Donations

[matlu]

Originally I never planned to accept donations, but several people suggested that I should try it.

So I decided to give it a try. I put paypal link to front page. If you donate any amount, it will be highly appreciated.

Here are some facts:
- the work on duelboard costed me incredible amount of time
- it also costed me some considerable amount of money, I had to buy dedicated server-computer, and I'm also paying monthly fee for internet connection and server housing
- Duelboard does not produce any profit. There is some advertising on the front page and on forum pages, but its monthly income is hardly sufficient to buy two dinners.

[The_Gu3st]

If we donate, what cause would it go to? To feed you? Or would the money be used on further game development?

[matlu]

If we donate, what cause would it go to? To feed you? Or would the money be used on further game development?

I'm the only person who works on the game (if we don't count people who create & donate graphics), and I'm not getting paid for this work. In fact I had to invest money, and time. So I think that whatever I do with donated money, it still can be considered as "spent on game development". If I buy a lunch from it, it was spent on game development.

As I said, this game runs on dedicated computer, which costed money, and this computer is housed by internet provider company, for monthly fee. If the donation could at least pay that fee, it would be also "spent on good cause".

I already said it before, and I'm not going to lie: I'm not planning any further *big* improvements on Cyberbattles. As you see, I'm still doing small improvements from time to time.
The reason why I'm not spending much time on Cyberbattles is, that I have to spend majority of my time actually earning money in paid job, to - as you said - "feed myself", and to pay for a room in which I live. I'm spending remaining of my time on another project, which I currently consider more perspective than Cyberbattles (it is infamous Mud project).

[willie]

y not give all this up?  it seems like the amount of effort and resources you have put into duelboard just seems not worth it.  Maybe you should think about handing over control of duelboard and its operations to someone more financially stable.

[The_Gu3st]

Matlu,
Which country do you live in and what is the dollar (US) exchange rate? Suppose I donate 1 dollar, what is that quivalent to in your currency and what could you buy with it? Just to give everyone a rough idea on a good amount to donate.

[Parsley]

Matlu -

Perhaps you should modify cyberbattles so you can make a profit.

$10 - people can modify their tech/life balance by 10%
$20 - 20%

Or something like that.

[matlu]

Matlu,
Which country do you live in and what is the dollar (US) exchange rate? Suppose I donate 1 dollar, what is that quivalent to in your currency and what could you buy with it? Just to give everyone a rough idea on a good amount to donate.

This country is quite poor (compared to the USA,  or UK). I found some statistics on internet and I can tell you that for example last year's average monthly salary in this country was approx.  780 usd (gross, before paying taxes and some other fees). Educated people may earn twice as much or more, but common people mostly consider $1500 (gross, monthly) very high salary, beyond their reach.
Funny thing is, that most goods here are singificantly more expensive than in usa (like electronics and such stuff). Food and clothing is maybe slightly cheaper.

[The_Gu3st]

So suppose I donated 10 US dollars... how much would that cover of your monthly ISP fee? Or how many dinners could that buy you?

[matlu]

Questions i received asked through PM:

However, before I donate, I'd like to know a few things.

What is the monthly fee for your ISP?
Do you have a seperate computer just to run this game server? How much was the computer if so?

There is separate dedicated computer used just to run this game. I don't remember how much exactly it costed, I bought components and built the computer myself, but it was something between $500 and $600. This computer is physically placed in IPS's server-room, which costs monthly $50.

So suppose I donated 10 US dollars... how much would that cover of your monthly ISP fee? Or how many dinners could that buy you?

I don't understand why are you so concerned about my dinners Anyway, $10 is enough for 2 average dinners in very average (not very fancy) pub or restaurant. There are also very fancy restaurants in the city, where dinner costs significantly more than $10, but "common" people like me have never been inside :p

Also, can you give me a good idea on a decent amount to donate?

no, this is voluntary donation. You are welcome to donate as much, as *you* consider reasonable, based on what "imaginary" value has this game for you, or maybe what money you'd be willing to pay, if it was pay-to-play.

Perhaps you should modify cyberbattles so you can make a profit.
$10 - people can modify their tech/life balance by 10%

It's not very good idea, at least not for this particular game. There exist many games which work as you described, but they were designed with this in mind.

Can you add a high score list for EVERY single player on a dedicated page?

this could be done

Make it so that the game-start timer resets everytime someone leaves a game

not a good idea, anybody could sabotage a game by permanent entering and leaving so it could never start

[matlu]

I really don't  see why this is an issue. If you end up alone in a game, you can type /quit and you are instantly back in lobby.

and please, this is not right thread to discuss such stuff

[SiR gUt]

Well honestly, I could careless what matlu does with the money I'm sending him, just as long he doesn't quit. I'm sending him money because I think he has done a great job with duelboards and he has worked very hard. Us all have made it rough at times and probably put couple hundred gray hairs on his head, so the least we all could do is send him some money. If everyone chips in to send him 5 or 10 dollars or even 1 dollar, he could easily buy him self some dinner and possibly do some future updates  

Matlu, I will send you what I told you I will, as soon as I get my monthly paycheck.

[matlu]

Thank you very much, it's nice to see some appreciation for long hard work

[ultswordsman]

lol i  would but i dont have a job

[The_Gu3st]

I'm donating, Matlu definitely deserves it! 

Just one thing matlu, when will you add electropulse and virus?

As soon as my parents give me their credit card...

[Dodger]

I am also donating, gotta give Matlu incentive to make Electropulse and virus