Zam.com Q&AFollow

Thanks, I needed that.

Anyone noticed that Kao hasnt posted yet?

Actually, I read Allakhazam's statement that the entire staff was giddy with the news and immediately thought "Even Kao?"

Just to be on the level, the exact quote was:

Yeah, I read that too. Exactly after I read that part, I started to ask Kaolian questions. I don't want to start a war which would include Kao - but from the jist it seemed that he wasn't very enthused. He told me that he wasn't becoming full-time, as he is full-time at a different company of sort.

Still less than three Kao. Whatever decision he makes.

Edited, Thu May 4 01:04:42 2006 by LtGoose

I'm sure Kao thanks you for putting him in the middle of your pissing match. So far Allah has never done anything too totally awful (besides hire the admin who banned herself *I KID I KID!*) so why dont we give him the chance to see how this works out before we all condemn him to the innermost ring of gaming hell?

Edited, Thu May 4 01:20:29 2006 by Katie

I think most of us are. At least until the Premium runs out, anyway.

As for Kao, he can choose to answer or remain quiet. Either way, I think what I asked was a valid question.

I wouldn't post yet if I were Kao, people are still in a crazy fury over this and I'm sure if they found out where a admin was actively posting we'd get the mob of pitchforks and torches looking for blood.

Dana, Kao, DF, do the smart thing and wait for Alla/Illa to to try and calm the masses. or wait till they get torn apart, either or.

This whole thing is a giant mess and I feel bad for the admins, I still believe Alla was trying to do something good. we still don't know how this is all going to pan out.

I first heard the new today during my lunch break from my other job. So i've had some time to mull things over in my head without seeing the fallout in the forums.

The vast majority of what this means, for the admins, for the forums, for the users, for the site in general is good. Please bear with me on this and read my whole post before replying.

First off, the site itself. Right now it's running on about 10 servers, half of which are macs. 2 additional servers are not functional. Those servers are housed in what is essentially a Mom and Pop ISP which was perfect when the site first started, but nowadays they just can't keep up with the load. With this merger, we get 8 additional brand new servers just for this specific site, and we get to move to a new internet service provider. That would not have been possible without the additional funding, so that's a plus

For data entry, all the existing sites are doubling up now, so things should be much more up to date and proactive, and we're adding new site content, things like Dungeons and Dragons online, City of Heroes, Vanguard, etc. Also a plus.

For the admins, there are a few perks, and some well deserved promotions for several of the full timers. I myself am part time due to my other job, which is full time with full benefits, and quite honestly I make more there than I probably would full time here.

For the users, you will see pretty major improvements in all areas of the existing site, and the new content will be in our format, so you'll be used to the interface. The full time programmer availability is going to allow for a lot of customization, attention to user requests, and time to clean up various bugs we've accumulated over the years. Also with the inclusion of other forums into this one, the asylum will remain preeminent in post count and karma.

On the minus side, honestly, the IGE connection, remote though it is does bother me, and allakhazam is aware that it bothers me. As you are all well aware, I have been a vocal opponent of IGE for years, from the yantis days on. however, it seems so far from the meeting that there will be no tie in with IGE. There will be no gil gold plat account etc banners of any sort, no personal information will be given to them in any form. Gold seller spammers will be banned, account selling posts wll be nuked, and things in that regard will carry on as usual. I see this as the lesser of two evils at the moment. Without this funding source, eventually the site will stagnate. Assuming they truly stay in the background and do not interfere, the site will live on and grow.

I am also worried about the asylum. I've been here 6 years. As a poster, and as an admin. This, more than any other part of the site, is home. I see it as MY forum (though I know it's not truly) and I do spend more time in here than the other forums, sometimes more than I should. Alot of you are angry about this, and I'm afraid it is going to lead to a further decline in numbers. This time last year, the average recent visitors was double what it is on a normal day now. The forum is cyclical, but this is lower than it's ever been. On the other hand we have more core members with high post counts than before, so it's a completely new model.

The bottom line is I don't want this to be what ends the asylum. things are in chaos right now, and they will be for a while. I don't know what will happen in the end, and those of you that need to leave for matters of principal over this, I understand completely and I respect your decisions, but if you can, give us some time before closing this page for the last time. I guarantee you that while I am here, the forums will not turn into plat seller central.

Weighing all things, and given what I know at this point, I am excited about the new potential and capabilities we will have, but nervous and wary from past experience about the IGE connection. The fact that we retain full control of the site and the additional sites does make me feel better about things.


Edited, Thu May 4 02:44:54 2006 by Kaolian

Wow. I read more of that than I thoguht I would.

Applaud @ Kao



Maybe now you can afford even more smileys!

Oh I am going to continue to post and use the site.

I am not going to pay premium though, thats out the window.

My main concern is that Yantis/IGE picked up Ogaming Network and filled it with adds and banners and people went over to Allakhazam or Thotbot. So they used RPG Holdings to purchase thotbot and kept it banner free but used it to put pressure on Allakhazams. They hemmoraghed money over the deal but for a purpose to gain control of the market.

Now from all reports they have used another corp to pick up Allakhazams, and while Allas will be as free from advertising as Thotbot it will still be in the same boat, but worse.

They are consolidating Ogaming, Thotbot and Allakhazam in to what is sure to be a multi mmo site with no rival. Once this is done whats to stop them from being the human waste that they are?


Also I don't like the idea of profits from my premium going to the company that owns IGE. Even if the profits themselves will never enter IGE's coffers.

bodhisattva, overreact much? Both Alla and Kao have said the right things. Let them have the chance to prove themselves right or wrong and quit screaming bloody murder and the sky is falling until things settle out, silly attention *****.