is there some sort of law or rule by microsoft against this, like you can make donations but you can't force people to pay to use your server?

I would doubt that there is anything you can do to be honest, if they provide the server, they can pretty much make up the rules that go with it too. I personally dislike the idea entirely, but they may have proper reasons for it - such as it costs them money to host the file itself and enable downloads (they may have limited bandwidth), so you are effectively paying for the bandwidth of the file - acceptable in my view (although it's the first I've heard of it). People tend to forget that it actually costs website hosts/mod makers a bit of their own cash to simply have a website allowing people to chat/download from - let alone all the time they then invest just so that others may play an extension to a game.

If there is a major issue with this - then the obvious thing is not to beta test for them then - don't pay, and voice your opinion that way. Posting names isn't an issue, it would only be made into an issue if people are not mature enough to allow such a discussion to proceed without insults or over-reaction.

Another reason that they may charge is to ensure that people who do beta test actually play and then report back to you. Alot of would be/so called "beta testers" simply want to play a new version, and will not give feedback etc, or play for a week and then bugger off elsewhere. Not even remotely helpful or useful, and indeed, a significant timewaste from the modders POV.

I would regard this as a secondary (but significant) reason as to why someone would attempt to enforce donations for access to their beta.

as long they dont make profits (higher income than the server does cost) they are free to take money for being "online"

the question is ... do they get a popularity bonus for forcing ppl to pay ... well i doubt it

hmm well

if a server wants to give a player of the server a chance to help beta test a new mod b4 it is released to the public, i dont see anything wrong with that and if they can get funds back in return to help pay for the upkeep of the server then do it lol.
To have the chance to play on a mod b4 it is released sounds like a great idea and i for one would pay a donation to maybe have the chance of testing new ships and to get the feel of a new mod to help my clan etc.

At the end of the day its the owner of the servers choice, and you dont have to pay to play its just to test a new mod b4 it goes public i.e "Beta"

Testing tends to be done by admin players and its not very often you see a server letting anyone see they new baby b4 anyone else lol.

as i have said b4 you have a choice and the server owners are not doing anything wrong.

Spawn

If they're asking for a donation in order to let you have a preview of the mod and have the privledge of finding out where everything is before it is officially released then i really can't see the problem, i know i would pay providing it wasn't a stupid amount


but if they are charging for you to be able to download the mod after it has been released and are asking for money in order for you to play on the server then i would have to say that is wrong.

do you know how much they asked for or was it just any amount?


hope I make sense.


Camulus

If they are asking people for a donation then it is alright, but if they are trying to force people to donate to be able to play their Beta then it's wrong.

Edited by - Leadcrows on 2/17/2006 8:54:44 AM

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If they are asking people for a donation then it is alright, but if they are trying to force people to donate to be able to play their Beta then it's wrong.

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There is no force about this, it's a choice - which people are fully aware of before undertaking.
People don't have a "right" to beta test, therefore they bestow what they consider a "reward" upon those whom donate, that they can beta test. Of course, it isn't much of a reward if everyone can beta test regardless.

I suppose it all depends upon perspective, but people have the choice as to whether to donate, so why it should annoy people who don't donate I don't know!

Originally the price was 30 british pounds. Then after some of the server owners own admins complained about the price, it was dropped to 5.

My friend decided 5 wasnt a bad price so he tried to beta, when he went to pay he said the admin told him "UK currency only, we wont take US dollars and loose on the exchange rate."

If it is a "donation" then why would they care to loose a little on exchange? Just seems bogus all around to me. SO, I quit playing there all together.

Oh yea out of the 12 server admins they have only 4 donated, and like only 2 players. So they got 6 donations out of thier supposed hundreds of regular players. THink maybe Swat_Op-R8R was right .....definately hurt their image.

Edited by - Fusi0nX on 2/21/2006 6:30:02 PM

Sounds to me like you are bitter at not being able to have the chance to Beta test. Apparently, the Server Police, not Admin, pointed out that some people might not be able to afford that much, and suggested reducing the donation amount and the Admin did so.

As for not taking US Dollars, its an English server and if they would like Brtish currency then whats wrong with that? If it was the other way around and the server was based in the US they would want US currency and not GB Pounds.

The Admins on the server allowed the main Server Police to test the mod, one of the Admins wanted to make a donation out of the goodness of his heart and did so. As far as I know they had 10 people helping to Beta test the mod so that there were not too many people on the server.

If you have a gripe Fusion, go post on their forums. You had answers to your first querie so please accept it and move on. As you said in your first post you dont want to start a flame war, judging by your second post you are not happy with the answers you had. As for saying you have left the server lol, I'm sure a lot of players including myself will say you have cut off your nose to spite your face - Beta testing is something you couldnt do and you are bitter about it.

Please remember they also have forums, you want to complain do it on there so the Admin can answer all your questions.

Edited by - argon on 2/22/2006 4:27:13 AM

Sounds like you are taking this personally Argon, by looking at your 1 post on that nick, and since you seem to know what server I speak of without mentioning the name, and by correcting me by changing Admin to server police, Im guessing your the server owner incognito?

I am not bitter because I cannot beta. To me 2 weeks is a trivial amount of time before release, and as for cash, I could afford the 5 pounds or 30 or 130 for that matter. Thats not the point. If I was so bitter I would have said the server name, and flamed on like it seems you want to do to me. As for cutting my nose off my face or whatever, once again it seems you are the bitter one and retaliating.

Yes my question was anwered already, but some people asked how much the cost was so I responded. Also, If I was so bitter why did I wait a whole week to post again? As you can see some people do agree with your tactics of bringing in server cash, and did I respond arguing? No, although most people that take donations acctually have a dedicated server on a fatpipe, not a Pentium 3 on a 256kup DSL line.

And as for complaining on the servers own forum, if you are so quick to jump me here, just what do you think would happen there? Your post is exactly why I posted here and not your forums. Here you cannot delete it just because you dont agree that I have the right to ask questions, discuss, and state opinion.


Edit: I just realized Argon looking at your email addy you ARE the server owner, if you feel so strongly that you are in the right why post anonymously as a "player" PK?




Edited by - Fusi0nX on 2/22/2006 6:25:34 AM

Edited by - Fusi0nX on 2/22/2006 6:32:30 AM

People, people!
Let's all put away the fire and stop this fight before people start to flame.

Everyone has their own opinon, some want to pay to get a chance to beta test before a release, that's them, some people wouldn't like to becuase they feel it isn't fair and seems like a scam to get 5 bucks. O well, it's their opinon.

Pretty much there is no point in fighting about having to pay to play the beta, just don't play there. You'll show the owner of the server a lot more than if you sat there and started a fight and continued to cry about something that is no big deal to you or worth your time. Suck it up and let it be.

My opinon ; if I owned a server is not to take money at all. It just seems worng, even if it is paying to help the server to be kept cleaned and running nice, that should be the owners job.

QuEsTiOn AsKeR
Last Hope MOD