Powder Toy Monetization
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Since TPT cannot be sold, as per the license, why not add Premium TPT instead? Premium TPT would be a one-time charge ($5, or so), and would give the user more features without impacting the core application/forum.
Yes, TPT would need to find a good merchant service. Probably Paypal (for buisness) or something.
Also, premium status would NOT be stored in the powder.pref file, and WOULD NOT be purchasable in the application. This would prevent hacking to obtain premium.
Premium TPT users would receive:
- Save Borders. Premium TPT users would have a colored border around their saves in the save browser (this could be customizible).
- Green (chose this, as it doesn't conflict with staff role post colors) backgrounds for their posts and replies on the forum. Also, where it says "Member" on forum posts, that would be replaced with "Premium Member". For staff members with a membership, it would be replaced with "Premium Member + [Developer/Admin/Moderator]".
- Green (again, doesn't conflict with a staff comment color) usernames on saves and comments.
- Longer FP (front page) time. Instead of getting a week, they get 10 days.
- Access to the Premium Lounge on the forum. Only premium members (and staff members) can post here, but everyone can view posts.
Edited 2 times by Fusionftw. Last: 20th May 2020 -
So first, our license doesn't prevent TPT from being sold. The GPL license just says we have to give out the source code to everyone who receives a copy of the application. We choose to upload the game for free on our own because we do not want to sell it.
The same reasoning applies to this suggestion. We do not want to sell the game, and we also do not want to sell access to premium features. There are multiple reasons:
- TPT is very lightweight, requiring a low amount of power and storage space to host the server
- TPT requires very little development, we don't develop it quick enough for me to feel OK taking people's money
- TPT is mostly played by children who have no money of their own to spend
- Most TPT staff and developers have full time jobs that make them enough money outside of the game
Those are just my summary of the reasons, I've given more in depth detail on why exactly those are my reasons before.
Now for your specific suggestions:
-Save borders are easy enough to do, but seems very pointless to me.
-I don't want to add a special color for "paying" members that makes people think they have any influence or power. What if a horrible troll comments in green?
-The front page formula is very simple right now. Opening it up for paid members to have longer FP times is not possible.
Also, what happens when someone pays and can't make saves good enough to stay on FP for 10 days? What happens when a moderator demotes it?
-If we did have a paid system, I guess we would have this, but still seems minor
