OFFICIAL Gaming Trend Pledge Drive

[Zero]

Good content at the right time costs money.  On a daily basis, you count on Gaming Trend to bring you the latest in gaming news, reviews, opinions from other gamers, indy games, and a diversity of view and thoughts that ultimately help you make informed buying decision on your favorite hobby, gaming.  This website has also become virtual homes to quite a few people here, a community of sorts.  If what Gaming Trend has provided to you has helped save you money, given you worthwhile information, and a sense of community where you belong, please consider a pledge.

Please pledge with what you feel comfortable with - this is not an outright session of begging for your dollars, but an ask for you to help us so that Gaming Trend can continue to be your favorite web hangout place.

Your pledge can be a one time pledge or a recurring pledge every month.  What's it worth to you?  Maybe its the cost of a cup of coffee that you pay for that you could send each month to GT.  Or maybe its the cost of one game that you decide to send in as a one time donation.  Whatever it is - it helps.  By knowing how much Gaming Trend can count on, will help in possibly negotiating a lower pre-pay cost for the server bandwidth or even help in planning future growth/development of this site.

As a special thank you to those of you that pledge, Ron has agreed to put in a special tag on your user ID, so that we can acknowledge and thank you for your help.  These tags will last for a year for those offering a one time pledge and will be semi-permanent for those with recurring monthly pledges (we're working out the detail on this).  



Please click here (or the button above) to pledge.  
Please PM or email me if you are going to do a recurring monthly pledge so that we can account for it.

Thank you and every little bit does help!



From Knightshade:

Gaming Trend incurs an operational cost of roughly $209 dollars a month, with the holiday season being slightly higher.  I have covered that cost out of my pocket for nearly 5 years when we moved away from hosting on GoneGold.com and began to strike out on our own.  I have purposely not included any trips like E3 or EA in this figure as they are not what I consider 'critical' costs.  (the lights don't go out if we miss E3)  I promised I would keep a running total, and I will do exactly that.  Those who have contributed, please contact me at your earliest convenience and let me know if you would like a custom tag displayed or not. (Some folks would prefer to remain anonymous)

This community never ceases to amaze me.  I'm proud to be a member of it, and I am humbled by your willingness to help us grow.  

Ron Burke
Director of Gaming Trend



Test Donation Box - DO NOT USE

Forum Name

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$1 dollar / month donation

Forum Name

$5.00 / month donation

Forum Name

$10.00 / month donation

Forum Name

$15.00 / month donation

Forum Name

Eternal Optimist ($20.00 / month) donation

Forum Name

One Time Donation:


Please click here (or the button above) to pledge.

As before, I'll keep a running total in this thread to show where we stand on reaching our goals.   Let me know if you encounter any difficulties or if you want to make a donation in any amount other than these - they are easily added.


Monthly goal: $210.00/month

CURRENT SUBSCRIPTIONS:  $50.00
ONE TIME DONATIONS:  $60.00

[Gratch]

Stupid question:  Is there a way to automate recurring payments through Paypal, or is it something you just manually enter each month?

[Crux]

Stupid question:  Is there a way to automate recurring payments through Paypal, or is it something you just manually enter each month?

It can be done. I have an automatic monthly payment to tacticalgamer.com for reserved server spots etc etc.

[Zero]

Stupid question:  Is there a way to automate recurring payments through Paypal, or is it something you just manually enter each month?

It can be done. I have an automatic monthly payment to tacticalgamer.com for reserved server spots etc etc.

Thank you for asking - yes we can do recurring pledges.  If you could contact me about it, we can set that up for you!

[Zero]

Stupid question:  Is there a way to automate recurring payments through Paypal, or is it something you just manually enter each month?

It can be done. I have an automatic monthly payment to tacticalgamer.com for reserved server spots etc etc.

Thank you for asking - yes we can do recurring pledges.  If you could contact me about it, we can set that up for you!

Also later on tonight we will have buttons for those that want to do standard 12 month pledges - but please contact me if you have any question.

[Zero]

I've received some PM with great questions that I wanted to post here.  So here goes some FAQs:

(*) Do I need a PayPal account to pledge?

No you do not need a PayPal account.  You can use a credit card to pledge!  After you click on the button above, click on "Continue" right after where it says "Don't have a PayPal account? Use your credit card or bank account."

(*) How much can I pledge a month?

You can pledge any amount per month that you want.  So if two coffee cups and some donuts costs you $7.62, and that's what you want to give up - Gaming Trend will take $7.62 per month.  For customized pledge amounts, please contact me via PM or email - and we can set those up for you.  Standard monthly pledges will be available in button form, later on this evening.

(*) Isn't the money going to you?

No the money is going directly to Ron.  I am just helping him administer this.

[Knightshade Dragon]

I do want to post in here to reassure folks that it is indeed legit.  We are trying to raise the money to cover the server for the year so I can negotiate pre-paid pricing through our host.  It'll save us money, and to put it simply, I'm in some financial trouble and could use the break from paying the server costs for a few. 

[Zarkon]

Give us a running total, boss

[Knightshade Dragon]

Give us a running total, boss

I will do that.  I'm building the subscription buttons this evening.  I'm also going to list out our operational expenses so folks can see how we are proceeding towards our objectives.

[CeeKay]

sticky?

[Kevin Grey]

sticky?

We'll see how the thread does but it would probably be more effective to just keep it bumped to the first page instead of stickied- I think most people's eyes just glaze over stickied threads so IMO it would likely get less attention, not more if it was stickied. 

[wonderpug]

I think a giant novelty fund-raising thermometer would help. 

[PeteRock]

I think a giant novelty fund-raising thermometer would help. 

Or...



Every dollar we raise we peel off a piece.  Anyone from the NSFW thread will work just fine.    

[Razgon]

I think a giant novelty fund-raising thermometer would help. 

Or...



Every dollar we raise we peel off a piece.  Anyone from the NSFW thread will work just fine.    

*Wonders whats beneath the intriguing red x*

[PaulBot]

Every $ peels off a piece of the red x?

[CeeKay]

Every $ peels off a piece of the red x?

no, it peels a piece off of Pete.

[PaulBot]

Every $ peels off a piece of the red x?

no, it peels a piece off of Pete.

Cool! Are the pieces for sale?

[CeeKay]

Every $ peels off a piece of the red x?

no, it peels a piece off of Pete.

Cool! Are the pieces for sale?

I'm sure you could sell some in Central and South America....

[PeteRock]

Goddamnit.  Fixed.....I think. 

[Zero]

As promised here are the Subscription buttons!  They are for the standard $1, $5 and $10 a month.  Again, this is through PayPal - goes directly to help maintain the GT servers.  Small amounts by a lot of people help.  I know I've made friends here, and I bet you did too.  Let's keep this community going and help Gaming Trend.

To make a $1 per month pledge click here or below:



To make a $5 per month pledge click here or below:



To make a $10 per month pledge click here or below:

We also have links for $15, $20 or any custom amount you want to pledge with.  Please contact me for those.

Also if for any reason, you need to unsubscribe - please feel free to do so by clicking here.  We hope that you don't, but we understand and totally thank you for the support that you can give Gaming Trend.

[Kevin Grey]

FYI, the $10 link is borked- it takes you to the $15 per month link. 

[Moliere]

FYI, the $10 link is borked- it takes you to the $15 per month link. 

That's not a mistake. 

[Knightshade Dragon]

FYI, the $10 link is borked- it takes you to the $15 per month link. 

Corrected.  Sorry bout that.

[PaulBot]

FYI, the $10 link is borked- it takes you to the $15 per month link. 

Oops! It was supposed to take you to the $100 a month link.

[Zero]

FYI, the $10 link is borked- it takes you to the $15 per month link. 

That's not a mistake. 

DOH!  The plot didn't work

Also - please PM/eMail me when you signed up - I am keeping a list for Ron for the Tags.  THANKS!

[Knightshade Dragon]

I'll gladly take suggestions (serious ones in this thread please) on a custom tag.  I know NPR calls them "Endowments" but that's just going to illicit giggles....

[Gratch]

I'll gladly take suggestions (serious ones in this thread please) on a custom tag.  I know NPR calls them "Endowments" but that's just going to illicit giggles....

Hell, at least I'd be well-endowed somewhere.

[Graham]

I'll gladly take suggestions (serious ones in this thread please) on a custom tag.  I know NPR calls them "Endowments" but that's just going to illicit giggles....

Achievement Points?
Trophies?

e-peen points?

In all serious, how about something like User Sponsorships?

[Knightshade Dragon]

Over the holiday we moved to 81 dollars in sponsorships!  You folks have no idea how much I appreciate the help.  I know that this is the hardest time of year to hold this sort of fundraiser, but every little bit helps.  Thanks again.

Edit, make that 91.

[Knightshade Dragon]

Wow!  A member of our community came through with a $100 donation!  I can't thank them and all of you enough.  It'll really help us keep things running around here and is greatly appreciated.

[Knightshade Dragon]

A quick update this morning - we've jumped up to 96, almost cutting our expenses in half.  Thank you guys so much, it is very appreciated, especially now.

[Knightshade Dragon]

We've officially moved to 101, cutting my expenses in half!  Thank you very much guys - it'll give me a bit of a breather and is greatly appreciated....

[Razgon]

isnt that 201 then, with the 100 dollar contribution? Or are you talking about monthly donotation?

[leo8877]

Did anything about the badges ever get decided?

[Knightshade Dragon]

isnt that 201 then, with the 100 dollar contribution? Or are you talking about monthly donotation?

Monthly contributions.  The 100 dollar contribution is awesome though.  It helped greatly with this month's bill. 

[Knightshade Dragon]

Did anything about the badges ever get decided?

After the first of the year I'll be setting those up.  Still bandying about a few tags...

[Razgon]

Did anything about the badges ever get decided?

After the first of the year I'll be setting those up.  Still bandying about a few tags...

hmm, am I really the only one who thinks this is a bad idea? I mean, couldnt that lead to "This is my forum, not yours" kinda stuff? Gah, money is always such a sensitive area, even on forums like this.

Anyways - awesome that so many decided to donate monthly :-)

[Purge]

No one kicks around street people claiming they own them because they donated the jacket they're wearing.

I'd hope people here don't do that; if that kind of behaviour comes to the attention of the staff I'm sure that person's donations would be refused to remove that kind of crap on an individual level.

AKA The baby is safe, the bathwater is not.

[Turtle]

Well, I didn't donate, but I did just make a few purchases via the amazon referral link.

[Knightshade Dragon]

Well, I didn't donate, but I did just make a few purchases via the amazon referral link.

That helps quite a bit too.  Thank you very much.