February 11, 2009 - Installment #4

Hello and thanks again for taking some time to answer our questions Funk-E!  We know that you are busy getting the DC Series ready as well as the upcoming Series 5 "Paradox Green" and we certaintly don't want to destract you from that, so let's get on with questions so you can return to the job at hand!

Questions:

1) Why is it that some of the Terrapinia shops have TONS of items for sale while other shops only have a few items?

Funk-E Says: Well, that all comes down to the individual shop-keepers decisions as to how they want to manage their store. All shops have approximately an equal number of items for sale, but not all items are always available. Some shop-keepers, those with a good business sense, rotate their stock more often then others, making it appear as though they have more to offer!

2) There has been some panic about Series 1 retiring. In a past "Ask Funk-E" you stated that at some point, they would be retiring old Funkeys. Have we reached that point? Will you be letting the faithful fans know when a series is going to be retired BEFORE it happens?

Funk-E Says: While no decisions have been made at this point as to when to retire certain characters from series 1, it is safe to say that some day this will happen. But I assure you that we would not retire any Funkeys without letting the fans know beforehand!

3) Is there a plan to ever release a Dot figure to the general public (in any rarity)?

Funk-E Says: While there are no plans on releasing the Red Dot to the mass market, there is a potential that another version may be available in another way, not as a single per say, but bundled with something else...nothing is finalized at this point though.

4) Can you give us any more information/hints about the DC Super Heroes Series?

Funk-E Says: Other then the fact that I'm feverishly at work on it? Sadly, no. I'm not at liberty to comment on this series at this time...stay tuned!

5) The Red Buttons - REALLY! - What do they do? Can you give us a hint? Or are they just there for you programmers to get a giggle every time we press them?

Funk-E Says: I'm really surprised that only a few people have figured out what this does yet, and that none of them have gone public with this information. We didn't think that it would be that hard to figure out...

6) Can we have some way of managing our User Accounts? You can't delete User Names from the list (and I believe there is a maximum of 10) also; I would like to be able to change my password. If someone ever found out what my password was. They could log into my account from any computer and there would be NOTHING I could do about it.

Funk E: These are all concerns that we are aware of, and are currently investigating feasibility and timing. While none of these changes are slated for the next series, that doesn’t mean that they won’t come eventually. Your concerns with the password are valid, but it is up to you to keep that information safe. Mayor Sayso has strongly advised in all of his public service announcements to “Never share your password with anyone; you never know when Master Lox is listening!”

7) Will Chats and Multiplayers ever come out in single packs?

Funk-E Says: I’ve heard rumors of this, but I can neither confirm, nor deny these rumors…and if I did, I definitely wouldn’t say that they are correct, or that there may be something special in the works for the chat characters…definitely wouldn’t say that...

8) Some people are not getting the video when they defeat Master Lox, is there a way to fix that?

Funk E: These are users that are collecting all of the original Funkeys, correct? Not those that are digging into the code in order to try to cheat the game? While we haven’t received any reports of this happening, whenever someone digs into the code, or rearranges things into different locations, problems can and will occur.

9) Why didn't Master Lox go into the Funkiki Island portal and why do they not show Speed Racer Funkeys in the speed racer zone. Why do they only show Tach?

Funk-E Says: For some reason, Master Lox seems to ignore Funkiki Island. Maybe its because he’s allergic to the sun, but more likely is that he is so determined to defeat the Funkeys, that he has no time for vacation…its sad. Maybe if he took a vacation, he might unwind, and see that a Funkey lifestyle is the way to go!

As for Speed Racer characters, as these is only 1 speed racer, chim-chim, Racer X, etc, it would be unlikely that you would be able to run into yourself if you were speed racer...that would make 2 speed racers...but I though there was only 1 speed racer....wait, my brain hurts...

10) I know this has been asked but how close are you to finding a solution so people (like me) are able to play UBFunkeys on Windows Vista 64 bit?

Funk-E Says: We are currently addressing this issue, and will have a fix by the time the next series arrives

11) Will there ever be a custom Funkeys that you can make and create a zone in your crib – will the new online interactive tool have this kind of capability?

Funk-E Says: Creation, will be the focus of the new features we are rolling out in Paradox Green, so although you wont be able to create a zone for your crib, you will be able to create games…as for how this will be done, and what you can do with those games…I cant quite let the cat out of the bag yet. Wouldn’t want to give Master Lox the opportunity to spoil our plans would we?

12) Will there be Speed Racer , Dream State and/or Hidden Realm Adventure Packs?

Funk-E Says: While I can't confirm anything at this point, there is a possibility that a Dream State or Hidden realm Adventure pack may be produced in the future.

13) Are the sales good enough yet for Taejo, Speed Racer, and the other versions of Speed Racer GP and Chim-Chim to come into stores?

Funk-E Says: Unfortunately, I don’t believe at this time, that we will be proceeding with the release of either Taejo, or the other versions of the Speed Racer characters.

14) In the Codex, it mentions "a few times a year, all of the Funkeys gather to celebrate the changing of the seasons". Is there any chance that this celebration will be reflected in the game in any way, perhaps resulting in the decoration of some part of Funkeystown? Or having the Funkeys take on an alternative appearance? Or maybe you could make an ultra rare Funkeys; because it says very rares are made during solar eclipses, maybe on lunar eclipses there could be ultra rares?

Funk-E Says: There’s always a chance and a reason for a celebration. Typically Mayor Sayso organizes these type things. I’ll make sure to bring this up with him in our next town council!

15) Will there ever be an update that will allow us to make more cribs because most people by now have so many items they don't have room to show them all off in the 3 Cribs you can make.

Funk-E Says: This is an issue we are currently discussing, and are looking into the possibility of either allowing the user to have more cribs, or add more rooms onto the cribs that they have…..stay tuned!

16) Will the LaPutta station and Kelpy basin henchman come out since they're in the codex?

Funk-E Says: Currently we have re-fitted the Laputta station henchmen into weather satellites, and the Kelpy basin henchmen have been made into a living reef, so unless we want to deny the good Funkeys of Laputta station their weather forecasting, or remove the good fish of Kelpy Basin from their new home, we don’t have any plans to do this.

17) Of the Familiars that have become available, some have since gone away. Will they continue to come and go or is that a temporary glitch?

Funk-E Says: There are as many familiars in a tribe of familiars as there are Funkeys in a tribe of Funkeys, but while the Funkeys live in Terrapinia, familiars live in the “In-between”, and come and go as they please. Who’s to say.........maybe Angus would know better?

18) Due to recent congressional decree, the lead content in any item intended for a child of 12 or younger that is manufactured, sold or re-sold on or after February 10th 2009 must meet a standard of 600 ppm of lead content or less. Further, 6 months down the road the level will be lowered to 300 ppm, and still further (if deemed technologically possible) 100 ppm. Do all of the Funkeys products past and present meet the 600 ppm standard? Do they now meet a <100 ppm level? I ask this because the wording of the act (I just finished reading it) states that with each lowering of the allowable level, the new level will become retroactive and the existing inventory in stores and warehouses NOT meeting that standard will become a hazardous material, rendering it contraband and unsellable in any form. Since this particular thread is being relayed to a Mattel employee who may have access to the information, I would appreciate not only words of reassurance, but also some solid numbers in reference to actual lead content of these products we are putting in our children's hands. I find this act by congress excessive and unreasonable, and am in no way accusing Mattel or Radica of producing something unsafe for my kids. I just want a few sustainable facts that I can understand and reassure myself with.

Funk-E Says: While I myself am not at liberty to give you specific numbers or comment on this specific issue, I can reassure you that the safety of children is Mattels #1 concern.

19) Are the Mesofunkey Plains, Beautiful Gardens going to be zones? Or are they just rumors?

Funk-E Says: The Mesofunkey plains do exist, I’ve been there, and they are quite the sight to see. However, our Funkey technicians can only work so many hours in the day, and they are currently working on repairing the portal to Paradox Green...as for which portal they can work on next, who’s to say, maybe the mesofunkey plains, maybe the frigid murk, or maybe somewhere else...

20) I have to ask if you could give us any ideas of what the next series after DC Heroes will be called please Funk-E?

Funk-E Says: As I indicated in the previous question, our technicians can only work on so many portals at a time, and while we are working on several at this moment, who’s to say which team of techs will have that breakthrough that will allow them to open their portal first?

21) Are there ever going to be any licensed Funkeys with more of a girl theme to them? Funkeys is rare in that it's a video game/toy that doesn't directly aim itself at one gender or another. I realize that there are plenty of girls/women into things like comic books and racecars. I'm not asking this question to start a debate on gender role. I just enjoy the game, as it is, not having a boy or girl label on it.
22) Do future licensing plans include Nintendo characters?

Funk-E Says: I’m not at liberty to discuss any potential licensing deals that we have in the works until public announcements are made. However, I can say that we are looking at a wide variety of potential licenses and more girl centric licenses are being considered.

Suggestions:

The suggestions below were sent to Funk-E with this latest round of questions. As always, Funk-E thanks everyone for their input and suggestions and urges us all to keep it up!

Shop Suggestions:

1. What if there was a shop or traveling salesman who randomly appeared in different portals? He would have exclusive items to his shop or maybe very rare hard to find items. After purchasing your item the shop would disappear and show up randomly somewhere else the following day. Or what if it appeared once a week for a couple hours somewhere and if every once in a while, shopkeepers would have an item exclusive to that store!

2. I think an auction house would be fun. I'd like to try to bargain for what I get instead of getting a set price, and it would give me an opportunity to share items that I don't use in my cribs.
3. Would it be possible if when we were shopping in the shops we could put a quantity on the item(s) we were buying? I try to buy several of one item sometimes, and am forced to spend time clicking buying all of them, instead of creating the crib with the items.

Travel Suggestions (apparently even our Funkeys are lazy, LOL)

4. Startup – does anyone else find it a tad annoying that it always goes to the same spot in Funkeystown when you start the game? Would it be possible to remember where you last left the game and then give you the option to re-start in that position?

5. How about being able to buy portals to put in your crib so you wouldn't have to go all over the map to get to the portal. That would be so cool. Or being able to click somewhere on the map and then just warping to that spot.

6. I was thinking how neat it would be if the UB had a microphone on it and you could control your Funkey using voice commands. Such as "Funkey, go straight to LaPutta Station" and off it would head. Or "Funkey, go round to Glub's Castle" and it would take some random route, so you'd still be exploring the zones - it might even take you to Kelpy Basin via Funkiki Island or something! I can't see it working to play the games, but just for walking around and going to places. If you didn't have the correct Funkey in the hub to do what you were asking, it would ask you to change it.

7. Are the cars we buy a really just for show. I think that walking around through Terrapinia is very exhausting and very time-consuming can we use the cars to get around faster? Can you add gas stations and car upgrades?

Crib Suggestions - The theme of this category is: WE WANT MORE INTERACTIVE ITEMS!

8. Maybe we could have a computer that we buy that allows us to get "online" from our cribs, so instead of walking to each store in Funkeys town we could get online in our crib to buy it. Now for people to get into a haven they need a certain Funkey, so maybe for all the haven shops there could be a exclusive card you will have needed to buy before you can shop online in their store. Like if you have a VR Tiki, you could go to Tiki's shop and buy a card that will let you access Tiki's store from your computer in your crib.

9. Maps – could the maps be put in the game room and made interactive. Still keep hidden any areas you haven’t been to, but when you roll your mouse over the various havens, etc it says what they are, maybe even tell you your high score/trophy/gem status (although that is duplicating information from the trophy room, I admit)

10. Crib – I’d like to see more things to do, like jigsaw puzzles, daft little games like maybe hangman, Yahtzee, brainteasers – not to earn coins, but just for amusement...

11. I also want to know if the beds, chairs, wall hangings are interactive. Chat Funkeys have things in there shops that play a little animation but they should make other items have animations too. Just imagine your Funkey lying on a tarantula bed is that fun or what?

12. However I think they should make it so that people can purchase clothes and dress their own Funkey to show off the gender they choice. That way people can decide if they want Vroom to wear pants and a dress.

Game Suggestions:
13. I know that many games are taken from other popular ones (i.e., Asteroids, pinball, etc.). So I would like to see one based off of the Katamari Damacy idea. That game is so addictive, and now I have Funkeys... might as well keep me up for another week and a half playing both at the same time! Also, I'd also like to see one based off of Othello (aka Reversi).

14. There should be a game available to you after u buy a car

Real Life Merchandise Suggestions:
15. I'm really begging Mattel to make a Funkeys cartoon or show!! I really want to hear their voices and see some action!!!!!!

16. They should make plain white Funkeys to put in UB and customize what it looks like in the game and paint the Funkey figure in real life.

Zone Suggestions:
17. With the password to the Stitch quest being Funkapotomus and the discussion of Zoology. It would be nice to have a Zoo in Funkeystown. It is hard to discuss animals and not have a place to go to view them.

18. Ever since I got this game, I've been wanting to just play with the remote control cars with those I see in the group in Funkeystown. I think it'd be cool to have interactions like that in each zone

User Control Suggestions:
19. I have one can you trying changing the bar of your inventory since it takes a while to get some items at the very end of the list and I will like some new type of bar that shows a list of your items – or organize the inventory how you want it.

20. I think it would be wonderful for us to be able to have a 'bug-reporting' feature within the game to help the developers with the 'little' problems that come up with the game. Maybe the developers could set up a 'team' of players that could identify problems to help the developers by playing the game and checking out the forums then compile a list of things that are happening to report to the developers.

21. Could we have some way of asking for an update again? At the moment, when an update fails (which happens with remarkable regularity) you can either fiddle with the computer date, or fiddle with the files. Both of which have problems associated with them. Could we not just have a button to say Check for Updates to force it to check as if it were a new day?

22. Loot Transfer - It is cheaper to buy Loot in larger quantities, but as a family with 3 accounts, for us to get the benefit from that, we would have to spend $150. That's just absurd, however, it wouldn't be quite so bad if I could buy $50 on my account and send some of the loot to my kid’s accounts.

23. Make Familiars worthwhile - They cost enough to buy - not much less that the real Funkey. They cost more if you have more than one account, but you don't get the benefit of having them. They were supposed to make it possible for people who couldn't get hold of the real Funkeys, to play the game. But they still can't if they can't win anything from playing the games. Let us have our Coins, Trophies, Gems and Crib Access.

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