re: Can I Help Cyan and the Uru Community ?

I just had this idea a few hours ago.

Considering that Cyan might be on a very tight budget for only two of
their employees to be able to work on the "More" project, I would be willing
to help them with my money, from right now. (even with no access to MORE)

I am ready to start subscribing to "More" right at this moment without waiting for the
official subscription/registering drive.

I would not expect or ask for any favor.

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I had asked that too in a PM but was told they are not ready for that and are looking into PayPal to handle money transactions but nothing has been said to comfirm that. I would rather pay Cyan by credit card on line.

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URU Dan
KI # 02132531

I wonder if cyan worlds accept donations...they could use it.

Chogon?

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Previously known as "The stranger"

The best way I would recommend is to Pm an Cyan employee and ask that question privately.

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URU Dan
KI # 02132531

I've actually thought this myself and would be willing to donate to this cause, not a particularly large sum, but more than a mere 20 bux. Since this is something that I have a lot of personal interest in seeing suceed, small personal sacrifices (ie: hard earned money) are easily justified.

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Explorer at large

I proposed earlier some, uh, flexibility in payments.

It might take some extra time for Cyan to set it up, though.

But I was wondering if we could, for instance, pay for an entire year up front ($50)

Or give an extra donation when signing up, or, as you suggested, pay early before the game even opens.

Or have the option for monthly payments of, say, $7.50 instead of six months for $25 - an 80% higher payment per month good for those who want to pay Cyan more or those who are unsure whether they're interested in Uru and just want to try MO:RE briefly to see if they like it before investing in a larger plan.

That would have upsides and downsides, of course. More people would give MO:RE a chance at an investment of $7.50, and some of these extra "short trial" people might end up becoming subscribers on a long-term basis, increasing the total number of both Uru trials and long-term Uru subscribers.

However, the one-month trials would only give Cyan $7.50 per person, not $25, from those who try and then decide they don't like Uru, and who might have done a $25 trial of Uru instead if that were the only option available.

As for me, personally, I'm planning to choose several of my friends who are most receptive to Uru and pay for their first span of MO:RE.

I'd pick two people at first and pay $25 for each of them, give them a MO:RE account as a gift.

It'd be like paying Cyan an extra $50 except with the cool bonus that my friends will get to be in Uru.

If Cyan does not accept donations, IMO, that is the next best option, if not a better option.

Give Cyan an extra $25 directly and it helps them a little.

But if that $25 goes into giving a friend a trial, and they decide to remain subscribed, that's a long-term stream of income you've just given Cyan for the same $25 AND you have brought someone new into the community who you can play Uru with!

So if the donations thing doesn't work out, buying Uru accounts for friends is an alternative that we could embrace as a community.

If Cyan approves, of course.

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Matthew Lyles Hornbostel, eccentric artist and Myst fan, creator of fansite www.urucontinues.com and various videos/games.

matthornb wrote:

More people would give MO:RE a chance at an investment of $7.50, and some of these extra "short trial" people might end up becoming subscribers on a long-term basis, increasing the total number of both Uru trials and long-term Uru subscribers.

Great idea.

Maybe Cyan could do the free "Visitor" thing again to let folks get a peek of what is going on. Then maybe offer a one month'er to see all of it and close the deal on a long term subscription.

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semplers'

matthornb wrote:

,,,,, or, as you suggested, pay early before the game even opens.

Yep, that was the idea.

I would not see this as a donation or charity but as paying for a priviledge to be able
to ride in the fast lane to get into the game faster when made available.

And could be seen as Beta testing for somekind of diversified payments options.

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MOUL KI: 174162

I would not mind at all if there was a no refund clause
to my "immediate" 6 months" Pre-Subscription payment.

They could even add a clause that the subscription price
is only a temporary estimate that could be subjected to possible changes
to be submitted to me for final approval.

Old Fashion Contract:

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They're hesitant for legal ramifications, and others, I guess.

Once Gametap ended MOUL, everyone+dog demanded a refund to their yearly plans, even though Gametap actually hadn't stopped any service people were paying for (well, except internationals, who deserved a refund, but I'm talking about the rest) Games come and go from their catalogue the whole time, MOUL was just one.. but Gametap itself didn't stop and was increasing the library a bit (as they do each week)

However, they went and paid people because they were nice. They didn't have to but they did.


And they probably lost a fair bit of cash on it too. That's their revenue stream.


Now you might say "Oh we won't demand refunds from Cyan if they kill MORE" but Cyan can't be sure of that, and probably knows us better in that regard than we do.
Yearly payment plans can come up, but certainly not pre-payment plans. And definately no donations.. Cyan is not a charitable organization, and as much as we might love them they are a business and donating to a business involves tax paperwork mountains on both sides.



We CAN however run pizza parties for those left. And buy coffee. We've done those in the past cause it works.. and once MORE gets off the ground and we find out just what Cyan is doing to keep afloat (possibly a casual game on 10 staff mixed with their beta testing service) then maybe we can throw another one.

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This post contains 100% authentic Gondar, fortified with MuffinCakes. May contain insanity.
ACCEPT NO SUBSTITUTES!

MOULa KI: #00027582
Welcome back all!

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MOUL KI: 174162

I know, but my point is that Gametap actually gave refunds to people who didn't deserve them. They were nice, and it probably cost them a bundle.

Cyan can't afford to do the same thing, they don't have Turner backing them.

(trying not to hijack the thread with another discussion on how believe it or not Gametap actually WASN'T the super evil spawn of satan some like to make it out as.. that's been covered elsewhere)

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This post contains 100% authentic Gondar, fortified with MuffinCakes. May contain insanity.
ACCEPT NO SUBSTITUTES!

MOULa KI: #00027582
Welcome back all!