Since Hawk's speech of 17th November 2002 announcing the new subscription and sponsorship system for Cybertown - full text here - we have received numerous questions and we wanted to give you all as many answers as we are currently able.
Since getting your feedback and because IVN's and our viewpoint is expressed in the recent words of IVN's CEO, "Bottom line, for those that want to stay, we will bend over backward to address their concerns.", some of your requests are currently being evaluated as to feasibility and we will be publishing a more extensive site soon once the details are more fully worked out.
MAIN RECENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (and the answers) - updated 11/29/02 - Q1e) and Q's 46-50 and 12/3/02 - Q's 51-55 and 12/9/02 - Q's 56-59 as well as changes to reflect the non-deletion of houses and 12/15/02 and 12/16/02 and 12/17/02 to add the Sponsorship Application Form URL (Q15) and update Q1) and add the early sign-up URL (Q17) and 12/19/02 to add step-by-step payment instructions to Q17) and 12/21/02 to add Q17a) about what if there isn't a payment system you can use and to correct the wording of Q18) and to correct the suite # in 17) to 2740 and 1/6/03 to add additional answers at 003) onwards.
Also, there is a new survey now up at http://www.cybertown.com/subsurvey/
CHRISTMAS UPDATE:
Updates 12/28/02: IVN has had a lot of people say that with the Christmas holidays they need a little more time to get everything together for their subscriptions and in the Christmas spirit IVN has decided to put back the cut-off date by a week until January 7th.
Also, since so many more people than we anticipated signed up early, what will happen is that after we have switched to full subscription, a full list of those who signed up early will be generated and then the promised "surprise" amounts will be transferred to their citycash accounts at one time.
New Questions:
001) How do we register names for accounts that are used as Hood banks....it said we wouldn't have to pay for those?
Answer: This is still being worked out and the answer will probably be announced after the switchover on the 7th. You won't lose any accounts in the meantime.
002) Is there a way to pay with a credit card without going through PayPal?
Answer: The full subscription system coming January 7th will include other ways to pay including direct credit card payments.
003) I subscribed to the family membership and three of my family members were ready to join at that time. Now two more would like to join and I'd like to know if I can add them and how?
Answer: Editing where you will be able to add family members will be added later this month. In the meantime you could write to billing@integratedvirtualnetworks.com and they may be able to add your extra family members.
004) I want to change my mind about who one of my "extra" nicks will be, I find the instructions how but cannot find the delete button.
Answer: Contact billing@integratedvirtualnetworks.com.
005) I applied several days ago for sponsorship. When can I expect an answer?
Answer: The Sponsorship Approval Committee has a lot of applications to go through and they will contact you when you're approved. Also, even after you are notified, due to the volume of manual entry that has to occur while the main system is being built, it may take a few days before you will be able to enter Cybertown. Please be patient.
006) Is it OK to buy a Family pack in order to sponsor friends?
Answer: No, and if you did it would be a violation of the Subscription Agreement that you sign when you join up and would lose you your membership.
1) How can we keep all our objects under the new subscription system if we only have one nickname and one house and only three clubs?
Answer: The storage changes are activated now:
- each member can have up to 5 clubs now
- each member can have 10 storage areas, each holding up to 500 objects
- the storage areas are linked from the members home. The members can define names for the areas and make them public readable or protect them from view
- the list is HTML based (because any other 2D system couldn't get above about 130 objects). It lists the selected area first and then the backpack of the member
- the member has a button to move objects from the backpack to the area and vice versa as long as the limit of 500 objects in the area or 64 objects in the backpack isn't reached
- Security (owners of the Citizen Directory) has a button to delete a complete area with all objects
If you move your house, your objects will follow. If you delete your house, make sure your objects are in your backpack or storage closet (which will move to your new house) so you don't lose them.2) If the monthly fee is $5 in U.S. currency does that mean people in other countries will have to pay whatever the exchange rate is?
Answer: Yes.
3) a) Will there be a Family Rate?
b) Will it make a difference if each family member has a different IP?
Answers:
a) Yes, there will be a Family Rate. It is $10 per month - for the primary member and up to 5 of his/her verified family members.
b) It won't make a difference if each family member has a different IP. Family members can be in Cybertown at the same time - so long as this system (free nicks for family members) isn't abused.
4) What about people without credit cards or in other countries - how will they be able to pay?
Answer: We will provide many ways to pay. We are currently looking at such systems as PayPal, PayByCash, Splash Plastic and various others which allow multiple forms of payment including checks and money orders.
5) If someone wants to pay more than they need to but it's not enough to pay for another person can the money go to a fund used for people who can't afford the membership?
Answer: Yes.
6) Will IVN's "Silhouette" technology be compatible with VRML and with objects we've created?
Answer: Absolutely.
7) If a person with a paid membership gets banned, will they get a refund?
Answer: No, but they will have all the usual ban recourses.
8) Will paying mean we'll have more say in how the city is run?
Answer: You'll have the same say as you currently do with your local Colony and Place representatives on the Council. We will be using surveys a lot more like we used to in order to better serve your needs.
9) Will the subscription fee stay the same for as long as CT is open or will it go up?
Answer: We don't currently plan to raise it.
10) If we don't pay will we only be visitors in the Plaza or will we still be able to use our nicknames there and have things in our backpacks?
Answer: You'll only be visitors.
11) Will you make Gift certificates available?
Answer: Yes.
12) How do you sponsor someone?
Answer: Basically by paying more than $5 per month. You will be able to choose to sponsor specific people or for your sponsorship payment to go into a general fund for sponsoring the needy. A form will be provided that will give you all the information and options.
13) Can sponsored people take jobs and have titles?
Answer: Yes.
14) Will sponsored people have the same rights and access as paying subscribers?
Answer: This is still being discussed. It is possible that sponsored people will have more advertisements from commercial sponsors and possibly less pay.
15) How will those who are sponsored be chosen?
Answer:A body that the Council sets up will determine who gets sponsored. Sponsorships will be determined based on such things as true need, past and present contribution to the community, good behavior record or longevity.
16) Will we be able to have more than one nick?
Answer: You will be able to have additional nicks at $1 per month each. Also being looked at for later is the possibility of nicks being able to be sold and traded etc. as well as a CT Bank and Currency Exchange that will enable the exchange of citycash for real cash and vice versa.
17) If we want to start paying now, before January, can we? How?
Answer: Yes, go to http://cyber.cybertown.com/cgi-bin/process.cgi for credit card or PayPal payments. You can also send checks or money orders made out to IVN/Cybertown to:
Integrated Virtual Networks
2049 Century Park East
Suite 2740
Los Angeles, CA 90067
Cybertown Subscription Fees
1. The Basic Monthly subscription fee for one primary user ID is $5.
2. The Basic Annual subscription fee for one primary user ID is $49.95.
3. The Family Monthly rate is $10 for one primary user ID and 5 additional family member IDs.
4. The Family Annual rate is $99.95 for one primary user ID and 5 additional family member IDs.
5. Sponsors may designate the nicknames of those whom they would like to sponsor.
6. Additional nicknames are $1 a month each or $10 a year each.
7. Additional Nicknames must be purchased for the same term as your primary account.
8. As an alternative, sponsors may donate to a general sponsorship pool for Cybertown or for a particular Colony, neighborhood or block of Cybertown.
If you need step-by-step instructions for how to pay, read this: http://www.cybertown.com/howtosubscribe.html17a) What if there isn't yet a payment system that we can use because we don't have credit cards or checks?
Answer: From IVN:
"We will check with our bankers and work out some method of accepting payment for these individuals. In the meantime, assure them that anyone indicating a true desire to pay via e-mail but who is unable to for such reasons will be allowed access until we have a system in place to accommodate them."18) If I refer two people and one gets banned and won't return will I have to start paying for my free membership?
Answer: Probably. Also being looked at as a possibility is that a banned person's subscription goes up by a dollar per month for each banning until he has completed enough community service to resume at the normal rate. The amount that the subscription rate will go up will probably depend upon the severity of the infraction.
19) What will happen to the accounts that some hoods have set up as banks/funds for events? Will those nicks have to be paid for?
Answer: Most likely not.
20) Can World Builders etc. get free subscriptions?
Answer: Not unless they get sponsored - but they could possibly get other social benefits.
21) What social benefits will I get if I pay extra and sponsor others?
Answer: Such things as the optional use of a Sponsor title, extra citycash, mansions, special custom objects, special avatars and other benefits to be determined.
22) When we start paying will we have to start over or will we still have our cc's, exp pts, objects and house?
Answer: You'll still have them.
23) Will the non-paying nicks be completely deleted so someone else can take the name?
Answer: Eventually, but probably not for a while.
24) If a person can't start paying at first, or does pay but then has to leave for a few months because of finances, will the nick be kept in reserve for them? Would they be able to log into the Plaza in order to keep the nick for when they can start paying?
Answer: Possibly. Not decided yet.
25) If a person is paying but doesn't log in for a month will their house still be deleted?
Answer: No.
26) Will this affect the jobs that we have now, and will the people who do work get more cc's and exp pts? Or will there be no more jobs?
Answer: There will still be jobs. It is possible that those who are paying subscribers and who take jobs may get more cc's and exp pts than sponsored people taking jobs. This is still being discussed.
27) If we do make objects and actually sell them for real money will that money be able to go towards our accounts?
Answer: Yes.
28) Will there be a new database that will delete the obscene names?
Answer: This should no longer be a problem once we switch to the subscription system.
29) Is there a web page that gives any information at all on Silhouette?
Answer: It's coming.
30) Will any job titles at all get free passes or discounts, like Wizards or Colony Secretaries?
Answer: Only if they are truly needy and contributing a lot, good behavior history etc.. IVN will sponsor some of the top job contributors if they are needy.
27) Will we have to pay for the Silhouette software?
Answer: Not known at this time.
28) Where will the advisory emails be sent, to our CT mail or the outside email on our records? (should we make sure 'yes' is checked in our info for 'newsletter'?)
Answer:To the outside e-mail - and yes, do check the info box.
29) What will the annual fee be?
Answer: $49.95
30) Why should someone already doing a job also have to pay?
Answer: To answer this you might want to look at why you took a job in the first place and what you personally get out of doing it and then determine whether this is worth $5 to you or not. If not, then you may not want to subscribe. Interestingly, most all the top job contributors have not complained about paying or asked to be sponsored. Some have even offered to sponsor others. We are also looking at possibilities of increasing the social perks for those who take jobs.
31) Why should we pay at all?
Answer: If you value the Cybertown experience and realize that there are considerable real life expenses involved in making it available to you, then you can probably see the reason to charge for it. If you don't appreciate what Cybertown has to offer, then you may not wish to subscribe.
32) Is there a way we can set up a fund for a Colony's residents that is sponsored by the Colony residents to provide free accounts for people in financial need? A lot of our residents inquired about donating funds to a group which go towards someone's account in our Colony.
Answer: Still being discussed but very likely. And Colonies will then have a good way to entice new members to join their Colonies.
33) Even with the switch to Silhouette from Blaxxun will you still be considering all that you have with CT Next Generation?
Answer: We are not "switching" from blaxxun to Silhouette, we're enhancing blaxxun with Silhouette and yes, we still plan CT Next Generation - and a lot more.
34) What happened to the money that was donated by residents in June?
Answer: The total donated was about $1,600. Server hardware and software costs plus hosting alone cost between $3,000 and $5,000 per month so it didn't go very far. Nevertheless it helped keep Cybertown here during June and is much appreciated.
35) Without revealing proprietary information, please explain what Silhouette is and how it will integrate with Cybertown.
Answer: There will be a web page of information about Silhouette coming shortly.
36) How soon will this new technology be available not only to Cybertown users, but also to the general public?
Answer: When it's completely ready.
37) Will this new Silhouette technology drastically change the current look and feel of Cybertown?
Answer: Not the look and feel of Cybertown, per se, but it will drastically change the way people interact in a 3D space.
38) How much input will IVN have into the running of Cybertown?
Answer: IVN owns Cybertown so of course it will have a say. At the same time, IVN is very sensitive to the needs of the community. IVN has a lot of respect for the way Cybertown is managed and does not see a need to interfere in the way it is managed.
39) Do you foresee a change in the way Cybertown is operated such as the use of tools by current residents, the governing structure of Cybertown?
Answer: No.
40) Does IVN see the need for any change in the way Cybertown is currently structured and run?
Answer: No. Cybertown is the most successful 3D community on the Net.
41) Will the Silhouette technology require any purchases by Cybertown users? If so, what would be those purchases?
Answer: See question 35).
42) Will the Silhouette technology require any downloads by Cybertown residents?
Answer: Possibly.
43) Will Silhouette technology work with existing and past browsers and software, such as Netscape 4.75, IE 5.0, Opera, and others?
Answer: It will work with any browser that can accept the Contact plug-in.
44) Will Silhouette technology require a shift from blaxxun software that is currently the platform for Cybertown?
Answer. No.
45) Will Silhouette technology be designed to work with Macintosh operating systems?
Answer: Eventually, even though Macintosh operating systems are currently not conducive to multi-user 3D.
46) Will there be another city-wide briefing before Cybertown becomes a subscription service?
Answer: Yes.
47) Is it known yet if the storage will be available before we go to pay so we have time to store objects from nicks that we can't afford to pay for?
Answer: That is the plan, yes.
48) If we are paying the $5 for our primary nick and $1 each for alters do the alter nicks get to have their own bp, clubs and a house with extra storage also?
Answer: Yes.
49) It has been mentioned that nicks that were created to benefit the hood or colony might not have to pay. What is the criteria for such nicks. Do they have to be named for the hood? I have a banker and a shopkeeper that we use for hood fund raising and to pay prize money but they are not named after the hood. The name of the bankers house is but not the store. Also what about nicks that were created for other reasons such as to host parties or have a meeting house or to provide a fun area such as a park, zoo or museum for residents?
Answer: Criteria are still to be determined but you won't have to pay for nicks that are there specifically and only to benefit the social running of CT. The name shouldn't matter, just the function.
50) Could house deletions please be reconsidered? Since we're paying anyway I think our houses should be left alone.
Answer: Yes, it has been pointed out that there are plenty of other things for BLs to do so we won't delete houses.
51) Will there be pages to sign up for the new CT in December?
Answer: Many have asked to voluntarily start paying as soon as they can and there will be a page going up this week where they can do that as well as sponsor others and buy gift certificates.
52) When can we put our stuff into the new storage devices, before or after the "change"?
Answer: Before the January 1st change.
53) There are rumors in town that everybody who subscribes can keep up to five nicknames. Is this true?
Answer: No, it's a false rumor. But they can buy as many more as they like at $1 per month each.
54) Why couldn't I "borrow" one of the $1 nicks of a friend instead of buying my own $5 nick?
Answer: Only one of the nicks of a member will be allowed in CT at a time (except for Families).
55) Why can't I come in as a visitor, get a nick and than after 30 days come in again with a new nick and keep doing this and never pay?
Answer: Visitors don't get nicks. You only get nicks by paying for them.
56) Will current members have a 30 day trial starting January 1st or is that trial just for new members?
Answer: Just for new members. This is why we announced it for existing members 6 weeks before the change date.
57) This is really the same as part of Question. 24 which was " If a person can't start paying at first, or does pay but then has to leave for a few months because of finances, will the nick be kept in reserve for them?" We're also concerned about losing objects in our back packs and want to know how long a time any nicks and objects will be held in reserve if we have to stop paying for a while. This is specifically with older residents in mind, those in the 5-20k exp. pts range, as opposed to 'newbies', also students who leave during school breaks and don't have computer access at home yet.
Answer: We'll work something out for this so they'll be kept for a reasonable time.
58) Will CT go by nicknames or IP address- because I come on from work, home, motels all the time.
Answer: Nicknames.
59) Will there be added security features for our property so that we can block specified individuals from entering our homes to ensure a harmonious and safe environment for our hard earned money?
Answer:We'll look into that.
More to come as it becomes available.