Donations towards subcontracted work

[Eelime]

I would like to suggest that a special donation fund be created for the purpose of improving or adding to the game through sub-contracted work. I suggest that if this idea is implemented, that it be done for one problem/improvement/addition at a time. That is, donations will go towards hiring programmers to fix a bug in the game, or add a new feature, and will continue to go towards that until the goal is reached. And then a new goal will be set and all donations will go towards that. The current goal for the donations could be displayed in the forums, or on the games homepage.


I am sure there are a few of us, new or old, who would be willing to donate little bits at a time to go towards this. It may not get to thousands of dollars immediately, but eventually, I think it will. And, if the dev team can try and focus some funds towards the goal, as well as the donations, it would go a lot quicker.




If this isn't a plausible idea, could a dev please respond and say why? Thank you. I think legal reasons could be a problem? Or maybe the devs think the community wouldn't support the donation goals enough to go through the trouble of setting it up?




I suggest this because it seems that a team so small would benefit from subcontracting work, and they may already do it (I think I may have seen it mentioned that they do). I'm sure if given the chance, the community will continue to show their support and love for the game by donating all the little bits ($5-10 here or there, even if it's only once a month or every two months).

[Dragonboy]

This game has many players, also many with multiple subscriptions.
As a matter of fact I currently run 3 subs, while this grants me the benefit of having 3 characters ingame at any given time or 3 plots/lairs total. It also provides a larger income for the devs to work with.

In case a donation service is not allowed people who can and want to pay for it can always take multiple subscriptions. Just take a “Basic or Property Holder Access - 1 Month” which would make it a donation of $9.95 or $14.95 .

[Eelime]

This game has many players, also many with multiple subscriptions.
As a matter of fact I currently run 3 subs, while this grants me the benefit of having 3 characters ingame at any given time or 3 plots/lairs total. It also provides a larger income for the devs to work with.

In case a donation service is not allowed people who can and want to pay for it can always take multiple subscriptions. Just take a “Basic or Property Holder Access - 1 Month” which would make it a donation of $9.95 or $14.95 .

I agree that people could get multiple subscriptions. But many people don't need or even want multiple subscriptions. Such as myself. I may get another one so that my bi-ped alt may have a plot, but that's months, maybe even a year off.

So, the donation would be an alternate option to the people taht just don't want multiple subscriptions.

Also, not everyone may be able to pay ten or fifteen dollars every month, and if they stop paying for a month, they lose the benefit of having that second account.

As well, there is something subconscious about donating, or giving freely, that makes people want to give more when they do it. That is, lets say a store gets asked to give 15% of all their profits towards a charity, and the business advertises this. This wouldn't increase their profits very much at all, and would make relatively low amount of money for the charity. But, if the business (lets say a PetSmart), were to offer the option to give $1, $5, $10, or $20 towards a donation every time you pay with a credit card, you would be more likely to think "Well, I can spare an extra $5...." rather than just go and purchase another 5 or six items to equal the $5 you could just directly donate.


Another thing that would increase the amount donated is that people will know exactly what the money is going towards, exactly what projects, which will then make them more likely to invest. They'll think of it as something as a game, "we've got to fill up this bar and we'll get this!" and will want to fill up that bar as quick as they can, by putting in as much effort as they can.

[Dragonboy]

I agree that people could get multiple subscriptions. But many people don't need or even want multiple subscriptions. Such as myself. I may get another one so that my bi-ped alt may have a plot, but that's months, maybe even a year off.

So, the donation would be an alternate option to the people taht just don't want multiple subscriptions.

Also, not everyone may be able to pay ten or fifteen dollars every month, and if they stop paying for a month, they lose the benefit of having that second account.

As well, there is something subconscious about donating, or giving freely, that makes people want to give more when they do it. That is, lets say a store gets asked to give 15% of all their profits towards a charity, and the business advertises this. This wouldn't increase their profits very much at all, and would make relatively low amount of money for the charity. But, if the business (lets say a PetSmart), were to offer the option to give $1, $5, $10, or $20 towards a donation every time you pay with a credit card, you would be more likely to think "Well, I can spare an extra $5...." rather than just go and purchase another 5 or six items to equal the $5 you could just directly donate.


Another thing that would increase the amount donated is that people will know exactly what the money is going towards, exactly what projects, which will then make them more likely to invest. They'll think of it as something as a game, "we've got to fill up this bar and we'll get this!" and will want to fill up that bar as quick as they can, by putting in as much effort as they can.

I was not meaning a permanent "recurring" subscription, but one month only. While you can cancel both at any given time, 1 month basic (non recurring) is a one time thing would be only $9.95. That is the easiest way to donate money if and until a system you propose is created.

[LOVWYRM]

I agree Rv- seems the best solution!