Fundraising for QoL-features viable?

Discussion in 'The Veterans' Lounge' started by IblisTheMage, Jan 11, 2019.

  1. IblisTheMage Augur

    I was wondering if it would be possible to start a fundraiser for a single (DBS pre approved) QoL feature, and then transfer the money to DBG if they would add extra resources to get that feature done.

    The feature could be something from the QoL-thread, based on a vote, and then the collection would be for that item.

    I have zero experience with this...

    Any thoughts?
    Pirlo likes this.
  2. Fanra https://everquest.fanra.info

    Not seeing it as viable. The people who work on EverQuest have gained knowledge about the game backend over time. You can't just slot in someone from outside (assuming you raise enough funds for this) and expect them to do anything.

    The only way I could see it work would be if you actually raised enough funds to hire someone to be added to the staff permanently; or get someone who was laid off or left to come back just to do this (short term contract).
    IblisTheMage and Tucoh like this.
  3. Pirlo Augur

    We would need to talk to the devs bosses boss, and ask if we can do that.
    Problem is, no one has a direct line to the person calling the shots.
  4. Tucoh Augur

    Youd be better off contacting devs directly and asking thrm how much their evenings / weekends are worth to them!
    IblisTheMage likes this.
  5. Fanra https://everquest.fanra.info

    Wait, they have evenings and weekends free? o_O
  6. shiftie Augur

    People need to stop acting like this is a non profit organization.

    They took your money already. The expectation should be that they act as a good steward of the money already received.
    Feznik, Jhenna_BB and Act of Valor like this.
  7. Aurastrider Augur


    I can respect this response and to a degree I think there are certain things that should be expected with said money. At the same time they don't have infinite resources to fulfill every request even when some of those requests would be very beneficial. Kickstarter type funds can be used for businesses that are for profit if the customer base is wanting something specifically that cant realistically be provided with the resources on hand. As long as the consumers who pay for said product or service up front don't get charged again I see no issue with this. Obviously the realistic limitations in this kind of environment have already been brought up and short of utilizing the current team and using the funds to pay them overtime or a "bonus" upon completion I don't see it being viable.
    Pirlo and IblisTheMage like this.
  8. shiftie Augur

    If a kickstarter were in place and more funds were received I have zero faith that money would be utilized to complete a fan base wish. If they had the best interest of the community at heart they would work on the issues dearest to our hearts with money already spent. This is not happening with available resources. I applaud them for continued development. But I have suspicions that not all spent $$ has been reinvested in the game at the best interest of the paying subscriber. And I’m overly tired of hearing excuses for I’ll spent resources.
    Feznik likes this.
  9. Aurastrider Augur


    I get it we all want more for our money but at the same time nobody but those with actual access to the financial records of DBG in relation to EQ actually knows how much profits are achieved from this nearly 20 year old game. The fact that the game still stands despite many of its competitors failing throughout the years tells me they have created a formula for success. It might not be on the same financial level of say WOW but with all things considered its still pretty darn impressive. While you would rather get more for your money at the risk of messing up the current system in place some of us would rather just add to the system to get more which would essentially not disrupt the current formula. I would much rather have current EQ than no EQ because my expectations of where and how the money I contribute for monthly dues are spent. If you are someone who is not willing to contribute up front for a project that is fine it would be optional of course and so would paying for said feature or option once it is produced and released.
  10. BadPallyGuildLeader Augur

    Wow, a gofundme for heroic chars heh :D
  11. Smokezz The Bane Crew

    Imagine the FQ'n that would happen if this were to proceed. "I donated, my idea didn't happen yet. RAGE!!!!!!!"
  12. Ceffener Augur

    I’m not sure I can come up with a list of companies that have continually invested all/most profit from a single game back into the game. The natural lifecycle was for it to peak (2004/5ish) and for the company to move on the newer/better products (EQII, EQIII). The best interest for the company was to come up with the next big thing and move forward...that part just failed, and they have luckily had older investments that keep themselves alive. But something new still needs to come out of the EQ IP or it will go away.
  13. Feznik Elder


    QFT. If you are unhappy with the direction, development and use of resources don't support them monetarily. If you are happy then by all means keep funding Daybreak. Simple as that.
  14. Fanra https://everquest.fanra.info

    Disagree.

    Reinvesting in your primary product makes more sense. Sure, you can also try something new. But don't ignore the product that is successful.

    There is no "natural lifecycle" set in stone. It might be true that many games "peak" and decline, never to revisit the good times. That doesn't mean that a refresh can't bring about a resurgence. Companies do product refreshing all the time.
    Pirlo likes this.
  15. Risiko Augur

    Here's a what if for ya... what if a non-profit organization was created to create an EverQuest-like MMORPG that is paid for and controlled by the supporters that fund it?

    Sadly, it will never happen, so we will continue paying our overlords to tell us what we need rather than getting what we want.
  16. Ceffener Augur

    What video game company has continually invested in their primary product for 20 years? IP sure, HD remakes and remasters yes. But no one that I can think of is making their bread and butter writing DLC for a 20 year old game. Console world the market doesn’t even last that long, PC luckily EQ came after the MDOS switch and luckily we haven’t had any too big of OS shakeups.

    I can go with EQ should have had a complete engine rewrite after failed 2 or 3 new game in order to keep it competitive, EQ suffers from coming out at the start of 3D gaming as opposed to later. But remove nostalgia and put on your business cap for SoE making games like Star Wars Galaxies and DCUO are no brainer that should have done circles around a relatively generic fantasy RPG mud style game.

    I mean if EQ can hit 450k, Stars Wars, on of the most successful IPs of all time, millions of subs easy....much easier sell to investors. The unexpected part is the failure to capitalize on IP’s with much larger fan bases that should have resulted in great games themselves and funneled money back into the Everquest franchise (and their successors)....but it didn’t happen.
  17. Ceffener Augur

    Other than the non profit part, arguably that what Patheon claims to be...but defining what the community wants is iffy at best and I’m not holding my breath on a crowd funded MMO to see the light of day.
  18. Aurastrider Augur


    I think for the concept to work (which I think we have established it probably wont) the idea would have to be presented before funds were ever collected. Sure some might be upset that their idea was not picked from the list of potential ideas but it would only make sense to first come up with a list of ideas, have a vote (probably multiple votes to narrow things down to a top 10 list and a final vote for determining #1), and then collect funds based on the idea presented to the community. It would be a pretty hard sell to get people to just throw money into a random idea generator and hope that what pops out is something they would even want/like.