RateMyServer Ragnarok Community

Here is what I think about Donation Servers :3

• Sometimes Overpowered Donations
• More "DIS SERVER STOLDED MY [insert currency Here]. AN I DONATED [insert ridiculous amount of money][currency]

...
It's mostly because of the second one. That's pretty much my own .001 cents about it.
It's just annoying to me.

What do ya'll think (the ya'll is because of boredom)[/list]

I think people b**** about donations too much.

"Great! Unlike your other server, in this server, your fat wallet won't help you!" - You

I hate hate hate 90% of donation servers. I understand having to donate to keep larger servers alive, but most donation servers are for overpowered items and the majority of the money doesn't go back to the server. Although, it's obvious that people that don't pay to be overpowered hate donation servers. The one that donate love them. If you don't like it and don't want to pay to be competitive, change servers where it isn't a problem.

I don't mind servers in general that have a donation system, as I understand that there is some honest admins out there who actually do require donation money for their servers.  Like many others though, I tend to dislike donation servers that give players a huge advantage over others for donating.

Quote
3. The administration does something POSITIVE with the excess donations. Servers such as AnimaRO/AnthemRO have donated to charities (Child's Play) in the past and my former server was able to donate $500 to the American Red Cross with excess donations after a holiday sale.

Awws, How Sweet

The server im playing isnt that well populated so all the money the server owner gets goes to server maintance and he still use some of his own pocket for the server.

Also the items you get isnt very overpowered, you only get stuff that is temporary like exp rate 100% for 30 min etc. So yea this kind of thing i dont mind.

Seeing broken donation gear really kills my mood for playing on a server - so much to the point that the first thing I do whenever I take a look at another server's page is checking their donation page.

It might be alright if said broken items can also be obtainable through a quest or something like that, unless that quest is completely impossible. Even so, it really annoys me to see +10 everything with a slot and ten thousand DEF on a 99/70 server. Seriosly... what.

Another donation-related thing I hate is the "VIP" system, pretty common on Brazilian servers (in fact, so common that so far I have never seen one of them without something like that). Basically, for one month you get access to a room with cheaper resets, a full stylist (non-donors get only 4 palettes or so, wtf), and a thousand of other helpful private server NPCs and @commands (such as @storage). I have even played on a server in the past that sold MvP cards on its VIP room. For 20 zeny. Yeah.

Since all servers have costs, and thus need to support those costs somehow, i will presume that the following definition applies to the term Donation Server; "A server where donations are rewarded with some form of in game item or other advantage, which is made easier to acquire by donating then it might be had one not donated."

In general, any server where there are items you can get by donating, i leave immediately.  To me, a game is about he skill and dedication of the player.  If i am dealing with a person wearing a Valk helm or a Zealotos mask, this is someone i need to respect, because they put the hours in to get those things.  if you can simply buy them, then they loose all meaning, they are just things, and those who work for them no longer get the credit they deserve for that. 

I think Donation servers create the impression that one can buy ones way to the top, substituting money for skill, and generally damages the RO community as a whole.  As much as we need more professional GM's we need more professional players sometimes to. 

I agree with almost all the things Justin said, except instead of charities which sometimes take a long time before reaching their goal of 25 million dollars(example), I'd prefer to use the money to expand the ro server's website, ingame(adding more zones to reduce lag and downtime when something goes wrong in a zone) and perhaps other useful or fun things that go towards making the server better or more fun.

The excess can be used to hire scripters or programmers and adding new custom content, for example instead of just going by gravity's updates, adding a "episode 13.2.X", that has it's own world that goes towards the server, or is the server headquarters.

One server that was running in 05 we had been thinking about making a "gm headquarters", where players could ingame write support tickets, and find information on monsters and other things.  The project turned out too complicated and big for us though, and we let it fade away.

However I also like this thread, very good to share opinions on this.  Nice idea scribbles.

Hurray! My lack of sleep actually helped X3

Quote from: SilverStream~ on Aug 13, 2009, 08:45 AM
I agree with almost all the things Justin said, except instead of charities which sometimes take a long time before reaching their goal of 25 million dollars(example), I'd prefer to use the money to expand the ro server's website, ingame(adding more zones to reduce lag and downtime when something goes wrong in a zone) and perhaps other useful or fun things that go towards making the server better or more fun.

The excess can be used to hire scripters or programmers and adding new custom content, for example instead of just going by gravity's updates, adding a "episode 13.2.X", that has it's own world that goes towards the server, or is the server headquarters.

One server that was running in 05 we had been thinking about making a "gm headquarters", where players could ingame write support tickets, and find information on monsters and other things.  The project turned out too complicated and big for us though, and we let it fade away.

However I also like this thread, very good to share opinions on this.  Nice idea scribbles.

From what I've heard and seen (a few times) some servers won't even take the time to do anything like what is quoted above. They'll just spend more time on getting their  instant gratification. One time a server owner told the players that he spent the donation money on a pair of expensive shoes ._."
(Zappos is expensive, but they get to your house in like, 2 days!) Then there are the servers who promises that you get some item(s) in return for your expensive donation, but they never deliver...
Oh well

Haha, I once read this part on a server scam done as an experiment lol.

The "new server" opened a donations page, with a 400$ item, the only donation item available.  Being ridiculous expensive and overpowered(+70 to all stats and 50% demihuman reduction) there were only two people who got it.

The week after the server "shut down" haha.  I found that so hilarious lol.  Big promises to custom items, having a "huge" gm team made up by different gm accounts controlled by one person and other fun things.
Want easy money?  Start a server with donations.  Run it on your own dedicated computer.

Personally, I think the whole "donate to be a god" scheme is ridiculous, and I completely despise "donation only" gear.

However, as a competitive player, I also see those servers as a challenge, since "donation" gear tends to make players lazy, depending on the price.

I also don't like the servers that are OBVIOUSLY in it for money, because most of the time, the money doesn't even go to the server, it goes to the Admin to fuel drug habits/new cars, etc. Any server that makes THAT much duping their players isn't worth supporting.

Also, most donation gear is obtainable in-game after a player is tired of it, making it rather easy to even-up the odds with some hard earned Zeny.

Quote from: Descent on Aug 13, 2009, 06:12 PM
I also don't like the servers that are OBVIOUSLY in it for money, because most of the time, the money doesn't even go to the server, it goes to the Admin to fuel drug habits/new cars, etc. Any server that makes THAT much duping their players isn't worth supporting.

That's Awful.

Most of them are fine, I don't really donate at all, but most donation servers are owned by Admins who want their pocket to fill up with money.

If I had a Donation server, about $7 would be taken from the donation money (Every 3  Months)  to support a Premium account for DeviantArt.
Then I'd look for someone I could Hire to make some stuff. Like some High-Class Scripter or Mapper, or Web designer.

Quote from: Scribbles on Aug 19, 2009, 05:20 PM
If I had a Donation server, about $7 would be taken from the donation money (Every 3  Months)  to support a Premium account for DeviantArt.
Then I'd look for someone I could Hire to make some stuff. Like some High-Class Scripter or Mapper, or Web designer.

If you make a server that you put donations out like this, tell me.

I honestly don't care too much for servers with donation items as long as the donation items are not over-powering.

Donation is an often abused word in the Ragnarok community. Personally, I think there is a large difference between "donating to a server", and "buying donation items". If your getting something out of your donation, then obviously, its not a donation in the true sence of the word, and your "Donation system" turn's into a IRO-esk "Kafta Shop".

Of course, with no incentive, then many admin's feel that people won't donate. Not true. I know of a few servers whose player-bace willing donated to support a server that they had known and loved for many years, simply out of kindness. (However, this only happens on small, tight-knit  lowrates, or so I've scene.)

If the admin of a server you played on was asking for donations out of purely financial need, and you cared about that server, you'd throw him a few bucks, if only to keep doing what you love ,right? On the other side of the coin, if you start to hear allegations that your head admin's been charged with charity fraud, probably you won't feel the same way.

I think Donation is OK, as long as the item is not overpowered..
and the server doesn't beg you for donate,its just a voluntary action from the player, because you donate means support the server then you got thanks gift from the server
because player love the server,thats why the player donating for keep the server alive

but theres one thing i still cant understand, does a free-to-play server doesnt have Donation system?

Just to be safe, I'd stick with a donation-less server.  However, for most servers, that's just unrealistic.  But I suppose I can deal with it if the rewards are reasonable.  Basically, your best items and consumables shouldn't come from donations.  Also, because I dislike customizations, I would like to not have custom hats, auras, wings, etc. from the list.

I dont mind mind donation servers as long as the item you get for donating is tradable. otherwise only donators have the best stuff.

I played in many servers before being a server admin. And I stay with: as long as they do not have stats at all or are also obtainable ingame through quests/voting points, its ok.

servers with donations are ok, if the donations are trad-able and if there not exclusive items.

A lot of you complaining about Admin's taking money into their own pockets should think about what you are saying. Good servers require constant maintenance and updates which can easily become a part time or even a full time job. So what if the Admin uses the donation money to pay for the food he eats?

But just to make it clear, having overpowered donations and selling MvP cards to players for $$$ is simply corrupt. That's a whole different story though. That's like selling crack in the basement of the laundromat you own and operate!

I mean no hostility or offense to the OP, but doesn't this feel a bit one sided in terms of donate servers? Now I realize many people feel quite objective to them since some servers do tend to corrupt themselves because of them, or something of similar misfortunes.

The main purpose of donations however, is to support the server they are posted for. A majority of dedicated servers use... well those machines made for servers. Now the issue with renting these servers out to host the game is the cost of the server. Where do these people get the money? Well many server owners are quite confident in their server and tend to use their own pocket money if they believe they can afford it. However, that is not the case for every server. Believe it or not, depending on what payment plan and service provider the owner of the server goes with, it can collect to a bit of money there (this also depending on if the owner is aiming for a server supporting 100 or 1000 people, which will differ the price).

I am posting this because I have seen a good bit of bias and paranoia about donation servers in RMS. I don't mean to disrespect anyone here, as I know from your own experiences, you are in the right of your words to object to donations in your belief of the subject. Claiming bias however that all servers that posts up donation choices is almost nit picking... to be a bit honest. No one pushes a person to donate, and not all servers make it so you have to donate to mean anything on the server.

Take Midgard Chronicles for example. While our donates may seem over powered to a bit of you, statistically the +10 and +15 stats given by equipping the donate means quite little compared to actually knowing what your character does, and how to do it well enough to survive. We are not a donate focused server, and we are not over powered in... well really in any sense. This goes for a number of other servers out there with similar situations.

In the end, I just wish to say that please don't label servers and throw them off to the side. If you wish to play a server, you're going to need to actually give them a try before judging. Happy playing guys. :3

@Hitman47 nice necro, the post was 1+ year old =P

Quote from: Pandora on Oct 01, 2010, 05:27 PM
@Hitman47 nice necro, the post was 1+ year old =P

Noticed that too, but the issue about the whole donation thing is still happening as of today. So couldn't help but post too xD;

They are a necessity (usually), as long as there is an alternative (such as voting) or they have little impact on the game then I don't mind.

Voting for Points is fine, but I miss the times where donations would get you a Drops card or a Drooping Cat and an OCA/OPB

Quote from: Scribbles on Oct 02, 2010, 07:40 AM
Voting for Points is fine, but I miss the times where donations would get you a Drops card or a Drooping Cat and an OCA/OPB

I never really could understand the point of buying a card you can get for free though. All the more so if it's a rare card. Really would make me feel more lazier than I usually am. xD

In my opinion, there are like 97% of donation servers that enjoy money that is being spent on them. However, not ALL donation servers are UNBALANCED. Making it 'unbalanced' depends on the type of server it is (LR, MR, HR, SHR) and the amount of items given, as well as the items that are mainly exclusive to donators and non-donators get no special treatment.

I, myself, hate the fact that donators should get EVERYTHING because they donate. False. Owners should make it so that items that are given to donators, non-donators can also get them. Thus, that is what I've done with my server.

However, there are also items that are exclusive to donators that are way way stronger in PvP, WoE, etc. and non-donators have no chance which I find total BS.

In conclusion, it varies on the type of server.

Quote from: MoonlightRO on Oct 03, 2010, 07:37 PM
In my opinion, there are like 97% of donation servers that enjoy money that is being spent on them. However, not ALL donation servers are UNBALANCED. Making it 'unbalanced' depends on the type of server it is (LR, MR, HR, SHR) and the amount of items given, as well as the items that are mainly exclusive to donators and non-donators get no special treatment.

I, myself, hate the fact that donators should get EVERYTHING because they donate. False. Owners should make it so that items that are given to donators, non-donators can also get them. Thus, that is what I've done with my server.

However, there are also items that are exclusive to donators that are way way stronger in PvP, WoE, etc. and non-donators have no chance which I find total BS.

In conclusion, it varies on the type of server.

I do... sadly agree though that there are a handful of servers or so out there that probably do abuse the concept of donations, mostly using them for their own financial gain. But people will never know how the server is in such terms if they never bother to try them out. What's to lose in trying a server other than a moment to download their client? o:

Quote from: Nomi on Oct 03, 2010, 09:45 PM

Quote from: MoonlightRO on Oct 03, 2010, 07:37 PM
In my opinion, there are like 97% of donation servers that enjoy money that is being spent on them. However, not ALL donation servers are UNBALANCED. Making it 'unbalanced' depends on the type of server it is (LR, MR, HR, SHR) and the amount of items given, as well as the items that are mainly exclusive to donators and non-donators get no special treatment.

I, myself, hate the fact that donators should get EVERYTHING because they donate. False. Owners should make it so that items that are given to donators, non-donators can also get them. Thus, that is what I've done with my server.

However, there are also items that are exclusive to donators that are way way stronger in PvP, WoE, etc. and non-donators have no chance which I find total BS.

In conclusion, it varies on the type of server.

I do... sadly agree though that there are a handful of servers or so out there that probably do abuse the concept of donations, mostly using them for their own financial gain. But people will never know how the server is in such terms if they never bother to try them out. What's to lose in trying a server other than a moment to download their client? o:

More than a hand full mate, I'd say close to 95% of them abuse the concept of donations.

Quote from: Ganondorf on Oct 04, 2010, 01:45 PM

Quote from: Nomi on Oct 03, 2010, 09:45 PM

Quote from: MoonlightRO on Oct 03, 2010, 07:37 PM
In my opinion, there are like 97% of donation servers that enjoy money that is being spent on them. However, not ALL donation servers are UNBALANCED. Making it 'unbalanced' depends on the type of server it is (LR, MR, HR, SHR) and the amount of items given, as well as the items that are mainly exclusive to donators and non-donators get no special treatment.

I, myself, hate the fact that donators should get EVERYTHING because they donate. False. Owners should make it so that items that are given to donators, non-donators can also get them. Thus, that is what I've done with my server.

However, there are also items that are exclusive to donators that are way way stronger in PvP, WoE, etc. and non-donators have no chance which I find total BS.

In conclusion, it varies on the type of server.

I do... sadly agree though that there are a handful of servers or so out there that probably do abuse the concept of donations, mostly using them for their own financial gain. But people will never know how the server is in such terms if they never bother to try them out. What's to lose in trying a server other than a moment to download their client? o:

More than a hand full mate, I'd say close to 95% of them abuse the concept of donations.

It's around there indeed. Before I created my server, I've been in abusive servers who pick pocketed the money.

Quote from: MoonlightRO on Oct 04, 2010, 04:35 PM

Quote from: Ganondorf on Oct 04, 2010, 01:45 PM

Quote from: Nomi on Oct 03, 2010, 09:45 PM

Quote from: MoonlightRO on Oct 03, 2010, 07:37 PM
In my opinion, there are like 97% of donation servers that enjoy money that is being spent on them. However, not ALL donation servers are UNBALANCED. Making it 'unbalanced' depends on the type of server it is (LR, MR, HR, SHR) and the amount of items given, as well as the items that are mainly exclusive to donators and non-donators get no special treatment.

I, myself, hate the fact that donators should get EVERYTHING because they donate. False. Owners should make it so that items that are given to donators, non-donators can also get them. Thus, that is what I've done with my server.

However, there are also items that are exclusive to donators that are way way stronger in PvP, WoE, etc. and non-donators have no chance which I find total BS.

In conclusion, it varies on the type of server.

I do... sadly agree though that there are a handful of servers or so out there that probably do abuse the concept of donations, mostly using them for their own financial gain. But people will never know how the server is in such terms if they never bother to try them out. What's to lose in trying a server other than a moment to download their client? o:

More than a hand full mate, I'd say close to 95% of them abuse the concept of donations.

It's around there indeed. Before I created my server, I've been abusive servers who pick pocketed the money.

So if I were to ask, you guys would prove this by reasonable statistics using legit mathematical reasoning to explain the percentage of server in terms of corruption ? xD

Anyways~. I can safely say that the server I GM isn't part of that corrupt percentage, but it supposedly being so high.... well it doesn't help any. @_@

I don't really like playing on donation-servers, when the donates affect pvp or woe too much.
I'd like to think of a perfect build without spending money on it...

I despise servers where you have to donate in order to keep up. It becomes more reasonable if you can buy them off other players or make them in-game, but then some people just donate and sell the items till they have 1 bill to buy the best mvp cards in the server, not really putting in any effort them self

No such thing as donations, it's called a cash shop. Anyone telling you otherwise is lying.

Quote from: Kyroki on Oct 21, 2010, 05:47 PM
I despise servers where you have to donate in order to keep up. It becomes more reasonable if you can buy them off other players or make them in-game, but then some people just donate and sell the items till they have 1 bill to buy the best mvp cards in the server, not really putting in any effort them self

Well the donations aren't what keeps the server up for us, and we don't believe in mvp card donates. Defeats the purpose of actually farming them, much less fighting the boss. Which I do agree with.

Well, Donations on a server are okay as long as the items that are available are balanced and fair towards other players, and also it would be nice if the items could be obtained though other means such as quests or prizes. Some small items may be donation exclusive but these items should no be overpowered :)

(http://i53.tinypic.com/2rxttte.gif)
Here's one that slightly irks me for some lousy reason: Low rates with exp manuals for sale (there's a point where it's less a donation and more of a cash shop, it's just a matter of the server owner evading taxes/kidding themselves).  It comes off as "here's boring rates, donate to make them fun" to me.

Also, I've never given money to a server for any reason, and probably never will.  Private servers are too temporary to piss away $10 to.

It's fine with me. Donations keeps/helps the server to be alive. But if the server has an imbalanced/overpowered donation items. I immediately quit playing them. Haha!  ;D

Quote from: Noobstarr on Nov 03, 2010, 08:01 AM
It's fine with me. Donations keeps/helps the server to be alive. But if the server has an imbalanced/overpowered donation items. I immediately quit playing them. Haha!  ;D

Yeah, that's about the conclusion everyone comes to.

Excessive donation also ruins the server according to me

It depends on the server how the GMs are and how many players play...if the server has invested in host, website, etc then donating would be fine but if its a free domain and a lagging server sick website then no ways i would donate to a server of that kind...

Well there are a few RO servers that make the "Donation" not balanced, some of them even make you "GM" if you donate. Some servers just put on some Donation headgirs that look good, which i think is fine. Some just put on customized cards that can make things imbalanced.

You just have to chose the right RO server for you that fits the "balanced" category for donators and its players. If you want to try aeRO you are welcome to check things out.

For me Donation is going to help a server, like for rent, but there are some admins whose really after the money of the players, so its up to the players, i suggest do go overboard on donating into a server, but make sure when u donate your helping the server to be alive. but watch out to those greedy admins! good luck

More like "Purchase In-Game Items" than "Donations". Donations get no refund supposedly. You don't give a penny to a homeless or organization or streeties then say "pay me back" right. Purchases can have refunds.

"Donation"-based servers... basically money to fuel your desire for RO gaming. Whatever the admin's (or even staff members) list for what they use the money for is up to them, it's their business. "Admin needs beer money"? Players who can live by making the most purchases or even premium services will have the most ego. Free players (considering they can't do much without donating) will just have to choke it up. But never expect the word "balanced donations" because these 2 can't mix unless those so-called donates doesn't give any bonuses but "looks".

Donations never harm a server. It's your own risk on how far and how much you're willing to donate for a simple pixel-based item. But once the server reaches a peak of problem that can wipe everything and everyone out, then your money's worth just went down to nothing. Just memories.

It's like buying Steve Job's iPod but still functions entirely the same like ordinary Mp3 Players.

True. People who spend money on pixels make me cry seriously. Like unless you're going to lose that money (cellphone is pre-paid and you're about to lose your minutes) I don't understand.
I think that some of the players who buy stuff IG lack self-esteem and possibly money IRL (or power or w/e).
Granted, not all of them are self-hating kids but unless you do it in moderation and can get over the fact that you're wasting money, don't do it. Just my opinion. I'm not swearing or anything or saying stuff about people, I'm just saying what a lot of people think.

Well, getting the upper hand in a game is always something someone is willing to pay for. Even if it is as ridiculous as a hat that no one else has.

And that's extremely sad, and part of the reason why video games have a bad reputation. I play a lot sometimes but I would never ever shell out real money or join a guild just because I want to be more powerful. I couldn't care less about what people think of me IG, however I do want to get better to enjoy the game more. I know some people who have variant+proxy+ whatever s*** they can get through donation/ bloody branches/ cheating and that can't even get a ratio of 1 in PVP. PVP doesn't matter but these are the same kids that get everything from their parents and will never know how to fend for themselves IRL. I'm also against the fact that guilds give out top equipment to average players who just entered the guild because spoon-feeding someone is never good.
Luckily enough us anti-guilds prove them wrong by killing them in BG/ PVP but IRL it's the same thing as I said. Someone never took me by the hand so that I could learn languages and now I teach English from time to time and I'm about to pass my finals hopefully.

So yeah, money can only help someone so much...

I agree and disagree with Donation Servers.

Yes, okay, servers need money to be kept running by hosters as well as the servers domains they use for their sites etc.

However, some server admins do not care about players and just want to "set up" items for donate that are made exclusive or OP so that players can buy them (as said above, hungry for power) and then the admins will pocket the money rather then putting it aside to pay the hosting fees.

Also, it's extremely hard (so I find) to find server admins who actually care about players and actually balance out their donation items so that donators aren't OP in PvP etc..

Most donations items are found exclusive to only donators which give tremendous amount of status/effects and then "normal" players are left in the dust.

Pretty rare to find a server that actually gives donation items to be questable for normal players as well but also giving exclusive items not OP tremendous amount of effects either.

Yeah basically you're getting ripped off to strut around with a virtual hat on.
Win.
Seriously though, even if they made the quests hard I'd be okay with donations. It's just that those kind of admins just want to rip people off. Then again, I don't mind that - if players are stupid enough to fall into traps just like that, well let them waste their money.
The best part is that it's "sort of" legal, not really punishable anyway, so it's the perfect scheme.
Why don't we all do it huh?

I'm a proud member of check the purchase button before even playing, lulz.

I also dislike wasting money on online games, but if the server is in need of a donation - not out of money greed but out of serious lack of money I can understand it.
Years ago on the 2nd RO server I ever played they didn't have any donations or cash shop or so. The community was willing to donate though and the admin declined taking any money, also after the admin had problems financing the server he didn't let his players send him money, since he has sworn to himself not to open up a "donation" shop.
In such cases though I think it's okay to donate. I wouldn't though, just out of the reason that I don't want to pay any money for pixels as Leamee already said. :3

Donations have to be balanced though and must not cause a great impact on the game, e.g. too big of a difference between donators and non-donators.

I agree with you, even though people can lie to get you to feel obligated to donate and then be like "nah I'm super poor but don't give me money, oh wait my dog/dragon/dinosaur is dying and I need money for the serv and the vet but that's fine". You can't trust people IG (or IRL) when it comes to money so yeah. You never know which criminal activity you might be financing, I've heard crazy stories before.

I would understand helping out a server by donating if I know the admin puts the donation money to good use by buying new site integrations, a better VPS, Vent server, etc..

Other then that, I wouldn't put in any money. However, I do find giving money for a game a little "weird" in a context form if I would say. But, people pay for actual video games for PS3, Wii, Xbox 360, so why not spend it on an online game?

It's definitely necessary to keep a lot of servers alive, especially considering good advertising isn't usually free...

^
Love

It depends on the usage of the money that is donated on a certain server

If the Admin is educated enough to use the money for a good cause, why not donate?

But if the Admin uses the money for his own, keep your money!

Donation is really a great help to server owners:

1. Paying Host (Dedicated server and Web host)

2. Paying for advertisements

3. Paying for a quality made website


And if you are a server owner, you must put a log for the donation. So your players can also monitor what you are paying :)

Some servers overpriced their donations, and that's make my interest loss with the server. But some are still balanced, they just don't care about the money, but also they are concern with those players not donating. :)

°I think it depends on the owner or admin of the server..

some are just having it for fun in their pockets..
I played many big server which really needs donations for them to run it  long terms...

I myself have my own server now.. ( zerg-ro.net ) lucky for me.. i dont even need donations
for my server to survive.. i enjoyed making my server and letting player play and enjoy..
it is newly released.. though.. hehe need more improvements.. maybe

Quote from: drebin on Jul 24, 2011, 03:00 PM

°I think it depends on the owner or admin of the server..

some are just having it for fun in their pockets..
I played many big server which really needs donations for them to run it  long terms...

I myself have my own server now.. ( zerg-ro.net ) lucky for me.. i dont even need donations
for my server to survive.. i enjoyed making my server and letting player play and enjoy..
it is newly released.. though.. hehe need more improvements.. maybe

Nice. But for me, donations are still needed for a server to run in a longer term. You can say your server can survive without donations, but by the time the players will rapidly multiply, then I think you should think about adding donation items, balance and fair. :)

°even if you you do not implement doantions on a server.. players still are looking for donations..

i am making my other server now.. mid rate.. one.. Financial Capabilities of my server is high.. it wont be killed.. heheh..

°i just love ragnarok thats all.. hehe..

Quote from: Scribbles on Aug 11, 2009, 09:52 PM
Here is what I think about Donation Servers :3

• Sometimes Overpowered Donations
• More "DIS SERVER STOLDED MY [insert currency Here]. AN I DONATED [insert ridiculous amount of money][currency]

...
It's mostly because of the second one. That's pretty much my own .001 cents about it.
It's just annoying to me.

What do ya'll think (the ya'll is because of boredom)[/list]

It's true, most of the donator items is over-powered which makes the economy and game play of the server imbalance.

Quote from: SnpGhost on Jul 26, 2011, 10:22 AM
Nice. But for me, donations are still needed for a server to run in a longer term. You can say your server can survive without donations, but by the time the players will rapidly multiply, then I think you should think about adding donation items, balance and fair. :)

No need to kid ourselves.  RO is an old game.  It was designed with the limitations of the year 2002 in mind.  It is 2011 now. Average RO player takes less than 1KBPS.  For the server I use, I can effectively make use of 771KBPS all month long for 23$.  Frankly, I will never have 771 players because I don't want to be hunted down by lawyers.  You cannot say that a donation free server is not sustainable.

I have absolutely no problem with donations as long as the rewards for it can also be obtained  through regular gameplay or events, or are just limited use items that don't completely break the game (like those items that increase EXP or drop rates, their name slips my mind.)

On principle, however, I don't believe RO servers should be run like a for-profit business. If you have the means, as the server owner, of paying for everything yourself, you shouldn't be asking for handouts.

Donations are fine but sometimes they just get too over powered. We can't really blame the owners/admins since they want their servers to survive or make money off it. Although I gotta admit, I wouldn't want to play in a server in which you can only "win" by donating.   :(

It's sad though since MOST donators would only donate for something that would make them stand out (or have really good sprites). Hence, sometimes, items get overpowered, even if the intent wasn't to do so. If items can be obtained by quests, most players would go for questing. It's difficult to find that balance for donation items at times.

I only seen a few servers that had good donation systems going (no overpowering items, just recoloured sprites with same stats, etc), but I have no idea if it really worked for them or not.

Donation servers are alright to me as long as some donation items are obtainable by quests while others aren't too overpowering/expensive. Some servers have donation items priced PRETTY high.

If server owners take money for their own good, it's not really a donation towards the server anymore. "Donate to the staff" is more like it... if that happens.

most servers players gear using donation credit to do so which is lame :/

Quote from: IbombYouAD on Sep 19, 2011, 04:48 AM
most servers players gear using donation credit to do so which is lame :/

That's true. It's also sad to see that RO became more of a business for admins rather than a game that everyone can enjoy. I would donate if I could, but sadly: "i r poor".

Problem is the system, everything is around some sort of give stuff to players to give money to the admins soon or later and no more qualityro and instead you get payro.
Srs, if someone really wants to just have a server to get money just call him instead Pay2WinRO -.-
Worse is that after sometime the server turns into donations for gears and zenny doesn't exist anymore to the point that everything is ruled by donations and donations are the new currency.

Fun and free can used in the same sentence without the use of donations, some servers already made that and in a wonderful way but there is always someone that loves to f*** a good system and f*** the server =\

Only time I'm okay with Donation servers is if there is a way I can obtain said donations through some kinda ingame means.  That and I really dislike any types of cards or gear that is in the donate shop, unless its fancy hats.  But I would gladly donate to a server that is actually worth my time to obtain said hats or consumables.  Esp bubble gumz.  (  If its a low rate that is.  )  Sadly I have yet to actually donate to a server due to I don't like the server itself, or it shuts down.   I'm really picky about supporting servers unless I feel they are good enough to support. 

It is a source of revenue and it isn't a "donation". Making a donation, as I've understood since I learned to speak English, doesn't entitle the person a "gift" or some compensation. That would be known as a "shop". However, I'm a hypocrite if I say I don't call them donations. Either way, I feel that the revenue accumulated should STRICTLY be used on nothing more than server finances. Otherwise, I feel that is very greedy - generally, you can spot greedy server owners based on what they are selling (EX: Sleipnir for 40$... but wait, there's more...). Just my opinion.

It's pretty common that everyone starts a server with the objective of making money out of it.

Not everyone, I saw already 2 servers based on a 0 donations system where players where voting/clicking on stuff as google aids to get vote points to get items in case as some funny hats and at same paying the costs of the server making the server alive without any donations.

When I tried to do a server, my goal was fun, not donations. I sincerely just wanted a server that wasn't a carbon copy of everything available :x

It didn't work out so well, but although 99% of servers are donation-orientated, there are some exceptions, crazy as it may seem.

Of course it would be nice to add abit of spice but spice comes with a price.