Camp Hyrule

Infobox Website
name = Camp Hyrule
url = http://www.camphyrule.com


commercial = Yes
type = Virtual Camp / Internet Forum
reg =
owner = Nintendo of America
author = Nintendo and Lithium Technologies
launch date = 1995-08-15
current status =

Camp Hyrule was an annual online virtual camp that was sponsored and moderated by Nintendo of America. It first opened in the summer of 1995, and has since emerged as Nintendo’s biggest online event. Camp Hyrule, which is usually held in August, allows Nintendo fanatics to chat, play online games, and win prizes under the supervision of Nintendo employees and "Nintendo Power" columnists. The camps name is eponymous to the fictional land of Hyrule, a prominent and recurring setting in "The Legend of Zelda" series. There are currently no plans to host another Camp Hyrule.

Background

Essentially an online simulation of a summer camp, Camp Hyrule has refined many traditional outdoor themes, such as campfires, water sports, and archery into many Java-based games. Participants are assigned to cabins, where they work with other teammates to earn points by participating in games, Photoshop contests, and other activities. After the camp session ends, the cabin with the most points wins a special prize, while runner-up cabins receive other consolation prizes.

The camp is also used to promote various Nintendo-related products. In past years, some of the camp's games have revolved around "1080° Avalanche", the Game Boy Advance SP, and "Donkey Konga." Additionally, the camp has a theme, related to an upcoming video game, that often prompts mini-story line. For example, in 2005, the camp's design and layout reflected the upcoming "". Nintendo went to further detail to add a story line to that camp session, in which games and layouts were mysteriously vanishing at the hands of an evil force. Nevertheless, all the issues are always resolved at the camp's closing ceremony, where awards and grand prize winners are announced.

Camp Hyrule is moderated and maintained by Nintendo of America's online staff. Staff members, called counselors, are responsible for moderating their assigned cabin’s message board and chat rooms, while also advocating participants to earn points. The camp’s staff also sends participants daily emails pertaining to earning points or the camp’s plot developments. In recent years, Nintendo has turned to the "NSider Forums", their official online community, in order to provide additional moderators. Camp Hyrule also has a mascot, named Stumpy, who is often seen wandering the campgrounds.

The community elements were removed from Camp Hyrule in 2007, coinciding with the closing of the NSider forums and the impending switch from in-house publication of Nintendo Power to publication by Future US, which occurred in November 2007.

Registration

Unless announced otherwise, Nintendo usually opens registration for Camp Hyrule in late July or early August. Although there is no limit as to how many users can sign up, registration is only open for one week. To register, one must first acquire a "My Nintendo" account, and then visit the official Camp Hyrule website for further instructions.

The 2007 year camp was open from August 13 to August 23, to all My Nintendo members, registration was not required.

Notable landmarks

Camp Hyrule features several landmarks which have appeared year after year on the campgrounds:
* NOA HQ, a chatroom exclusive to Nintendo of America employees. It also serves as the camp's command center.
* Trading Post, an area where updates regarding announcements, contests, and other miscellaneous information are disseminated to users by camp counselors.
* First Aid Hut, an area which offers users technical support.
* The Amphitheater, a chatroom which hosts special events, such as interviews from Nintendo officials, and the camp’s annual closing ceremony.
* Lake Webaconda, an area which features games related to water sport activities, such as fishing and boating.
* The Bonfire, usually the camp's largest "general discussion" chat room.
* Stumpy's Stable, where users can play a game in which they feed Stumpy, the camp's mascot.
* The Lost Woods, a chatroom for discussion of "The Legend of Zelda" series, often secretly used by the majority of the veterans from the "Trivia HQ", one of the Live Chats on the NSider forums during Camp Hyrule as a substitute place to chat. The Annual Lost Woods Trivia is also hosted here by TSA.
* Maniac's Cave, a secret chatroom inside Camp Hyrule, the Camp Maniac would occasionally come out and boot everyone out of the chatroom.
* Kirby's Mess Hall, a chat formerly called "Mess Hall" until Kirby took over. Users are virtually fed "food" and it is a general discussion chat.
* Mr. Pickle's Crib, a chat only open to NOA Shaun when he decides to use it.

History

*Camp Hyrule was first held from August 15 to August 19, 1995 on AOL.
*In 1997, Camp Hyrule was moved from AOL to www.nintendo.com
*In 1999, Camp Hyrule moved to the more familiar "www.camphyrule.com".
*Beginning with the 2000 camp, campgrounds were designed around a theme based on an upcoming console or game release. The first theme used was "".
*In 2000, Camp Hyrule began the tradition of ending each year's camp with a disaster.
*In 2002, registration quotas were finally removed due to popular request. Prior to 2002, Camp Hyrule was limited to the 500-2000 registrants, thus causing intense competition and often overloading the servers.
*In 2002, a majority of the camp's themes were renamed to make the camp more Nintendo related.
*In 2005, each member of the winning cabin received a free Stumpy t-shirt.
*In 2006, due to glitches the closing ceremonies were delayed for two hours.
*In 2006, all campers were entered into a sweepstakes to win a Wii.
*In 2007, the site's administrators announced they will remove Camp Hyrule's community elements. Also, all participants in the United States were able to enter a sweepstakes to win a life-size Link statue.
*The 2008 event is nonexistent.

ummary of past camps

References

*
* Donald-Evans, Catherine, [http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,94678,00.html Summer Camp Heads to Cyberspace] (August 15, 2003), FOXNews.com, Retrieved on June 19, 2007.

External links

* [http://www.camphyrule.com/ Camp Hyrule]