. While on my way to Digmoore Station, I saw her. The side NPC that still irks me to this very day: Abigail Doolittle.

No doubt the sales of chocolate and flowers have been increasing in the spiral. It's Valentine's Day next week after all. Date or no date, Valentina Heartsong comes to the Shopping District every year to share her holiday goodies with the residents of Wizard City. As much as I look forward to her visit, wouldn't it be cool if there was something more this time of year?

Back in 2009, a little group called "Mercenaries for Hire" was born. It was a Wizard101 "guild" that aimed to help players with difficult bosses and dungeons. . I ended up joining the merry band of misfits in 2014. Although it was a LOT of work, my time as a merc is one of the most memorable aspects of being a part of this community. Helping others deepened my understanding of average player skill and challenged me in ways that I had never thought about before.

My heavy involvement in the KingsIsle community has exposed me to numerous opportunities ranging from contests to giveaways to anything in-between. While I started with the equivalent of a broke piggy bank, I can now say that I'm pretty well off in the virtual currency department. As of writing this article, I have 106, 962 crowns. Not too shabby ... but I've run into a problem. I don't know what to do with them.

With all the eggnog now thoroughly sipped and Santa Claus back at the North Pole, it’s time to start thinking about what 2019 will hold. I know the Wizard101 community is still hoping for a 7th character slot and a renaming feature (among countless other things) as far as in-game additions go, but today I wanted to focus on my more personal 2019 game ambitions.

Do you think students at Ravenwood actually get a winter break? I think it'd be deserved, but then again, there's always something threatening the spiral. A week off could be what the villains need to gain the upper hand. You know what ... it doesn't matter. My character has graduated Ravenwood, the newest crisis was averted, and now I'm planning on just sitting back and sipping a hefty amount of eggnog.

Even before Empyrea Part Two hit the live realm, a new Wizard101 bundle had made its way into the game. Since 2014, KingsIsle has been an active participant in Extra Life - a charity event aimed at helping sick and injured kids by uniting gamers around the world. To encourage their community to help in this effort, KingsIsle provided prizes for when players raised a certain amount of money.

I know it's impossible to please everyone in a gaming community, but Empyrea Part Two has a lot going for it. For starters, Empyrea Part Two shows how much this game has grown over 10 years. It's absolutely stunning. To get a quick aerial tour of the new areas, check out this fly-cam video KingsIsle put out last week. It shows off all the amazing views that this new update has to offer.

Wizard101 recently fully embraced the "Sherlock Bones" in all of us by creating the Great Detective Bundle. Though I don't know much about Sherlock Holmes outside of a few well-known quotes (yes, I'm very uncultured), I think the bundle itself is pretty cool on its own. Big fans will get and appreciate the nods, but non-Holmes fans like myself get to go on a hot air balloon ride. Everybody wins!

Halloween might be two weeks away, but Wizard101's parties are happening all month long. Though in-game meet-ups are typically held in castles or popular world hubs, I thought I'd share some more uncommon "spooky" spiral locations that could work as event backdrops.