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KaVir · 09-01-2007, 07:14 PM

The option is "Payment and/or donations required to play", not "Payment and/or donations required to log on". On the front page of TMS click the "Click here for advanced search" link, go down to "Pay to play Mud?:" and click "Yes". There are 31 muds listed, and all of these would use the above option.

The intent is clear - payments and/or donations result in some form of recompense within the game. I think the wording is also clear, but it could be changed to something else, or there could be some sort of help text beside the listing to make it clear to the mud owners which option they should select.

I suspect it'll be the most popular, but I'd be surprised if more than half the muds checked that box. Even if they did, it'd still be an improvement over the current system, and the text area would allow the muds to further elaborate on what sort of form the payments or donations take.

I suspect quite a lot of muds would click this option as well, but it'll be hard to know for sure without seeing it in action. Either way, it's a distinction that's clear and verifiable, and which at least some people feel strongly about, therefore I don't see any harm in including it (and I note your own suggestion includes it as one of the two main categories).

While I like the idea of more options, those listed in your proposal are far too ambigious and open to (mis)interpretation. Something similar was discussed and dismissed back at the start of the thread, and the reasons for doing so are still valid.

We've had 11 pages mostly discussing a four-option approach, and still can't reach a full consensus, so for the sake of practicality (and sanity) I think the best solution would be to go with what we've mostly agreed on (the four choices with a text box). I know the Thresholds want the system to stay the way it is, but as far as I'm aware you're the only other person who's actively against it - and that's because you want more options. But if you want more information, surely you'd prefer the four-option approach to the current "pay-to-play vs free-to-play"? Perhaps it'd be better to do this one step at a time - add the four-option solution, see how it works out, and if you still think it falls short propose another refinement.

09-01-2007, 07:14 PM	#311
KaVir Legend Join Date: Apr 2002 Name: Richard Home MUD: God Wars II Posts: 2,052	Re: What does "Free" Mean? The option is "Payment and/or donations required to play", not "Payment and/or donations required to log on". On the front page of TMS click the "Click here for advanced search" link, go down to "Pay to play Mud?:" and click "Yes". There are 31 muds listed, and all of these would use the above option. The intent is clear - payments and/or donations result in some form of recompense within the game. I think the wording is also clear, but it could be changed to something else, or there could be some sort of help text beside the listing to make it clear to the mud owners which option they should select. I suspect it'll be the most popular, but I'd be surprised if more than half the muds checked that box. Even if they did, it'd still be an improvement over the current system, and the text area would allow the muds to further elaborate on what sort of form the payments or donations take. I suspect quite a lot of muds would click this option as well, but it'll be hard to know for sure without seeing it in action. Either way, it's a distinction that's clear and verifiable, and which at least some people feel strongly about, therefore I don't see any harm in including it (and I note your own suggestion includes it as one of the two main categories). While I like the idea of more options, those listed in your proposal are far too ambigious and open to (mis)interpretation. Something similar was discussed and dismissed back at the start of the thread, and the reasons for doing so are still valid. We've had 11 pages mostly discussing a four-option approach, and still can't reach a full consensus, so for the sake of practicality (and sanity) I think the best solution would be to go with what we've mostly agreed on (the four choices with a text box). I know the Thresholds want the system to stay the way it is, but as far as I'm aware you're the only other person who's actively against it - and that's because you want more options. But if you want more information, surely you'd prefer the four-option approach to the current "pay-to-play vs free-to-play"? Perhaps it'd be better to do this one step at a time - add the four-option solution, see how it works out, and if you still think it falls short propose another refinement.