Donation idea: Wall of Features

Post by **trevor** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 5:13 pm

MapTool is free and will always be free.

That said, I'd love to move rptools to a dedicated hosted machine, which costs lots more money, but would let us do things like host MT servers and lots of other nifty stuff.

Wanted to run an idea past you guys and see what you think.

Wall of Features
* List all of the features on the short and medium list
* Let people donate towards any feature, anywhere from $1 to whatever
* The features that get donated to the most get worked on first
* New features can be requested to be added to the list at any time

When someone asks when something will be done, I can direct them to the board. I'll probably have to have a minimum $$ to start work on for some features to compensate for the difference in complexity and time commitments.

I figure it would be on the order of dollars to maybe tens of dollars, and provide some friendly fun competition, that would also help out rptools.

Thoughts and opinions ?

Cweord · Post by **Cweord** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 5:48 pm

I'd add a list for system priority features that are happening anyway, not that would have $ connected to it, but so people can see what else is happening and may be causing delays or taking your time.

The only headache I see is that when people start paying, they will start expecting as well . . . .

RPTroll · Post by **RPTroll** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 5:51 pm

Well, one of the side effects of this is that if a company wants maptool support this is a backhanded way to pay for that.

Also, us old farts with more disposable income can have more influence.

snikle · Post by **snikle** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 5:56 pm

How much will drawing cards and full character sheets cost me?

RPTroll · Post by **RPTroll** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 6:07 pm

I'll pitch in for the cards and donate a lot for scripting.

/me gets out his coffee can full of spare change

Steel Rat · Post by **Steel Rat** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 6:15 pm

I've got a dedicated server, all my sites run on it. You're more than welcome to port RPTools to it and run any servers necessary. I don't even come close to my bandwidth limits.

Phergus · Post by **Phergus** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 6:41 pm

/me begins building up a warchest for hex features

snikle · Post by **snikle** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 6:42 pm

Really I don't see a problem with this, but I highly suggest you include some sort of disclaimer that donating for features is just that, a donation and not a promise of future features. Some features may take longer than others to add into the software, some may never be able to be added.

Hey wait, can we donate to drop the importance of certain features to (eyes Phergus' hex addiction)?

Cweord · Post by **Cweord** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 6:49 pm

With you two battling it out, RPTools stands to make a fortune . . . .

Post by **dorpond** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 7:13 pm

Personally, I think once money gets involved, people turn into monsters.

People who pay will become more demanding and when you don't hit the mark, they will feel the need to nag and in turn, you Trevor, will feel more obligated to them. Then you are no longer implementing features for the love but now it is a job.

I think the idea is scary. I would just rather send you money, shake your hand, and say "thanks for making my game so much better"

I suggest just asking the community for donations. I think if everyone knew that the website would be more reliable and better for everyone all around, they will be happy to donate. I don't think money should drive features - good ideas should.

teban · Post by **teban** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 7:15 pm

If i may ask, what is the monetary goal?

Post by **trevor** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 7:52 pm

teban wrote:If i may ask, what is the monetary goal?

There isn't one, really.

Emryys · Post by **Emryys** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 9:59 pm

Steel Rat wrote:I've got a dedicated server, all my sites run on it. You're more than welcome to port RPTools to it and run any servers necessary. I don't even come close to my bandwidth limits.

Very generous of you, SR... if this came to pass, you could find ways to plug Infinite Ordnance etc, as advertising on RPTools site... perhaps even RPTool products to off-set the cost...

Phergus · Post by **Phergus** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 10:33 pm

As much as I hate advertising maybe it is time to consider get some targeted ads or sponsors for the site.

stefam · Post by **stefam** » Tue Oct 09, 2007 2:06 am

When I first read the topic, I figured it was like buying a brick at the hospital with your name on it, or sponsoring road cleanup. The "Doodad Family Memorial Bench" at the park kinda thing...

I was all ready for the "Stefam Memorial Incapacitated Condition Marker". Or "Hexes brought to you by Phergus"

But now that I understand, I agree with dorpond - a scary idea. Esp. since some of us (me included) would drop lots o' buck for our pet projects (DM Genie Integration maybe

). At that point it would get ugly. It would be safer to start e-bay bidding on feature priority - and that's just plain silly.

What brings this up? Need hosting $? Is this prelude to an EN-World type appeal?

-Mike