[TrekRPGNet] Your input requested

[AslanC]

Originally posted by Don Mappin
As I stated, the materials remain free. As long as that remains true, shouldn't be any problems.

So long as that assures no lawsuits, then that's cool

[Don Mappin]

So nothing else to add? Thus far, I've got very little feedback as to what people would like to see. While I appreciate the "thank yous," that wasn't my intention of this thread.

Not surprisingly, those that voiced dissatisfaction with the idea to offer membership didn't provide many alternatives. I'd really like to hear from those that don't like the idea of some kind of membership program of what they do like or what it would take to get them involved. Complaining is easy; fixing it in a way that keeps the site running and keeps everyone happy (or as happy as possible) is the tough part.

Don't say I never gave you a chance to voice your opinion on this matter.

[C5]

Woah, lot of things going on here. Currently some bug is preventing me to connect from home, so I won't have time to post much. I'd just like to say that I'm ready to pay to help this site to continue to exist (12-25$/year is ok for me), provided I can pay from my mud pit.
I'll try to come up with some suggestions (along with a way to connect from home again).
And anyway, thanks Don, no matter if that's not what you were looking for

[Ineti]

I don't have much else to add, Don. Bringing back the archive of downloadable stuff would be my #1 desire. Making this a place where fans can submit RPG material and maybe have a volunteer crew to edit and layout said material, then post it here for free download for all would be a great thing to have.

Having avatars, more PM space, etc. would be nice perks, but not critical. Maybe reinstate the chat function and find a way to host regular chats, maybe even with people in the official Trek or LOTR realms.

[Capt Daniel Hunter]

Well I think I mentioned things I wanted to see, but just in case.

Adventure modules. I love reading 'em even if I don't run them. Adventures, well-written ones, would be my main wish.

Sourcebooks. Should one not be forthcoming, I'd especially like to see the oft-mentioned Voyager material you were workng on, Don.

Someone else started a thread talking about doing a Star Trek RPG webzine. Something like that would be an absolute boon. Perhaps a regular release, something along the lines of the old FASA Stardate magazine.

Avatars. Let the paying members have avatars. It might also be a good idea to have the ability to post banner images as a paying member privilige only.

[D.S.McBride]

My apologies for not having submitted a more detailed list of likes/dislikes earlier. Like Ineti and Capt. Hunter, the most important things for me are supplementary game materials. That Borg history/assimilation document that Mac came up with a few years ago was a sterling example; so was that detailed martial arts list that came along just before Coda got started up. Things like that, "official", Decipher/Paramount-approved or not, very quickly get adapted into my game system - and, I would warrant, many others as well - and provide much-needed detail and flavor.

With regard to the list that was posted on page 7, I'm wondering: with regard to usergroup options, do the attachment limits and message storage limit apply to the sort of documents mentioned above? If so, then I would definitely give the thumbs-up to this membership perk.

The forums question is a tricky one: something like that could very easily foster the sort of us-vs.-them mentality you indicated you wanted to avoid. The only way I can see it working, at least at the moment, is if those forums contained links to those specific documents that aren't available to the general/lurking public at the moment. For those items that are going to be eventually available at no cost, perhaps some kind of countdown - "Fifty days until PDF Interactive Tellarite Jock-Strap Designs ready for public download" - could be given.

Calendars - well, not really necessary, at least from my thinking. Perhaps an indication as to what usefulness they serve would change my mind on this.

Avatars - yeah, kinda neat. These, along with the early access to those supplementary game materials, really seem to be the bright spots of potential membership.

Almost forgot: User ranks! Maybe an opportunity to bring back the Cadet/Ensign/Lieutenant, etc. rankings for the members. Postings subject to approval by moderators, of course.

That's about it for now - hope this helps a little. Again, my lack of experience with other forums (RPG.net is the only other one I really peruse; a distressing number of other chat forums are masochist sites if you happen to have any love for the formal, structured use of the English language) limits the kind of concrete feedback I can give on this sort of thing.

[AslanC]

As I said before.

1] Content: PDFs, NPCs, Graphics, etc... The kind of stuff that will probably get you in loads of trouble over copyright violations.

2] Members Form: I know you said you didn't want to harbour an "us vs them" mentality, but it owuld be nice if the paying members had a palce to chat about things too. You know, make us feel a bit special <- This goes totally to ego BTW

3] Updates: I mean that in the material that we get would be constantly updated. We already get 6 month laspes from Decipher, I would hate to see them here.

4] Contests: Maybe if there were 4 contests a year for some prizes that the members could particiapte in? I have no idea what they would be, but it just struck me as something.[/B]

Avatars would also be nice for sure.

Also the mention of the ranks is nice to see, since I am no fan of the current titles.

Beyond those things, I can't really think of anything that would be cool to have.

I mean basically it is good to have this place as is (plus the Avatars also)

[Ineti]

I"m lukewarm on the rank ideas, if only because I see this place as both a Trek resource and a LOTR resource, and I'd hate to see the LOTR aspect go away.

[Brandir]

I'm only here for the LOTR aspect of these forums. How many other people are of the same opinion? Star Trek posts outnumber LOTR by, what, 20 to 1? So one would probably have to concentrate on extra content/perks for Star Trek members before the likes of me.

[D.S.McBride]

One more thing that just came to mind - I have no idea how practical or desirable it might be - is this: A fan-fiction forum. This would be readable by all, but submissions would be restricted to paying members.

I am a writer. The work that got me into the Humber College School for Writers back in '93 was a Star Trek novella; I've since submitted it to a couple of publishing houses and agents, but have been told that, regardless of whatever positive aspects it might possess, without approval from the parent company, it's a no-go. Fair enough, since I'm really playing around in someone else's sandbox, but I'd like to see if it's possible to get the story out there somehow, financial compensation or no.

I have little doubt that there are several others out there with similar projects sitting on the shelf; things that are definitely Trek in orientation but not specifically game-related. This might be an opportunity to make such works publically available.

[Don Mappin]

Originally posted by AslanC
As I said before.

I've read the whole thread. I was speaking specifially to those that hadn't provided feedback yet.

Thank you.

[Don Mappin]

Originally posted by Ineti
I"m lukewarm on the rank ideas, if only because I see this place as both a Trek resource and a LOTR resource, and I'd hate to see the LOTR aspect go away.

Custom user titles. As I posted earlier, they could be made available to the donating members.

[Don Mappin]

Originally posted by Ineti
Having avatars, more PM space, etc. would be nice perks, but not critical. Maybe reinstate the chat function and find a way to host regular chats, maybe even with people in the official Trek or LOTR realms.

How important is the chat? I kind of let it go for technical reasons, plus I didn't think it was being used. It can be brought back.

[AslanC]

Originally posted by Don Mappin
I've read the whole thread. I was speaking specifially to those that hadn't provided feedback yet.

Fair enough, just wasn't sure

Now I am

[AslanC]

Originally posted by Don Mappin
How important is the chat? I kind of let it go for technical reasons, plus I didn't think it was being used. It can be brought back.

The chat room we kept alive for so long on IRC died a rather uneventful death last summer. Even before that it was rare to get a lot of people in it at anyone particular point.

I am all for it having another go though. I miss the convos