What can we do to keep the boards up?

[poilbrun]

I don't know if a deal with amazon.com would be better than the deal with RPG Shop, but maybe you'd get more people using it. The cost to deliver products to Europe are much lower at Amazon than at RPG Shop. The last order I've made (Deities & Demigods and Spells & Spellcraft) costs $59.87 at Amazon and $74.42 at RPG shop because of the delivery costs... I can't afford a 25% increase in the price of every book I buy and, as such, haven't been able to support EN World that way

 

[Glyfair]

*A voluntary periodic donation which earns users a cool custom title. This is feasible if it is embraced en-masse, but not if only a few people join in. The main drawback si that, although I can imagine initial enthusiasm for such an idea, I don't know if it would be maintained. And if it's not maintained and the (then increased) server payment can't be met one month then we're all, frankly, screwed. That one is a little too close to a gamble for my liking.

A related idea: Greg Stafford (creator of Glorantha, the world behind Runequest, Hero Wars & Heroquest) was trying to get the new system published after Runequest went into corporate limbo. He wanted to sell stock, but found out it wasn't feasible because of the related California laws.

What he ended up doing was selling membership in the "Glorantha Trading Association." For various levels of donations, you got certain benefits (see http://www.glorantha.com/gta/gta.html for the actual benefits for the donations). This was quite successful in getting Hero Wars out.

Perhaps something like this might be tried. Of course, a good amount of the interest for many is the access to some of the unpublished materials of Greg Stafford. There isn't much in the gaming world that has quite that level of mystique (Gygax & Kuntz's Greyhawk stuff is about the only d20 stuff I could think of right now).

Still, some sort of exclusive or early content might be worked out with some publishers (I'm sure many are quite glad at the business this site brings them). Perhaps early peaks at some of the Natural d20 press products. Maybe even some of the regulars could add some stuff. I'm sure some would pay to see some early materials from Piratecat's campaign or perhaps scans of Eric's early characters.

Of course, to keep the money flowing in, it would have to have periodic updates. It may not be feasible, or worthwhile. Still, it's a direction to consider. Even if just as a stop-gap until Natural d20 Press takes off.

Glyfair of Glamis

 

[Henrix]

The downside with something like the Glorantha Trading Association is that it creates a group of 'elite'*, who may, rightly or wrongly, feel that they are superior, and another group who feel that they are out in the cold.

(I am not saying anything against the GTA, mind, just stating what may happen. It was probably the right thing for them (us, I am part of the Glorantha community too) to do at the time. And it has worked out fine.)

I think Morrus is right to want to avoid that. The open, nice community here would probably suffer.


But I agree with poilbrun that Amazon perhaps is better for us Europeans, I balked at the RPG.shop freight too.
On the other hand I'd much prefer to support RPG.shop than Amazon. But as it is, I probably won't buy from either, I also want to support my FLGS.


* Or, as the case is, Elite, Elite+, and SuperElite, depending on how much you shell out.

 

[Blacksad]

I agree that amazon.co.uk would be the best thing for European, and it would not takes many sales from US shops.

 

[trentonjoe]

I just made my donation. I have no problem donating 5 (actually (4.23 this month) bucks a months nor do I think it would be "tacky" to ask. Just put an anouncement somewhere and I'll do it every month. I gure this site is worth 5 bucks a month to me!

If we get titles,I would like to be Karaoke King of Central Jersey. A boy can dream can't he?

 

[Horacio]

The downside with something like the Glorantha Trading Association is that it creates a group of 'elite'*, who may, rightly or wrongly, feel that they are superior, and another group who feel that they are out in the cold.

(I am not saying anything against the GTA, mind, just stating what may happen. It was probably the right thing for them (us, I am part of the Glorantha community too) to do at the time. And it has worked out fine.)

I think Morrus is right to want to avoid that. The open, nice community here would probably suffer.


But I agree with poilbrun that Amazon perhaps is better for us Europeans, I balked at the RPG.shop freight too.
On the other hand I'd much prefer to support RPG.shop than Amazon. But as it is, I probably won't buy from either, I also want to support my FLGS.


* Or, as the case is, Elite, Elite+, and SuperElite, depending on how much you shell out.

In my opinion, there wouldn't be such an elite effect, I mean, there are already some people who thinks they are elite, and they would still think it

Seriously now, for your RPG needs in Europe, talk Derek (from Talon Comics ), his prices are the same or cheaper than RPG.shop, but the shipping cost much smaller. and he is a nice person. A really nice person. Try it and you will thank me.

And if you really want an European shop but you don't have a FLGS (or it doesn't have what you search), go to Orcsnest, a not very expensive (but more expensive than Talon) shop based on London.

 

[Mishihari Lord]

A while back, there was a limit on the number of people that could be on the boards at one time. I think it was 200. Would that help?

 

[Leopold]

i am all for doing an 'elite' mode for users. What that gives you as stated by someone on the ezboards is for $1/month or $10/year:

1. Avatar
2. Signature
3. Once a month lottery on a prize from one of the d20 publishers.


If you are not a member what do you get:

1. Post to the board
2. View the board
3. No avatar
4. No signature.

Look let's be real ALLOT of boards to this: Ars Technica, Slashdot, etc. all have boards that people pay to be 'members' for. Do they really gain anything? Not too much but it pays for the services that you provide morrus. What you are giving us is simple lil features and nothing more, so we have our avatar and a signature, yippie. Is that detracting from the boards? No. But it does provide incentive to sign up. Call it charity or donation or pay for play service but don't feel that you are taking away from anything. I feel this is a tried and true idea and has worked brillantly in the past. Charge us a copule of dollars a month, hell people pay $39.99+ to look at naked woman when you can get that for free online! What's $10 for a year of quality always up service??? Nothing.


Don't think you are going to be catering to the 'elite' people who say "I paid so there nyah nyah nyah". On arstechnica you get a custom title stating "Ars Subscriber" When you subscribe you get "D20 Subscriber" or some title.

 

[hong]

Just speaking for myself, I wouldn't mind paying $US1 or even $5 a month (or even more, depending) to use the boards. I can understand Morrus's desire not to split the community or require a payment to use the boards, but at the same time, I think the user-pays principle is going to have to come in somewhere down the line.

A good compromise might be to allow browsing and a limited post count for free (say 30 posts per month, or whatever number is deemed most appropriate). People who post regularly and often should be willing to stump up at least some money for the privilege. Speaking as one of the heavier board users, I have no problems with putting my money where my mouth is.

I don't think making things like avatars and sigs available only to financial members is necessary or a good thing. I post because I think I have something interesting to say, or to contribute to the online community (even if it's just more IYKWIM posts). I'm willing to pay to support that, not for the frill of sigs and avatars, or for the frisson of being in an "elite". Making sigs and avatars contingent on paying money just makes them into visible status symbols, which in turn encourages division in the community, which isn't good for anyone.

 

[Morrus]

I'm not sayng that this will happen, but to avoid people going off on tangents that can't happen, here are the things that can be switched on/off for individual members by this software:

• Custom titles
• Search
• Modify profile
• Rate threads
• Post attachments
• Post polls
• Vote on polls
• Use private messaging
• View Who's Online
• Access to specific forums

That's it. No way to select avatars/sigs for certain people. There are a whole bunch of other things, but they are so fundamental (read thread, edit on thread etc.) that they're not worth even considering. Limited post counts aren't possible to do, and I would never consider that anyway.

Bear in mind also that some of the above can't be done prior to a server upgrade (Search, Who's Online, Private Messaging etc.).

Anyway, that's what's possible - don't read that as "that's what's going to happen".