Everyone please read
Unfortunatly, the downside to that is server costs. Before this site went online, f0rkznet (our server) was doing 15-20 KBits on average with spikes up to about 80 KBits. At the time of me writing this, we are averaging about 350 KBits with spikes well up into 1 MBits (1000 KBits for those not very computer savvy). Needless to say, TWP is growing and in a big way.
That's where you guys can come in. As much as I really really don't want to put ads on the site, it may be something I don't have a choice of doing in the near future. If we can get a few donations to the site a month, then that would be enough to keep the site ad-free. In addition to covering server costs, I really would like to offer real prizes for future Mapping Contests. Something like a video card or a gig of RAM, maybe a decent monitor. Something to give back to the winner to make the contest more important, and all in all attract more people here.
I'd like to give something back to the supporters, but I'm not sure exactly what to do for them. I've thought of a semi-private forum where anyone can view but only Supporters can post in. I've made a small rank similar to the Moderator one. I am open to ideas since I am kinda stumped about what to offer.
In the end, I'm not forcing anyone to do anything. Putting ads on the forum is the last thing I want to do, but right now me and f0rkz pay for the server out of pocket, and before long I won't have a choice but to add them.
Thanks everyone.
-Each ordinary contest winner will be a finalist for the prized compos.
-Every six months or so (BIG PRIZES! BIG!) the six finalists compete in order to win the prize.
As for prizes don't go over the top, perhaps every 3 monthly compos the 3 winners' maps are voted on again and the winner out of those 3 gets a prize. so to get a prize you have to make a map better than any submitted in the two previous/following months.
Add a BIG FAT JUICY donate button. Perhaps a small, unique to TWP, reward for donating more than say $20
We will save TWP however we can
As for contest prizes, I don't want to offer a big huge one every single contest since obviously there isn't enough people entering them to warrent it. I think we are going to have a longer contest at the start of the year, and we might offer a prize then.
Ads by Goooooogle ftw
Msleeper, a few weeks ago, from memory wrote:
If every registered user donated $1, I could do crack off my new Lexus. If every registered user with one post or more donated $1, the server would be covered for at least a few months.
I just went and did my bit. It's a buck. Seriously.
Hober wrote:
I just went and did my bit. It's a buck. Seriously.
MrTwoVideoCards wrote:
Between posts would be dumb, instead make it to the left or right or something.
Just as long as it's not to the left or the right inside a post. That can screw a lot of things up, not to mention it really looks out of place.
EDIT: Also, wtb big-fat-donate-button.
those are poopy.
