Server Renewal and Fate of the Forum

[Mantis]

Hi all, we're coming up to the end of my paid up subscription term for the current hosting provider so renewal is on the horizon. I thought this would make a good opportunity to discuss where we're at after 6 years in the new digs.

The forum is ticking over at a quietly steady rate, we only really see 5-10 posts a day on busier days and it is often even slower than that. I think a lot of the community has transitioned to the Discord server just because it's easier to use the chat features on there for informal discussion whilst the forum doesn't facilitate the same kind of chit chat and requires more of a concerted effort to post something on. Whilst the server has undoubtedly been great for the community in keeping us in touch and actually playing games together again it has without a doubt dealt quite a blow to the forum traffic. I wouldn't suggest for a second that we should kill off the Discord server just for the sake of driving more activity here though.

So with that noted, I think the question worth asking of everybody is do we still see the value in keeping this place up and running? Is it time to close doors and embrace Discord in its entirety. I have certainly seen other communities make use of it, there's a lot of scope for setting up different conversation topics to manage where discussions are had.

I absolutely do not have the same amount of free time anymore to really devote towards making anything more of the forum than it already is with regards to updates, new features, an attached website etc. Not that I ever actually was able to realise the plans I had for the place when I took over anyway. There isn't really any prospect of the community growing any further either as the number of spambot sign-ups that we were getting on a daily basis which I kept having to delete has led to me disabling sign-ups outright to manage it. If we were to keep the forum online then it would be with acceptance of the fact that things are basically going to stay as they currently are.

I think I will be able to negotiate a fairly good price for the renewal if they let me make use of their new sign-ups offer so the overall cost of a few more years on the forum won't be enormous. Though with the cost of living as it currently is and me moving to a new, more expensive home at the end of the month I will likely be opening up the renewal to donations which would be much appreciated as always. That is of course if we decide to go ahead with the renewal.

Just thought I'd put this out into the community early as it warrants a discussion that I think everybody should have the opportunity to contribute to. The actual deadline for renewal isn't until the very end of the month so there is plenty of time to reach a decision.

Cheers all
Dave

[Sly Boots]

I think for me personally I see value in keeping the forum, it really is a safe haven of the internet for me, and even if I'm not posting I'm pretty much always around and reading everything and appreciate the community we have. As a bit of an old fart, I don't see myself ever really engaging via Discord in the same way.

Financially, happy to contribute whenever it's required to keep the lights on

[Raid]

I don't think DIscord is as good a way of managing individual topics as a forum, though there are certainly extra things we can do if people do want to transition. I'd already set up a channel specifically for Shadow of the Erdtree for example. The issue is that it leaves us at the whims of Discord, and while they've been surprisingly generous up until now, there's always the chance that we'd be hit with monetisation at any point.

I'm also happy to chuck some money in if we want to keep the forum going, which would be my preference.

[Wrathbone]

I think for me personally I see value in keeping the forum, it really is a safe haven of the internet for me, and even if I'm not posting I'm pretty much always around and reading everything and appreciate the community we have. As a bit of an old fart, I don't see myself ever really engaging via Discord in the same way.

Very much the same as I feel. While much of what I post is inane drivel, I do prefer to take the time to properly consider what I’m saying before posting something longer form, which isn’t really the discord vibe.

Also happy to put money towards it.

[Animalmother]

Same as above, I'd really like the forum to stay open. Will punt a few quid if needed as well.

I'm guessing that if we add Preys World to this, it's got to be one of the longest continuous running online forums ever. Almost 22 years, that be right?

[Wrathbone]

If we're counting the PC Gamer forum, which I believe is where quite a few of the original Preys World crew migrated from, I joined that in 1999.

[eny]

I am in agreement, would love to see this place keep going, and happy to contribute to renewal. This is like the cabin in the wilderness, with a fire all ready to be lit and food in the cupboard for a bit of restoration and reset bearings type thing...it is madness out there!

[Mantis]

Well that settles that then, I think there's enough consensus to keep the place running.

Our hosts are being rather tight about giving me any kind of customer loyalty discount on our renewal so I may shop around and it might be that at the end of the month the forum goes down for a period whilst we migrate over to somewhere new if that's what it comes down to.

I'll put a Paypal email up for donations when I have a better idea of how much things will cost. Cheers guys.

[Sly Boots]

Good stuff

[Rusty]

Yup, agree with all the above.
Happy to contribute too.

We need a thumbs up emoji for posts (if that helps with moving to a provider that allows that )

[Sly Boots]

Yes!

[Snowy]

Just to pop my comments in - I am in the same place as everyone else. I need my little non-toxic corner of the internet as well as all of you lot in my life. More than happy to pitch in to keep the bar stocked and my tankard on its hook!

[Hatredsheart]

Same here, two decades isn't nearly enough. You're all family ffs. Happy to contribute.

[Rusty]

I've never met you lot in real life and had this weird vibe off a new friend from bloodstock. Saying he was in IT (same as me) and I thought "wow, what if this guy turned out to be a PW/gamers arm dude".
He wasn't but it did give me pause

[Mantis]

Alrighty I've managed to snag a decent renewal deal with our current providers that will keep us up and running for the next four years!

For those wishing to contribute, please send anything to the Paypal account gamersarms18@gmail.com

All donations to the running costs are greatly appreciated but by no means expected.

Here's to at least four more years chaps.