[Lestrade]

My problem with the Halo re-release is that it even happened at all, since they kept saying they wouldn't re-release monthly collectibles.

The ridiculously expensive new shop is just a second punch in the gut while I was still reeling from the first XD

And then, of course, when I try to post about why I find it upsetting, I just get a bunch of asskissers telling me to stop whining.

It just sucks when a site you were on for 10 years changes that drastically, and that's hard to explain to people who weren't there from the beginning...

[Arikana]

Originally Posted by Lucid:

Ari, the problem with re-releases having recolors is that it makes the people who already have the item mad! It's bad enough that other people are getting their hands on their precious rare item, but now if they want the new colors they have to get the NEW one! WHAT AN OUTRAGE!

Yeah, that too. But it just feels so cheap for avatar sites to do that. Like their looking for the easy way out to simply make more money. :/ Especially since there technically is no such thing as an easy way out as there are always consequences that make the "easy way out" hard in the end.

[Fenris]

I will state here, I am not agaisnt doing mothly recolors here IF the users want it. But its a choice of one or the other. We wanted to release a monthly dye type system. Which would be a long time down the line because of the coding (unless we magically get a few $1000 to sink into coding for fixes and new things). Or we rerelease old things slowly, how we'd do this would be undecided. I know a lot of us would really rather not rerelease old monthlies as an item here. (Though I am not completely opposed to repixeling old monthlies, especially the ones im missing pixel wise). But thats for another discussion. As for those afraid trisphee would just boom shut down. IF trisphee were to ever close it'd be because I couldn't afford to keep it open, and you would get warnings with a reason listed. THat way we had a chance to keep it open. It is also completely against my moral code to just shut something down and restart it completely. Thats not to say that we won't ever temporarily shut down to fix and redo some things. But if we ever did that you wouldn't lose your items. I think something like that is probably the worst business move a site could make. I have poured a lot of sweat into this site. And yeah, at times it gets hard, sometimes I have no time to do anything for it, and sometimes I'm ready to give up. But I don't because trisphee is my baby. And as hard as it can be sometimes I love it to much to let it go down the drain.

[Espy]

Trisphee is a spoiled little brat of a baby who gets way too much love XD ...That's not a bad thing.

[littl3chocobo]

well guys, take into account though, that /small/ sites, one that don't have +500 copies of a 'rare' item and are not trying to make 'easy' money do it too and with better results

if tris were to release for about two-four days a recolor or even a re-release and only charge what was originally charged or make it an au sink i would not see the harm, it is an extra treat for those who are here regularly and would get some items that are no longer buyable back into inventories and if it is a recolor it would make for a little treat in-between the normal uploads and help the site either get a few more dollars or deflate the value of au just a little more


of course there are some things you don't fuck with, the original grant (anka) and events where the user /had/ to be there to get the item, gaia fucked both of those over a barrel with the halo and with the fluff bundle and it tried to make a /lot/ of money doing it. it is not bad to recolor in moderation but it must be treated like what it is, a variation of something that is already existing, not a new special thing and not an abomination of trust. a recolor should be a bonus for being good users and a small consideration for being a site worth spending on<3


that all being said i have not spent real cash money at gaia since 2009 and i bought runes here last month and will again next month X''D users will spend it where it is worth spending just both the spenders and the providers must know where the line is

[Illusion]

Originally Posted by Fenris

I will state here, I am not agaisnt doing mothly recolors here IF the users want it. But its a choice of one or the other. We wanted to release a monthly dye type system. Which would be a long time down the line because of the coding (unless we magically get a few $1000 to sink into coding for fixes and new things). Or we rerelease old things slowly, how we'd do this would be undecided. I know a lot of us would really rather not rerelease old monthlies as an item here. (Though I am not completely opposed to repixeling old monthlies, especially the ones im missing pixel wise). But thats for another discussion. As for those afraid trisphee would just boom shut down. IF trisphee were to ever close it'd be because I couldn't afford to keep it open, and you would get warnings with a reason listed. THat way we had a chance to keep it open. It is also completely against my moral code to just shut something down and restart it completely. Thats not to say that we won't ever temporarily shut down to fix and redo some things. But if we ever did that you wouldn't lose your items. I think something like that is probably the worst business move a site could make. I have poured a lot of sweat into this site. And yeah, at times it gets hard, sometimes I have no time to do anything for it, and sometimes I'm ready to give up. But I don't because trisphee is my baby. And as hard as it can be sometimes I love it to much to let it go down the drain.

VERY WELL SAID.
It's very reassuring to hear this.
Whatever the future holds just remember something. Whatever you do that you may think is stupid for our avatar site, Gaia has done something stupider. :P

[Ethereal]

Speaking of how far Gaia has fallen, I miss when it was Go-Gaia, and it was tight-knit and each item had a story and a reason for being what it was. Now..I do not even log into my old account. Too many bots as well as terribly rude people on there for me to even bother with it.

[Illusion]

Originally Posted by Ethereal

Speaking of how far Gaia has fallen, I miss when it was Go-Gaia, and it was tight-knit and each item had a story and a reason for being what it was. Now..I do not even log into my old account. Too many bots as well as terribly rude people on there for me to even bother with it.

They got rid of ton of their bots, but rude people? I agree entirely. The site has been filled with elitists, and the saying over there has been "If you don't like it, then quit." -.- I see a lot of reputable Gaian's trying to put this to light but everyone shuns them for it. And then Gaia Staff uses so much sarcasm or completely ignore someone while addressing to these topics.

[Ethereal]

Oh my goodness, that is awful! I cannot believe it has gotten that bad! I do not understand what satisfaction people get out of hurting or being rude to other people. It just never made any sense to me, I miss how it used to be. I used to enjoy role-playing there but I left Gaia after I was being sent sexual messages and my reports and complaints did nothing. No one should be made to feel uncomfortable or unsafe on a supposedly kid friendly site. *shudders*

[littl3chocobo]

i joined in 2008 and it wasn't 'kid friendly' then X''D

[Ethereal]

Yeah, I know I quit in 2008. I had been a member originally within the first year Go-Gaia opened. I think I was with them during their beta phase too, and I am highly disappointed in them now. *shakes head sadly*

[littl3chocobo]

the sad thing is though, from a business perspective they are highly successful and cannot be thought of as anything but the best site

[Sei]

Okay, so yeah, this summer has been really hectic for me, but by the time August rolls around, I should be back in color (provided they want me back xD).

Summer, contrary to popular belief, is usually slower than winter because you don't have curfews or early classes. You have parties and other opportunities to spend time with friends and family that you may not have during any other time of the year. I think that when September comes, and things settle back into the slower part of the year, Trisphee will get busier again (hopefully more than it was last year).

Since I'm usually the one defending Gaia, I will say that although I don't particularly care for how they've done it, I can see why they would. Gaia's in a unique position; it's one of the few non-child oriented forum communities that is large enough to be able to even consider this possibility. Though they promised that they would never re-release old monthlies, etc., that promise was made long before Gaia became the business it is now. It's no longer five people in L0cke's basement. They're a big business now.

Not to mention that they've probably maxed out the appeal of their monthlies, RIGs, etc. and needed some new cash flow for the hundreds of new things they're supposedly doing. As much as loyalty and word of mouth helps, new methods of cash flow that entice those who maybe want a little more for their money (exclusivity and bragging rights) is always an option. They've been inching down this road for a long time.

I think the reason why avatar sites have been much slower and/or dying lately is because the market is absolutely saturated with them. Gaia is so big because it was one of the firsts and managed to get successful while there weren't many other options available. A lot of users are either devoted or chained because they do not want to start over again on another site. Gaia was quite a success, and as such, many other sites tried to cash in on this particular niche. As a result, they had to split the small amount of users and qualified staff members between them. This resulted in slower, less reliable results. Working on a smaller site is less a job and more a labor of love. Many coders would rather apply for a job at a busy forum or a job that is not forum-related.

In my opinion, Trisphee has stuck around for a while now, and even though it's a bit small, it is a wonderful forum. The staff is remarkably dedicated (and I've experienced this firsthand many times). I think that we just need a few more key people that can help get the ball rolling, especially helping poor Coda and Toho with coding. Other than that, I think we're in shape to keep improving with time.

Wow... this was really long. I'm sorry. >.>;;

[Yokuutsu]

On the Gaia thing, the cash new stuff doesn't bother me. Why? They aren't forcing you to buy anything. Someone will eventually sell it for gold/items. It'll be hard to get but not impossible.

And some people have that much money to blow on a website.

[Illusion]

Originally Posted by Yokuutsu

On the Gaia thing, the cash new stuff doesn't bother me. Why? They aren't forcing you to buy anything. Someone will eventually sell it for gold/items. It'll be hard to get but not impossible.

And some people have that much money to blow on a website.

I agree if it was that simple. Have you ever talked to almost ANYONE on Gaia as of late? (Except for close friends)
The site has become FULL of classism,where people base you off your wealth.
I'm a big community discussion'er at Gaia, and of all the years on the site I've never begin to hate a community for it's people, they became so rude to others and new members. It's sickening. Gaia always had problems with beggars but from what I've seen it's a whole new level.
Now how does this apply to Gaia Cash? If the community didn't steer you away from the site, and you want to be like everyone else. What is the quickest way to make a quick million? Buying Gaia Cash. And let's say you spent the $100 to get into Club Verge? There's those $250 pretty wings just crying your name. At this point, you spent $100 on Gaia and a tempting $250 of wealth calls your name.... With a community pushing people to be wealthier and wealthier, someone might actually purchase those ridiculous wings.

Long story short, yes no one is forcing anyone to purchase anything. But when a society tells you "I don't like you because you look poor" that could drive someone to purchase these items.

[littl3chocobo]

sei, two years ago gaia was making enough in adverts alone to pay the staff and the servers by itself, in the last year it's gained wealth through advertising and product placement that far outclasses it's cost. what it makes through gaia cash is all bank and with several thousand dollars rolling through the shop every day(not counting special incentives like this last one) it hardly needs to do all this extra to manage what they spend. it was a quick and easy means of making a few k's in a single go without doing a damn bit of work