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+---- Thread: History of our Servers - and their Future? (/showthread.php?tid=12662)
History of our Servers - and their Future? - markg - 07-22-2013
Back about 8 or 9 years ago, I wanted a place to go where we could play without griefers, screaming kids, or cheaters/hackers. None of the available servers had this combination, so I learned how to run servers and did so.
At one point we had at least one server on over 14 different games!
For those first 7+ years, we didn't even take donations. Since my desire was to have a place to play free of the bullshit, I didn't care if it was funded or not, and I thought that donations might even get in the way since with donations come demands. I was happy to pay the entire amount, since for me the experience was worth it. (note; there were a few people who DID donate, but I didn't know about it. A prior clan leader was selling admin, and pocketing the money, unbeknownst to me.)
About 2 years ago I was forced to relocate the servers to a location downtown San Jose. This was an expense I wasn't prepared for, but I still paid it for more than a year, still not taking donations. But by then I was getting tired of supporting everything by myself.
So a few months ago, I posted that I would be shutting down the servers.
I received virtually no response from anyone via the forums, which tells me no one is reading or active there, a big disappointment. But I DID receive a massive amount of people from the servers expressing regret, since many are regulars and love the playing experience we had created.
So I reacted with a challenge; if I received at least ONE donation a month, I would leave them up. This amount ($5 minimum) would hardly come close to even making a dent in the amount I have to pay, but it was more the thought that if enough people would support the servers, I would make up the rest.
I am happy to report that this was a success. But there was still the issue of who paid for the remainder.
Someone suggested that I run ads. Initially I was against that, since a lot of people hate ads in servers, and bitch continuously about them. But the regulars said they wouldn't mind IF it would keep the servers up. So I tried it. It has been a success.
So now between donations and the ads, most of the expenses are being covered. I still devote a ton of time and some money to keep them up, but at least I know that people appreciate them, so its worth it to me. But not all servers show that support.
A couple servers had zero regulars, and were taken down.
The teamspeak server, which was originally intended as an alternative to the in game chat system, and a method to hook up for a fun game, has morphed into something else. And I have yet to receive a single monetary donation from anyone using it. Come to think of it, I have yet to receive a single 'thank you' from anyone using it. And I have also noticed the high volume of visitors who are not following the forum registration requirements.
Due to this, I have decided to make everything support itself financially. If something doesn't pay for itself, im shutting it down.
Several servers have already met that fate, and today I locked the teamspeak server.
Things change, and I reserve the right, since im paying, to do whatever the hell I decide to do in the future.
Stay tuned, maybe this thing will reinvent itself. Or maybe this is the end of a good run.