Reserved slot poll

[McH|Foo2rama]

So with reserved slots activated please chime in on your thoughts. It costs alot to run the servers, and we need your donations. 2 bucks a month is less then a cost of a latte, and how many of you drink coffee? With the amount of time spent in this community isn't 2 bucks a pretty good deal?

[McH|Aramin]

Man... I know it's expensive to run a server but @ bucks are hard to come by!

[McH|Foo2rama]

fixed

[somethinginnocuous]

So long as it never kicks anyone...

Otherwise, seems like a reasonable course of action.

[McH|box]

So long as it never kicks anyone...

Otherwise, seems like a reasonable course of action.

Kicking is lame, therefore no kicks.

[McH|Magotchi]

I would even charge more, like 5 dollars, and I'd have it kick people. What's worse, people with reserved slots not being able to join because all 26 slots are in use (2 reservers already in the server and nobody else has left yet to free up a slot), or the most recent person to join the server being kicked with a message saying "kicked for a reserved slot". If you choose the first option, a reserved slot isn't as cool because you don't "always" get in. If you choose the second, people have more incentive to pay you money for a slot, and your revenue to cover costs of the server and growth is increased.

Also, if it isn't kicking people, the price should definitely go up. The less people that buy slots, the less likely those types of collisions are to occur.

It's really kind of a toss-up on which is better, but I've never had a problem being kicked for a reserved slot when I'm in a server, as long as it kicks the newest players rather than ones that have been there for a while. That gets irritating for the regulars that keep the server populated.

[Gavin]

its only 2 bucks for a month of slot access. for me that's reasonable for everyone even the guy that might get stuck out of game in queue till the slot frees up

[somethinginnocuous]

I would even charge more, like 5 dollars, and I'd have it kick people. What's worse, people with reserved slots not being able to join because all 26 slots are in use (2 reservers already in the server and nobody else has left yet to free up a slot), or the most recent person to join the server being kicked with a message saying "kicked for a reserved slot". If you choose the first option, a reserved slot isn't as cool because you don't "always" get in. If you choose the second, people have more incentive to pay you money for a slot, and your revenue to cover costs of the server and growth is increased.

Also, if it isn't kicking people, the price should definitely go up. The less people that buy slots, the less likely those types of collisions are to occur.

It's really kind of a toss-up on which is better, but I've never had a problem being kicked for a reserved slot when I'm in a server, as long as it kicks the newest players rather than ones that have been there for a while. That gets irritating for the regulars that keep the server populated.

I think the reason to only charge two dollars is BECAUSE it won't kick anyone and it is not a certainty. A lesser charge for a "lesser" service.

Still, kicking people for a reserved slot might alienate newcomers and ultimately do more damage than benefit.

Plus, it sucks. Not egalitarian. Douche-y, even.

Ultimately, my feelings on the subject are the reserve slots for two bucks seems like a good way to get some of us regulars to throw down a little money and get a slight advantage when trying to get in. It shouldn't be a means to exclude or tier players.

Just my thoughts.

[McH|Magotchi]

I still think it should be 5 though, regardless of whether it kicks or not. I think your overall income from it will be more, because really, the difference between 2 and 5 are nothing to most people. Either way, it's less than a combo meal at any major fast food joint (maybe not some combos, but you get the point). The extra money could go toward useful additions.

[McH|Foo2rama]

I agree with innocs reasoning for not kicking...

Unfortunately with the state of donations at this time, 2 bucks would most likly get more total donations then 5 bucks a month would.

[McH|Magotchi]

But people don't donate without a little something in return. You are basing that off the current donations (with no incentive to donate). Most servers that I've seen give reserves to those who donate 5 or more. I've even seen some that charge 10. Make it 4.99 and nobody will be able to distinguish it from 2.

[Teal]

But people don't donate without a little something in return. You are basing that off the current donations (with no incentive to donate). Most servers that I've seen give reserves to those who donate 5 or more. I've even seen some that charge 10. Make it 4.99 and nobody will be able to distinguish it from 2.

I actually categorically refuse to donate if it'll get me something. Besides which, having the donation be too high would breach the user license agreement with Valve (the part where we cannot use a Valve game for personal profit - i.e., selling server slots.)

[somethinginnocuous]

But people don't donate without a little something in return. You are basing that off the current donations (with no incentive to donate). Most servers that I've seen give reserves to those who donate 5 or more. I've even seen some that charge 10. Make it 4.99 and nobody will be able to distinguish it from 2.

I actually categorically refuse to donate if it'll get me something. Besides which, having the donation be too high would breach the user license agreement with Valve (the part where we cannot use a Valve game for personal profit - i.e., selling server slots.)

I don't think it would qualify if the proceeds went directly and solely towards the upkeep of the server/community as that would not be personal profit.

If one were worried(/cared considering how completely unlikely any issue were to arise) about the legal ramifications, it might be worth thinking about not receiving too much.

Anyway, this isn't a business. It isn't a NGO. It's a simple community. If you think that two dollars a head will pay the bills than that's what you should do. If you need more, maybe charging five won't be a bad idea.

I do agree that, in most cases, many who would donate two dollars would also go so far as to donate five but I think it's more a question of how much you need than how much you can get.

[TheBeerMan]

But people don't donate without a little something in return.

Your playing on the McH sever that is not free for the community to run, how are people not getting anything in return?

I can't talk because I have not donated myself mainly because I don't have a paypal account, hopefully that will change soon. Anyways this is the best gaming community I have ever come across and I have spent hundreds of hours playing CS:S and TF2 here and it would be a true shame to see the TF2 sever fall like the CS:S sever did.

It's snowmobile season here and that means I don't play video games (think is been close to three months now), see you all when the snow melts.

[McH|Magotchi]

Well, regardless, I'm going to keep in the habit of donating at least 5 a month just for the hell of it. When I said they aren't getting something in return, I meant they aren't getting something directly in return for their donation. Regarding the legal aspect, everybody's doin' it! Many servers charge for reserved slots.

[McH|Foo2rama]

there is not an issue, for all intents and purposes no one is making any money, trust us. All money earned has gone right back into servers.

[McH|Magotchi]

And if there's a surplus, there's always expansion. Ventrillo? New servers in other games? Contests? Whatever.

[McH|Foo2rama]

And if there's a surplus, there's always expansion. Ventrillo? New servers in other games? Contests? Whatever.

yup!

[Brad!]

Are we going to see the CS:S server coming back?
TF2 server expansions? (Custom Map server, Arena server, etc)
The addition of a Left 4 Dead server?

[Teal]

If we do get a L4D server, make sure it isn't shown on the server browser (but advertise it on the forums.) Would be a nice treat to know that if we can't get a random game going, we can always hop into the MaCHinE one easily. (Or vice versa, if the MaCHinE one is full, we can get a random game going.)

[McH|Magotchi]

People still play Left 4 Dead? That got old after about 20 hours for me.

[McH|box]

Heh, it's all in the people you play with. i don't even want to know the total amount that I have played.

[Teal]

I wasted 6 hours yesterday playing with the Sentry Gun glitch in a coop game.

[erzhik]

hell yeah I will pay $2 for a reserved slot.

[McH|e[X]ile-Hammack]

2 dollars is magnum im down

[lakerslink08]

2 Dollars is an extremely good deal I think. Depending on how congested those 2 slots are (maybe lots of people are waiting for even a reserved slot), upping the price might help lower the wait for reserved slots as well. I don't know what the statistics might be like, but I would feel annoyed if I paid 2 dollars and those reserved slots were always in use. Just throwing it out there that I think somewhere in the 2-5 dollar range might be more ideal for all involved including those paying as it still might reduce overall wait time.

[McH|Foo2rama]

It looks like within the week, we will be adding a few subscription options, starting at 2 USD. Any subscription over 2 usd will get a reserved slot.

[somethinginnocuous]

Cool.

...so long as we never sell admin rights...

*shudder*

[McH|Magotchi]

What's wrong with selling admin rights? I thought we wanted people teleporting all around the map and giving themselves godmode and noclip on a whim. Or slapping people 1000 times in a row. Definately sell admin rights.

[McH|Foo2rama]

What's wrong with selling admin rights? I thought we wanted people teleporting all around the map and giving themselves godmode and noclip on a whim. Or slapping people 1000 times in a row. Definately sell admin rights.

$200 a year...

Other then that selling admin is not good juju... Why would we allow someone access to those things that we do not trust.

But for 200 a year I would give someone admin.

[McH|McDee]

Hey, I've been kicking down around $200 a year and don't have admin....


Oh, wait, I don't play.

HFGL

[McH|Magotchi]

Why would we allow someone access to those things that we do not trust.

Of course. I guess sarcasm is a little hard to convey electronically, but I thought I spelled it out pretty clearly, smiley and all.

[hatchetface]

Any development on this?
Best tf2 server around;
I'd be happy to buy a slot or membership or whatever you got.

(Hammack is in fucking Hillsboro? That's creepy-close!)

[McH|Foo2rama]

soon.

[McH|Inferno]

New donation button added!!

Click here: http://www.themachine.org/donate.php

[somethinginnocuous]

Sending money

[McH|Inferno]

Sending money

Thanks!

[McH|McDee]

Sending money

Do you have a "washington.edu" email account? If so, thanks.

Please!!!!!

People, please put your forum handle and "TF2 Server" somewhere in the form so that we know who to credit.

[somethinginnocuous]

That was me, but I didn't notice a form to enter that information.

And I'm embarrassed.

ADDITIONAL:

I used the new subscription option, BTW.

[Maverick]

I think there's a spot for like, shipping notes or something.