Here are the numbers for today:
As I’ve said, we know that there are people gaming the survey. The good news is, we know a bit about them, so we can adjust for their “votes”.
The other news is that it’s important to know which numbers to look at here. I’m not going to spell it out but we’re not just looking at individual numbers here and drawing a conclusion.
The mails should start going out this week. As I’ve said, if we need to delay the results to get all the mails out, then we will. We’re not going to make a decision without data – there’s no imaginary deadline here. I know that some of you are very anxious for an answer, but you don’t want to “rush a diagnosis” (so to speak).
I’ll update the FAQ later today.
* We started send out the emails, starting out with the people who had the biggest “Gametime” counters (seconds in Game) (bet you didn’t know you had one of those, did you?). Unfortunately, Amazon shut us off because 30% of the emails were bouncing, either because the addresses were gone/abandoned, or were never any good in the first place. So, we’re appealing that, and pursuing other routes.
To those who gave us invalid email addresses: see what happens when you lie on registration forms? You Momma told you that would come back to gitcha some day!
I am so There 
#1 by FOX30 on 2011.05.10 - 5:02 pm
hi mimi , wish i could private message you my e-mail without the whole world seeing it 😦
i’m trapped in WoW waiting for there to re-open. 🙂
#2 by mimi06 on 2011.05.12 - 10:05 am
aww, fox 😦 well we can hope 🙂 rofl MW reminded me this isnt a forum, so we’ll just keep it happy thoughts about the *IF* word.. hope to see you soon.
#3 by FOX30 on 2011.05.10 - 4:54 am
I’m just glad to see there may reopen , as one of the old members i’m very excited about the idea of getting all my old inventory back. I for one as with many many other members had hundreds of buggys , boats and paz items we lost at closing , and not to sound selfish , when there closed is was like watching the stock market crash , i had alot of RL money tied up in my inventory.
My question for Mr.Wilson is , and forgive me if you mentioned this and i didnt see it. Will the older members that return like myself still have are old items , like two team scoreboards , winner plaques and skydecks ? And coke items , knowing coca cola wont be a part of there , will be still have the tuv’s , buggys and paz items ? I’m just waiting to see the link to DL and install , its time for some good ole fun in Zephyr….BRING ON THE PAINTBALL BABY !!!
#4 by mimi06 on 2011.05.10 - 7:55 am
@fox30, holy cow where did you come from rofl.. happy to see you 🙂 stay tuned
#5 by There_fan:D on 2011.05.08 - 9:17 am
Im happy that There is coming back it was the best online game ive played and i was always playing it and did more stuff there than in real. I think before there closed the money was fair and I could afford it. But if being a member I would just pay like $3-5 a month and if the fun zones time money and stuff happens, Id rather not play this game. It would seem, I dont know less fun or something. But anyway my old account got hacked and then banned, now i figured the password so will i still be able to get in, if not can i do something to have my old account? And how much will premium be? Will there be a one fee or you pay something a month.
#6 by 70IamLeon on 2011.05.02 - 10:35 pm
Hope is a good thing…
#7 by Grimm on 2011.05.02 - 10:13 am
Quick question from a development standpoint – which software will be used for the dev program if There re-opens? gmax/3D Max 8 again? I just want to be ready to go 🙂
#8 by Lexi on 2011.05.02 - 4:10 am
I LOVE THERE.COM!!! I signed up 2008 and that was the best 2-3 years of my life i cant believe it could be reopening!
#9 by erick758 on 2011.05.02 - 6:20 am
same here lol
#10 by Mr_Donenzone on 2011.05.02 - 3:23 am
Osama is dead. Let’s hope for more good news! Also, I know this is jumping the gun, but ssbpd and our old team have set up staff positions for sunshine bay, with 3 owners, and 3 cops. If anyone wishes to apply as a firefighter (please don’t shoot the messenger) contact ssbpd there on facebook (thats his name) for reserving a lot (they are going fast) contact ssbre there (also his fb name)
#11 by NoldorNumbwit on 2011.05.02 - 1:42 am
I would be willing to pay $100 for a 1-year subscription to begin. I’ve done this with other games I’ve tested and wanted to help launch. After 1 year, I would subscribe for a normal rate.
I admit I was in There mostly for testing and helping. After 6 months, I wandered to other lands and popped in to update & test some more. I was never in the “social circles”. But I make a few great friends like LumpyLaRue and Playbaby25. I hope to make new friends in There2!
Per the survey, the “Other” selection for the questions 1&2 are not working. There isn’t a radio button present besides the word “Other” and the form wants another selection to continue.
TQQdles™,
Noldor Numbwit
Eternal Newbie
#12 by Michelle on 2011.05.01 - 2:47 pm
Hi, I hope There reopens soon so I can try it, I’m excited to be a n00b again 😛 I heard great things about There, always had regrets i never tryed it.
It is good to see the CEO showing he cares for hes users, some virtual worlds forget about how important that is…
Just hope the fees are not too high or can be cut back a little after the company is stable again.
#13 by Cassi on 2011.05.01 - 2:23 pm
MW… silly question, which I do not think was asked….but…it might have been. IF there reopens and we either re-activate an old account OR create a new account, pay our monthly fee for lets say 4-5 months, but hit a place where we either can’t financially pay for a month, or need a break because of medical/work/holiday, what will happen to our accounts for that time while we can’t pay? How long will the avie be available for? (ie: will there be a time limit that you need to start paying again or the avi goes poof?).
I really do hope that makes sense…. and I do understand if this has not been thought about yet, I’m simply curious as my partner and I are both loyal Thereians who want to play, but are aware that one or both may not be able to play at various times due to health and/or monetary reasons, but only short term 🙂 We’d rather not eat out again, than face the prospect of not playing There, for without There we would not have each other 🙂
#14 by jimony on 2011.05.02 - 12:31 am
Hi Cassi! I asked that question earlier also, but it wasn’t answered (yet). I am guessing they are not ready to make a decision about that yet.
I would expect them to store our information separate from the servers, or to let us archive our own info somehow so that it could be restored when we are financially able again. I would hope there would be at least a month grace period regardless (of course, we wouldn’t be able to log on until we paid up again. If the fee is 10.00 a month and we skip a month or two payment, it would be reasonable to have to pay a fraction of the months that we weren’t able to login to cover expenses that our data storage accrued before we are current again.
#15 by xSnoopy on 2011.05.01 - 12:10 pm
Sure hope Phill41 got his email .. Friday and Saturday nights will be so boring without him LOL
#16 by erick758 on 2011.05.02 - 4:50 am
LOL
#17 by Kevin2432 on 2011.05.01 - 4:59 am
Gotta Love There.com.. Hope it reopens :).
#18 by watchlight on 2011.05.01 - 12:56 am
I’ve got my Email now 🙂 I just wonder why it’s in my Spam Folder 🙂
#19 by Secrets of Vonira on 2011.05.01 - 1:38 pm
This isn’t something in Michael Wilson’s control. This would have to be on your mail provider’s end. Because of the many emails sent to several users, your mail provider pretty much started to think it was spam and now places it in spam folders if your mail account settings are set to filter spam. It is totally out of Michael Wilson’s control. Nothing can be done about it. Perhaps everyone should call up their mail provider and complain to them that this is not spam.
#20 by Rick on 2011.05.01 - 12:44 am
oh god, people commenting about how 10$ for there isnt worth what it offers? are you serious? yes you have to buy therebucks seperatly but you have, unlimited exploration, buggy racing, hoverboarding , paintball, socializing clothing and Mils of other things , i spent hours playing motu motu 10$ is damn worth it and even if its 20$ it offers way more than any other virtual world ive been in seriously
#21 by Tomixcomics on 2011.05.01 - 7:19 pm
As I said in the commen above, its not always a matter of “dont think its worth it” somuch as its a matter of “cant afford it depsite wanting to”
#22 by Aion on 2011.04.30 - 11:16 pm
I am confused by the posted survey results, they make no sense to me.
I can’t speak for anyone else, but I’d be willing to pay in advance up to 250 bucks if it would get There back on-line.
The potential I always thought There had, but never quite realized (slow, deep breaths to settle down)… If I had a million bucks, I’d just GIVE it to you to get There back…
Put me down as “whatever it takes”. If it takes 250 bucks up front, if it takes 500 bucks up front. I want There back. I want to work for There. I’d work for you for free. There was REALLY important, it could have changed the world.
#23 by Aion on 2011.05.01 - 1:40 am
I would like to see There optimized for my 3D tv, when are you going to get that up and running ?
#24 by Marianne (JoyofLife) on 2011.05.01 - 4:58 am
I agree Aion. Many of us would pay $100-200 a month for a package of tbux/hood etc. We can say this because we actually DID pay that in purchases at minimum.
It still can change the world, and thanks for your great supportive attitude! ;0)
#25 by Marianne (JoyofLife) on 2011.05.01 - 5:05 am
By the way, I friend of mine spent about $2000 per month. I know this to be true because I saw her give much of what she bought to others. I’m certain MW will factor those “power users” into the figures.
#26 by Secrets of Vonira on 2011.05.01 - 1:34 pm
That gave Secrets of Vonira the idea to charge real money for land (neighborhoods and funzones) instead of Therebucks. This way it is guaranteed that There is pulling real income and not the virtual world currency which may not have came from directly from There at the time of payment. I do believe Second Life actually charges real money for sims. If this is done, people should be able to make a profit on neighborhoods by being able to set their own lot rent prices and be able to sell their Therebucks. If it was done in a way that most purchases from There required real money, we could still have third party Therebuck resellers.
#27 by ried on 2011.05.01 - 4:11 pm
not a bad idea for somone like you but most of us just liked to talk and play paint ball and buggy race for example i neve owned a hood or anything and i cirtinily would not pay $200 a mouth even for the game i love more then anything but $10 i can spair
#28 by Marianne (JoyofLife) on 2011.05.01 - 4:44 pm
Jimony… wasn’t it tossed about that tbux would only be able to be purchased from Makena. That’s fine with me… but wonder how that could benefit the designers? Mebbe Makena pays them their “cut” in cash? That would avoid the 3rd party currency trafficking?
#29 by jimony on 2011.05.02 - 12:20 am
Marianne, my understanding is that MW stated that Tbucks will not be allowed to be re-sold by third parties.
Tbucks can only be generated by There, but MW hasn’t said anything against being able to give away Tbucks.
Which means that people could theoretically pay someone outside of There for them to give them Tbucks inside of There.
My guess is that will be specifically forbidden in the new TOS and anyone caught doing this could be banned. One way to control that may be to put a small limit on the amount that can be gifted to another account.
MW also said they would look at working out a method of buying back Tbucks from designers if There re-opened so they can still profit from their work.
Anyway, Marianne, since you asked me, that is my thoughts.
#30 by Tomixcomics on 2011.05.01 - 7:18 pm
Its not that people wouldnt be willing to pay all that if given the option, but as much as I would like to be able to just give There the money needed to pay for everything, and as mucha s I think its WORTH so much more than $10 a month, fact remains I’m a college student, making about $300 a month at my job as a cartoonist. As much as I love there I would still like to be able to not go bankrupt, or have to change carees just to play it. Not everyone who plays THERE is an adult without large financial concerns who loves the game as much as we do. If I were a businessman with disposale salary, Id gladly pay $50 ma month even.
#31 by Aisha5 on 2011.04.30 - 9:36 pm
“There2” gonna be optimized for Black Berry and Smartphones (Iphone,Nokia,LG) ?i guess is a important thing,because i one year this kind of cell technology upgrade a lot.
#32 by Michael Wilson on 2011.05.01 - 12:03 am
Blackberry? You’re kidding, right?
#33 by Tomixcomics on 2011.05.01 - 7:23 pm
This isn’t “Angry birds”, it’s a full 3-D, interactive online world 😛
#34 by dead0nscene on 2011.05.02 - 12:32 am
i can possibly see a lite version or like a mail/ messenger client, but it take way to much ram for ur phone…
#35 by Jonathan (Jonty) on 2011.05.02 - 7:35 am
I don’t doubt that the iPhone 4 has the amount of processing power necessary, however try using a game like There.com with a touch-screen. It just wouldn’t work. And a Blackberry?! The poor thing’d die at the thought..
#36 by Phoenix on 2011.04.30 - 7:11 pm
Hi, I’m watching this with excitement, to see there back again would be great but There had an under-population problem in the last few years and having a pay per month model would limit this even further, sorry, I just don’t see this as viable, especially when you’re closing off the economy to users. The competition for peoples time is high now, facebook, as much as I dislike and mistrust it, seems to have won the day, as well as games consoles, WoW and the like ….. the list goes on.
It’s been mentioned before but if you can develop something like There IM for smart phones then I think you’re onto a winner. There world on a smartphone would be amazing, albeit a mighty task to complete (I imagine so anyway).
I’ve tried a few other worlds but There felt like home, I’d love to see it back but in my opinion I don’t think it offered enough for $10/month, especially as me and others spent so much in-game (rent, clothes, items etc). I’d consider a one off payment of about $50-100 for lifetime membership, the credit card payment can act as a verification system. I’d have never joined There originally if I couldn’t try it out for free first and I think that’s the same for 95% of other users. Maybe a time limited free account? Verification with verified paypal / CC accounts?
I dont want to “pee in your cornflakes” as I’d love to see there back again, I just dont think its worth paying monthly for, just my honest opinion. Just by closing off the economy and scaling down the worlds then I think a viable commercial project is possible, but you need a good population. Tap into the mobile network market then I think great things could be possible.
The cynical side of me thinks that you dont intend to re-open There and that you just want to give Vonira a scare! I don’t know all the latest news but I dont hold much hope for them at all, such a strange way to go about things and I get the impression that they’re not popular. I won’t be going there (vonira) anyway. I’ll go see whats happening on Thumdar …… the voice I both respect & trust. He’s earned his There stripes 🙂
I wish you luck …. sincerely
#37 by Michael Wilson on 2011.04.30 - 7:16 pm
We understand the issues with those who already spend a lot in world not wanting to pay a monthly fee. Perhaps, if we re-open, in a few months we could create some program where a credit for the next month(s) would be created once you purchased a certain number of Therebucks. I’m afraid we’d still have to start with the subscription fee to get started.
Thanks for you comments.
#38 by Phoenix on 2011.05.01 - 1:11 pm
“We understand the issues with those who already spend a lot in world not wanting to pay a monthly fee. Perhaps, if we re-open, in a few months we could create some program where a credit for the next month(s) would be created once you purchased a certain number of Therebucks. I’m afraid we’d still have to start with the subscription fee to get started.”
Sounds promising 🙂
#39 by there_forever on 2011.04.30 - 9:07 pm
No offense Phoenix, but you really don’t think it didn’t offere enough for $10/month?
Does Red Light Centre have more to offer for a $20/month subscription. What about IMVU for a $10/month subscription?
How about Camamba aka ex Vagipe? $5/month fee for access 13 webcam chat rooms. It’s not a sex place. If it was it would probably cost a lot more!!!!!!
Go to wrestlingnewsworld.com and pay $2.00 to become a premium member then $7.95 for a monthly subsubscription.
I don’t know how much you have been reading this blog, but MW has explained well enough why there must be a monthly subscription.
He has also explained why it has to be 18+ and he has explained why everything you have said above won’t help to open and keep There open. To be honest, the main reason for There being underpopulated was the fact that in the end it turned out to be more of a teen world rather than an adult world. I have nothing against under 18s but the one thing that I didn’t like about There was to always bump into children. I have heard this from many people and I totally agree with it: most people left There and moved to SL and other places because of too many kids. I am sure that a lot of those people would love to come back once they find out that it is an 18+ world.
The only part where most people will agree with you is for the limited free trial but that is not the topic for now. MW has said that they will look on to that once they get the world up and running. There are more important things that need to be done first.
Trying to get ThereIM in the mobile network is a great idea but there is a lot of work for that to be done and a lot of problems to be solved. I just thought of a few things and it gave me a headache. That isn’t the issue right now anyway.
I also don’t think that MW would ruin his reputation just to give Vonira a scare. What is he gonna do? Lie to thousands of people about opening There again? Nahhhhhh…
If you said that Vonira would do that then I would totaly agree with you!!! ‘tu
#40 by Vanessa on 2011.04.30 - 11:05 pm
Agreed. 10 bucks will get you 2 hours at the movies or a meal at a fastfood restaurant or a small pizza. Portal 2 (which sold extremely well) has maybe 15 hours of gameplay and costs 70-80 bucks with tax. But 10 bucks for There.com which can easily entertain someone for a whole month even without buying there bucks is some how a “rip off?!?” I know money is tight but this is just not logical thinking. This is a big reason why I think you ought to scrap the virtual world aspect for There to ever stand a chance.
#41 by Marianne (JoyofLife) on 2011.05.01 - 4:54 am
Count me in on that. One of the most important features of THERE (to me and my friends) was the ability to build our own homes, gardens, environments, hoods and then to ride vehicles including the NEVER DUPLICATED hoverboard, to paintball and have a friendly card game. Pets were a trip … and training them was adorable… we’d have 20-30 jumping at once. Others liked quests, space stations, buggy racing. How can all this leave you (Phoenix) to honestly say that there wasn’t that much to “do”. Add great fashions and ease of body movements – no virtual world can compare with THERE’s rich full offering that simulates real life.
I don’t mean to offend, but you sound like the kid who has tons of toys and cries “I’m bored”. It was simply NOT POSSIBLE to be bored in THERE if one had any curiosity or creativity at all. It was simply a blast and positively nurtured fun, joy and creativity. To claim THAT’S not worth $10 to the general public is silly.
#42 by Phoenix on 2011.05.01 - 7:31 am
hi.
I’m not sure why you’re jumping on what I said with such anger but I’m not attempting to speak for other people, just expressing my opinion. And all those other online services, I’m pretty sure they all have a basic free service so people can try before they buy. Red Light Center is the sewer of the internets online worlds and people generally pay monthly so they can have sex, and no, I don’t want that in There, I like it as it was.
I work a lot in online marketing and advertising and nearly all online services start with a free service and then try to work out a financial model, facebook is the ideal example here, valued at $40 billion [?] but still not making that money, but the potential is obvious just going on the number of people that use it.
I’ve read through the posts and can understand why MW has to enquire about the pay monthly route but in my opinion without a free service of some kind the population will always be low and this in turn leads to restricted income from other avenues. Just by closing off the There economy to users should help get it to be sustainable but my point is that with a low population it would never really take off. At $10/month, how many users would he need just to break even?
Personally, I put a lot of time, effort and money into There but my point is that I would never had joined if I couldn’t try it out first for free, and if people join to see a near empty world then I don’t think they would stay. If all that money now doesn’t go to developers and goes to There then that may be enough to keep it going.
I want to see There re-open but MW needs it to be financially viable which is what all this is about. I like to think I’m a realist and would love to see it reopen but I cant let passion cloud the reality of making There financially viable, which it needs to be and is what MW is after.
I think a time limited free account is what’s needed, maybe a week? This can possibly be linked to an IP address, I know, never fully secure going on IPs but it would help. You could even verify the user by using CC validation or linking it to a verified paypal account or even a mobile phone number (SMS a verification code).
Integration with social networks is a must, can you imagine if a Flash based There was available in FB so people can meet up to chat in groups in a 3D environment …… that would be great and very popular I’m sure.
Getting onto smartphones is a must too. Having something like There IM on them would act as a gateway and drive people into using the full 3D world for sure.
Advertising, as much as we all hate it, will probably be needed, but you could always pay monthly for extra benefits and an ad-free There 🙂
My point is, There needs a healthy population one way or another otherwise it will be another online “island” with a group of hardcore (maybe an unfortunate term to use!) users. With a higher population then many other avenues open up, things like linking real online stores to a 3D world, people love to shop and a lot of that is in walking the streets and finding stores that you may never have seen or heard of before. Get a big name in and others will follow.
Of course, this will take a lot of development and cost but I’m just throwing ideas out there.
Truth is that if it did reopen then I’d probably spend $10/month to see it back but I don’t think I’d stay long, there’s too many other things pushing for my time. There needs a healthy population one way or another but I think that having only a monthly payment option will restrict it too much and if lucky it will just tick along.
How about this …….
1. get a free There IM app on smartphones supported by ads or pay $4.99 for a (full) ad free version
2. free facebook app for 3D chat (not sure if its possible)
3. with the above 2 driving in traffic then I can see people paying monthly to use the “full” 3D world, these will act as gateways and keep numbers up
…… get on smartphones or facebook and everyone will have heard of THERE in time, with a relatively small development cost [?] this will act as advertising for the 3D world, an extension if you like. Population will be high and many revenue streams will open up.
I know all this costs money to develop but I think Makena have the experience to think big and have the potential. Outside investment may be needed to get it all going (unfortunately) but it’s a good time to look for investors, there’s many eager ones out there again …… could be the 2nd bubble though.
I think I’ve got too carried away with it all! I never doubt MW’s passion but in the modern online world you need to think big or die. It’s not really what I’m prepared to pay for THERE but it’s what new users are willing to pay without even trying it out. I think this is too restrictive. My worry is that if population is low then I and many others won’t stay. New users won’t join and the decline begins.
I just searched the app store for 3D Chat and didn’t see anything. Now is the time …..
Sure, it may take millions of dollars to get it going but with Makena’s expertise then I think this is possible, also getting investors in is possible. The app may be profitable in itself.
I sincerely wish MW and THERE all the best but I think it needs to catch up a bit with how the online world is right now, with investment I think that this is a great time to get an ambitious project going.
Idealism? Realism? Even I’m not sure what angle I’m coming from!
MW is the expert here and knows the business well and I respect his decisions. I just want to see THERE being sustainable, as I’m sure he does too.
#43 by Marianne (JoyofLife) on 2011.05.01 - 8:19 am
Wow, whew I’m pooped just reading the extra-long rebuttal Phoenix. Step away from the coffee dude! Who was it, hmm who said:
“I dont want to “pee in your cornflakes” as I’d love to see there back again, I just dont think its worth paying monthly for…”
“The cynical side of me thinks that you dont intend to re-open There and that you just want to give Vonira a scare”
Um ‘scuse me, don’t think anyone is angry. They are simply “over” ppl who want to “pee on their cornflakes” and wring out every cynical, conspiracy theory on a public forum.
Most of us are here because we love THERE and feel it can succeed AND is very worthy of a $10/mo investment. I’m certain MW will consult his marketing folks abt tried and true methods to enlist new members. His point is that Makena cannot succeed without a regular income stream. Which is abundantly fair.
#44 by jimony on 2011.05.01 - 10:59 am
MW has stated in a few of his posts that once it is determined that there is enough support to re-open There, the issues such as trial accounts among many other issues would be looked at and would be worked out. I think MW is smart enough to know changes will need to be made once it is at least possible to re-open it. The issue right now isn’t how to attract new members, but if there is enough old ones willing to pay to get it restarted now.
As far as those people complaining that they paid for a lifetime account; that lifetime ended. We are hoping to start a new one now.
It’s like the lifetime TiVo service; it is only the lifetime of the TiVo box you purchased, not your lifetime. When your TiVo box dies you have to purchase a new box with a new service. There died and now we hope to buy a new one.
#45 by Phoenix on 2011.05.01 - 1:02 pm
I’ll be brief (for a change 😉 )
THERE will have full control over the THERE economy, members will spend money in-world and (I think anyway) a monthly fee will restrict new membership sign-ups.
THERE needs a good population and needs a free ‘gateway’ to the service to survive long term.
short-term, monthly may work … only MW knows the numbers he needs.
#46 by NathanAvis on 2011.05.01 - 7:29 pm
“THERE needs a good population and needs a free ‘gateway’ to the service to survive long term.”
“short-term, monthly may work … only MW knows the numbers he needs.”
If only MW knows the numbers needed to survive (which I’m sure is the case), your first statement I’m quoting is immediately negated.
We the users thought we knew best, and when Makena pandered to us their monthly loss skyrocketed.
I made a huge list of suggestions to reduce bandwidth and traffic, other costs but I must remember they are only my suggestions, and the big chief knows what works best simply from having hands on experience with the things that do not work.
Questions for you Phoenix:
**Do you want to see There return?
**Are you willing to pitch in a little to get back a lot?
**Will There.Com having no free membership types affect you or others that you know interested in rejoining in any way at all? If the answer is yes, please check my first question, and then the 2nd one until both the answers are “Yes”. When enough of us commit to 2 “Yes” answers There.Com might just reopen!
#47 by Phoenix on 2011.05.02 - 12:59 pm
short term / long term …… there’s a difference.
**Do you want to see There return? – Of course but I won’t be too upset if it didn’t
**Are you willing to pitch in a little to get back a lot? – I’ve already pitched in a lot, I’m also prepared to let them use my designs to aid their marketplace
**Will There.Com having no free membership types affect you or others that you know interested in rejoining in any way at all? – True fans like the ones in this blog won’t mind but it will put off new users and keep population low which is my worry. (longer term)
I think it’s quite simple to allow free accounts, time limited to one week and linked to a phone number (SMS verification), CC or verified Paypal account. Admin costs/time dictates which is the better option.
Bottom line is that I dislike monthly subscriptions and so do a lot of people.
I’d be happier to buy a lifetime membership, for say, $100. In fact, this would be a good reward for loyal Therians, offer as an option beta-type lifetime memberships and it’ll give them a healthy cash injection, just an idea.
#48 by NathanAvis on 2011.05.02 - 2:36 pm
Well Phoenix you did not answer question 3 properly. By the answer you gave, it seems to affect nobody you know or yourself if there introduces a subscription fee to survive, therefore any additional comments on this are irrelevant. You can’t speak for everybody or assume to know what the people want based on your individual preferences. Nobody wants to pay for things, but a dedicated userbase will be a marketing tool none the less.
#49 by Phoenix on 2011.05.02 - 3:29 pm
Question 3 is too vague to be that relevant.
maybe;
**Will There.Com, having no free membership types, discourage new users from signing up with no way to try it out first? – I believe it will
also, I’m not asking for something for nothing, I just dislike monthly subscriptions especially as I’ve already paid for “life” membership (I can’t remember how it was termed), already worked hard to promote There, already spent lots of money in There… just for it all to be taken away. Now I have to pay to get it all back and with no way of earning a virtual income to cover it. Despite that, I still support There as I respect their ethics. Even after they closed they still cashed in tbux for users, very impressive and honorable.
#50 by LT Col Chris Minor (I.S.A) on 2011.04.30 - 6:26 pm
I am just stating that we are here if needed, that’s all. If not, then on behalf of the ISA, We wish you all the best. If you find yourself in need of our services, free of charge, feel free to contact us via isarmy.net or by phone. 24/7
#51 by annamarie33 on 2011.04.30 - 6:18 pm
so wait, you were going to use Glados as greeters and Helpers?
#52 by Michael Wilson on 2011.04.30 - 6:21 pm
Well, we got her for free when we bought the old Aperture Science Facility for the Welcome Walkway, so it seemed like a waste to not use her. Is there a problem?
#53 by Jonathan (Jonty) on 2011.04.30 - 7:59 pm
Yes, the cake is a lie!
#54 by LT Col Chris Minor (I.S.A) on 2011.04.30 - 6:17 pm
Yes sir. Before There closed its doors, the ISA was processing 170 volunteers for customer service and conflict management after discovering that There helpers were in short supply. Most of these volunteers were willing to enforce There’s TOS free in hopes of making the environment more peaceful. Also, the ISA never “jumps the gun”. We simply prepare for any and all possibilities
#55 by Mimi06 on 2011.04.30 - 5:47 pm
passes the CEO a glass of wine, then asks “whats GladOS? rofl
#56 by Tollermike on 2011.04.30 - 6:09 pm
Check wikipedia….http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GLaDOS
#57 by Mimi06 on 2011.04.30 - 5:36 pm
who is that ^…………..kinda jumping the gun? rofl we’re stiil at IF…. and thanks Joy for posting that. It appears better when one can actually see it 🙂
#58 by Marianne (JoyofLife) on 2011.04.30 - 5:55 pm
Sure Mimi! What was your avie name?
#59 by Mimi06 on 2011.04.30 - 6:03 pm
to joy : mimi06 🙂 rofl prob didnt see me much, spent 3/4 of my avie life on the walkway….
#60 by xSnoopy on 2011.05.01 - 9:05 am
Hugs to Mimi and Joy .. 🙂
#61 by LT Col Chris Minor (I.S.A) on 2011.04.30 - 5:18 pm
Mr wilson,
My organization is preparing for a possible launch of There 2 , and I wanes to let you know that we a an organization support and respect any decision you may make. We are also preparing to provide full helper support free of charge if needed. We will also be accepting applications for training as a helper if more are needed.
LT. COL. Chris Minor
101st LC
I.S.A.
#62 by Michael Wilson on 2011.04.30 - 5:21 pm
Wait, so you mean I didn’t need to buy GladOS to manage support and moderation???
#63 by Marianne (JoyofLife) on 2011.04.30 - 4:54 pm
Here is the email I got… I found it in my SPAM folder. MW said only a portion of them went out pending some adjustment by mail provider. Also he mentioned somewhere that the users with most clock time went out first.
Dear Former Member of There.com,
We have never believed in spamming our members, however, in this case, we
hope you’ll agree we have good reason to send you this unsolicited email.
Since There.com was closed a year ago, we have been exploring cost-effective
ways to re-open There, as a sustainable business. With changes we’ve made to
our business model and new advances in technology, we MIGHT be able to
re-open There.com.
If you are interested in the possibility of re-opening There.com, you are
invited to to give us feedback in a simple survey. It’s only 4 questions, so it
will only take a moment. You can read more about the survey on Michael
Wilson’s blog https://theremichaelwilson.wordpress.com/ .
You can find the survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/thereagain
Thanks very much for your time,
Everyone at Makena Technologies
(the home of There.com)
#64 by Tollermike on 2011.04.30 - 6:06 pm
Yes I found it in my SPAM folder. Thanks for the hint 🙂 Here’s to hoping the business model makes sense.
#65 by Mimi06 on 2011.04.30 - 4:39 pm
he posted about that above annamarie, appears they wont be needed 🙂
#66 by annamarie33 on 2011.04.30 - 4:05 pm
will there still be island guides and greeters? or will you have to re-hire. or none at all. ?
#67 by Jenzie on 2011.04.30 - 3:56 pm
I am also looking forward to There opening back up. I sure hope it becomes a reality. I did get an email,I did take the survey, I took it twice by mistake. I really hope it all works out. Hope to see everyone again in the future.
#68 by annamarie33 on 2011.04.30 - 3:54 pm
i didnt get the email.. what does it say, what is the Email About?
#69 by lisablissa on 2011.04.30 - 3:26 pm
I was so glad to get the email…that tells me it’s really moving along…I am super excited about it & can hardly wait..I will wake up in Benda! Chyayay!! ‘tu!
#70 by Raymond on 2011.04.30 - 1:29 pm
I really hope they open this back up. Everyone has been waiting for this for A LONG TIME! Nothing but high hopes for this one
#71 by Isa_HxC on 2011.04.30 - 11:48 am
I can’t wait.,please I’ll pay.,but bring there back 😦
im tired of playing zwinky&kaneva >:/
#72 by oregondude on 2011.04.30 - 11:34 am
If you could make a ThereLite that worked on smart phones, you would get rich and famous. Just saying…
#73 by missnewyork001 on 2011.04.30 - 9:29 am
What about if your original e-mail was closed or hacked and you have no way of getting into it? I promise I didn’t use an invalid one! haha Just wondering if there will be any way to recover your account by answering some sort of security question perhaps?
#74 by NoBioN on 2011.04.30 - 10:00 am
Im sure there will be a way to obtain it. For example by sending a copy of your passport to verify yourself, or something like that.
I wouldent be worried. Except if you lied in your registration. And therefore can’t verify your ownership. But thats your own problem then
#75 by BeastieBabe on 2011.04.30 - 9:28 am
Wow…truly exciting news as I was so sadden by the closing of There. My memories goes far beyond just being in a virtual world, I met my real life husband at There & we just finished celebrating our 2nd anniversary. Hope it will reopen & that I can see all of There friends again. :))
#76 by albisthegangster on 2011.04.30 - 9:18 am
U SEE IF THERE OPEN WHAT TIME IT WILL OPEN
#77 by Jonathan (Jonty) on 2011.04.30 - 1:29 pm
9.00am. Sidenote: WHY R U TALKIN LIKE THIS?
#78 by Soede on 2011.04.30 - 8:33 pm
❤
#79 by Marianne (JoyofLife) on 2011.04.30 - 8:47 am
Revenue results to date: $456,240 per year. This does not include additional revenues from respondents who may have indicated they would pay more, nor the revenue from rents or product sales. Micheal, are we getting close to a revenue stream that makes sense?
#80 by xSnoopy on 2011.04.30 - 4:59 pm
Hey Marianne,
You never did answer my answer about the FIRST FIFTY.
Let me know where your gonna be and I will give you the first shot LOL
#81 by Marianne (JoyofLife) on 2011.05.01 - 4:44 am
HEHE! Yes Snoop, I’ll take the first shot! Sorry I was reading newest entries. Joy
#82 by Mark on 2011.04.30 - 8:31 am
Hello, I have a question Michael Wilson. (Excuse me if this has already been asked)
IF you re-open. Are you planning on restoring our accounts and virtual belongings? Or just start fresh?
#83 by NoBioN on 2011.04.30 - 8:59 am
I take it you new to the blog.
Yes you will have everything as it was. =)
#84 by jaybee on 2011.04.30 - 8:30 am
hi all, i just read that someones email was in their SPAM folder so i checked mine (which i never ever do!!!) and it was in there. I hope this isn’t going to happen to everyone. What if everyone’s is going to their spam box and the folks that HAVEN’T heard of the survey aren’t going to see it. oh no 😦
#85 by NoBioN on 2011.04.30 - 7:59 am
Was in my hotmail spam folder here too. Annoying
#86 by Candy Lowd on 2011.04.30 - 7:52 am
Amazing news!
#87 by phasedenergy on 2011.04.30 - 7:15 am
Ok, I admit I have not paid much attention to the net socially since THERE went down, so this is the first I have shown up to comment.
That said, I DID look through the surveys and Michael`s blog recently, I was not surprised by the responses and results, There was originally (read: after beta) a pay per month option…chances are, a lot of the positive responses are coming from that original group….and understandably…I cannot go a week without thinking how nice it would be to spend even a few hours visiting the online home and family we had (sigh).
The replacement(s) (read: only options we had left to fill the void) we all gravitated towards are second best, but, there are some interesting differences in each that could conceivably be considered for a “second coming of THERE” that might actually help keep it viable…like twinity`s dev accounts, like Sl`s land ownership and marketplace (I know Michael said he did not want to get into the buying and selling of tbucks …but it is still a viable option for company cash flow in terms of what CAN be done), etc etc….changes would obviously have to be made to accomodate things like this…..We have all shared our frustrations with Mr. Wilson over having There taken away, those with any business acumen will understand Michael`s frustration and ultimate decision…..we all really could devote ourselves to get There back into the market and make it Great once again.
From the surveys, we see the trend looks something like this: pay per month, 18+, ability to “play” with the boundries (which, let`s face it, was a very popular underground activity)…things like space stations, throwing a chair underground etc etc (yes I know, griefers abused this stuff, but a simnple solution could be to make a special account which agrees to a broader set of rules for responsibility`s sake and are thus more accountable for the potential griefing…punishments could be” severly restricted accounts ie: no teleporting and dev priviledges for a year, to outright deletion of the account for first proven violation….believe this: extreme punishments are proven great deterrents….albeit for those who care) etc etc.
Ultimately what I see is this: We COULD work with There staff to get the world we want, we COULD come up with a way to make and keep There viable, we COULD do a lot of things…in the end, it really is MIchael`s decision and we SHOULD do whatever is necessary to make that decision as easy as possible and ensure that he has no real regrets about it…He IS our THEREGOD after all….let`s show our full support and work with him.
Sorry for the babbling, I am mostly just excited about a THERE2….
#88 by EvenStupider on 2011.04.30 - 5:38 am
Mr Wilson, will this news further delay the survey beyond what you expected?
#89 by xSnoopy on 2011.04.30 - 8:16 am
Even,
Why do you care? YOUR BANNED !
#90 by EvenStupider on 2011.04.30 - 9:19 am
It’s amusing how you constantly provoke me… but as soon as I respond you mutate into a little girl – record & report me.
#91 by xSnoopy on 2011.04.30 - 4:50 pm
HUH, What?
Let me rephrase the simple question?
Why are you here? Whats provocative about that?
You are a banned individual! How many times does he have to say that banned avies are NOT getting back into There, should it re-open.
Asking Michael questions that have an obvious answer (Mr Wilson, will this news further delay the survey beyond what you expected?) will not help get this process done any quicker, or could your question have been rhetorical?
#92 by EvenStupider on 2011.05.01 - 4:15 am
Well said Snoopy. Where’d you check your source from… Friendster? Michael Wilson has not once, through the entirety of this thread, (or for that matter, any other platform) stated that all banned members would remain suspended upon launch of ThereV2. I hope that you do proceed to wasting your time trying to find such an instance. Check your sources next time before committing to grossly mistaken claims.
Second, the fact that many e-mails in There.com’s data-base are nonexistent poses a pretty large problem for mass-mailing through a legitimate service such as that of Amazon.com (bounced e-mails usually indicate spam). My questions was directed toward finding out if he wishes to proceed with mass-mailing, or scrap the idea altogether and continue with reference sites like Thumdar. Continuing to find another mass-mail service would probably extend the survey (beyond mid may as he did announce), whereas leaving out the idea would probably bring the survey to shortcoming.
Third, you’re comments are provoking because a) they address a decision (suspended accounts) you have no business making, and b) because you’re attempting to reiterate the point that you and your group of ‘informants’ pretty much framed me. Nevertheless, I wish that you do proceed, so that he can see for himself that the petition consisting of over 100 users accusing you and your friends of purposely aggravating me and then suddenly turning on fraps is probably true 🙂
#93 by xSnoopy on 2011.05.01 - 9:00 am
Nope,
The source was a list of items you were suppose to read BEFORE taking the survey.
It is item 5 on the list:
5. All former There members would be welcome, EXCEPT those suspended for conduct inappropriate for a PG-13 site and those who have violated Makena Technologies policies, agreements or intellectual property rights.
THATS YOU!!
He has stated after EVERY question regarding un-banning avies (that he bothered answering) that they should go back and read the survey.
It was NOT my decision, it was Mr. Wilsons.
Please do your homework before challenging what everyone but you already knows.
Pay your subscription fee for a new avie, buy a paintball gun, some superbunnies, go to Zephyr, turn your FF off and I will do everything I can to provoke you with my paintball gun 🙂
#94 by Secrets of Vonira on 2011.05.01 - 1:04 pm
Let us get along. Right now we need all the numbers we can get. Being divided like this will only put us all against each other and we won’t get the desired result. You two – Even and Snoop – need to hold hands, kiss and make up. Even, I’m sure if There reopens and you write a very nice email explaining that you have changed over the years and promise not to do it again he may give you another chance. You just never know. Of course these have to be your own words and you have to mean it.
#95 by EvenStupider on 2011.05.01 - 5:56 pm
Must admit, I am impressed Kenneth… You’re wits truly overwhelm me…. however, I’m afraid you’re ‘reference’ doesn’t hold as much weight as you think.. Over 3,000 comments have certainly changed some circumstances. In the words of the late, great philosopher Michael Wilson, “The problem is that there are a certain class of banned users we don’t want back under any circumstances (those banned for inappropriate behavior with members under 18, those guilty of hate speech, those who failed to respect Makena’s IP, those guilty of hacking or launching cracking attacks, etc, etc).Before we can start re-admitting banned users, we need to be sure we can prevent those former users from returning.” I’m not entirely sure where you get your idea that he routinely reaffirms that all banned users will remain suspended.
Mr Wilson, care to kill the debate? Can you, at this point, say for certain that all banned members, regardless of the offence, will remain banned, 100%, no ifs and or buts?
#96 by xSnoopy on 2011.05.02 - 5:55 am
Do you really think Michael will go back and review every one of the THOUSANDS that were banned over 9 years?
If he does, he will read all that evidence put up by so many people and just laugh at the prospect of you ever getting back in your old avie.
And NO, I had absolutely nothing to do with your getting banned. You did that all by yourself. Why would I even consider wasting my time?
Actually I would rather you stayed because there were times that I learned a few things about paintball from you.
Dislike me if you must but you are a fine shooter and I didn’t mind sliding if it helped my game.
#97 by Summers on 2011.05.04 - 4:06 pm
Ken… You yourself are lucky not to be banned. You broke PG-13 rules just as much as Kevin and I with that mouth of yours. Your lucky none of your ‘friends’ ever ran fraps on your mouth. What I have a problem understanding is why are you trolling this website? and when you want to bring emphasis to a word, you use ITALICS not CAPS. Why change the topic of the original post from emails to banned members?
#98 by Michael Wilson on 2011.05.04 - 4:46 pm
Haven’t we discussed fighting on the nice man’s blog?
#99 by Sweetnothing on 2011.05.04 - 4:26 pm
I think he should on an individual basis and on request by the user. MW should Review a request to reinstate an account. As ive pointed out before some of the ppl who were banned. Got banned for saying such things as donkeyballs, and jackass. There are a few of you who caused there.com to loose money over your childish behavior. Following ppl around constantly recording. Infact, SaltySilvier being the worst of them all. Probably caused the down fall of there.com to some extent. So Ken if MW does bring back there.com you should be just happy to play the game. Think about it Ken you yourself should have been banned many times. We just never took the time to report you and chalked it up to your just being easily provoked. Let me point out one …..You took the time to find out information on a minors home, school, and phone number and threatened them. Now we all did things that could have been reported. I for one am not gonna stand and tell LIES that i never did anything to anyone. Im am no angle so get over being hateful please.
#100 by RRTT on 2011.04.30 - 5:28 am
I got my Email last night. Just thought i’d let you know, it was filtered as spam by AOL. I found it in my spam folder.
#101 by Kevman95 on 2011.04.30 - 4:41 am
I got the email, and thats funny…i am a banned member.
Must be on one of those “Big Game Counter” List 🙂 Before i got banned for somthing so stupid!
Anyways, enough about me…I would be glad to tell anyone what it said (really isnt important, tells you to come here to take survey..)
#102 by debbilyn on 2011.04.30 - 4:14 am
Yeah, I got the email…..the system is working!
#103 by Emma on 2011.04.30 - 3:01 am
Im still rather confused about the email thing, i had 3 accounts and none of them recived the email. For 2 of the accounts, i can understand why i may not have got it on them becuase the game time on them would be very low, as i rarely used them. But I did spend a lot of time on 1 of the avies so im still quite confused about the mass email thing, as i havent recived it yet.. how long are you going to be sending it out for , or am i just not going to recieve it? thanks.
#104 by Emma on 2011.04.30 - 3:10 am
oops nevermind, for some reason it was in my junk folder? wow.. atleast i know to actually check that next time
#105 by Secrets of Vonira on 2011.04.30 - 3:02 pm
Those with the highest game time most likely check on this daily and have already seen it. Should have started somewhere in the middle. 😉
#106 by Michael Wilson on 2011.04.30 - 3:03 pm
We debated that for a bit, and decided we were spending more time debating it than sending out emails.
#107 by JamesR on 2011.04.30 - 12:27 am
On the emails to amazon, I imagine youre using a script that hits their API for each email?
If so:
For each domain id do a lookup on the users proposed e-mail domain. (@gmail.com), gather their mail exchange (mail.gmail.com), connect via telnet to do a check on the user account (user@gmail.com)
This can be done in several languages, PHP will definitely work and i imagine ASP will too.
If not: something similar to the above.
Just a suggestion, if its not already on your mind.
#108 by cory on 2011.04.29 - 11:41 pm
quick question, when i had there before i had a pc, now i have a mac, if it reopens is there mac support? (i didnt know if there supported mac before it closed)
#109 by Malingo on 2011.04.30 - 7:38 am
Yep, I think he wrote in an earlier post that there will be mac support if There reopens.
#110 by Kev on 2011.04.30 - 7:47 am
I had the same query previously, and MW did reply saying that there would be a Mac client IF There did reopen.
#111 by NoBioN on 2011.04.29 - 10:37 pm
Sad to see about the emails not coming out. The result won’t be very accurate without reaching out to former members.
As you say. Time to find a different solution. =)
#112 by NoBioN on 2011.04.30 - 10:10 am
Correction: seems to have landed in many’s junk folder including mine.
Lets hope thats not the way it’ll go for everybody
#113 by Person on 2011.04.29 - 10:11 pm
Hey Micheal Wilson, I was wondering if you’ve beard anything from Amazon yet, also I’ve read a comment from earlier, the game started going down when more people kept getting permanently banned, and it was mainly paintballers, which I figured they spent the most in games anyways, the alt accounts, buying extra tbucks for cloths and bunnies. But when they got banned, friends resulted to getting themselves banned and or quitting also, which lead to a downward spiral of the old paintball community, the paintball groups stuck together tight and this is close to what was happening, how are you going to deal with this? Unban people that had offensive language? I for one was banned not for language but for a bigger reason I’d prefer not to say, but it had some reason to do with this spiral, I simply got bored, my friends were gone so I left also. What will happen to these people?
#114 by Skyefire on 2011.04.29 - 7:50 pm
I didn’t get my email 😦
It’s funny how much we were all looking forward to it even though everyone here has already filled out the survey.
#115 by Rebecca on 2011.04.29 - 5:26 pm
Mr. Wilson, If there reopens will the avatars still be able to freely explore the “known” and the “unknown” without many bounderies, such as walking; driving; hoverboarding to other islands etc.
#116 by Lee on 2011.04.29 - 4:27 pm
Will There open before June???
#117 by ALBIS on 2011.04.29 - 3:35 pm
MR WILSON HOW MANY WE HAVE TO PAY THAT PEOPLE HAVE LIFE TIME ACCOUNTS HOW MANY
#118 by Rick on 2011.04.30 - 7:34 am
cause 1. how does michael know youre the original owner of the respective account. 2. they do not have the passwords mr wilson said, and 3. he isnt the creator of there.
#119 by albisthegangster on 2011.04.30 - 9:21 am
i AM THE OWNER OF THE ACCOUNT IDK WAH U TALKING ABOUT
#120 by Michael Wilson on 2011.04.30 - 9:39 am
I’m kind of getting the impression you’re not 18 or older. So maybe it won’t matter in the end, no?
#121 by ried on 2011.04.29 - 1:03 pm
if there reopens will i need to remember my email because i dont remember the one i used
#122 by Michael Wilson on 2011.04.29 - 4:22 pm
Ok. Can’t help you there. Sorry!
#123 by ried on 2011.04.29 - 6:49 pm
1.why cant you just tell the password. insted of the email
2. how can the creater of there not help me with somthing simple like this. why is it simple. because i know the username and password and if thats all you need to log in i dont see why you need the email.
#124 by Grimm on 2011.04.29 - 10:36 am
Looks like I forgot how to use the internet…
I posted an offer in a previous thread for you Michael – please let me know if I should re-post it here.
#125 by Wendy Stoll on 2011.04.29 - 2:22 pm
oh yay Grimm makes great buggies!
#126 by watchlight on 2011.04.29 - 10:08 am
Hmm, I haven’t got any email and I still use the email I used on my avatar in There.com???
#127 by Michael Wilson on 2011.04.29 - 10:29 am
They’re not all going out at once, we’re still rate limited. Don’t fret.
#128 by there_forever on 2011.04.30 - 1:19 am
I received my email!!! The bad thing was that it was in my spam folder and not in my inbox. My There account was registered using a yahoo mail account. I hope this hasn’t happened to others.
This was probably the first time in my life I was glad to have mail in my spam folder!!! lol
#129 by Ameshin Yossarian on 2011.04.29 - 5:30 am
I hope There.com comes back. I really liked making things for There.com compared to other things (worlds/game modifications) I’ve done. Happy its at least being considered.
#130 by Jessica_Dindal on 2011.04.29 - 4:29 pm
Are you the designer ameshin? If so, I loved your designs. 🙂
_________________________________________________________
I just got my email yesterday and got really excited. Now I’m hoping There will reopen, I miss all my stuff and the buddies I had. I haven’t seen/heard from them ever since the shutdown. 😦
#131 by SassyBeMe on 2011.04.29 - 2:45 am
Phew… so glad for that email. Now I can remember which one I was using for THERE. 🙂
Had switched emails not long before closing so wasn’t sure. My memory isn’t what it use to be. 🙂
Thanks a bunch!
#132 by jonathan5k2006 on 2011.04.28 - 11:43 pm
Im just wondering because i never got the email even though my email fits my account :S
#133 by Rick on 2011.04.28 - 11:00 pm
Mr wilson , you said you dont know what youre gonna do about paybycash users, well im 19 and thats my only option , im living outside us atm and i do not own a credit card thats really the only way i can pay and im willing to spend as much $ i need on paysafe cards or ugc so im wondering is there gonna be needed proof or something that people that use paybycash are 18+?
#134 by NoBioN on 2011.04.28 - 10:22 pm
When is my email coming 😥
Hehe. Good to hear it started going out
#135 by debbilyn on 2011.04.28 - 5:52 pm
You got almost 5000 responses from word of mouth or I should say from the world of internet. Can’t wait to see the survey results now that the email has gone out.
#136 by 70IamLeon on 2011.04.30 - 9:30 am
A lot are ending up in the (spam or junk) section of the inbox. Yahoo mail is marking it as such anyway. I only check that section if I know to look for something.
#137 by Captain_Quirk on 2011.04.30 - 4:38 pm
I found mine in my Junk email box for all 3 of my avies. Make sure you check your juck email box.
#138 by There Lover on 2011.04.28 - 3:47 pm
So glad I got the Email today! 😀 Lets hope it was worth it 🙂
#139 by Marianne (JoyofLife) on 2011.04.29 - 4:15 am
waaaaa I didn’t get one yet, and my email hasn’t changed. ;0(
#140 by Mimi06 on 2011.04.29 - 7:53 am
me either and probably wont..my e-mails been changed since..:( really would of liked to seen it.. and add it to memory book .. wish he could take emails off here as well.. rofl oh well..
#141 by Ant1977 on 2011.04.29 - 10:27 am
@Mimi06, would you like someone to forward it to you? I got the e-mail yesterday and would be happy to forward it to you.
#142 by Mimi06 on 2011.04.29 - 11:38 am
Thanks Ant, appreciate it.. left ya a FB message 🙂
#143 by Secrets of Vonira on 2011.04.29 - 1:42 pm
Ant, would you kindly forward it to secretsofvonira@gmail.com please? I never got it either and would like to see it.
#144 by Ant1977 on 2011.04.29 - 8:40 pm
‘hmmm It must not have posted to my facebook page Mimi….can you try to send another message?
#145 by Rick Reynolds (Rickpa) on 2011.04.28 - 3:25 pm
Thanks for working on this Michael!
I got the email, but I have already gam..er um… taken the quiz.
Success!!!!
Rickpa
#146 by Corrupt on 2011.04.29 - 5:26 pm
quiz?
#147 by Jordan on 2011.04.28 - 2:56 pm
Hey michael was excited when I seen the (there survey email notification) pop up on my email yay
#148 by Esky on 2011.04.28 - 5:31 pm
Me too, I hope it makes a big difference to the numbers… hopefully in a good way, lol!
#149 by whatie on 2011.04.28 - 1:16 pm
Hey, I just had a thought.
What about a Kickstarter campaign? (Or any of Kickstarter’s legit competitors.) The deal: Pre-pay for at least one month of There. In exchange, you not only get There back, but you also get a special Supporter mug and t-shirt. Now, MW has REAL cash in hand and also REAL and TRUE interest in There re-opening with exact number of people really and truly willing to put their money up. Meanwhile, if the Kickstarter campaign doesn’t meet its goal, then nobody actually pays anything, so it is risk-free. (Only possible downside is that MW has to play his hand in advance about how many people need to give him $X to make it. Well, um, okay, I suppose it could get skewed if a small handful of people enthusiastically provided too much support.)
I’m fairly sure I haven’t seen this thought posted before, but I could be mistaken – so, um, sorry if I’m re-hashing something.
#150 by Rebecca on 2011.04.28 - 9:23 am
I agree with you fully Mr. Wilson. They know that the survey is for paid subscription for There.com, to reopen but they decide to take the survey anyway just to say no to the paid subscription. They might as well not took the survey at all if they are not in favor of paying for service. Makes no sense at all…
#151 by Anonymous on 2011.04.28 - 9:14 am
Thank you Michael Wilson. 🙂
#152 by mimi06 on 2011.04.28 - 3:09 am
Duno much about how servers work. I imagine a mass e-mail project will be time consuming and never ending. I don’t even know how these word press blogs work, other then I’m here watching. Curious to know if in this word press site, MW, can you see and take our e-mails? and add them to the mass email list? My entire family, some adults some kids had premium accounts thru the years, yes I know under 18 NO.. but our e-mails have changed since year and half ago. as I am sure many have. So what I am asking is, can you also e-mail with the email we use here? (forgive me, rofl I know its a dumb question)………. as a senior citizen I’m proud I can even log in and out, and turn this thing off, never mind keep up with all you computer whizzes…rofl..
#153 by mmmm22222222 on 2011.04.27 - 11:39 pm
Hey Michael, I read somewhere that we can only get our accounts back if they are re-activated in 30 days of ‘There2’ re-opening? Is this true? What about accounts like mine that cant be re-activated for another year? (Unitl im 18)
#154 by NathanAvis on 2011.04.28 - 2:46 pm
Read the FAQ here and the various responses to posts in this blog. it’s the source, after all 🙂
#155 by Secrets of Vonira on 2011.04.28 - 2:53 pm
Michael Wilson said 6 months. He also mentioned that he was unsure about those who were close to turning 18 but would probably have to work something out with that.
#156 by Corrupt on 2011.04.27 - 6:10 pm
Wow *i would not pay for membership* jumped to 1700
#157 by Michael Wilson on 2011.04.27 - 6:16 pm
Amazing huh? Think of it: 1700 people who read the survey which said There had to be “for pay” to re-open, took the time to take the survey and say “No, I won’t pay for it!”.
Just astonishing their dedication, no?
Or something.
#158 by Marianne (JoyofLife) on 2011.04.27 - 6:47 pm
Really why would 1700 ppl bother to take a survey to say they won’t pay – so that FOR SURE There.com won’t reopen? I think its more the “something” than dedication. Have you figured out who/why?
#159 by Corrupt on 2011.04.27 - 8:40 pm
But should that matter as long as the numbers for pay option increases too ?
#160 by NathanAvis on 2011.04.28 - 4:04 am
The funny thing is if they had gamed the survey the opposite way (i.e. pretending thousands would pay $10-20 a month or go for various prepay options) the YN sabotage would have been more effective. But seeing as they went the opposite way it makes it only easier for you to note the people that really DO want to see the world open and you can better adjust your planning and finances.
#161 by VoniLei on 2011.04.28 - 1:00 pm
Whoever it is, they’re making themselves look VERY bad and VERY petty.
#162 by Secrets of Vonira on 2011.04.28 - 2:52 pm
Nathan, that is how much they lack intelligence. Don’t give them any ideas. 😉
#163 by Jonathan on 2011.04.27 - 11:17 pm
I wish these people would stop ‘gaming the system’ it’s ruining the outcome, it’s so petty.
#164 by Shauna Meyers on 2011.04.28 - 1:53 pm
jeez don’t give them ideas xD haha
#165 by There Lover on 2011.04.27 - 4:09 pm
It’s sad to see people do this.. Like do they think that it wouldn’t get noticed? Why would you do that (to the people gaming the Survey) Are you trying to ruin everyone’s dreams? If you don’t enjoy or wnat to go back to There.com. Don’t try and get in the way of everyone getting back in. If it is people at YowNow, You’ve already ruined your chances at getting Therians, and by banning them is not going to keep them.
#166 by Joeydantonio on 2011.04.27 - 2:17 pm
it seems like this is no news to SurveyMonkey.com [spam/abuse and toying with the surveys]
*** they have a contact email for such act – Spam/Abuse Issues: abuse@surveymonkey.com
You should consider emailing them and having votes from the known given ip’s removed and blocked from this specific survey. It’s worth a shot! 🙂
—-
Oh and PS: To the ones you know for sure that are messing with the survey, permanent suspension for them if there.com returns 😉
#167 by xxBethanyxx on 2011.04.27 - 11:14 am
Thanks for the update 🙂 & yes, i give you lots of credit having to answer so many questions lol! Best wishes with There2!
#168 by MrScrooge on 2011.04.27 - 11:03 am
It’s so stupid that someone is gaming the poll. Well, I hope they enjoy wasting their time and get carpal tunnel. But then again if they have the time to waste on something like this then they probably have a lot of experience using their, ahem, hand.
I’m excited about the possibility of There reopening and would like for Mr. Wilson and Co. to make good and sure everything fits together before(and if) they reopen There. It would really be a major bummer to get it back and then close again. Hell, I’ll even celebrate Christmas if There reopens but I cannot and will not say that I won’t shoot Mr. Wilson’s avatar with a paint gun again. Some things must never change!
#169 by mimi06 on 2011.04.27 - 1:10 pm
I wish I could screenie your words scroogy!!! “Celebrate Christmas”…………….now that is worth the wait rofl..
#170 by xSnoopy on 2011.04.27 - 6:46 pm
Ya Scrooge, what the hell is that all about?
I got to be there to see that!! Scrooge celebrating Christmas.
#171 by Secrets of Vonira on 2011.04.28 - 2:49 pm
Merry Christmas MrScrooge. 😉
#172 by xSnoopy on 2011.04.27 - 10:00 am
Michael,
Just out of curiosity, about how many emais will the mass mailing be?
I suggest WordPress add more server capacity when the mailings start 🙂
How about starting a pool about when There2 will reopen with 1 or more individuals getting a free ride for a few months?
Ok, OK, IF There re-opens 🙂
On a more personal note, THANK YOU for the time and effort you are putting into trying to re-open There. I can’t imaging sitting in front of that monitor for the last 3+ weeks, reading the 3000+ posts on this blog alone and trying to understand what all of us are asking of you.
You have my admiration for the stubbornness you are showing to bring back the place a LOT of us call our home away from home.
#173 by Secrets of Vonira on 2011.04.27 - 10:58 am
Quite sure wordpress has plenty of capacity to handle it. There are numerous wordpress hosted blogs out there with even more hits and commenting than this one. 😉
#174 by Marianne (JoyofLife) on 2011.04.27 - 11:48 am
Hey Snoopy… lets start a “First Fifty” of our own ~ and include these nice folks who are here supporting MW/Makena. Then maybe we can meet inworld for our own YIPPEE WE’RE BACK party! At which time I will shoot you senseless and leave you for dead (I have a funny way of saying I like you! hehe)
#175 by Orielle on 2011.04.27 - 5:06 pm
Oooh good idea. If I still have Rainforest Plateau IF There reopens we can throw a big party there and have an event similar to one I held before, but instead of shooting the Pink Freak we shoot the CEO instead. 😛
#176 by xSnoopy on 2011.04.27 - 6:43 pm
Marianne,
Your on!! Can’t think of a better thing to celebrate!!
Wait, WHAT, your gonna do what to me? You may have to stand in line! I can’t think of anyone I would rather shoot me around and leave me for dead LOL
About the senseless thing, you may be a little late for that to 🙂
How about we invite Michael? As long as he agrees to turn his FF off.
MICHAEL, I know your busy but what about the pool? You never answered!!
Take a short break, lean back, put your feet up and imagine being back in Zephyr with Marianne, MrScrooge and Snoopy shooting you around 🙂
Ok, back to work!
#177 by Marianne (JoyofLife) on 2011.04.27 - 6:45 pm
Great Orielle count me in! If I still have Aeris funzone I’ll throw a Loaner party and buy PB Refills! Can’t wait (ps gurlz rule)
#178 by Skyefire on 2011.04.27 - 8:27 pm
OK we can start a First Fifty… BUT, we need a few rules. It can’t be restricted to only 50 people, it will have to be anyone who posts or doesn’t post here that supports There.
And we have to welcome in anyone that just shows up to any events and give them instant membership.
#179 by jimony on 2011.04.28 - 2:36 am
I suggested somewhere yesterday, either here, on Thumdar or in an IM (Don’t remember now, it’s late) that we have a First Fifty of our own of people that have been banned from YowNow. I am afraid it might have to be First FiveHundred though.
#180 by Adrian Witt on 2011.04.27 - 9:48 am
I know this may be beating a dead horse and all but I think I had an original idea here after browsing through the comments of the several “banks” of comments surrounding this survey about the subject of “alternate avie’s” Granted, I don’t know the technical things involved but perhaps some intelligent idea can be gleaned from my little ramblings here. I have used a dialup connection before and they had a way of handling the dialup process, such that, one person could only be logged in once at any given time. I realize this is a huge twist on that premise but if a particular person had alternate avies and they were all “registered” under one avie, could it be that if that particular person were to pay a monthly fee for avies then they could choose which avie at one time to have logged onto the system and no others. And just to be clear cuz there have been some folks here a little too sensitive about questions concerning fees and the like I will state upfront I am not trying to be “funny” about anything just trying to be a help if at all possible. Heck even the smartest man in the world can’t have ALL the ideas. I’m sure there are plenty of arguments against this and I can think of a couple myself but for whatever value may be gleaned from it. have at it. Just crossing fingers, toes and eyes hoping “There” comes back soon.
#181 by Secrets of Vonira on 2011.04.27 - 10:55 am
The dialup thing with only one person being able to be logged in was not computer related but equipment and line related. If you either had more than one phone line or perhaps some way of utilizing the call waiting feature with the computer then it would have been possible, or if routers were around back then with ability to hook in to the dialup phone lines. Without a router now or multiple cable modems, you can’t even do multiple connections with cable. So that isn’t anything to do with the computer itself but more to do with the physical hardware equipment.
As for having multiple accounts logged into There, it is possible to prevent the client from being opened if it is already opened. The slight problem here is that people now have multiple computers these days and with the ability to use proxies and other things to hide a real IP address, it is almost impossible to prevent multiple logins based on IP address which would also block entire families and households from logging in at the same time too. Besides, I am quite sure this is one of the last things on Michael’s mind at the present time. At the moment this idea may not even need to be considered if there isn’t enough interest to reopen.
#182 by Adrian Witt on 2011.04.28 - 2:37 am
I apologize I guess I’m not being very clear about what I’m saying. I understand the difference between the different technologies, what I am suggesting is not trying to prevent multiple instances of a client starting up or even allowing 1 ip address at a time to be started up. What I am suggesting is that if i have 3 avies and I pay for only 1 account per month, then I can only have 1 of those avies logged in at any one time.
Obviously the dialup thing can’t be used on this, I said that from the beginning, it was only mentioned in the hopes of illustrating my point, Obviously a bad choice on my part to use it. Again, not even sure it’s possible but it seems to me that more than 1 avie should be able to be assigned to 1 account, not certain, but it seems like it should be possible. I am quite sure it won’t be considered now since the question is IF “There” is going to start but perhaps in the future someday. btw, I do realize folks have more than one computer “these days” I ain’t that old and I own several myself.
#183 by Wendy Stoll on 2011.04.28 - 1:16 pm
Just keeping the avies and all the settings and so forth cost. I don’t think the issue was ever that more than one would be logged in at a time.
I could be wrong, of course.
Wendy
#184 by jimony on 2011.04.29 - 7:00 pm
One of MW’s first replys to comments when the survey started was exactly that they may set it up for only one account to be logged on at a time as a method of allowing alternate accounts. Please read the many, many posts ahead of yours.
#185 by VoniLei on 2011.04.28 - 2:40 pm
I played There on dial up and I can assure you it was entirely possible to have more than one avvie logged in on the same computer. 😉 I used to do it to transfer items between accounts.
#186 by OdileS AKA MmeOdile on 2011.04.27 - 9:34 am
Hi MW,
Have you adjusted the votes, in order to show the way it should look without the gaming the survey? In other words, are the vote’s corrected in this forum area?
#187 by missnewyork001 on 2011.04.27 - 8:34 am
I like the idea of no trial/free accounts. Saves space and money. Perhaps you should consider making the FIRST membership fee a minimum 3 month pre-pay and then open up the option of month-to-month billing after that. For incentive you could include a welcome back tbux package or discount. Just a thought. Gotta give you credit for all the hard work you’re putting into this, at this point no one can question your motives. Thanks =)
#188 by there_forever on 2011.04.27 - 8:31 am
OMG… How can some people be so obsessed about There and are trying so hard to ruin the survey? Between this update and the previous the ‘gaming’ votes average over 150 per day. If the people who are responsible for this belong to YowNow all I can say to them is that a potentioal re-opening of TOP as you call ‘There’ sure is scaring the %#@^! out of you!!!!!!!! If you are THAT good then what are you afraid of????
#189 by vursala on 2011.04.30 - 5:56 pm
your So Right about that NoBion no other site can be There.com.. I am with wickedBliss ,,help us get outta tht site,,Quick.. its nasty,crude, simply as that. I never was a paying member on tht site, i am so Happy that MW is trying to re-open There,com Hoo-Ray… Thank God.. :)))))))))))
#190 by WikkedBliss on 2011.04.27 - 8:06 am
YAY! Please get me out of SL before I go broke and lose the last of my morals! I want to go back to riding my buggy and writing quests.All of the sudden paying 35 bucks a month for my There home doesn’t seem so expensive anymore since my 1/4 sim on Sl runs me about 120 amonth. And I will BE HAPPY to pay a monthly fee since I will be able TO RE-SELL my clothes and stuff. Another thing you cant really do on SL. I want to pay it just so i can leave LAG LAND! Thanks Michael W.
WikkedBliss
#191 by Jonathan (Jonty) on 2011.04.29 - 5:25 am
Never thought i’d hear you saying that! I thought you loved SL!
#192 by NoBioN on 2011.04.30 - 10:04 am
A true thereian can not love any other Virtual world except there.com. They are only able to “like” other virtual worlds at best =).
A true therian will agree 😀
#193 by Angel_EyEs on 2011.05.01 - 1:42 pm
i agree about lagland on SL . i have heard people say SL is free but really its not there are cost involved and just cause SL dsont charge a monthly membership dont mean its free … and i have tryed a few of the other 3D wolds out there and there is nothing like THERE.COM and i said on my survey i would pay 10.00 a month but i wish i could go back cause i would put a month if that helps to get THERE back up …….
#194 by Wav3Ryder on 2011.04.27 - 7:30 am
Will the forums be cleared, starting fresh with no posts if There returns?
#195 by Kev on 2011.04.27 - 7:10 am
Good Lord. I pray that these people gaming the survey, don’t hinder any decisions made by your team Mr. Wilson. We all hope the right decision is made. Also, good to hear about the progress on the mass mailing. Thanks for the update.
#196 by Dave McDonald on 2011.04.27 - 6:57 am
Thanks Micheal for the update, and concluding from the survey (minus the gamers) – there seems to be quite a positive approach from people on there.com re-opening. I do know you cannot answer this with a certain answer but when you say “there’s no deadline”, how long are you speaking – as in weeks, months, years maybe?
#197 by Studly From There on 2011.04.27 - 6:49 am
Hi Mr wilson,
Just curious as to one thing, with your blog, seems like alot of people are using it to discuss all of this and what not. some relate to the blog post and some don’t. I know you must be going nuts reading most of the comments and having to moderate them.
Would it be wise to put up a forum on There.com? I’m sure you must have space on the webserver that is running the there.com page. I would even would volunteer to help moderate the board.
#198 by Michael Wilson on 2011.04.27 - 7:35 am
Running forums isn’t free, and take time to moderate, etc. Folks are free to discuss things at places like Thumdar, SoThereForums, etc, etc.
#199 by Aion on 2011.04.30 - 11:52 pm
Maybe a slashdot-type model would be more efficient/cost-effective…
#200 by danby on 2011.05.06 - 4:40 am
hi:) I would just like to say that i spent alot of bucks on there and had a huge inventory and also funzones,I was on that game since 2004 when i first bought a computer (on dialup:P) I however have a new computer now and have since bought other properties and am wondering if this will affect my status on the game(as to what i owened) I would love for there to reopen but am concerned as to if i will actually recieve all that i lost in the game(wich was alot,lol)Ty danby