New Currency Purchase System on the Way!

We are switching our currency purchase system to a new and more reliable service. As such, beginning on May 31, 2011, 12:00 am PDT, the "Buy BLU" feature will be unavailable for a short time.

Please note that this does NOT affect Blue Mars Mobile for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. Blue Mars Mobile users will still be able to buy BLU through in-App purchase.

We will announce when the system is back online. Also, we will do everything possible to minimize the downtime, but it could take up to a few weeks. Please accept our apologies for the inconvenience, and we encourage you to purchase your user and developer BLU before May 31, 2011.

Blue Mars Mobile Augmented Reality

We recently introduced Blue Mars Mobile v. 1.4 with the new Augmented Reality features. Need to know more?

Take a look at our video for ideas of how you can use AR to create videos and screenshots including your Blue Mars Mobile avatar. Yes, the bear is a budding star, definitely ready for the small screen!

If you need more step-by-step instructions on how to make this happen in your own productions, view our video tutorial and refer to our developer guidebook.

Henk Rogers: Mission Mars!

Henk Rogers, new CEO of Avatar Reality, met with Blue Mars members on Wednesday, May 11 to make one thing perfectly clear: He's here to make Blue Mars the epitomy of Virtual World platforms. While Henk is a bit frustrated that Blue Mars is not yet in the orbit it deserves, Henk declares we have the right technology and the right developers to make it happen.

During Henk's visit, he listened to the questions and desires of the member base and responded in favor of most requests. He's working on a plan for the Blue Mars platform, and once it's in place many exciting things can happen.

• New Cities? Rogers says that he has a plan for Blue Mars, and once that plan is far enough along, cities are definitely a part of it.
• Vehicles? Henk stated that vehicles were possible, but they should be added when we have sufficiently large terrain to require vehicles.
• Card Games? Henk believes card games should be relatively easy to put in Blue Mars.
• The ability to interact with objects and animals through the use of AI? Henk says that will be an important part of Blue Mars as it develops.
• Anything new? Henk mentioned plans he's working on an Adventure Engine to drive quests and related adventures.

As to the relationship between Blue Mars on the PC and Blue Mars Mobile, Henk stated that the intent of the mobile project is to drive traffic into the Blue Mars virtual world. The Mobile platform reaches a new market and new uses, but it exists as a sibling and support to the virtual world.

Henk promised more meetings with the citizens of Blue Mars who look forward to news of his plan and moving with Henk into the Martian future.

New Blue Mars Mobile (v. 1.4) Connects Across the Net and into Reality!

Introducing some very cool features in our latest version of Blue Mars Mobile!

In our previous mobile version we connected to the Blue Mars PC client and to Twitter. Now you can link directly to Facebook as well! With one touch of a button you'll be able to send your current screen shot to Facebook. You can link Facebook back to your avatar, too, using a URL of this format: http://p.bluemars.com/launchmobile/#username

How do we interface reality, you ask? We have added some new Augmented Reality to our Martian magic! Would you like a video of you and your avatar dancing at your next party? It's possible! Just place an AR marker at the position where you want your avatar to show up, then let the cameras roll! Your avatar will appear standing on the marker in your screen shot or video. Want to share vacation shots? Add your avatar to serve as a guide. Then share your tour photos via a tweet in Blue Mars Mobile.

The size of the avatar will depend on the size of the marker. Two sizes are currently available for printing from links at this link: http://create.bluemars.com/wiki/index.php/Blue_Mars_Mobile:_AR_Mode

Download the latest version of Blue Mars Mobile (v. 1.4) at the App Store.

Meet and Greet with Henk Rogers

Henk Rogers on Mars!

Join Henk Rogers and the Avatar Reality staff Wednesday in the Welcome Area for a Meet and Greet. The festivities begin at 3:45 pm PDT (6:45 EDT, 11:45 GMT)

Find out what direction Henk has in mind for Blue Mars (PC) and Blue Mars Mobile! You can ask questions, too, but to be efficient with our time, please email questions ahead of time to josie@avatar-reality.com.

We'll wrap up Henk's visit with champagne, music, and dancing!

If you haven't yet downloaded our PC client, you can get it here: http://bit.ly/getbluemars. Please allow time for download and to create your avatar.

See you Wednesday!
Josie Blues

Congratulations to Stephany, Blue Mars Mobile Top Rated Avatar!

Over the past week, avatars on Blue Mars Mobile have been strutting their style and flashing their fashion. Voting closed on May 1, and we now have our Top Fifty fashionable avatars.

Stephany, always stylish, and full of encouraging comments to other top fashionistas, landed the #1 spot and wins 2000 BLU. The rest of the top 10, Kaylu, farahxox, nicci_uk, JESSET, JessicasMystery, madelicious84, sunpetal, estelleparnall, and ciara-pagie, win 1500 BLU.

Avatars rated 11-30 are also winnrs of 1000 BLU, and the remainder of the top 50 win 500 BLU.

Congratulations to you all! Look for more contests to come on Blue Mars Mobile.