To Donate or Not To Donate, That Is Thy Question

Started by Joshy_1289, Oct 28, 2008, 06:06 PM

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Joshy_1289

Soo Like the Subject states, What do you think about Donates on a private server?

What kind of system do you have implemented? Is iT Working? What would you Change?

Poki

Donation is not the way to go.  Less problems occur if donations do not exist with in the server. Unless it's the type of donation where you donate and don't exactly get anything back except feeling good that you donated.

Whatever the case, donation leads to a lot of problems.

Defaced

Equipments that are not overpowered and can be tradeable in-game always fit the balanced donation system. I believe it will give you little problems but not that hard to solve.

Poki

Well, depends on the donation system if we're going to look at it that way.  Either way, it'll boost up the economy really quickly if donation existed within the server.  If the items you get from donating aren't that great, then there will hardly be anyone donation. It might end up as players trying to pressure the Admin to increase the value of the items to the point where it will be worth it and where players who are capable and willing to donate will abuse it.

Defaced

Anyway, a good server doesn't need donations to survive. If they will depend on that system, much likely, it will end up on what you said. I may call it at first a weird economy. But as it progress, a stable economy will be made and the rewards will get to use on it.   

Joshy_1289

Hmmm...

I'm really quite unsure what you mean  a good server doesn't need donations?

The way it translated in my head is: If you pay for your server on your own then your server is better?!

Poki

Well if you can pay for your server and not need any donations, of course it will be better for the players.

Hardcore players often hate it when donors get an advantage.  It's best to keep it fair.  Donations will make things a bit more complicated.  But of course, it's only my opinion and it is not that bad, it's just that it's better if donations weren't used in servers.

Defaced

Quote from: Joshy_1289 on Oct 28, 2008, 09:32 PM
Hmmm...

I'm really quite unsure what you mean  a good server doesn't need donations?

The way it translated in my head is: If you pay for your server on your own then your server is better?!

Server that doesn't need donations to survive are always better. Why? Like what we are discussing right now, reward issues will not occur. However, you can also stick to my option I posted earlier.

InFlamesWeTrust

I played a server awhile back that allowed you to donate for custom hair and color dyes.  Custom as in they made them, not the ones you find on all the 'custom' servers.  They were questable too.  Surprisingly they made a pretty penny off of it.

Anyways, I think servers should provide donations if they're in trouble financially.  Not overpowered or unbalanced items mind you.  But generally, I'm for it.

Joshy_1289

#9
Well the reason I asked is we provide a simple non unbalancing donation system on our server...

stuff such as:

Dead Branches
Bubble Gum
25% and 300% EXP Books
Gym Passes
and a few other small items

We Use a Coin system as well. 50 ROnin Coins = 1 US Dollar. They are not redeemable for money, but you can buy them for in game purposes only...

To keep things equal and fair I came up with the Poring Named ROning... This monster drops ROnin Coins at a 10% Drop rate. We use him for events like poring pops and stuff. Every event we do, the prize is either ROnin Coins or a Small Amount of Zeny, Sometimes both if its a large Event. We try to provide Donors and Non Donors the same opportunity to succeed in game. We have 8 Admins/Owners for our server and we are 100% capable of running the server with our own funds, which we have previously discussed. The donation system isn't to benefit us, its for the players.  With or With out donations we still would have a Coin System, the only benefit to donating on our server is if you want Extra coins.

I have yet to find a problem with this system, but what do you guys think?

Pandora

I think there are 2 types of donators, people who want to donate to get stronger faster, and people who want to help the server, the line is not 100% defined, some fit in both categories, but overall they are separate.

On my server we decided to try to balance donations are much as possible by offering chance items (all of which can be obtained in game too), some people still think it's unbalanced, but I think in comparison to stat gears it's really much better. This results in the fact that it's not elitists that donate, instead it's casual players who value the fact that the donation are not unbalanced and willingly want to help the server out. I've even had one person refuse to receive any items, and another who keeps donating even if he can't play ro anymore.

I've always said that I would cover the cost of the server if the donation didn't, but players have been so generous, I haven't had to spend any of my money on the server for about 2 years, (I do give a lot of my time however). We never ask for donations either, no annoying broadcast to encourage it, people appreciate that they are not pressured into donating and I think it makes them wanna help even more.

Treat your players with respect and they will respect you back. Be honest with them, don't start a server to make a profit and you'll see there will be donators to help with your costs.
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Hutchy

Quote from: Pandora on Oct 29, 2008, 08:32 AM
Treat your players with respect and they will respect you back. Be honest with them, don't start a server to make a profit and you'll see there will be donators to help with your costs.

This.

There are a lot of obvious downsides to donation systems that include custom gears of any kind (not even considering whether or not they maintain the server's balance). Any custom gears will eventually create a rift between those with money IRL and those without it, I think - and it's a pain in the donkey to figure out whether this stat should be +3 or +25 or whatever, how much it should be... you get the point. You've got to slave over it to make sure it's a) worth the money they're spending, but b) not disrupting the playerbase.

People will sometimes expect to be treated better based on the fact that they chipped in a twenty, while others understand that it's as its name implies - a DONATION. There are no refunds. You don't give to a charity and then go back a week later when you need gas money and demand they give you your five bucks back. You give what you give, and you get what you get. If your server has done a good job of maintaining balance, you won't NEED to donate in order to survive there, but you'll WANT to, to help support the lovely place you're playing. Or something.

I'm all for consumables as donates. Gears are a little too iffy, imo. Donate for OPBs, OBBs, BubbleGum, Exp Manuals, hell even for slotting something if you want to push it. But gears? Nowai.

Joshy_1289

I agree, equip able donates are very hard implement with out upsetting some group of people.

But this is why i feel our system works, everyone can get everything just as fairly. You may have to work for it but the people who donated worked for there money, so why not work to get Coins in game...

Anti-Static Foam Cleaner

Quote from: Joshy_1289 on Oct 29, 2008, 01:28 PM
You may have to work for it but the people who donated worked for there money

facepalm.jpg

You

Quote from: Joshy_1289 on Oct 29, 2008, 01:28 PM
You may have to work for it but the people who donated worked for there money

Working for relatively-insignificant bonuses on an online game does not equal working in real life for usable currency to live.  Besides, for most kids playing here, donation's a few minutes of whining to Mom/Dad/Legal Guardian.

Really, why aren't donation bonuses just called a Store?  It's essentially what it is, and if someone doesn't want to buy your crap, then just call it a donation.  It's hard to keep a straight face with eight billion "donation incentives" that have a huge price range.