- Awards
- 1
hu?
-
Hail Guest! We're looking for Community Content Contribuitors to Stratics. If you would like to write articles, fan fiction, do guild or shard event recaps, it's simple. Find out how in this thread: Community Contributions
-
Greetings Guest, Having Login Issues? Check this thread!
-
Hail Guest!, Please take a moment to read this post reminding you all of the importance of Account Security.
-
Hail Guest! Please read the new announcement concerning the upcoming addition to Stratics. You can find the announcement Here!
Working on a fix or solution to this.That's what happened to me. Only it was with my one and only credit card.
Giggles
Wielder of Ebil Cookies
Moderator
Professional
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
Social Media Liaison
UNLEASHED
Campaign Supporter
In all seriousness, I don't think I would be good as a image of senior staff. Would I do good? yes. Would I contribute? absolutely. Senior staff needs to be neutral people who love the game and statics. I do fit in that category as well. But I am not the poster girl that this site needs. I am a red "villain" within the game, and I have no issues getting into debates on the forums. Some people love me, some people absolutely hate me, and there really isn't any grey area lol. I help Stratics in ways "off the radar". I manage all social media accounts when I have time. If they need my help I'm there. Not having a shinny senior staff banner doesn't make me any less of a volunteer. Maybe someday I will get one, but for now I just do what I can for the community, without getting any feathers ruffled =)
I've got just the one now myself. Might have to get a temporary one to do this chip in with.That's what happened to me. Only it was with my one and only credit card.
Ordered an EA cash card this morning, can I send that in as a donation with another one following it next week? Someone in the group uses them for their accounts and chips in the $120 cash?
A perfectly valid question; I know I'm the "newest" member of the senior staff. As noted, Ryan brought me on around the Aug/Sept timeframe to head up the Wiki effort, and I've pretty much had my head down researching software, formatting, content migration and doing project planning during that time. (Moderation isn't really my thing I'm afraid, so you wouldn't see me doing any of that either; I leave it to the other experts on our team who are far better at it than I would be!)
That being said, I am not "new" to Stratics or games or UO. I played UO for about 5-6 years, back in the 2002 timeframe. I was a semi-active community member of the Stratics forum during that time (Elenni or Illithreal). I eventually joined the staff as a junior reporter near the end of my time in UO. for the Sonoma shard. I was an active user of Stratics from the moment I created my first UO account, though. From my perspective it was always the first, best and only place to go for game information...which is why I became active and volunteered when I recently came back to game.
From a RL perspective, my identity is visible on the IndieGoGo campaign, along with a link to my LinkedIn Profile; that should give some perspective on my business and professional experience in terms of what I contribute to the group and why Ryan chose to bring me on board. Folks can also feel free to PM me if they have other questions or concerns. We know you are putting your trust in us and we want to be as transparent as possible throughout this effort (and beyond).
Thanks!
Hi, Gypsy -- we're working through some of this. I am sorry you're having trouble, and that we weren't able to use other sources besides PayPal -- it was the "fixed campaign" thing that limited us in the end.That's what happened to me. Only it was with my one and only credit card.
Some questions, for those having issues, which you can PM to me if you like:
- Are you based in the US or outside the US? (we should be able to process both through the account, but a couple countries have some special requirements and limits)
- Are you checking out as Guest, or while logged into a Paypal account? (I don't need account info, just which one it is so I know which interface you see)
- What errors, if any, do you get?
Apparently PayPal no longer likes me. Perhaps because I closed my account. I contacted them not long ago, right after I tried to donate to Stratics using my present credit card. I talked to someone at PayPal, described the problem and asked them to check into it and get back to me. I have never heard a word from them since.
Note: I have a strong aversion to doing the telephone merry-go-round again, am dead-set against having to sign up with some other pay service, and will not apply for a second credit card.
I'm about ready to call it a night. Guess I'll do a Scarlett O'Hara and think about it tomorrow. After all... tomorrow is another day.
Edit: If there was a fund arrangement to accept checks, I'd do it in a heartbeat.
This post will likely be deleted, but I feel the need to outline a few things.
To all of the senior staff running the campaign to buy the site and continue operations, I wish you luck and will contribute as I am able.
Good luck to all.
- Ron Bron bought this site with he goal of re-vitalizing it and monetizing it.
- Stratics had an "official" endorsement from EA / UO when he acquired it and enjoyed a cozy and free flowing relationship with the devs of this game, whether Broadsword or EA for years.
- Within weeks of Ron Bron buying the site, this relationship died, in part I would speculate - due to the fact that he let the site go dark for many days (DAYS, REALLY DUDE?) during a "return to brit" campaign.
- Once this relationship was lost, there were half hearted attempts to re-establish this relationship that never came to fruition.
- At this point - if Ron Bron realized what he had (and what he had lost - the official endorsement, the connection to the devs and company) was gone, he could have realized his goal of monetizing the site through the introduction and endorsement of RMT, and would have had nothing to lose. By doing this, he could have monetized (as was his stated goal in the beginning) the site even though it would have been at the detriment of the community in some peoples opinions.
- None of this occurred and Ron Bron's "free hosting" ran out in September.
- Within 50 days of his free hosting going away, Ron Bron is selling the site, and evidently did not confer with the community or "senior volunteers" before doing so - causing the mad rush to raise 10.5k via guerrilla methods to try to save it.
To all of the senior staff running the campaign to buy the site and continue operations, I wish you luck and will contribute as I am able.
Good luck to all.
Good luck to all the staff attempting to run this campaign! I wish you all the best of luck
keep in mind that the senior administrators fully supported the changes with the site (still has downtime / sluggishness regularly) Nexus even left stratics and only returned when the other site was an utter failure and shut down. The staff that did realize what the site needed were fired, pushed away, or quit because of remaining members inability to accept critiques, or differences in opinion for what users valued in the site. So we have what we have now. Its fine, the forums are nice. but where is the rest of the site? users shouldnt have to got to google because we cant find anything from the actual website. thats just one example, and the most basic one to fix.
Im not saying these people dont have good intentions, but based on the performance of the last year, inciting other members of staff and the community with decades of experience and loyalty to the site to leave, let just say at this point im not overly excited in the future for stratics. If that changes, if they can pull it together and improve, wonderful, if not stratics is a goner. Weve already lost a plethora of information, articles, history that used to be the main draw of stratics, and this new platform cant even handle that amount of data.
If we are optimistic enough to put this team in permanent control, they better be alot more open to suggestions / criticism and live up to that honor. because at this point, from what we've seen recently that confidence absolutely has not been earned as of yet.
If my memory is correct, when Taylor turned over Stratics, the original vision of the new ownership was to expand Stratics to prominently feature other games. I was worried that, regardless of good intentions, the expansion might eventually overshadow and even sideline UO and the UO community.
Of course, it's possible I was just wearing one of these
and worrying unnecessarily. I was glad when the expansion idea was discarded.
Anyway, I'm glad the staff is trying to keep things together. It feels right.
Of course, it's possible I was just wearing one of these
and worrying unnecessarily. I was glad when the expansion idea was discarded.Anyway, I'm glad the staff is trying to keep things together. It feels right.
Last edited:
We've had a chance to do some research and discuss, and found this on the IndieGoGo site:
So if you or someone else would really like to donate but Paypal just won't work for you, please shoot @Nexus a PM; he can supply you with the information for sending a check and we can enter a contribution on your behalf. (All perks would still apply, as long as you put in your Stratics name in the notes field of the check.)
As noted previously, while we're happy to have found a workaround and VERY grateful for the support, we are hoping to keep this as an option of last resort. Those folks who can use Paypal will find it a lot easier to go directly through the site.
Thanks again!
Thank you! I will PM Nexus!
- Awards
- 1
Thank you. I was sincerely not trying to be mean.
PayPal is on my "never again" list, too. I also PM'd Nexus. I'm very grateful they gave us that option.
Thanks Tanivar...we really do appreciate the extra effort, and sorry it's giving you such a hassle.
No, I didn't take it that way at all, Flutter. It's unusual for me to be able to say this, but "I am the quiet one." Or at least I have been so far, in this group... ;-)
No...we plan on banning everyone on a whim equally, regardless of how much they may have donated.So if one donates is there protection against being banned by staff on a whim?It's happened before.
(YES THAT WAS A JOKE!!!)
Dang good idea well worth the effort.
The hassle was just a Paypal flashback, a delightfully rare event.
Debunk - the ball is in your court.
Giggles
Wielder of Ebil Cookies
Moderator
Professional
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
Social Media Liaison
UNLEASHED
Campaign Supporter
Anyone who can debunk this is under NDA, myself included. I'm not ready to be fired just yet =)
But I will say, we were very lucky to have Ron as a owner. He went against some of his own goals and ambitions out of love for the community. I will correct anyone who speaks ill of him, for the simple fact that his heart was in the right place in everything that he did. Nobody is perfect, everyone makes mistakes, but through everything he tried to make Stratics shine, and hold close relationships with Broadsword.
The End.
I'm not required to try to prove a negative. Your required to prove a positive. For example I can't prove Bigfoot doesn't exist.
Point one is a fact.
Point two is a fact.
Point three is a fact, however my timeline of when the relationship with BS and the devs might be incorrect.
Point four is speculation based on posts and what the community could realistically see and interpret.
Point five is my opinion
Point six is a fact.
Point seven is a fact - unless RB had consulted with the senior staff and prepped them with his decision - which it would seem he clearly did not, based on their actions and reactions.
Also - Samsquanches are alive and well in the pacific northwest US.
.....
- Ron Bron bought this site with he goal of re-vitalizing it and monetizing it.
- Stratics had an "official" endorsement from EA / UO when he acquired it and enjoyed a cozy and free flowing relationship with the devs of this game, whether Broadsword or EA for years.
- Within weeks of Ron Bron buying the site, this relationship died, in part I would speculate - due to the fact that he let the site go dark for many days (DAYS, REALLY DUDE?) during a "return to brit" campaign.
- Once this relationship was lost, there were half hearted attempts to re-establish this relationship that never came to fruition.
- At this point - if Ron Bron realized what he had (and what he had lost - the official endorsement, the connection to the devs and company) was gone, he could have realized his goal of monetizing the site through the introduction and endorsement of RMT, and would have had nothing to lose. By doing this, he could have monetized (as was his stated goal in the beginning) the site even though it would have been at the detriment of the community in some peoples opinions.
- None of this occurred and Ron Bron's "free hosting" ran out in September.
- Within 50 days of his free hosting going away, Ron Bron is selling the site, and evidently did not confer with the community or "senior volunteers" before doing so - causing the mad rush to raise 10.5k via guerrilla methods to try to save it.
Ron's not a bad guy, he picked his people and the combined ideas are what failed. Happens....however I cant see throwing money at the same peeps....call me crazy
i agree, i was probably too hard on Ron in my original post, but the frustration of the fact that this site might be dark in January - or worse some kind of pokemon fanfic site with no ties to it's history is a frustrtating thought.
My analysis of the overall situation and events of the past year however - do stand as my interperetation of events.
My analysis of the overall situation and events of the past year however - do stand as my interperetation of events.
Someone who cares about the UO community would not sell Stratics to the highest bidder. That is the exact opposite of caring about the community.
I am so glad I have never even entertained offers to sell UOGuide.
I can "debunk" as I'm not under NDA anymore.
And most of the "debunking" is public knowledge.. silly conspiracy theorists...
RMT was never considered - mentioned but not considered. Having worked closely with Ron Bron as Publisher, we never not once thought to break the trust with Broadsword by venturing into RMT activities that would not only bring about legal actions, but cause many of the volunteers to risk their (multiple) accounts in UO.
I might not agree with everything that was done (and why I resigned of my own free will over the summer) - but no one has any right whatsoever to accuse Ron Bron of being a saboteur or "breaking trust". Many are not happy with the situation, but it is what it is.
If you search, everything I stated is public, searchable, and readily available on the interwebs via forums, google, whois and more.
So stop bashing the man. About the only thing anyone can accuse him of being is slightly naive and too trusting in the wrong advice.
And most of the "debunking" is public knowledge.. silly conspiracy theorists...
- Ron Bron bought this site with he goal of re-vitalizing it and monetizing it.
- Stratics had an "official" endorsement from EA / UO when he acquired it and enjoyed a cozy and free flowing relationship with the devs of this game, whether Broadsword or EA for years.
- Within weeks of Ron Bron buying the site, this relationship died, in part I would speculate - due to the fact that he let the site go dark for many days (DAYS, REALLY DUDE?) during a "return to brit" campaign.
- Once this relationship was lost, there were half hearted attempts to re-establish this relationship that never came to fruition.
- At this point - if Ron Bron realized what he had (and what he had lost - the official endorsement, the connection to the devs and company) was gone, he could have realized his goal of monetizing the site through the introduction and endorsement of RMT, and would have had nothing to lose. By doing this, he could have monetized (as was his stated goal in the beginning) the site even though it would have been at the detriment of the community in some peoples opinions.
RMT was never considered - mentioned but not considered. Having worked closely with Ron Bron as Publisher, we never not once thought to break the trust with Broadsword by venturing into RMT activities that would not only bring about legal actions, but cause many of the volunteers to risk their (multiple) accounts in UO.
- None of this occurred and Ron Bron's "free hosting" ran out in September.
- Within 50 days of his free hosting going away, Ron Bron is selling the site, and evidently did not confer with the community or "senior volunteers" before doing so - causing the mad rush to raise 10.5k via guerrilla methods to try to save it.
I might not agree with everything that was done (and why I resigned of my own free will over the summer) - but no one has any right whatsoever to accuse Ron Bron of being a saboteur or "breaking trust". Many are not happy with the situation, but it is what it is.
If you search, everything I stated is public, searchable, and readily available on the interwebs via forums, google, whois and more.
So stop bashing the man. About the only thing anyone can accuse him of being is slightly naive and too trusting in the wrong advice.
Directly from his auction -
Costs
The only mandatory cost associated with the website is the server. The website is currently hosted on a cloud server with DreamHost for $100/month. Prior to September 2015, the website was hosted for free as a part of a promotional offer, so the monthly expense was $0. The website could be migrated to your server or another host if desired. The buyer also has the option to take ownership of the existing DreamHost account, which would preclude the need to migrate the website. The current cloud server includes 8 vCPUs, 16 GB of RAM, and 1 TB hard drive space.
portions... yes. while I was publisher - it was all Rackspace.
And Kirth - I would also challenge you to show the community that Broadsword still considers Stratics a property that they rely upon. All indications are that BS and EA cut ties with Stratics in the last year in any real capacity.
I still see official employees of Broadsword posting responses to community questions on Stratics - most recently Kyronix (on his privileged Stratics account as an employee of Broadsword) posted a reply about snow in game this year.
*shrug*
And to clarify about the hosting...
Stratics was moved to an existing Rackspace solution Ron Bron used for his other properties - so essentially the "cost" for hosting was already covered, hence "free" - until he migrated Stratics to its own, solitary hosting solution, I'm assuming sometime in September, so as to make a sale and transfer more streamlined and feasible. A frequent and common practice by companies with many web properties.
Giggles
Wielder of Ebil Cookies
Moderator
Professional
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
Social Media Liaison
UNLEASHED
Campaign Supporter
They seem pretty active with us here.
UO Developer Feed
And the "big wigs" of Stratics do talk to Mesanna regularly.
After some thought - I would also like to point out that the last interview that the BS / Devs did was with a totally unrelated site. In the past they would have given their time to -and put up with questions and inquiries from stratics users - played out by the stratics mods...
(linked to us by a savvy stratics user)
(linked to us by a savvy stratics user)
that is relevant how?
they are also using social media and *gasp* wordpress with translation services!!!!
oh noes!
my point is Broadsword will do what it will do as its own entity, and Stratics will do what it will do as its own entity - as any other fansite will.
Broadsword is smart to do what they are doing to bring in more and new subscribers.
*edited* - after all, it is their INCOME and means of living.
If they were NOT doing such, THEN I'd be worried.
For us, it is just a game. der.
they are also using social media and *gasp* wordpress with translation services!!!!
oh noes!my point is Broadsword will do what it will do as its own entity, and Stratics will do what it will do as its own entity - as any other fansite will.
Broadsword is smart to do what they are doing to bring in more and new subscribers.
*edited* - after all, it is their INCOME and means of living.
If they were NOT doing such, THEN I'd be worried.
For us, it is just a game. der.
im done for the night - but the fist interview that the devs give in 10+ years that doesn't go to stratics, and requires one of your users - not dev, not mods, just a plain old user to link to...
Figure that out while you try to defend this site - and your relationship with the dev team.
Figure that out while you try to defend this site - and your relationship with the dev team.
Woot,
You are wasting your breath. Their hubris is much to thick. They refuse to admit anything short of success....
Just sit back and watch with the rest of us....
You are wasting your breath. Their hubris is much to thick. They refuse to admit anything short of success....
Just sit back and watch with the rest of us....
Point taken and wisdom gained. Thanks for the clarity.
Lord Nabin
High Council Sage - Greater Sosaria
Professional
Supporter
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
UNLEASHED
Glorious Lord
This is a fair point.
There is work to be done for sure by the senior staff in many areas. With all of the communities helping I am confident the opportunity for growth and success wil be there
Let's all be clear either way there is a lot of work for these "volunteers" to do.
Last edited:
Lord Nabin
High Council Sage - Greater Sosaria
Professional
Supporter
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
UNLEASHED
Glorious Lord
That popcorn looks stale better add some melted butter friend
Imma reply anyways cos Imma havin fun!
As a business, would you give an interview to a site that isn't organized, proactive and searchable? Key word, "site". I said SITE.. not FORUM. Stratics has been relegated to FORUM status, not a viable publishing site with wide marketing reach or even really searchable by the webcrawlers anymore (for webcrawlers kinda avoid FORUMS and look for CONTENT SITES whereupon they digest key words and look for links).
Not that it is the fault of "Stratics" entotal... or maybe it is... but the staff is hard pressed keeping the ENTIRE site functioning and moving it forward. I'm happy another site got an interview! I'm happy someone (staff or not) saw the interview and linked it here... giving Stratics some SEO and a back-link to that other place! Kudos!
Broadsword would be smart to give MORE interviews to OTHER sites than Stratics, to get more and new gamers into their games... not just UO but DAoC as well. Is not all just about UO with them. Just as Stratics is not all just about the forum. Stratics doesn't have a good marketing plan anymore - its been all ad-hoc for a while. There are no marketing strategies (that I can see). Stratics, to be really viable for Broadsword, needs to have more reach and clout than it does. Actually, Stratics has been losing reach and clout for a while now.
I'm not defending anything as I'm not staff and I don't have a relationship with the dev team. What I dislike are generalizations from people who dunno any better and like to stir up a lot of hullaballoo over nothing other than to cause issues within a group or community. I like debate and conversations that are two sided with information that can be backed and start people thinking. In context, I like to see conversations that spur thought, ingenuity, community and action.
What you've been propagating are conspiracy theories that honestly have no basis and when proven to be false, you lash out with things that are not relevant. Has been your MO for a long time.
.... yeah .... I like not being staff.... I can say what I think with no care as to hurting someone's feeling over silliness.
