Funding the Shards

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MustardJeep
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Funding the Shards

Post by MustardJeep »

Cave Explorer started a interesting thread on the MO:UL forum about Funding MORE, I'm just cross posting it here.

Most people are comfortable with the idea of the Shards soliciting for donations much like every other Game server out there run by fans. A number of ideas were raised about making collectibles or Relto Add-on's that are only available if you donate, but those seem to be shot down as fast as they spring up.

The Funding Ideas I brought to the Table.
#1 The Minor Admin Plugin - Basically people making a donation are given the chance to be ResEng's. Countless games have people that play the role of Customer Service/ResEng most are commonly lumped together under the term "Minor Admin" and are just on call so to speak while gaming.
#2 User KI - A lot of people love the User KI from the UU days, it was the cause of a lot of fun, and unfortunately a lot of abuse to the Game Play. Let people rent User KI's for a month at a shot for a donation. The User KI's functions are flamboyant enough that it would be it's own advertising.
#3 Charge for Story Setup - Somewhere between the ResEng donation level and the UserKI level would be a simple fee to setup Ages for storytellers.The tools and instructions to build things can and should be given away for free, but a minimal fee to access the services to pull off a real story like Cyan, not just RP'ing it like explorers did in MO:UL could be a windfall in both directions. The Server gets a very minimal donation, and the fee keeps people from demanding Shards support their stories(half baked or not) at random.

The first option is a given with open Uru, it's already part of the system.

The Second option would need a bit of work once the Code is understood, but it is way better to integrate it into the system then allow people to hack it in as they please.

The Third option, this I am sure would be slightly unpopular but it would also be just the tip of the iceberg that allows Ages to be "Alive" and "Grow". It's all about building structure.
Chacal
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Re: Funding the Shards

Post by Chacal »

#1 - Very bad idea. We have discussed about desireable qualities for admins. "Having money" isn't one of them. Lots of jerks have money.
#2 - A little better, depending on what functions would be enabled. Acceptable for harmless things such as having the ability to open certain doors, to make some objects disappear, etc. The userKi would have to be downloaded from the server each time. Problem is, it's hard to secure from the client side, and lots of people can write their own userKi or adminKi. Personally I don't like the idea because it creates classes (haves and have nots). We don't want to become There or 2nd life.
#3 - no opinion.

Additional suggestion: it is incredible how much people want special recognition. Foundations get millions from donors in exchange for some named plaques in lobbies. Think special clothing, think a special color for the player name, or... a named plaque somewhere in the game.
teedyo
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Re: Funding the Shards

Post by teedyo »

I propose a model everyone will hate that:
A. Requires that someone comes up with a stable and scalable game environment.
B. Depends under which licensing model(s) Cyan releases the source.

which consists of:
1. An annual subscription fee for a client
2. An annual subscription fee per shard
3. A per age purchase fee. One purchase per age admits you to that age on all shards you're subscribed to.

Cons: It costs money. It could occlude Cyan's involvement in URU.
Pros: It could be a self-perpetuating model if constructed properly. Cyan could still be an 'independent' age/storyline contributor.

The difficulty would be in an equitable distribution of funds between programmers, hosts, and age creators.
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Mac_Fife
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Re: Funding the Shards

Post by Mac_Fife »

teedyo wrote:I propose a model everyone will hate that:
A. Requires that someone comes up with a stable and scalable game environment.
B. Depends under which licensing model(s) Cyan releases the source.
I don't hate that at all, but your reference to B. is the crux. If the funding model could be perceived to (eventually) derive profit for the benficiaries, however the funds raised get distributed, then I suspect that may be forbidden by the terms of any licence from Cyan. There was thread started in the System Concepts forum to discuss such issues, but it's a bit moot until we know the details of the licence(s).
Mac_Fife
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teedyo
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Re: Funding the Shards

Post by teedyo »

Right. Hinges on 'B' big-time. Note that the desired long-term goal of this model could very well be profit. That's why I have 'A' as a requirement. With the model in my head; and not insignificant new content: I can see where a subscriber base of 100,000 people could easily Gross $4 - $6 million/year and still be the cheapest MMO around. Yes, 100,000 is sort of a blue-sky number. :D

A Coop-erative MMO would certainly make slashdot. :mrgreen:
DarK
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Re: Funding the Shards

Post by DarK »

I'm thinking Owner Group(s) is a good way to go,

See Here : viewtopic.php?f=17&t=47

This way I feel we have more chance of building a unified environment which could encorporate everyone and anything, providing a good environment for all.

See the link for some information but the following points would apply:

1# Shards run by people making required dontations to owner group
2# Required minimal donation or more to be a member, preventing death by over population/over management
3# Guaranteed service for players
4# Easy implimentation of changes (many servers controlled by one, instead of many servers controlled by many)
5# Additional Funding methods can be intergrated (T-Shirts/Awards for donations etc)
6# Single point of contact for players with issues
7# CCR/Admins can be a subset of owner group (either by required donation or selected people as decided by owner group)

This gives us the ability to start small and grow as needed, I particually like the intergration of Additional Funding methods, taking the presure off the owners group to provide funding every payment cycle.
MustardJeep
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Re: Funding the Shards

Post by MustardJeep »

Hmm, didn't read the thread I linked to I guess....

What I was meaning by letting people buy into being reseng's is that would be a way for the Shard Admin to try out customer service personnel. A person could pick and choose but it isn't that big a stretch to imagine someone dedicate to Uru being willing to pay more then the base level Explorer fee to support what they love and get nothing more then a sense of ownership and extra responsibilities out of the deal.
Problem is, it's hard to secure from the client side, and lots of people can write their own userKi or adminKi.
I'll admit I haven't ever gotten a hold of the sources for either of those two KI's but can't you see the flaw in that sentence? Client Side software shouldn't be able to transmit Mesh Transformations via the Server. If it is properly done there is no reason to download a new KI every time you get or upgrade one in the Game, just toggle functions on and off it's not that hard.

But my replies are wandering from the original fund raising nature of the post so I'll let it lay.
realXCV
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Re: Funding the Shards

Post by realXCV »

teedyo wrote:I propose a model everyone will hate that:
A. Requires that someone comes up with a stable and scalable game environment.
B. Depends under which licensing model(s) Cyan releases the source.

which consists of:
1. An annual subscription fee for a client
2. An annual subscription fee per shard
3. A per age purchase fee. One purchase per age admits you to that age on all shards you're subscribed to.
I hate it.
75th Trombone
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Re: Funding the Shards

Post by 75th Trombone »

Here's an idea shard owners can use for some money:

For whatever amount of money the shard admin desires, players may purchase a 100% complete Uru Prime for one of their players. Pay $10 (or whatever), and one of your players gets all clothing, all Yeesha pages, all doors opened, all Journeys touched, etc. from Teledahn, Kadish Tolesa, Garrison, Kemo and Gira, and the Cleft. At the player's or admin's choice, either 1) the Uru Prime denouement will already have taken place, or 2) upon their next link to Relto, the Fissure will open and let them jump in for the endgame.

I came up with this idea not for money's sake, but for my own personal sanity's. The thought of taking The Journey YET AGAIN is to me one of the most repugnant things about the constant rebirthing of Uru. People have solved those Ages enough times; now that we have some control, we should let players skip it if they want.
realXCV
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Re: Funding the Shards

Post by realXCV »

That's an interesting idea. But I won't use it as I don't care about doing the prime ages one more time.

Could that be made for markers games too ?
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