As posted on Rocking Rookers

[IMCBrianJ]

Teresa asked me to post this on here for her, as I am registered on here and she is not. I would like to say that, though I agree with some of her opinions, I would like to not be held accountable for the last section of her post. I am simply posting this here because she asked me to. Thank you for your time.

Brian
Here is her post:
GREAT QUESTIONS, I also have thought about this in great detail. If we have to pay money to play on rookduels, and there must be moderators, should there not be a list of people who would be voted on as moderators? Why should we have to pay for people "of their choice" to boot, ban, mute, etc. us as players? I am assuming, (just my assumption, so don't everyone get all bent out of shape), that approximately 2/3 of the players will pay the $5.00. Assuming that is 200 people, that would be $1000 per month. ALL THIS EXPENSIVE programming equipment, plus time at the computer, plus web site expenses (along with advertisers, ie Jeep Cherokee) should net someone who owns a site, approximately $750 per month. That is not going to support a family, and not to quit a full time job over which is what he thought that donations would allow him to do. Now, after we pay this grand total, how long before the "playing" fee/donation goes up? How many people will be really upset if they pay their monthly subscription only to find out you cannot ask about players that did not sign up to pay? Only because that is someone the site "owners" don't care to hear about and will not allow you to even discuss? Sorry, but I won't be subscribing to this kind of marxism. I have no idea how long before this opinion is gonna be stricken from the "opinion" pages, but I can tell you this much. I am not the only person who feels this way, and the site will be short lived. I have made many donations to keep the site up and running and to try to relieve some of the financial pressure from Matlu. That was my choice. But, I will not be governed by someone from another country and told that I cannot have freedom to express my thoughts in a forum that is played mostly by players from a free country. Next thing will be that we need to be begging for the site to stay open and be willing to be charged whatever they want to charge us to be controlled. I'll pass when that happens.

Teresa Fields
IHaveBird

[FireBird]

if you start charging us to play rook... how will we have to go about paying for it every month?

[flamingdragon]

Are u serious, $5 a month is nothing. I pay $20 a month to play wow.

[IHaveBird]

I don't think my concerns are about the "$5.00" per month. My concerns were pretty well stated I thought. Let me break it down...I pay my player's fee of $5.00 this month....someone, (just everyday player) mentions that I have a nic in the lobby that might be in question,,,something like, MyPRooksDamGood. Then a mod (no name) makes a decision that that nic of mine needs to be "kicked" out of the game it is in. Unknowingly, I come back in to restart the game and apologize for losing connection. Soon as I start the game again, "kicked" again, losing even more points. So back into the game I go and ask if anyone else is getting booted. I then get told no, my nic has to go!! Now mind you, this is after the nic has been okayed, played for weeks, and many  numerous games on it. So I am once again "kicked" off the site. So I come back into the site, with a different nic, this one for instance, to find out what is going on. After much discussion, and mud slinging, from several parties, including me, I GET BANNED!!! Of course the mod claimed ignorance in the fact that she knew it was "okayed", I lose my points for no reason, and she doesn't even get reprimanded. Now if I was a paying player, what kind of example am I supposed to follow? The innocent track that I was in when I was simply playing a game? Or the one where I am attacked, scorned, booted, and jumped on in public? Forgetting the fact that it was a "friend" of the mod that noted the nic to the mod. So now I am asked to pay a player fee, and to "exercise" keeping my mouth shut to mods with the mentality of someone that is not liking that others are playing without them, and therefore they are gonna kick the playing marbles and not let anyone play that is having a good time?

Like I said, I voted to pay the $5.00 without hesitation, but I think that there should be a list of moderators, that have some kind of mentality and fairness, that are voted on by the majority of the players on the site. Majority rules. Then there should be a standard that all moderators must sign, that they agree to abide by fairness. Then there is a recourse that Matlu can have to make them live up to that standard.

[matlu]

Teresa, I really think that your concerns are unfounded, and that you already accused me of thing that I don't even plan to do.

Please realise, that it is for my own good if the players are satisfied and happy - and especially if they pay a fee, I really need to be *overconcerned* about them being satisfied with the services.

As I wrote in other post, there really *need* to be the rules, and the people really *need* to be punished when they violate them. Of course it's up to me to make sure that the rules are fair, and that the people agree with them.

If somebody *really* needs to curse, no problem, I can create a special unmoderated use-at-your-own-risk lobby. No problem about it.

Regarding the moderators - I would not mind if they were voted, but I cannot imagine how could it work - let's say there are several hundreds of players - how do you think they would agree and nominate several people? I can really only very hardly imagine that.
Anyway I believe, that if peple had to play, there would be little, or no need for moderators - especially if eveybody would be able to report anobody else, letting me to review later what they said.

Again, it is for my own good if the people are satisfied.

[IMCBrianJ]

I think I have a solution to the moderator problem. I know on several sites with moderators people must apply for the job. I think the same thing should occur here. You could post a link on the main page for a Moderator Application. You could go through the applications every so often and see if there are any promising candidates. You could give them a test-run on DB to see if they perform effectively. If you recieve a lot of complaints about them abusing their power, you can remove their mod status. I think this would be fair for both sides of the equation and would cut down on some of the power abuse that people are complaining about. This may not work, but it is a lot better than listenting to everybody complain about things they can't fix.

[IHaveBird]

That is a very good idea Brian. I would vote for that!!!! BUT with Matlu even admitting that Pink is hot headed, SHE NEEDS TO BE BANNED, and made use the "guest" mode

[IMCBrianJ]

I don't know about banning her...I think that's a bit extreme. Oh and I forgot to add in my earlier post that I would definitely be the first applicant if you take my suggestion .

[IHaveBird]

You can be first right after MOI

Teresa

[IMCBrianJ]

*ahem* who's idea was it? yeah, that's right jk hun love ya!

[IHaveBird]

Matlu,
I realize this is NOT something that you have already done, yet my concerns are strongly founded. At first, this was a site where we could "donate" funds for having access to a great site to play Rook. Then came the letter of you thought there would be more contributions which would allow you to not have to spend your own earnings towards the site. So donations came. Evidently, not a sufficient amount, although hundreds of dollars were donated. Now it appears that needs to be on a more regular basis. Fine for now, we take this in also. Are you telling me that my thoughts are unfounded and that this fee will never increase? That if 50 people are the ones that decide to pay the fee, that the others can come on here to play as guests for nothing and no fees will ever be increased? Or let's say everyone agrees to pay the $5.00,, and you are still working a full time job to support yourself, and the fees you collect are sufficient to run the site, but you still need more money to be able to devote more time to the site and still survive....Then is the fee going to be increased? I am only going on what has come to pass thus far. If past actions and claims hold firm, there will be an increase in player fees. And let's take it a step further. Let's say we all agree to pay you $100.00 per year (over $5.00 per month and less than $10.00), possibly allowing you to quit your full time job of present and devote the time to the site. What would you do if for instance 25 of the players were banned, and another 25 players had had enough of the crap that goes on on the site, and they just decide to leave? Well, that means $5,000.00 off your pay that year. Now, it is just a personal note, and you hit it pretty close earlier. It would be in your best interest to take seriously what your paying players are telling you. Because your volunteers won't necessarily be thinking of your bank account when they "kick" one of your payers off. And I am sure, that if you use this forum to write up a spot to post nominees for Moderators, you can count the top ten nominees and then have them placed on the forum for vote.. It doesn't take alot to figure that out. If you have 100 players that are willing to pay a subscription of $100.00 (US currency) annually, I think you would see lots of players willing to pay by the month also, assuming they had a site that they had some say in what is fair and not fair. I would be the first person to pay the $100 annual membership to have a voice in saying that one of the volunteers is way out of line, and needs to have a suspension or something to that affect.

Teresa Fields

[javamom]

I agree with you Matlu.  It would really be pointless to have the mods be voted on by players.  The players list is constantly changing.  You are doing a great job choosing mods, Matlu.  Perhaps in the near future we will have less need for monitors.

My 2 cents regarding if someone pays could/should they be booted or banned... Sure!  Just because one pays to be able to participate they still have to follow the rules.  If I pay for the privilege of attending a ballgame and I misbehave and get kicked out of the stadium should I be allowed a refund of my ticket fee?  I think not.

Thank you for all you do Matlu.  It is a terrific Rook site.

[IMCBrianJ]

I agree with the second half of your post javamom. And I also agree that the mods, in general, do a great job here on DB. I personally would simply like to have a little more say in who they are . But if matlu doesn't agree, it's his site and I'll respect that. I am not trying to complain here, I am just trying to help work out the best arrangement for all.

[matlu]

Teresa,

your points are making sense. But still:
- I'm not going to increase the fee
- even if I did (I'm not going to!), what would prevent you from simply stop the paying, if you found the terms unacceptable? Nothing prevents you to pay this month, and not to pay the next month if you don't want to
- I always listened to what people say and suggest, and the game constantly improved, but I have my limits and I'm not able to make everybody happy in my spare time after my full time job. I'm repeating it like a parrot, but it's simply true and you need to realize it

[IMCBrianJ]

I would just like to *bump* my idea...that's all