VZones Billing & General FAQs

Here you will find answers to some common billing questions and some general information about VZones. If you can't find the answers to your questions here you can contact support. For account/billing questions, you can use the Account Support Form to send a message to support. For other questions, or if you have problems using the form, you can email support at support@vzones.com. Please allow 24-48 hours for support to respond to your question.

Account/Billing FAQs

How can I pay for my subscription?
The preferred process is by credit card or debit card, but you can also pay using PayPal's Subscription service. Naturally, you must open a PayPal account first. For details see the PayPal FAQ page. PayPal accounts take 24 hours to activate as they have to created manually by our team. For quicker access to new accounts, use our credit card system on the regular sign-up page.

Can I pay my subscription by check or money order?
You cannot pay by check or money order. You can however pay using PayPal. For details see the PayPal FAQ page. You can also pay using Western Union. For details, see the Western Union instructions page.

When does the charge hit my credit card or debit card account?
Your credit card or debit card is immediately charged when your subscription starts. For renewals, we take the funds on the last day of your current subscription.

How and when can I cancel my account?
You can cancel your account at any time, just go to: www.vzones.com, sign on to your account and select the Accounting option. You will be taken to a page where you can make changes to your account.

Please Note: When you cancel your account, the change goes into affect at the end of your current subscription. You will be billed for your current subscription. Customers who pay by PayPal or Western Union cannot use the accounting function to cancel. Please go to the Account Support Form to notify our support group. If you have difficulties with the form, you can email support at support@vzones.com. Please allow 24-48 hours for support to respond to your question.

How do I change the credit card or debit card I'm using?
You can change the credit card or debit card you're using at any time by going to www.vzones.com, sign on to your account and select the Accounting option. You will be taken to a page where you can make changes to your account

How do I change my password?
You can change your password at any time by going to www.vzones.com, sign on to your account and select the Accounting option. You will be taken to a page where you can make changes to your account.

How do I create a second account?
You can create as many accounts as you wish. However, we limit the number of accounts that can be created on one credit card or debit card to three. To subscribe go to the VZones signup page.

When do account changes take place?
Changes are immediate.

Can deleted accounts be reactivated?
Deleted accounts can be reactivated but there will be no avatars on the account. Please go to the Account Support Form to notify our support group if you want to reactivate a deleted account. If you have difficulties with the form, you can email support at support@vzones.com. Please allow 24-48 hours for support to respond to your request.

Can cancelled accounts be reactivated?
Cancelled accounts can be reactivated up to 90 days. Please go to the Account Support Form to notify our support group if you want to reactivate a cancelled account. If you have difficulties with the form, you can email support at support@vzones.com. Please allow 24-48 hours for support to respond to your request.

General Information

Special characters in names:
Symbols such as "@" or "&" in an avatar's name may cause problems with ESP messages. As an example, if you send ESP to somebody with the cents-sign symbol, the server does not think the avatar is inworld and redirects the message to ESP mail. This is rather annoying, but the avatar can still receive the message. Those trying to type in a name with special characters may not be able to duplicate the character easily.

A Short Glossary of VZones Terms:

People in VZones

Acolyte:
An Acolyte is an avatar who serves the community of Dreamscape. You can page an Acolyte for inworld help, they are there to assist you. To page the Acolyte on duty, click on the Help menu and choose Page Acolyte.

Acolyte Painter:
Acolyte Painters are specially trained Acolytes who can assist members by filling custom paint cans and helping them to create paint codes.

Avatar:
Avatar is the technical name of your online persona.

Caretaker:
A Caretaker is an avatar who serves the newHorizone community by assisting the World Managers in building the virtual zones, implementing events, and helping oversee the development and smooth running of newHorizone.

Guide:
A Guide is an avatar who serves the community of newHorizone. You can page an Guide for inworld help, they are there to assist you. To page the Guide on duty, click on the Help menu and choose Page Acolyte.

Guide Painter:
Guide Painters are specially trained Guides who can assist members by filling custom paint cans and helping them create paint codes.

Oracle:
An Oracle is an avatar who serves the Dreamscape community by assisting the World Managers in building the virtual zones, implementing events, and helping oversee the development and smooth running of the Dreamscape.

Welcomer:
Welcomers are avatars who greet new members and assist them in learning about their new community.

WM:
WM stands for World Manager. World Managers manage all aspects of inworld needs.

Other Terms

ATM:
ATMs are found all around each world. The tokens you earn inworld appear in the ATM. You can deposit, withdraw, or check your token balance by clicking on the ATM and choosing the option from the menu. The token balance shown when clicking an ATM does not include any tokens you may have in your pocket.

Avatarwares or AW:
Avatarwares are add-ons you can purchase to use in VZones. There are heads, bodies, clothing, accessories and other items you can purchase. Avatarwares are purchased separately for each VZone world. The Avatarwares page explains how the process works and has catalogs for each world.

Client:
Client is the technical name for the VZones software that is installed on your personal computer. It's a "client" of the VZones "server."

Ghost:
A ghost is a member who's avatar is not visible on the screen, but is in a locale. When you first log in you will be ghosted. If you are on the ground, you ghost by clicking the Ghost button on your toolbar. The Ghost button is the button next to the arrow buttons. If you are ghosted and want to be on the ground, click on the Ghost button and this will place your avatar in the center of the locale. If you want to unghost in a particular spot, click that spot and choose Become an Avatar Here or Become an Avatar at Back. You can tell if there are ghosts in a locale you are in by looking at the top right corner of your screen. If you see an eye there it means there are ghosts. Ghosted members are often referred to as being in the clouds. In some special areas or at certain times the ghost graphic may be different from the usual eye, but most of the time the eye is what you will see. The typical ghost eye looks like this:

 

Inworld or inZone:
This refers to being inside a VZones virtual zone or world

Server:
Server is the technical name of the machine that runs the codes and scripts to display VZones. It communicates to all the clients logged into it. When you Enter VZones, you're logging into the VZones server.

Token:
Tokens are the inworld currency. You earn tokens with time spent in a VZone. Currently in newHorizone you will earn 100 tokens per hour (up to 5 hours per day) and in Dreamscape you will earn 60 tokens per hour (up to 10 hours per day) for time spent inworld. They are paid out every hour of online time completed. Check your nearest ATM for your account balance. Tokens are often referred to as Ts. Tokens can be used to purchase items from Vendos or from other members.

Vendo:
A vendo is an inworld vending machine. There are many items that you may purchase inworld with your tokens.

VZT or WAT:
VZT stands for VZones Time. WAT is an older term that stands for WorldsAway Time. Both are the same as the Pacific Time Zone. Many events in the zones are announced in WAT or VZT. Sometimes times wil be referred to as nH Time in newHorizone, or DS Time in Dreamscape, but they refer to the same time as VZT and WAT.

Waking World, Real World or RL:
This is where we all live when not in the VZones.

VZones Technical FAQs

There are a few common problems that members encounter when entering the VZones.

If you’re having problems, try these remedies first:

Problem: You try to log on but you keep getting one of two error messages:

1. "Sorry, your version of the VZones software is not supported by this server".
2. You are asked to download the software again and again.

Remedy: First, make sure you are logged into the correct VZone. For example, if you subscribe to Dreamscape, you will not be able to enter newHorizone. If you are entering the correct VZone, then try the steps outlined in this post in the VZones forum.

Problem: The first time you try to enter the system doesn’t recognize your account ID or password.

Remedy: Open your browser, if it is Internet Explorer, go to the Tools menu at the top of the page, select Internet Options from the drop-down menu and then under Temporary Internet files, delete all files. You may want to reboot your computer and then enter the VZone you subscribe to.

Problem: My computer seems to be stopping me from opening the client software or connecting. I access from a machine that uses a firewall .

Remedy: Here are some general tips for accessing VZones from behind a firewall:

1. Fully routed network where each client computer has its own public IP.

Such networks are used in Universities, large companies or similar governmental, corporate or educational facilities. The computers in such a network are always "online" and can use the VZones software without having to prepare the client computer or network. However, the network operator may decide to block certain "unknown" network traffic to increase the security on the network. If such a firewall is installed, you would have to contact your responsible operator to have a number of TCP ports opened on the firewall. 

DreamScape: IP: 209.128.68.141 ports: 14000 and 32900
newHorizone: IP: 64.90.184.5 ports: 14010 and 64697
Seducity: IP: 64.90.184.23 ports: 15010 and 32910

2. Small network with Network Address Translation Smaller companies, or home networks use Network Address Translation (NAT) to share a single Internet connection - and thereby, a single Internet address - among many clients. 

Just like in the setup above, the client computer usually has full access to the Internet, unless a Firewall is blocking several specific or many unknown ports. In this case, you would have to make sure that the same ports as listed above are opened up. Additionally, however, the client computers need to be able to resolve the symbolic hostnames that are used when logging in into the real IP addresses. For this, either a redirecting DNS server or DNS proxy need to exist in the network and be configured for the client computer. Most small business / home network NAT solutions provide such a service, including Windows' built-in Internet Connection Sharing service.

3. LAN with dedicated Proxy server(s) 

Proxy servers do NOT, unlike a NAT router, provide a direct connection from the client computer(s) to the Internet. VZones 3.0 and above include support for SOCKS based proxy servers. If such a proxy exists in your LAN, you have to configure Windows' Internet settings with this SOCKS server's details (name or IP address, port) before installing the VZones client.

Other Proxy servers, such as simple HTTP proxies (Squid, WebWasher, MS Proxy Server, ...) are not sufficient to run VZones.

4. Traditional Dial-Up connections 

Occassionally, Internet providers block unknown ports for their customers. If this is the case, you should ask your ISP to open the ports listed above, or, if your ISP refuses to do this, switch to a different provider.

Problem: You get a full or half black screen when you try to enter, or may be able to enter, but not get a complete or correct screen.

Remedy: This is often due to your video card not being able to cope with our color settings. To fix this, go to Start button on the desktop, open Settings and then Control Panel, and then select Display. In the Display Properties dialog box, select the Settings tab and choose the 256 colors option in the drop down menu. Click the OK button and then reboot.

Problem: You install a new launcher plug-in and then cannot enter the VZones.

Remedy: As with many applications, download plug-ins such as Getright, often inadvertently reassign files. You will need to uninstall the plug-in and then reboot.

Problem: You install an unauthorized VZones plug-in that you may have learned about from another VZones member. Once installed, you can enter the VZones but some functions no longer work.

Remedy: Don’t install unauthorized VZones plug-ins. You will need to uninstall the plug-in, reinstall the VZones client software and then reboot.

Question: If I reinstall the client will I have to reload all of my graphics?

Answer: Yes, most likely you will lose your graphics. Here are instructions on how to back them up and replace them.

Click Start then click on My Computer. Double click the C:\ drive. Double click the Program Files folder. Double click the VZones folder.

Right click the "WSRES" folder and select copy.

Click on the Edit menu, then click Paste to make a copy of your graphics files. Drag this folder onto your desktop. Name this folder something other than "WSRES" such as "WSRESBACKUP".

After you reinstall the VZones client, browse to your VZones folder, DELETE the WSRES folder, and replace it with the backup you made on your desktop. Rename the new folder to WSRES and you will be set to go.

Macintosh Technical FAQs

Note for users of Intel Macs or any Mac running Leopard (OS 10.5 and above):
Classic (Mac OS9) is not supported on Intel Macs or in Leopard. If you are on an Intel Mac or running Leopard you must be able to run Windows and download and install the Windows client. Intel Macs can use Boot Camp or Parallels to run Windows. G4 and G5 Macs running Leopard can use VirtualPC to run Windows.

Here are some sites with information:
http://onmac.net/
http://www.apple.com/bootcamp/

If you're having trouble with the installation process for the Macintosh you may have a corrupt file and will need to delete the installation file and download it again from the Macintosh OS9 Download page. If you are using Classic, make sure you have Classic running before running the installer program.

If you are having problems getting inworld, delete all clients you have installed by placing them in the trash and emptying it. By default the VZones installer places the vzones folder on the top level of your hard drive so if you haven't moved it, just double-click on the hard drive icon on your desktop and scroll down until you see the folder named vzones.

If you are running OS8 or OS9 natively (not using Classic):

1. Open your IE 5.1 or Netscape 7 Browser.
2. Go to the Edit menu and down to select Preferences.
3. Select the File Helpers under Receiving Files.
4. When you find a file called vzones, delete it, if there is more then one of these delete them all.
5. Click ok.

For both native and Classic users:

1. If you don't have a copy of the installer saved on your computer you will need to download it again from the Macintosh OS9 Download page.
2. Reinstall a new copy of the client from scratch, making sure you only install it once and do not have any other earlier copies of the client on your computer.
3. Once installed log back onto your account at http://www.vzones.com.

Once you have logged in, you will be downloading a file named worldLogin.pl. With some browsers you can specify what program to use to open this file. If you get that option, navigate to the vzones folder and click on the application vzones. If you do not get that option, then save the worldLogin.pl file to your desktop. Once it has downloaded, you should be able to drag the worldLogin.pl file on top of the vzones application program and drop it there.

If you are still having difficulties, please check the Help Desk Forum. If you can't find answers to your questions there, use the Macintosh Support Form or email support@vzones.com to contact support. Please allow 24-48 hours for support to respond to your question.

VZones PayPal Subscription FAQs

Q: When I sign-up for a VZones subscription using PayPal, how soon can I get into my account?

A: The PayPal process is not automatic, and therefore it takes a little time for us to manually create a new account.

If you have enough cash in your PayPal account now, your new VZones subscription will take up to 24 hours to be opened. You will receive an email from us as soon as your new account has been set up and you will be able to enter after you have downloaded and installed the VZones client software.

If you have little or no cash in your PayPal account and have a credit card or debit card linked to your PayPal account, PayPal will withdraw cash from your linked credit card before they will pay us. If there is sufficient funds availble on the credit card or debit card your account will be opened withing 24 hours. If not, opening of your account will be delayed until funds are available to PayPal.

We do not accept payments by E-Check via PayPal. As long as you have sufficient funds in your account, we honor payments, so if you move money into PayPal using e-checks, please make sure you do so in good time before making payment to us. This process can take PayPal up to two weeks.

Q: Do I have to renew my PayPal subscription every month?

A: No. PayPal will automatically pay us every month on the same day as long as you set up your subscription as a Recurring Payment. We cannot accept one-time PayPal payments for subscriptions. To set up a recurring PayPal subscription, please go to the VZones Signup Page.

Q: How do I cancel my VZones subscription?

A: You must cancel a VZones subscription paid via PayPal by accessing your PayPal account and canceling there. You cannot cancel on the VZones website.

Q: How do I make sure that there's no interruption in my VZones service if I pay PayPal using a bank transfer?

A: Keep a minimum of one month's worth of subscription fees. If you have multiple accounts, deposit enough for all your subscriptions into your PayPal account each month and make sure the cash is there on your renewal day.

Q: If my subscription payment fails because I don't have enough cash in my PayPal account, what happens then?

A: PayPal will attempt to make the payment to us on the third business day after the day that it originally failed. You must have cash in the PayPal account by then to continue your subscription.

Q: If my payment fails, can you get PayPal to take the cash from my account before the three days are up?

A: No. PayPal will not help us in any way, and will not allow us to give them any instructions regarding your account. You may want to call PayPal to see if they can help you.

Q: Is there a better way to pay for my VZones subscription?

A: Yes. If you have a credit or debit card you can pay your subscription fee directly and get rid of the problems that come with using PayPal as your payment method. You will also save $1.00 per month. Email support@vzones.com and tell us that you want to switch your VZones account to a credit card paid account.

How To Use Western Union To Pay For Your VZones Subscription

If you have a bank account or credit card you have a choice of paying online, but if you don't have either, you can visit any Western Union office around the world, and pay in cash. Be aware that Western Union will NOT take checks, credit cards, cashier's checks or money orders. To find the nearest office to you, please visit the Western Union web site.

Western Union is a global leader in money transfer for more than 150 years, helping consumers securely make payments using money orders. They have 101,000 Western Union Agent locations in over 185 countries worldwide.

You can only use Western Union to pay for six-month subscriptions to newHorizone or Dreamscape. Please be aware that Western Union charges a fee for its Quick Collect service in North America, and Quick Pay service internationally. The fee is over and above your subscription amount. We have limited subscription payments to no less than 6 months to reduce the overall annual cost to members. A six months Dreamscape subscription is $110.00 and newHorizone is $50.00, so make sure your payment is for exactly one of these amounts.

VERY IMPORTANT: You can only use this service to pay for six month subscriptions. 
Please do not send weekly or monthly subscriptions as we will not be able to honor them and you may inadvertantly lose your payment.

REFUNDS: We are not able to grant refunds when you pay by Western Union. 
If you over pay, we cannot refund the difference. If you under pay, your account may be deleted while we notify you. If you have underpaid, you will have to return to Western Union, pay the difference, and also pay the Western Union fee again.

Don't leave it until the last moment!
This process takes up to 5 days to complete. We are not informed when payments are in process, so if your account is overdue, we may inadvertently delete your account from our database while your payment is going through. Allow at least a week for the payment to be processed.

Instructions for North American Members

When you visit your local Western Union office you will be asked to complete a Quick Collect form, which you will need to fill out accurately. Be sure to include all the information in the form or we will not be able to credit or create your account:

New Members: 
If you do not yet have an account, please see this example of a Quick Collect form. We suggest you print it out and take it with you to the Western Union office.

Existing Members:
If you already have an account please see this example of a Quick Collect form. We suggest you print it out and take it with you to the Western Union office.

Once we receive your payment we will confirm by email. If you have questions, email support@vzones.com. Please allow 24-48 hours for support to respond to your question.

Instructions for International Members

When you visit your local Western Union office you will be asked to complete a Quick Pay, or "Blue" form, which you will need to fill out accurately. Be sure to include all the information in the form or we will not be able to credit or create your account.

Please see this example of a Quick Pay form. We suggest you print it out and take it with you to the Western Union office.

Once we receive your payment we will confirm by email. If you have questions, email support@vzones.com. Please allow 24-48 hours for support to respond to your question.