Donation Drive 2024

[NGMC]

@prastle Unfortunately, I do not have a Paypal account.

[EyesWideShut 0]

@prastle amazing! I'll donate more in the event we need a good "kicker" to hit the 2k mark. Some of these creative ideas like a donation-based subscription makes a lot of sense as it would maintain a more regularized cash flow as opposed to emergency pleas :). With that said, I don't have any problems with the current outcry at the triplea lobby as it pushes for urgency.

@prastle @ubernaut @airwalker, re: ladder. @airwalker has established a credible ladder that's not website based (it is an open source google doc where players immediately post their results, but only for liveplay). My concern for airwalker is that the maintenance upkeep must be too much without a website. He's effectively doing it all alone -- a position I don't find too admirable.

[ubernaut]

@ngmc you dont need one use this button:!

[ubernaut]

@eyeswideshut-0 yeah the only issue is there would be no way to enter his records into the new site which is ready to go already

[LaFayette]

Currently TripleA has just over 1g in the paypal account ... I would like to point out that $975 was recieved in the last 20 days. WOW!

I don't think this can be underrated. The TripleA community remains strong, will remain strong! Thank you everyone for pitching in. More is better, but at least we won't be turning off bots in a month. :bottle_with_popping_cork:

---

I would like to speak to the finances a bit as the concern has been raised. We have three sources of cost:

• DNS domain that we purchased (IIRC I payed for 10 years of this, not an issue until I think 2026)
• Ladder (that Uber & Prastle have been working on)
• Linode (servers)

Out of linode, there are four types of servers:

• lobby
• forum
• bots
• MARTI dice roller

Here is a breakdown from our last invoice:

FWIW, $5/month for a 1-core cloud instance is the best rate that I know of. AWS, Azure, Google are each more expensive than that (AFAIK)

We do have some opportunity for cost savings:

• immediately the backups of the old lobby can be discontinued, saving $5
• if we rewrite the marti dice server, we can put that new application on an existing server and then turn off 'old lobby running marti' , saving $24
• some of the bots are not running very well right now, cleaning them up and removing one would save another $5
• There is a medium/long term plan to change the 'bot' technology (network relay); potentially removing the need for more bot servers

Overall, we're now at $97/month, looks like we can get down to $68/month if we can execute on that dice server move.

[NGMC]

@ubernaut I have tried to use that button several times. After I've entered all my information and click on "Create Account and Donate", it does nothing.

[ubernaut]

@lafayette @Panther we should post this to axisandallies.org imo

[ubernaut]

@ngmc have you treid on more than one device/browser?

[airwalker]

@lafayette Thank you very much for providing such detail and addressing the issue of costs. I feel much better about the future of the game knowing that it's properly managed. The website for a ladder ( speaking of my own ) is so much less important if the game itself requires a last minute bailout. I can continue plugging away at a spreadsheet for now. I would suggest the lobby message be updated as well to reflect that things are in better shape. I don't know if it's a coincidence, but I've noticed less lobby traffic since its posting.

[beelee]

@ubernaut said in Donation Drive 2024:

@lafayette @Panther we should post this to axisandallies.org imo

already did. There kickin in too

[AdamF]

@prastle Wondering aloud if we should remove the "out of money" note in lobby?

[straun]

@lafayette Yeah I'm not really against a recurring payment or even monthly I play so damned much, but I'm probably in the minority. I'm glad we're posting the info in the lobby. Truthfully I probably have more global games in me than any person on the planet yet I never use the forums so never knew about hwo the finances worked:)

[jbwood53]

Donated $50. Thanks!

[zlefin]

I'm wondering which people are able to change the lobby message; AFAICT a regular mod cannot; so does it take an admin, or something else?

Either way it would be nice to calm people down and thank them for the donations by updating the note that things are better now, though not perfect by any means.

In terms of lowering costs, maybe we should prioritize the plan to revamp the lobby-bot system?

[Panther]

@zlefin said in Donation Drive 2024:

I'm wondering which people are able to change the lobby message; AFAICT a regular mod cannot; so does it take an admin, or something else?

This was the pull-request behind it, IMHO, made by @LaFayette :
https://github.com/triplea-game/triplea/pull/12246

[EyesWideShut 0]

@adamf I think the message of urgency did it's trick with the sudden flood of donations. We've still got a bit to go. At best we should change the date of death (Feb 29th) and possibly enable a clickable link to the paypal donation.

[LaFayette]

@prastle where do we stand with the donation drive now?

Lobby message has been updated to:

Donation Drive 2024 will be wrapping up soon!
THANK YOU to all those that have donated!

100% of your donation goes to TripleA operating costs.
Your donations keeps the lobby running, the bots
and the TripleA forum running.

Please donate here if you have not yet already:
https://forums.triplea-game.org/topic/3659/donation-drive-2024

[airwalker]

@prastle Hey prastle, I helped Villars donate last night and I believe valter sent a major donation last week. What shape are we in now?

[prastle]

@lafayette I believe we were up to 1099 last week I'll update on the weekend. @airwalker I have np with you firing up a ladder or making you a mod as long as a few other active mods chime in and agree

[prastle]

@airwalker @LaFayette @ ALL We have hit $1356.00 !!! I will update the list this weekend . TY all donators!