Serious Poll # 2 [click on comments for details]

Right, yes, another poll about money. But it's important to get all your oppinnions, etc etc, so here goes. Please actually READ the following before voting, it'll make all the difference, swear!

So as you know, MTS2 costs $270 per month, however lately you may have noticed the site getting sluggish and whatnot. This is mainly due to us hitting our bandwidth limit of 60GB a day. Now, we've implemented tons of fixes and whatnot to make the site as pared down as possible, however it's come to the point where we really need to upgrade.

What we need is to switch to a package with unlimited bandwidth [the next step up from what we have now] and a RAM upgrade. This will tide us over for the forseeable future as obviously there's no limits on unlimited bandwidth. The only problem is that it'll be expensive.

The RAM upgrade alone will be $500 and having unlimited bandwidth will increase our monthly costs from $270 to $500, which is a big jump when you consider this site is really community funded. So there's an initial outlay of $1,000 with $500 per month after that - the price of popularity I'm afraid. And, although we have $740 in donations at the moment, you can understand our need to increase that so as to ensure the sites future. That's why we've come up with the following fundraisers for MTS2:

Option One:
MTS2 Tshirts.
We make up a one off batch of say 200 tshirts, divided into 5 groups of different slogans [50 shirts per slogan]. Some of these slogans include "I mod your childrens games" or "Tomatoes, sausages, panites: MTS2.com" - we haven't figured all the details out yet. Please only vote for this option if you're willing to actually purchase a tshirt, otherwise there's little point in us going to all the trouble of organising them. We just want to know if you'd be interested in buying a tshirt and we'll hammer out the specifics after the poll.

Option Two:
MTS2 Supporter.
A Supporter would sign up to pay a low price - say $5 - per month. Before you all start freaking out and squealing "paysite, paysite!" with fangirl vigor, let me just stress that MTS2 will remain completly free to everbody. The only difference between a normal member and a Supporter is perhaps a doodad icon thingy under their avatar - nothing else. And the fact that they'd be helping the site out in the long term, which is always good. If you have any further ideas for a Supporter, then please comment.

Option Three:
MTS2 Auctions.
Basically, being the big geeks we are, Delphy and I have waaaay too much stuff, everything from programming books to boxes of mysterious cables to old "I wouldn't wear that but someone thinner/shorter/less colourblind would" clothes. We propose a series of auctions held on our forums, kinda like our own mini ebay, where we put up stuff and you guys bid with all proceeds going to the donation fund. We wouldn't have shoddy crap either, I know I personally have a shrink wrapped Pinky Street figure, stacks of unread Writers Digest and large pewter statues from my fairy/dragon fixation a while back. So really it'd be a bit of everything and all in the name of fun. Oh and helping the site, of course.

Option Four.
Regular donations.
Dont do any of the fundraising stuff and just rely on regular donations as we do now. It's risky, as our costs have increased so much, but if people want it that way, then that's fine too.

Option Five.
Buy Delphy's Ponytail.
Yes, the generic "gag" option. Basically Delph had a ponytail of a good 4/5 inches and when he got scalped recently [sorry, got a haircut :_P] he kept his ponytail - it's still in the original gogo. So we auction that off. Pics of the fabled ponytail to follow...

Please take a moment to think about this seriously as it really does affect the future of the site. And only vote for things you'd be willing to participate in. Buying a tshirt may appeal to you, but if you're going to have trouble actually making the purchase, then vote for something else.

Cheers,
Eve.

PS. And of course, if you can think of anything else we could do as a fundraise, let us know.

Could we get a scan of the ponytail? Just so we can see what we'd be voting for? :D

RG

"Pics of the fabled ponytail to follow..."

Good grief danners you need glasses.

This site is worth being given a helping hand, I cannot contribute by creation, but 5 dollars would be fine as I would be helping others who visit to enjoy what all of those who do create. Art mus. even Disney have brick with the initals or names.

Thank you and I thank all of you on this site that had added zest to Grandmas Sims

Site supporter sounds like a pretty good deal, you know, and wouldn't violate any licensing agreements, laws, whatever. I wouldn't buy a t-shirt, because the only place I wear them is to the gym - and my sweaty body would never encourage anyone to visit a site advertised on it. . .

I volunteer to be a regular supporter. $5 a month for an icon under the Avatar it's a real bargain! :D
Maybe you could let the supporter choose the "supporting" effort: 5/10/15/... $ a month will give them a */**/***/... icon. Cool!
Actually, some members, like the Moderators (and the Supermoderators ), deserve a full row of icons just for the hard work they do (ehm... they do it for free, right...? )

do you have to have a credit card or could you send a money order for any of those options

Since the T-shirt plan would require putting some money down, I would suggest saving that option for later. But it's definitely a good idea and I do think people would buy them.

Right now I'd say the supporter icon thingy. That's the fastest. Other options should be used later. all of them are good.

I already HAVE glasses. Isn't that sad?

RG

I like the supporter idea as well. I can afford 5 bucks a month for this site. It's definately worth it to me.

Or you can sell sausages!

lolz.. nobody wants to bid for Delphy's ponytail! =l

I agree with both Numenor and RG. The supporter option would give the fastest results, and the idea of it being tiered would allow those with less cash flow to still help out while allowing those that can support in a bigger way to do so. Maybe a silver, gold, platinum type level.

RGiles you pet, try wearing the glasses on your EYES instead of on your sausage =) or tomatoes!

I have been a part of a couple of websites that have supporter packages and I likee that idea!

I'll be a supporter! :P

Is it possible to make the monthly donation variable (user's choice of $5, $10, $15, $20, etc., per month)?

yeah. I think having variable amounts is a better idea. those who can afford to give more can give more and for those who cannot, $5 will be the minimum then.

This site uses PayPal, and PayPal accepts almost every tender ... with the exception of one's firstborn and spare limbs ... :P

www.paypal.com

I think the supporter idea is good, $5 a month isn't a lot and not everybody would have to do it so this gets my vote. But if there were t-shirts I'd definitly want one :D

maby you sould ask eagames and maxis for help. or go into advertising (i hear it could pay very well). if you need help with maintaing the site , i will be willing to help. (i have basic skiss and i'm willling to leurn). or sponsor ship off a nother company.

yeah supporter would be nice id rather give my money here than to some other sites lol

I think that this wouldn't be a good idea, because Delphy and Eve (or better, Eve and Delphy: we are polite persons ) should rely on a known monthly income. We already can make variable donation today. The problem is that we should at least declare to the admin what is the minimum monthly "effort" they can count on.



Loverat, you are a mith! I have definitely to attend to your next course of English :D

I have a question about the ponytail. Has it been washed?

I didn't vote for any because I think we could do a variety of them. I've contributed and would have no problem becoming a site supporter but wouldn't mind a t-shirt later on either.

Would it be feasible to do a variety? Keep open the donations, have site supporters and do other things to raise money? There may be a few that can be site supporters, others that only once in a great while can contribute, but no pressure on anyone(let's face it, we know not everyone can spare money).

Oh, if you are auctioning dragons, Let me know!!!! I collect some, :D

Cheeky! I don't see how it's any of your business where I put them. Then again, maybe I'd see that to if I... never mind.

So, I like the idea of the supporter. Like BlueJeannie, though, I think you should keep regular donations open and even do the auction thing. T-shirts would be cool, but they do cost money to make, so maybe that could be done at a later date.

I'm up for being a regular supporter. I already allocate some of my money for things like this. I'm happy to help!

Edit:
I finally donated! (I've been procrastinating.)

Last edited by daysies : 2nd Feb 2005 at 04:04 PM.

I say the supporter idea as well, You could do the t-shirts and sell other MTS2 items as well. Why not go through some place like http://www.cafepress.com/ They make it you sell it type deal. Heck you could still do the auction idea as well for extra money you may need.