Tuesday, June 3, 2008

I Feel Purdy

Dear Fellow Toad-Gamers,

First, let me address the most pressing question in all of your minds, based on the responses we've received:

I am, in fact, a man. My middle name is Franklin, hence the nickname Lin. I am immensely flattered by the all the attention, however, and the new-found confidence you've given me should carry me right through the Speedo season.

Now on to more pressing issues. We've heard a few of you raise your voices in concern regarding the cost. And, not surprisingly, we heard even more of you raise your voices in asking how you can help those who may be less able to afford TG. Wow, even the most hardened, cynical, world-weary web-surfer would get a little misty over the responses.

So here's what we're thinking about doing. We don't have all of the details worked out but we want to create a sponsorship program. Those of you who want to help can sign up to be a sponsor. Those of you who need help can sign up to be sponsored. Sponsor + sponsee should equal a robust supply of good karma for all. Obviously there are a lot of issues to be worked out, privacy being one of the major concerns. Both sponsor and sponsee (is that even a word?) may or may not want to have their particular status known and we want to respect that. We may just have a Sponsor Hall of Fame and various perks for the sponsor's membership (tokens, new membership levels, NPR-style tote bags, who knows?) Stay tuned for more info.

One more thing about cost. I know we put a number out there last week. And it was a number that wasn't arrived at lightly. That being said, we're still willing to consider various tiers of memberships with various levels of features. We've also got to consider the 800-pound gorilla in the room whose name starts with "P" and ends with "O" and whose middle letters are "OG" and, well, you get the picture.

Next item: Family Memberships. Great idea and we're willing to put forth some effort to figure this out. We're pro-family in whatever incarnation you and yours have decided to configure yourselves in and we want to support that. It's also a grand opportunity for nafarious behavior and we don't want to get taken to the cleaners if the Dalton Gang takes a fancy to the online life. Once again, we're for it but we'll have to work out the details.

Next item: Token Transfers. Yes, it will happen. However, it may be a Warren Buffet-style stock swap where you may not get the same number of tokens in the new site as you had in the old. You may get less but they're worth more. Or you may get more but they're worth less. I advise you to continue playing TG with vigor and ignore the stock market. Too depressing these days anyway.

Regarding free trials and the like, please remember you'll still be able to play a lot of the games on TG for free even if you don't pony up the fifteen cents a day. However, you may have to sit through a sales pitch before playing each game, not unlike that "seminar" in the Poconos where they tried to get you to purchase a week in some moldy condo by the turnpike with a "mountain vista view", which, incidentally, was blocked by the dumpster. You also won't be able to accumulate tokens, chat on the forum, play the multi-player games or any of the other cool stuff we've got planned, like ToadKins (get it?), badges and awards, photo albums and personalized home pages, VIP access to new games, widgets, head to head challenges.....oh yes, my fellow toad-gamers, the things we have in store for you.....

Keep the comments coming! Until next time,

Peace,
Lin

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

The family membership is definitley a good idea and I like the sponsorship system too.

Anonymous said...

so far it sounds ok with me
but i got over 28mill and 1/2 on tokens no thought i could buy a few hotels with them

oops wrong game thats monopoly

williejo ahahah

Anonymous said...

i would like to be a sponsor but i don't want any one to know.

Datoad said...

Hmm... We could set up a system where people could donate anonymously and create a pool of subscription credits. When you donate to that pool you could specify who you wanted to sponsor or it could go to the next one on the list.

People in need could register on a list...or you could just submit a name and email address for who you wanted to sponsor.

We would give the sponsor the option to receive a sponsor badge.

Badges will be given out for accomplishments and good deeds.

Anonymous said...

i want to make things easy for you guys. if it would be easier for a sponsor to be known that would be alright with me. love this site.

Anonymous said...

I think the sponsor idea is fantastic! I'm also very much for the "family membership plan" because my husband and myself play frequently and my daughter makes an appearance once in a while too. So that leaves the extra to throw toward the sponsor idea. (my mother plays too but don't listen to her if she tells you that I'm paying for her because she doesn't live here as of yet..we are redecorating the shed out back for her to live in the future) giggling here..

I'm happy to hear that we've made you feel confident wearing a Speedo this summer! We are all looking forward to a great friendship with you. Williejo is just dying to see a picture of you! (you might wanna hold off the Speedo picture until she knows you a bit better ) lol ;)

I would also love to see poker rooms look a little different from each other if that's possible. Maybe some pretty flowers in the flower pots that we've all taken turns watering? New carpeting? Vending machines, a bar? I dunno...lol My husband would love to see a sports ticker next to the game but if you did that I think my playing poker experience with him, wouldn't feel as special! ;)

My husband and I have been enjoying the poker rooms especially chatting with others. On top of playing Texas Holdem we throw in some music trivia and even a hangman game while playing. Just a thought but is it possible to have another game to play such as trivia or hangman with a bunch of players in a room? Sorta like poker but a different game? I know you have the two player games but it's so much more fun with more people.

One last thing and I'll stop my yapping that seems to be never ending...haha

Since you've mentioned that "P" ending in "O" gorilla that you speak of...Maybe we can find out some of the other Tg's members favorite games to play even if they are from other game sites (mine is word whomp.. hint hint) and see if there are a few games that the majority would love to see added onto the new Tg's?

OK, I'm done yapping now and hoping this post makes it in this time. I double checked to make sure the puter was plugged in! :)

Thank you,

Canadiancutie

Anonymous said...

I think the idea of sponsorship is good, but... I can also see it opening the door for abuse. Sure a lot of people are in a position that they may be unable to afford it, but there will be others that can easily afford it, yet will say 'why pay, I'll just get sponsored and let someone else fork out the money'
I've been to a site where you could buy a gift subscription for someone, but you needed to specify their player name. Not sure if the recipient got notification of who paid it or not, but it was used a lot where the two parties had actually agreed on the arrangement anyway.
On a more personal note. For some reason Lin, I had not actually specified a gender to you (maybe it was the spelling??) anyway, is Lin a common name/nickname for guys in the states? Can't say I've heard it here in Aus, but I have heard it befor in the US - just curious ;-)