Greetings Citizens of the Empire!

The people behind the Empire have been talking recently about a way to get the word out about Istaria.  We've also heard members of the community talk about how difficult it is many times to find someone to help with a quest or to group with to take on a particularly difficult monster. Listening to these very valid concerns made us all realize that we have a common goal here. We need to get the word out about what a great place Istaria is for fantasy gaming!  And with the real world economy being what it is, we know that there are many of you who would love to have a second plot but can't afford the additional cost. So we thought, "What if we help those who help us by launching a grassroots campaign using the very people who know the world of Istaria best?"

So here's our plan.

We've put together a "Spread the Word" program that will let anyone who gets the word out about Istaria on a regular basis to receive a FREE additional plot slot with their paid Property Holder Access / Subscription.  Every time you share what you did in Istaria on YouTube, Blogspot, LiveJournal, FaceBook, a game forum, or another public web site, you could be on your way to an additional plot slot!  Read below for full details.

Qualifying Entries

We've tried to make this as broad as possible. We know that not everyone is a wordsmith, so video and screenshot entries are also valid. Any of the following qualify:

• Videos - YouTube
• Blogs - Game review blog
• Posts - Facebook, Google+ or game forum
• Game Review - Most sites with a specific review section (contact us)
• Screenshots - Deviant Art, Regular MMO News Sites, etc.
• Gameplay Streaming - Twitch, etc.

Content Format

• Video: You can make a short story using Istaria video as cuts between written segments, or just have a video of something you think is cool. Your video must show off Istaria or show off a particular aspect of game play. Please make sure to properly define and attach keywords to your video (istaria, dragon, crafting, gnome, etc.)
• Blogs: You can write a story, commentary, critical discussion, or any other format that is comfortable.
• Posts: Your post should talk about Istaria and contain details that help a new / existing player know more about Istaria. It’s acceptable to write a short review about a content update or other feature of Istaria.
• Screen Shots: Your screenshots should have a short description of what is happening in them and be clearly marked as relating to Istaria.
• Stories - Short stories also count if they are clearly set in the world of Istaria

Details

• In order to qualify for a free plot slot, you must maintain one Property Holder subscription.  Multiple subscriptions does not equal multiple additional plot slots.
• Qualifying submissions must be on websites accessible to the general public without requiring registration or pre-approval to be read.

• For example, if you are blogging about Istaria, your profile must be open to the general public, not set to "Friend Only" in order to qualify.
• Websites which require one to register to read do not qualify (sites that require you to register in order to post are fine).
• Note that as of June, 2013 we no longer will consider MySpace.com for blog sites.  Unfortunately due to the ever changing world of social media, MySpace simply does not have enough “traffic” on it any longer, and the purpose of this program is to bring more players to Istaria and “Spread the Word” about our virtual world.
• Websites do not have to be in English - any language is acceptable so long as we can clearly tell that what is being talked about is related to Istaria.

• Content details related to Istaria:

• Your blog or post does not need to be dedicated to Istaria - you just have to talk about Istaria in the entries you submit.
• This program is about spreading the word about Istaria in a positive manner. We're not saying everything has to be rosy, but if you're blogging about  how much you hate Istaria, those are not going to qualify. Alternatively, a constructive discussion of what's not right about crafting, monsters, story or whatever else has got you annoyed is completely acceptable.

• It must be clear that whatever you place on the internet is a reference to Istaria. As a minimum, mentioning the word Istaria.  Blogs about Istaria should have keyword "tags" associated with them such as "dragon", "MMORPG", "role playing", "online game", etc that will help those searching for a game to try to find your blog.

Ideas and Examples

• If you're interested in getting involved, but unsure if you could really have enough to blog about, remember that a post doesn't have to get into great detail. If you play Istaria, chances are your friends would be interested in playing - or at least interested in what you're doing in Istaria. Web sites such as Facebook and Twitter, or any other public place are acceptable to post about:

• your triumph over the Myloc Queen
• a note and link the latest Istaria news or release notes
• how you completed your guild house

• You can take video of completing your guild house or even video of constructing your house. Another option would be to write a short story and then act out the segments in Istaria - alternate your video with text and video.
• If the idea of a blog seems a bit too personal, but you are interested in writing sections of a fantasy story each week related to Istaria, this works too. Just remember you need to post it somewhere that the general public can gain access.

Requirements

Note: All blogs, videos and screenshots must include a link to www.istaria.com in the actual entry.  Forum posts where the posting rules prevent adding links to other websites will not require such a link. Below is a rough guide - if you’ve put extra effort into something, contact us and I’m sure the devs will be reasonable.

• Videos - 4 video entries per month
• Blogs - 4 blog entries per month
• Posts - 8 posts per month
• Screenshots - 8 quality screenshots per month

* Note that each entry being submitted MUST have an individual link to it, not just a general link to your blog site, youtube name, etc.  Entries submitted are free-to-use by Virtrium in future marketing and thus need to be directly connected to the particular month's property slot.  Posts must be made in the month immediately prior to when the Property Slot begins to qualify.

For Facebook entries, you must add yourself as a fan for Istaria and befriend me (Amarie).  For Facebook in particular, you must post your entries on our Fan Site page, not just your own profile, and you must be an official fan of Istaria.

• Facebook Istaria Group: https://www.facebook.com/istaria

If you belong to a different social networking website and feel that Istaria and I should have a presence there as well, please submit a support ticket so we can consider that site as well.

Invalid Entries

Please note we're not going to be draconian with checking entries - but want to make it clear that a lack of effort doesn't promote Istaria very well and trivializes the effort that other people will put into their submissions.

• Anything you do must not be out of context - replying to someone's post and dropping the word Istaria is not appropriate. If you're genuine, then we want to encourage that, but shill posts are counterproductive to what we're trying to do.
• Entries without any effort - a video of you running around playing for 5 minutes doesn't count, and likewise a post that "Istaria r0ck5" won't cut it either (but we appreciate that you like Istaria).

Your Plot Slot

At the end of the month, submit a support ticket through https://support.istaria.com with separate links to each of the posts, blogs, forums, etc. that you did during the month. Someone from the support team will have a quick look and add a plot slot to your account if you qualify.  Keep in mind that you will need to submit a support ticket each month with new links to renew your plot slot.

Those who work to keep readers of gaming related websites and forums up to date with news about Istaria are just as important in getting the word out.  If you have had a review of Istaria posted, or are willing to write a review to submit to an MMO related website, please contact us immediately.  For anyone who is interested in being an "Istaria correspondent" with one of the major MMO websites, please contact me as well.

As always, if you have questions, please feel free to submit a request for information through https://support.istaria.com and submit your questions to Community Relations.

Yours in Istaria,

Amarie Ancalimon

Istaria Community Manager