Dec 21, 2010, 08:57 PM
DF,
I just donated for the second time since I started playing on these servers. Last time was in August 09, and since I never "lost" my donator status I just didn't think to donate again. Happened to see your post today and figured it would be time for me to donate again.
Here are my suggestions on how to close the gap on the donation front:
1. Make it so that donator status is tied to how much money you have donated. Don't make it too expensive (i.e. $30 for 12 months or so), but let the donator status "expire" after a while to encourage people to donate again.
2. Display messages on the servers making people aware that they CAN donate. Nothing obnoxious, just something at the start of each round that says "Keep these servers online by donating at ..." or something unobtrusive like that. Have that message pop up every 10 minutes or so during gameplay if you think it might help.
3. Maybe there are additional benefits that paying members can enjoy, I am not sure what the software offers in that regard. Nothing that gives donators a huge benefit, but something that motivates people to donate beyond the reserved slot.
If you can get 20 people a month to give $30 for a year "membership", you have most of what you need to keep this going. That shouldn't be too hard, given that I have received the message that all 32 slots in a game were used by donators.
The most important thing it to make the "donator" status expire after the money donated has been "used up" - I think $30 per year would be fair ...
My two cents, I hope you'll find a way to keep this going - I enjoy these servers tremendously.
Lt. Dan
I just donated for the second time since I started playing on these servers. Last time was in August 09, and since I never "lost" my donator status I just didn't think to donate again. Happened to see your post today and figured it would be time for me to donate again.
Here are my suggestions on how to close the gap on the donation front:
1. Make it so that donator status is tied to how much money you have donated. Don't make it too expensive (i.e. $30 for 12 months or so), but let the donator status "expire" after a while to encourage people to donate again.
2. Display messages on the servers making people aware that they CAN donate. Nothing obnoxious, just something at the start of each round that says "Keep these servers online by donating at ..." or something unobtrusive like that. Have that message pop up every 10 minutes or so during gameplay if you think it might help.
3. Maybe there are additional benefits that paying members can enjoy, I am not sure what the software offers in that regard. Nothing that gives donators a huge benefit, but something that motivates people to donate beyond the reserved slot.
If you can get 20 people a month to give $30 for a year "membership", you have most of what you need to keep this going. That shouldn't be too hard, given that I have received the message that all 32 slots in a game were used by donators.
The most important thing it to make the "donator" status expire after the money donated has been "used up" - I think $30 per year would be fair ...
My two cents, I hope you'll find a way to keep this going - I enjoy these servers tremendously.
Lt. Dan