That changed some months ago with the start of the subscriptions. It was fairly public, and there was a big thread about it at the time.
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- Thread starter Morrus
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That changed some months ago with the start of the subscriptions. It was fairly public, and there was a big thread about it at the time.
Morrus, I am looking through all of this, and it sounds like a subscription could be quite interesting. However, I also see something that strikes me as potentially harmful to your bottom line. It's a little thing I learned over the many years I have been involved with promoting a business. That thing is: Never take away, always add to.
What that means, in this case, is that taking away whatever it is that viewers currently gets is not a wise move. People will ask, "Why was it free before, but now they charge for it? What made it more valuable?" I know this will happen, because it was one of the first things that came to mind for me. Instead, entice them with the idea that they can get what they get now for free, but if they subscribe they get all this bonus stuff.
It is the classic "But wait, there's more!" ploy. Ron Popeil has been using this ploy for years here in the States and is a huge success. Not only that, but people will focus on what they are not getting instead of what they could get by subscribing.
Now for some personal reasons for saying this. I know that personally I cannot afford a subscription right now. That $3.00 is going to keeping a roof over my head and feeding my family. If I were to lose the features I currently have here, it would be one reason to reduce (but not stop) my participation here. Not only that, but if signatures are part of the subscription plan I guess I would resort to using a browser macro and adding a sig to the bottom of all my posts. I like people to know who I am, and to know that I am part of the wider gaming community. Sure, I am a poor part of it, but I am a part just the same.
What that means, in this case, is that taking away whatever it is that viewers currently gets is not a wise move. People will ask, "Why was it free before, but now they charge for it? What made it more valuable?" I know this will happen, because it was one of the first things that came to mind for me. Instead, entice them with the idea that they can get what they get now for free, but if they subscribe they get all this bonus stuff.
It is the classic "But wait, there's more!" ploy. Ron Popeil has been using this ploy for years here in the States and is a huge success. Not only that, but people will focus on what they are not getting instead of what they could get by subscribing.
Now for some personal reasons for saying this. I know that personally I cannot afford a subscription right now. That $3.00 is going to keeping a roof over my head and feeding my family. If I were to lose the features I currently have here, it would be one reason to reduce (but not stop) my participation here. Not only that, but if signatures are part of the subscription plan I guess I would resort to using a browser macro and adding a sig to the bottom of all my posts. I like people to know who I am, and to know that I am part of the wider gaming community. Sure, I am a poor part of it, but I am a part just the same.
Mistwell
Crusty Old Meatwad
I'm adamantly opposed to Paypal, and won't let them anywhere near my financials. They're basically a non-FDIC bank, and there's lot of shenanigans with them, including as I recall some with ENW. For that reason, I've refused to get a membership here (since credit goes through them), despite being a long time poster.
I'm pretty sure this is the best idea I've ever heard, and if I can use it to pay without giving Paypal access to my info, you can be by the end of the week when I get paid I'll be getting a subscription. I still don't support Paypal, but I've been wanting to support ENW for a long time.
You may not be a mod anymore, but you're still awesome!
Well, your deposits can be FDIC insured through paypal though.
Regardless, I think adding something like Authorize.net to EnWorld, which can accept credit cards and eChecks directly, would be a good idea.
Rel
Liquid Awesome
You may not be a mod anymore, but you're still awesome!
And his voice is just dreamy.
Well I would add to the chorus that it would be a bad business decision to take stuff away. That said you should consider if some of the VTT people would be interested in a situation where ENworld offered a game lobby similar to that provided by Gamespy for online gaming and pick up games and groups. Especially if it also allowed the facility for subscribers to import session chat logs for use in creating story hours.
rgard
Adventurer
Agreed on that. It would be annoying to lose something in hand while paying the same amount.
Of course, I've had the same lame sigs for awhile now.
pawsplay
Hero
First, while I don't want to discount the empirical evidence of the people who run the site, I do want to raise a flag of warning. I did not subscribe because the site went monthy. I subscribed because, between the time I decided to subscribe and a few months later when I had the money, the site switched to monthly subscriptions. I think it's possible you would have seen some drop in subscriptions, or just a lack of new subscriptions, during the same time period just because fo the belt-tightening effects of the recession.
Second, I don't like the sig idea. I can live with the Search thing, because it restricts site usage, and because I can use Google to circumvent the issue. With sigs, though, you are charging a premium for someone to contribute something. However banal and self-serving some sigs may be, others are amusing, informative, advertising, interesting, and above all, connected to the rest of the 'net. Already, EN World has steadily degraded the non-paying experience to the point I wonder where new paying subscribers are going to come from. I know that when I check the site before I leave work, I log in, against my usual habit for a quick browse, in order to avoid my browser being nearly shut down by creeping banner ads.
Third, the Internet is information and the flow of information is extremely low cost. I think it's bucking long term trends to try to generate revenue through restrictions, rather than through offering value that exceeds free options.
Fourth, "It's my site and I say so," is not a justifiable approach to community leadership. I don't come here to visit with Morrus and the staff and shop at the ENWorld store front and so forth. I come here for the community. The community has formed around a valuable web site, but that web site should not take the community for granted. $3 a month subscription charges do not generate the hundreds of posts and users that make this site worthwhile. When I first started using the Internet, many sites actually cost their owners money to maintain, but the site was deemed an end unto itself. Obviously, not everyone is free to engage in such charity. Nonetheless, I don't like being viewed as a revenue stream. If I am to be expected to contribute financially to a website, I expect my voice to be appreciated by the people administrating it. I read a half dozen or more web sites regularly, and I'm not going to give them each $3 a month just to do whatever they feel like doing. The forums are the lifeblood, and charging for this or that feature is really distracting from that central purpose. I don't really want a lot of awesome features, I just want a message board that works and a long-term, stable community to invest my time with.
Second, I don't like the sig idea. I can live with the Search thing, because it restricts site usage, and because I can use Google to circumvent the issue. With sigs, though, you are charging a premium for someone to contribute something. However banal and self-serving some sigs may be, others are amusing, informative, advertising, interesting, and above all, connected to the rest of the 'net. Already, EN World has steadily degraded the non-paying experience to the point I wonder where new paying subscribers are going to come from. I know that when I check the site before I leave work, I log in, against my usual habit for a quick browse, in order to avoid my browser being nearly shut down by creeping banner ads.
Third, the Internet is information and the flow of information is extremely low cost. I think it's bucking long term trends to try to generate revenue through restrictions, rather than through offering value that exceeds free options.
Fourth, "It's my site and I say so," is not a justifiable approach to community leadership. I don't come here to visit with Morrus and the staff and shop at the ENWorld store front and so forth. I come here for the community. The community has formed around a valuable web site, but that web site should not take the community for granted. $3 a month subscription charges do not generate the hundreds of posts and users that make this site worthwhile. When I first started using the Internet, many sites actually cost their owners money to maintain, but the site was deemed an end unto itself. Obviously, not everyone is free to engage in such charity. Nonetheless, I don't like being viewed as a revenue stream. If I am to be expected to contribute financially to a website, I expect my voice to be appreciated by the people administrating it. I read a half dozen or more web sites regularly, and I'm not going to give them each $3 a month just to do whatever they feel like doing. The forums are the lifeblood, and charging for this or that feature is really distracting from that central purpose. I don't really want a lot of awesome features, I just want a message board that works and a long-term, stable community to invest my time with.
RangerWickett
Legend
First, I'm thrilled the site is prospering.
Second, it looks rather untenable to sell the community on ditching sigs, or anything really. Even just floating the idea has generated a lot of ill emotions, and this site lives and dies with its community.
I figure most folks would be fine with a gradient, so casual sigs are available to all, but bigger ones are only available to subscribers. However, that's pretty niche, and I could foresee people making more bright, flashy sigs just because they can. That might end up an unintended annoyance.
Third, there are plenty of new stuff that can be added that would encourage more people to subscribe, even to an epic tier. (I prefer thinking that all posters are heroic, subscribers are paragon, and supersubscribers are epic.) Making a 'gamer finder' free to all could be balanced by, say, offering personal forums to epic subscribers, and perhaps something like a weekly "cool on EN World" -- the niftiest new thread in 3 or 4 forums, voted on by the epic folks, posted on the home page. Storyhour folks could strive for recognition, min-maxers would compete for the jankiest build, and GMs would be encouraged to post their best ideas.
Make them into actual epic heroes by empowering them to spread word of excellent threads. And, I dunno, offer 'epic destinies' as a gimmick. It could be something as simple as a second line on the User Title, perhaps with a colorful highlight.
Thornir Alekeg
D&D expatriate
Scion of Drunkeness
(or whatever)
Second, it looks rather untenable to sell the community on ditching sigs, or anything really. Even just floating the idea has generated a lot of ill emotions, and this site lives and dies with its community.
I figure most folks would be fine with a gradient, so casual sigs are available to all, but bigger ones are only available to subscribers. However, that's pretty niche, and I could foresee people making more bright, flashy sigs just because they can. That might end up an unintended annoyance.
Third, there are plenty of new stuff that can be added that would encourage more people to subscribe, even to an epic tier. (I prefer thinking that all posters are heroic, subscribers are paragon, and supersubscribers are epic.) Making a 'gamer finder' free to all could be balanced by, say, offering personal forums to epic subscribers, and perhaps something like a weekly "cool on EN World" -- the niftiest new thread in 3 or 4 forums, voted on by the epic folks, posted on the home page. Storyhour folks could strive for recognition, min-maxers would compete for the jankiest build, and GMs would be encouraged to post their best ideas.
Make them into actual epic heroes by empowering them to spread word of excellent threads. And, I dunno, offer 'epic destinies' as a gimmick. It could be something as simple as a second line on the User Title, perhaps with a colorful highlight.
Thornir Alekeg
D&D expatriate
Scion of Drunkeness
(or whatever)
Honourable Guvnor,
First, congratulations on your continued succes. Congratulations on the success of the website. Millions of hits=awesome! Thank you, as always, for being open and willing to have a public dialogue, man do I respect that.
Regarding sigs - much ado
As it regards brainstorming ideas, I would offer the following:
It's all about the community.
It's the community.
Community
Finally, I will reiterate the advice I've provided before with regards to your strategic plans. Declare your venture a NOT FOR PROFIT initiative, but plan to take a fair and growing salary. Declare a board of advisors. Declare a mission statement, and empower it and the people of this amazing and outstanding community to be all that it can be. I am confident it will be life-changing and amazing if you will take the leap.
Good gaming!
PS - Regarding Paypal. They are not a regulated financial institution. Your money is not protected by Reg E, nor is it insured. It is a very high risk business partner, and you should strongly consider using financial tools that are regulated, secure, and insured.
First, congratulations on your continued succes. Congratulations on the success of the website. Millions of hits=awesome! Thank you, as always, for being open and willing to have a public dialogue, man do I respect that.
Regarding sigs - much ado
As it regards brainstorming ideas, I would offer the following:
It's all about the community.
It's the community.
Community
Finally, I will reiterate the advice I've provided before with regards to your strategic plans. Declare your venture a NOT FOR PROFIT initiative, but plan to take a fair and growing salary. Declare a board of advisors. Declare a mission statement, and empower it and the people of this amazing and outstanding community to be all that it can be. I am confident it will be life-changing and amazing if you will take the leap.
Good gaming!
PS - Regarding Paypal. They are not a regulated financial institution. Your money is not protected by Reg E, nor is it insured. It is a very high risk business partner, and you should strongly consider using financial tools that are regulated, secure, and insured.
Lanefan
Victoria Rules
LightPhoenix for the win.I'm adamantly opposed to Paypal, and won't let them anywhere near my financials. They're basically a non-FDIC bank, and there's lot of shenanigans with them, including as I recall some with ENW. For that reason, I've refused to get a membership here (since credit goes through them), despite being a long time poster.
I'm pretty sure this is the best idea I've ever heard, and if I can use it to pay without giving Paypal access to my info, you can be by the end of the week when I get paid I'll be getting a subscription. I still don't support Paypal, but I've been wanting to support ENW for a long time.
You may not be a mod anymore, but you're still awesome!
Morrus, I'm still willing to stop by in June and drop 50 pounds your way for a few years basic subscription...
Lan-"why hasn't this thread been stickied?
"-efanSimilar Threads
