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DarkSpace is now entirely free to play |
Faustus
Marshal
Palestar
Joined: May 29, 2001
Posts: 2748
From: Austin, Texas
|  Posted: 2010-03-13 15:28
More than likely I will implement micro-payments... all subscribers will get extra in-game credits to spend on enhancements.
I'm even thinking about adding up all subscriptions on an account paid to date... and giving all accounts a credit based upon how much they've paid to keep this game going to date.
-F
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Mr Black
Grand Admiral
Palestar
Joined: September 20, 2003
Posts: 486
From: Gaifenland
| Posted: 2010-03-13 15:39
Micro-payments are likely to work much like the DDO system. It has proved successful for them and I think we can adapt DarkSpace easily enough. I have personally wanted us to go this route for a while.
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 \\r\\n
DarkSpace Administrator - \\r\\n
drafell@palestar.com
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CM7
Midshipman
Faster than Light
Joined: October 15, 2009
Posts: 1812
| Posted: 2010-03-13 15:46
I'd Like to humbly throw my hat in the ring. You guys need game developers on a volunteer basis. I've been attending school for "Digital Entertainment and Game Design" for three and a half years now where I've taken the following classes.
INTRODUCTION TO GAMING TECHNOLOGY
MANAGING GAME DEVELOPMENT
GAME DESIGN PROCESS
CREATIVE WRITING AND STORYBOARDING FOR GAMES
GAME DESIGN STRATEGIES
ADVANCED ANIMATION
LEVEL DESIGN I
GAME INTERFACE DESIGN
GAME ENGINES AND PRODUCTION
LEVEL DESIGN II
AUDIO/VIDEO TECHNIQUES
THE GAME DEVELOPMENT TEAM
CAPSTONE PROJECT
INTRO TO COMPUTER PROGRAMMING
I have helped develop three games while in school. The first was "The Curse", a side scrolling 2d action adventure game. The second was "Pirate Island", a flash tower defense game. The third, and most important, my capstone project, Project Dementia. PD is a fully 3D hack and slash built with Unreal technology.
While my focus is establishing the story, look and feel, art assets, and 3D art assets for games in development, I believe I can still contribute to Dark Space's continued success while helping it strive to meet its goals for future game play.
All I want in return is a reference
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Grimith
Grand Admiral
Templar Knights
Joined: August 09, 2003
Posts: 836
From: Your local future farm.
| Posted: 2010-03-13 16:50
I knew Facebook was good for something...
I can't say I have much of an opinion about the circumstances surrounding this announcement and how the in-game climate was, since I haven't played this game much for a few years now. But my issue with why I went away from DarkSpace wasn't a money issue; it was an interest and time issue. Even though the game no longer requires a subscription to play fully, I can't see myself spending much time in DS now.
That doesn't mean I wish ill towards DarkSpace; au contraire, I hope it continues to receive the donations required to maintain the servers and expand the game. And, hopefully, this'll spark even more interest for the folks who thoroughly enjoy playing the game and have just been financially crippled. I'll pitch this by the old folks I know, people who might have missed the news, but I won't personally be able to enjoy in this change.
Good luck, Palestar.
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Abbot
Chief Marshal
*Renegade Space Marines*
Joined: December 23, 2007
Posts: 141
| Posted: 2010-03-13 17:47
Please dont shut down DS, ive had too many arguments with the missus about the amount of time i spend on here lol - just dont want my arguments to be in vein
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Kestalkayden
Marshal
Joined: June 04, 2005
Posts: 85
| Posted: 2010-03-13 23:21
I have personally been wanting a micro-payment kind of system. (Suggested it a few times). Having a virtual currency built into accounts is rather easy to do, and purchasing things from virtual currency is just as easy.
I have a browser game which is stable enough now to make me quite comfortable based on micro-payments. If micro-payments do come in, do not stick to just paypal. If dev's/admin's wish, I can present what I've used for various payment gateways (including mobile payments, among others), which have served me quite well.
It really only takes about 1-2 hours to get fully set up with that, too.
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Enterprise
Chief Marshal
Joined: May 19, 2002
Posts: 2576
From: Hawthorne, Nevada
| Posted: 2010-03-14 01:01
Quote:
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On 2010-03-13 15:28, Faustus wrote:
More than likely I will implement micro-payments... all subscribers will get extra in-game credits to spend on enhancements.
I'm even thinking about adding up all subscriptions on an account paid to date... and giving all accounts a credit based upon how much they've paid to keep this game going to date.
-F
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Since there is no longer a required subscription, I can understand micro-transactions.
Just as long as it doesn't let you get things you can't otherwise aquire on your own, its all gravy.
-Ent
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AriesMu
2nd Rear Admiral
Joined: December 02, 2009
Posts: 38
From: Italy
| Posted: 2010-03-14 20:38
I made some experience in the web advertising in past... (Italy, UK and USA) and I assure you that web advertising pays. Banners, video, etc... are paid by companies!
For example, do you know the qtrax system?
You subscribe. You see a video adv. and you gain some credit. With it you can free download an mp3. The company that advertised with the video (that you watched) pays the Record Company for the song that you downloaded.
In Italy there's Downlovers that uses the same mechanism, but without downloading any software. I "bought" some music through Downlovers (payment method: view video!).
Just a video has a value of about 1 dollar!
You (at Palestar) could show to companies your rich users list. You can make a mechanism that when you log in, if you don't see the whole advertising video you don't access... Once finished the video, you enter in the game. For example in the game client.
With video you can ask lots of money to companies... be sure.
Even banners: you could put a non stop banner in the game client... (I never used the client in full screen mode, so there's lots of space in the bottom of its window) and a time-scheduled ingame banner (may be, for example, in the map screen): this could have an higher cost for companies compared with the game client banner.
This only for non paying accounts of course.
I hope I explained myself in a decent way (I'm not English... sorry).
I hope that Dark Space will continue...
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Kestalkayden
Marshal
Joined: June 04, 2005
Posts: 85
| Posted: 2010-03-14 22:14
yes, the methods you mentioned can be profitable, but they are downright annoying. Especially for a game
[ This Message was edited by: Kefka Palazzo on 2010-03-14 22:15 ]
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Starcommander
Marshal
Joined: December 14, 2005
Posts: 579
From: In your base, stealing your cookies
| Posted: 2010-03-14 22:38
they are annoying but you can pay to get rid of them....OOOOOO. Just like the millions of other sites that do it too, you pay to get rid of banners. Otherwise you learn to live with it. I would think this would be a last resort for them if the micro payments and donations don't keep the server running.
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Master_of_Puppets[SK]
Vice Admiral
Joined: November 22, 2003
Posts: 7
From: Bratislava, Slovakia
| Posted: 2010-03-15 04:10
Very nice to see this!
Btw i haven't received any notification mail about this and i just randomly found out on my monthly DS web check. Can be im not subbed to newsletter but if that's not the case im sure you should notify every player by mail about this.
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These are the pale deaths which men miscall their lives
All this I cannot bear to witness any longer
Cannot the kingdom of salvation take me home
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Kenny_Naboo
Marshal
Pitch Black
Joined: January 11, 2010
Posts: 3823
From: LobsterTown
| Posted: 2010-03-15 04:41
All I can to the Devs is, "Thank you".
I already had the intention to do a 6 month sub once I surpassed 1RA. But I guess this is like a bonus.
Again, thanks Devs. 
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... in space, no one can hear you scream.....
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Kenny_Naboo
Marshal
Pitch Black
Joined: January 11, 2010
Posts: 3823
From: LobsterTown
| Posted: 2010-03-15 04:43
Quote:
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On 2010-03-15 04:10, Master_of_Puppets[SK] wrote:
Very nice to see this!
Btw i haven't received any notification mail about this and i just randomly found out on my monthly DS web check. Can be im not subbed to newsletter but if that's not the case im sure you should notify every player by mail about this.
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That's an idea. U might see a sudden resurgence of players. (And the number of dreads.  )
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... in space, no one can hear you scream.....
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Mr Black
Grand Admiral
Palestar
Joined: September 20, 2003
Posts: 486
From: Gaifenland
| Posted: 2010-03-15 05:16
We will probably be sending out an email once we have the new micro-payment system implemented.
[ This Message was edited by: Mr Black on 2010-03-15 05:23 ]
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\\r\\n
DarkSpace Administrator - \\r\\n
drafell@palestar.com
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Draxcyn
Grand Admiral
Pitch Black
Joined: April 26, 2008
Posts: 46
From: Here.
| Posted: 2010-03-15 07:03
Ty Faustus and the rest of the staff ^^
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