Quizilla
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Quizilla is a website for user generated content. It originally started as a website for quizzes, such as personality quizzes. Many users were posting "quizzes" that were actually chapters of fan fiction, so a legitimate section for stories was added. In 2005 and 2006, the website underwent multiple major changes and additions. On October 16, 2006, Viacom's MTV Networks announced it had bought Quizilla for an undisclosed sum of money.[1]
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[edit] Timeline
- The site was created on August 4, 2002.
- In late July 2005, the site got a new design with a red background. (It originally had a blue-and-white design.)
- A game page was added, which included puzzles and a Napoleon Dynamite-themed hangman game.
- A new section for poems was made in October 2005, in addition to the quizzes and stories.
- Also in October 2005, a journal feature was introduced.
- Horoscopes were made available on Quizilla in October 2005.
- Zillapedia, where users could define words and create encyclopedic entries, was also a new addition in October 2005.
- Quizilla Shop, a page where clothing and other merchandise could be ordered, was added in October 2005.
- In December 2005, "tags" were introduced, a feature that allowed users to label content.
- In January 2006, "themes," sets of fonts, backgrounds, etc., could be applied to content.
- Polls could be made, starting in February 2006.
- In April 2006, message boards were added.
- In August 2006, new story and poem editors were made available. Also, new sections were added for lyrics and "scored quizzes."
- In October 2006, the site was bought by Viacom's MTV Networks.[1]
[edit] Features
[edit] Quizzes, stories, and poems
Quizzes, stories, and poems can be created by registered users on an editor called "Quizard." However, a new editor has been created specifically for the purpose of creating stories and poems, although the old "Quizard" can still be used.
People who take quizzes, stories, and poems can rate them a number from 1 (bad) to 5 (good). There is a "Highest Rated" list for content with extremely positive ratings. There is also a "Most Popular" list for the most frequently taken content.
Writers are responsible for categorizing their content as a quiz, story, or poem. Miscategorizing a work results in that work being permanently excluded from the "Highest Rated" and "Most Popular" lists.
[edit] Journals
Blogging can be done by registered users. In Quizilla Journals, entries written can have emoticons to enhance them. There are also privacy settings to control who may read or post comments on the entries.
[edit] Polls
Polls created by Quizilla users can have up to 20 questions with up to 10 results each.
[edit] Games
Various games exist on Quizilla:
[edit] Puzzled PopStar
Games with puzzles of pop music artists have been available to play. When completed, the puzzles reveal clips from music videos. Current puzzles are of:
[edit] Magic 8 Ball
This game has a space to type a question, to which an answer is randomly selected. Custom magic 8 ball games can also be made.
[edit] Puzzled Photo
A jigsaw puzzle can be created using an uploaded image.
[edit] Let Them Sing it for You
Sound bites from music artists are played to correspond with typed words.
[edit] Sweet Hangman
Hangman games can be played, using phrases related to Napoleon Dynamite. Custom hangman games can also be created.
[edit] Past games
Games that were available in the past, but can no longer be played, include:
- various Puzzled PopStar games, including Pussycat Dolls
- Whack-A-Duff, a game resembling Whac-A-Mole in which Hilary Duff and her sister were hit (This game temporarily showed up on the game page as "What A Duff".)
[edit] Forums
Quizilla's message boards, introduced due to popular request, act as a community for Quizilla users. There are different sections, like anime, books, and movies, to discuss different topics. There have been many changes to the forum since its launch in April.
[edit] Astrology
The "Stargazing" page has horoscopes for each astrological sign. Registered users also have the option to display their starsign.
[edit] Tags
Users must assign labels to the content they create. The most popular tags are displayed for convenience when browsing.
[edit] Themes
Themes can be applied to quizzes, stories, poems, and polls. They can include backgrounds, music, cursors, font sizes and colors, etc.
[edit] Zillapedia
Zillapedia is a section of Quizilla that uses wiki software. Users can create entries that provide information, define words, or serve humorous purposes. Zillapedia closely resembles the Urban Dictionary in many ways, and it has similar functions to Wikipedia.
[edit] Shop
The Quizilla Shop section allows people to customize clothing, accessories, and gifts by choosing design details, such as color and graphics.
[edit] References
- ^ a b "Viacom's MTV buys teen online community website quizilla.com", Forbes, 2006-10-16. Retrieved on 2006-10-16.
