Important

Chris · 10-22-2009, 10:24 AM

There is a new release for the software that's currently running Visions Fantastic. This new release is significant in that it makes vast improvement in the software's ability to use data from blogs and it will permanently replace the existing content management system on VF with one that is much easier for us to keep updated. We also want to bring more features to VF members and this is the first step in that process.

The upgrade will mean the loss of some features temporarily as we do a significant re-design and rebuild of VF that we haven't done in several years. I believe the benefits outweigh any temporary setbacks and we will be able to enjoy VF hopefully in a much more stable environment.

The new software comes at a hefty price (and incidently, we just paid the yearly lease on the existing software about 2 months ago), so its not a cost the site can just "absorb".

As many of you know, we've been giving away Premium Memberships to those participating in VF events, and we've been giving away those memberships in contests and giveaways.

What that has meant is a significant loss in revenue due to Premium Members not renewing their memberships. Advertising revenue from our ad sales are down this month. In short, we just don't have the cash to cover the upgrade.

After October 30th, the upgrade cost DOUBLES, so if we arent' successful, the upgrade will have to wait for quite awhile.

I'm asking VF members to please do one of three things:

1. Purchase a Premium Membership or renew their existing Premium Membership early for $15 - Purchasing an additional membership lengthens your current subscription.

2. Donate using the PAYPAL button on the main page (Premium Members will need to LOG OUT to see the Paypal button).

3. Do a one-time purchase of a special promotional "button" that will go on your profile as "Upgrade Supporter" - Cost is $25 - Your username will also appear as "Green" and you will get all the benefits of Premium Membership along with it for 2 years. (A $30 value)

I know times are tight for everyone right now. This is a great opportunity for us to upgrade VF and get some fun new features, like blogs, news feeds and integration. We're not out to CHANGE VF, just make it better and easier to use.

Thanks everyone, you can find information about the Premium Memberships and the new "Upgrade Supporter" button on the VF Payments page:

http://www.visionsfantastic.com/forum/payments.php

Thanks,

Chris Lang
Site Founder and Webmaster

Aurorasmiles · 10-22-2009, 11:31 AM

Chris, I have a question with regard to the Upgrade Supporter option. How long will you have the Premium Membership benefits?
Also as a Premium Member and just so I understand. If I renew my existing membership early and then purchase an additional membership($30) that will have me set for the next 2 years and something right?

Just some clarification for my own sake. I am totally in to support VF!!!!!!!!!!

Chris · 10-22-2009, 11:42 AM

Actually the way we are doing it, if you become an upgrade supporter, you will have the benefits for 2 years. So basically two years of Premium Membership for 25 bucks.

If you purchase multiple subscriptions it just lengthens the amount of time on the subscription. So purchasing two Premium Memberships would lengthen your current membership by two years.

Aurorasmiles · 10-22-2009, 11:56 AM

So its a bit less if you contribute as an Upgrade Supporter rather than as an existing member and purchase multiple subscriptions. But I rather enjoy showing my status as a Premium Member so I think I will go with early renewal and an additional subscription. Thanks for that speedy response Chris. I will have to get things squared away later this evening. Thanks too for keeping VF tip top!

Chris · 10-22-2009, 12:19 PM

Whichever you decide to choose, thanks so much!

ryguy222 · 10-22-2009, 01:41 PM

This sounds great and I hope we'll be able to get the new software. I'm considering the 2 year upgrade supporter, however pay day isn't till the end of the month so I won't be able buy one until later.

Good Luck!

Chris · 10-22-2009, 02:42 PM

Everyone, we are VERY close to meeting out goal (in just a matter of a few hours). Thanks SOOO much to everyone who has been participating! We look forward to the upgrades which will be coming soon. Your patience and dedication to the site will definitely pay off with a shiny new VF coming soon!

-Chris

crystaltink · 10-22-2009, 03:08 PM

Small little glitch I noticed. When you upgrade to VF Supporter it shows for 25 years, I'm not sure if that's fixable but if you have someone that didn't do their job in reading this update, they might think they're getting more than 2 years worth. :)

Chris · 10-22-2009, 03:15 PM

Its temporarily set to that - I need to update everyone's expiration because existing Premium Members should get what they are already entitled to (whats left on their existing premium, plus two years). Once things are working properly that will be adjusted for each user.

-Chris

Mighty Unicorn · 10-22-2009, 03:32 PM

Hey there, Chris.

I'm sending you a donation. You and Visions Fantastic have been so great to so many of us, it's the least I can do to say "thanks".

Mighty Unicorn · 10-22-2009, 03:43 PM

Hey there, Chris!

I can't figure something out...

I am an incredibly poor, unemployed college student with no unemployment at the moment, but I still want to make a donation! :)

I can't afford to pay for the "green" upgrade, but I was wanting to make a smaller donation to you. Is there a PayPal link to make a straight donation to VF?

If not, what is VF's PayPal ID so that I can PayPal something to you?

Thanks,

MU

Chris · 10-22-2009, 03:51 PM

We have now hit our goal, so its not neccessary, however you can always make a Paypal donation to VF by going to the main page, LOGGING OUT and you should see it displayed on the menu on your left. (Its not shown to Premium Members).

Thanks to everyone for your help! A combination of 'Going Green' a Paypal donations has made the upgrade possible!

We will be inviting those that donated to help 'beta test' some of the new features. We will likely undergo heavy testing before we "go live" later this year.

Again, thanks to everyone!

-Chris

Striker81 · 10-22-2009, 04:30 PM

Chris, it seemed that my premium member status disappeared. I bought a $5 membership not too long ago as part of a promotion at the beginning of the month. Has that been revoked and I need to renew with a full price membership? Thanks.

Aurorasmiles · 10-22-2009, 04:53 PM

I really like the look of the Upgrade Supporter button on those that contributed. It looks great! It adds a bit of flare! Nice job everyone! I am still gonna renew!

BCC · 10-22-2009, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Striker81

Chris, it seemed that my premium member status disappeared. I bought a $5 membership not too long ago as part of a promotion at the beginning of the month. Has that been revoked and I need to renew with a full price membership? Thanks.

Me too...

10-22-2009, 10:24 AM	#1 (permalink)
Chris Official Site Founder People who found this post helpful: Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Central California Posts: 3,884 Images: 11	Important - Major Changes Coming to VF There is a new release for the software that's currently running Visions Fantastic. This new release is significant in that it makes vast improvement in the software's ability to use data from blogs and it will permanently replace the existing content management system on VF with one that is much easier for us to keep updated. We also want to bring more features to VF members and this is the first step in that process. The upgrade will mean the loss of some features temporarily as we do a significant re-design and rebuild of VF that we haven't done in several years. I believe the benefits outweigh any temporary setbacks and we will be able to enjoy VF hopefully in a much more stable environment. The new software comes at a hefty price (and incidently, we just paid the yearly lease on the existing software about 2 months ago), so its not a cost the site can just "absorb". As many of you know, we've been giving away Premium Memberships to those participating in VF events, and we've been giving away those memberships in contests and giveaways. What that has meant is a significant loss in revenue due to Premium Members not renewing their memberships. Advertising revenue from our ad sales are down this month. In short, we just don't have the cash to cover the upgrade. After October 30th, the upgrade cost DOUBLES, so if we arent' successful, the upgrade will have to wait for quite awhile. I'm asking VF members to please do one of three things: 1. Purchase a Premium Membership or renew their existing Premium Membership early for $15 - Purchasing an additional membership lengthens your current subscription. 2. Donate using the PAYPAL button on the main page (Premium Members will need to LOG OUT to see the Paypal button). 3. Do a one-time purchase of a special promotional "button" that will go on your profile as "Upgrade Supporter" - Cost is $25 - Your username will also appear as "Green" and you will get all the benefits of Premium Membership along with it for 2 years. (A $30 value) I know times are tight for everyone right now. This is a great opportunity for us to upgrade VF and get some fun new features, like blogs, news feeds and integration. We're not out to CHANGE VF, just make it better and easier to use. Thanks everyone, you can find information about the Premium Memberships and the new "Upgrade Supporter" button on the VF Payments page: http://www.visionsfantastic.com/forum/payments.php Thanks, Chris Lang Site Founder and Webmaster __________________ Chris Lang Site Admin and Founder of VF My Countdown Counting down to: Countdown to VF Scavenger Hunt 5! 293 days 14 hours 36 minutes Last edited by Chris; 10-22-2009 at 11:44 AM.
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10-22-2009, 11:31 AM	#2 (permalink)
Aurorasmiles People who found this post helpful: Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Lake Elsinore CA Posts: 503	Chris, I have a question with regard to the Upgrade Supporter option. How long will you have the Premium Membership benefits? Also as a Premium Member and just so I understand. If I renew my existing membership early and then purchase an additional membership($30) that will have me set for the next 2 years and something right? Just some clarification for my own sake. I am totally in to support VF!!!!!!!!!! __________________ A Very Merry Unbirthday to You! Come join us! (You must be 18 years of age or older)
	Did you find this post helpful? Yes \| No

10-22-2009, 11:42 AM	#3 (permalink)
Chris Official Site Founder People who found this post helpful: Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Central California Posts: 3,884 Images: 11	Actually the way we are doing it, if you become an upgrade supporter, you will have the benefits for 2 years. So basically two years of Premium Membership for 25 bucks. If you purchase multiple subscriptions it just lengthens the amount of time on the subscription. So purchasing two Premium Memberships would lengthen your current membership by two years. __________________ Chris Lang Site Admin and Founder of VF My Countdown Counting down to: Countdown to VF Scavenger Hunt 5! 293 days 14 hours 36 minutes
	Did you find this post helpful? Yes \| No

10-22-2009, 11:56 AM	#4 (permalink)
Aurorasmiles People who found this post helpful: Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Lake Elsinore CA Posts: 503	So its a bit less if you contribute as an Upgrade Supporter rather than as an existing member and purchase multiple subscriptions. But I rather enjoy showing my status as a Premium Member so I think I will go with early renewal and an additional subscription. Thanks for that speedy response Chris. I will have to get things squared away later this evening. Thanks too for keeping VF tip top! __________________ A Very Merry Unbirthday to You! Come join us! (You must be 18 years of age or older)
	Did you find this post helpful? Yes \| No

10-22-2009, 12:19 PM	#5 (permalink)
Chris Official Site Founder People who found this post helpful: Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Central California Posts: 3,884 Images: 11	Whichever you decide to choose, thanks so much! __________________ Chris Lang Site Admin and Founder of VF My Countdown Counting down to: Countdown to VF Scavenger Hunt 5! 293 days 14 hours 36 minutes
	Did you find this post helpful? Yes \| No

10-22-2009, 01:41 PM	#6 (permalink)
ryguy222 People who found this post helpful: Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: AZ Posts: 3,562	This sounds great and I hope we'll be able to get the new software. I'm considering the 2 year upgrade supporter, however pay day isn't till the end of the month so I won't be able buy one until later. Good Luck! __________________ -Ryguy222 Come join us! (You must be 18 years of age or older) My Countdown Counting down to: The New Year! 40 days 7 hours 36 minutes
	Did you find this post helpful? Yes \| No

10-22-2009, 02:42 PM	#7 (permalink)
Chris Official Site Founder People who found this post helpful: Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Central California Posts: 3,884 Images: 11	Everyone, we are VERY close to meeting out goal (in just a matter of a few hours). Thanks SOOO much to everyone who has been participating! We look forward to the upgrades which will be coming soon. Your patience and dedication to the site will definitely pay off with a shiny new VF coming soon! -Chris __________________ Chris Lang Site Admin and Founder of VF My Countdown Counting down to: Countdown to VF Scavenger Hunt 5! 293 days 14 hours 36 minutes
	Did you find this post helpful? Yes \| No

10-22-2009, 03:08 PM	#8 (permalink)
crystaltink The Delicate Tinkerbell People who found this post helpful: Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Albuquerque, NM Posts: 1,116 Images: 21	Small little glitch I noticed. When you upgrade to VF Supporter it shows for 25 years, I'm not sure if that's fixable but if you have someone that didn't do their job in reading this update, they might think they're getting more than 2 years worth. :) __________________ "Anything your heart desires will come to you" My Countdown Counting down to: Hawaii on Business 17 days 14 hours 47 minutes
	Did you find this post helpful? Yes \| No

10-22-2009, 03:15 PM	#9 (permalink)
Chris Official Site Founder People who found this post helpful: Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Central California Posts: 3,884 Images: 11	Its temporarily set to that - I need to update everyone's expiration because existing Premium Members should get what they are already entitled to (whats left on their existing premium, plus two years). Once things are working properly that will be adjusted for each user. -Chris __________________ Chris Lang Site Admin and Founder of VF My Countdown Counting down to: Countdown to VF Scavenger Hunt 5! 293 days 14 hours 36 minutes
	Did you find this post helpful? Yes \| No

10-22-2009, 03:32 PM	#10 (permalink)
Mighty Unicorn Greetings, Viffers!!! People who found this post helpful: Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 31	A donation Hey there, Chris. I'm sending you a donation. You and Visions Fantastic have been so great to so many of us, it's the least I can do to say "thanks".
	Did you find this post helpful? Yes \| No

10-22-2009, 03:43 PM	#11 (permalink)
Mighty Unicorn Greetings, Viffers!!! People who found this post helpful: Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 31	Donation method? Hey there, Chris! I can't figure something out... I am an incredibly poor, unemployed college student with no unemployment at the moment, but I still want to make a donation! :) I can't afford to pay for the "green" upgrade, but I was wanting to make a smaller donation to you. Is there a PayPal link to make a straight donation to VF? If not, what is VF's PayPal ID so that I can PayPal something to you? Thanks, MU
	Did you find this post helpful? Yes \| No

10-22-2009, 03:51 PM	#12 (permalink)
Chris Official Site Founder People who found this post helpful: Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Central California Posts: 3,884 Images: 11	We have now hit our goal, so its not neccessary, however you can always make a Paypal donation to VF by going to the main page, LOGGING OUT and you should see it displayed on the menu on your left. (Its not shown to Premium Members). Thanks to everyone for your help! A combination of 'Going Green' a Paypal donations has made the upgrade possible! We will be inviting those that donated to help 'beta test' some of the new features. We will likely undergo heavy testing before we "go live" later this year. Again, thanks to everyone! -Chris __________________ Chris Lang Site Admin and Founder of VF My Countdown Counting down to: Countdown to VF Scavenger Hunt 5! 293 days 14 hours 36 minutes
	Did you find this post helpful? Yes \| No

10-22-2009, 04:30 PM	#13 (permalink)
Striker81 VF's Team Gurren rep People who found this post helpful: Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Pinetop, AZ Posts: 132	Chris, it seemed that my premium member status disappeared. I bought a $5 membership not too long ago as part of a promotion at the beginning of the month. Has that been revoked and I need to renew with a full price membership? Thanks. __________________ What I'm playing now (retro version): Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals (SNES) Final Fantasy Mystic Quest (SNES) Final Fantasy (PSX) Parasite Eve (PSX) Brave Fencer Musashi (PSX)
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10-22-2009, 04:53 PM	#14 (permalink)
Aurorasmiles People who found this post helpful: Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Lake Elsinore CA Posts: 503	I really like the look of the Upgrade Supporter button on those that contributed. It looks great! It adds a bit of flare! Nice job everyone! I am still gonna renew! __________________ A Very Merry Unbirthday to You! Come join us! (You must be 18 years of age or older)
	Did you find this post helpful? Yes \| No

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