PSA: Minecraft and monetisation

[astraeasan]

The recent EULA controversy has changed how people look at the EULA from minecraft.
Mojang has now released their official statement on the matter.
They are pretty clear about all of it and expect servers to change to these rules.
They state that, till now, it is against the rules to make money (or accept donations) from servers.
They are now making an exception for that, with a couple of rules.
Rules are found in the following link:
https://mojang.com/2014/06/lets-talk-server-monetisation/

Also, dinnerbone made a tweet especially about in game currency, for example MCA has the caps.
http://www.reddit.com/r/Minecraft/comments/27ze8d/dinnerbone_on_ingamecurrency/

I do not know what concequences this will have if servers do not follow the rules mojang has set. But considering there are a lot of talks about it, it might just be that mojang will actually really force upon those rules.

Which makes MCA a direct target.
MCA has worked together with mojang in the past, namely, Dan Vogler (MRJangles) has had a speech on the minecraft minecon. So Mojang definitely knows this server exists and can see these rules in an instant.

I hope you will work things out with Mojang and find a good solution.
I also ask everyone reading this to inform all servers you know about this, because being aware of this change can make a difference in the future.

With kind regards,

Astraeasan

 

[astraeasan]

I have just read this article Link (Thank you mattrossi121 for this link in this thread).
It clears up many questions about the EULA.
Most importantly, a date. First of august 2014 all servers have to comply to the EULA.
Secondly, paying for stuff in server (except for visual items) is not allowed.
This will hit MCA pretty hard, and I would like to make a list of things MCA has to change because of this EULA.
I would also like both crew and users to think about solutions on how to fix this.
Let's not think in problems, let's focus on solutions.

A list of things you can buy in the server and what has to be changed according to the EULA (sources are this websites shop, Mojang EULA)
-Buy caps (Not allowed)
-Fly mode (Not allowed)
-God mode (Not allowed)
-Donations (Allowed)

Perks (I will not describe perks as a whole, but the included items apart)
-Donator rank on forum (Allowed)
-Tools (Not allowed)
-Turning into mobs (Not allowed (visual appearance that actually affects gameplay (can't see nametag, name)))
-More private warps (Not allowed)
-/Hat command (Allowed)
-Access to enderchests in build world (Not allowed)
-Access to /clearinventort (Not allowed)
-Access to /workbench (not allowed)
-Access to /ptime (I do not know, grey area, it is a command but only visual for players. If I had to guess I would say Not allowed)
-/jump command (Not allowed)

It will be tough and I imagine the crew will need to have a lot of talks and a lot of changes.
So let's try to give them good and creative ideas to come up with solutions.
Let's try to help the server change in such a way that the server is both good for the EULA and everyone will be happy with how it will turn out.

 

[DCL_]

Everyone buy a lottery ticket!

 

[Monkeyz]

Quick! Donate what you can to MCA before they find out! I think its dumb though. Unless you're making a profit, it should still be aloud. Mojang should just create a system that servers will create an account with mojang (free provided you have a server of course) and that when you donate it gets sent to that account, and it will automatically feed it into the server hosting bill, and you wont be able to take money out. No profit made. Changes in your price of course can be made to upgrade your server if you're making extra money. That way you don't make a profit. And there should be a limit on how much you can donate. Like people who "donate" (they pay, not donate) to practically be admins, that's like $1000, shouldn't be aloud. That's just ridiculous. But those extra things like disguises and kits, that's how a lot of servers make their money. The new rules are quite dumb to not allow that.

The rant it over.

 

[CheezyMarsBar14]

Mojang has gone crazy. The whole reason people donate to servers is for perks (very few people just straight up donate, you can tell by the fact that no one uses the donate button in the MCA shop). By doing this I'm willing to bet money quite a few servers are going to close down. This will also really effect kits and hardcore PvP type servers, as they won't be able to sell their precious donor kits.
Good job, Mojang. *slow applause*

 

[AssaultCommand]

It's still not very clear what happens to people who've already donated for gameplay altering perks.

 

[astraeasan]

That is something the server should really think about
But the biggest catch is
Unless it is vanity items, everyone has to get the same (including non-donators) and it can't be caps for example
It will be quite hard to figure this out
I bet every server will have to face this the hard way

 

[CheezyMarsBar14]

It's still not very clear what happens to people who've already donated for gameplay altering perks.

"Owen" (whoever the hell that is) over at Mojang has answered that.

"Users may keep the perks they’ve paid for on the condition that the same perks are available to other players on the server (directly or purchasable using soft currency). It’s up to the server host to decide how to compensate users for previous transactions."

So basically, MCA has to compensate all the non donors with caps, fly, god mode, and all the other perks OR take away everyone's donor perks, which I'm sure most people will not be too happy about.

 

[mk59apr]

Mojang does allow server to charge for access, or "playtime"

one idea to pay for the server could be:

divide the cost of the server per month BY the hours of playtime on the server per month.

This would give the cost per hour of playtime on the server.

The server would need to give out maybe ten free hours for new players,
after that it would be "pay to play" on a monthly basis.
Get rid of all the paid perks and just decide what should be available in what world to all players.

 

[DCL_]

I feel like pay to play will only work if that is what the majority of servers switch to. If we have a large number ofl good servers out there that are not pay to play, 99% of people would go to them.

 

[WECole]

Mojang is out of touch with their players (not just with the server owners). Most minecraft players are kids with no income of their own, dependent on their parents for $$. I can foresee a huge drop in the number of online players when the "grace period" ends in August and a lot of servers are forced to go to pay-to-play. That can't be good for the future of the game.

As for MCA, discussion seems sort of irrelevant - MrJ and Alien are the only two people who's opinions are going to matter.

 

[DCL_]

I feel like right around the time when Mojang is making massive changes, is maybe the time that our server owner should show up to talk about it.

(That's your que Jangles)

 

[Turbo540]

I'm sort of confused here... will they have to take away certain perks...? or will everyone just go back to non-donator...? Do Mojang have a particular reason for all this?

 

[alien12]

Mojang is out of touch with their players (not just with the server owners). Most minecraft players are kids with no income of their own, dependent on their parents for $$. I can foresee a huge drop in the number of online players when the "grace period" ends in August and a lot of servers are forced to go to pay-to-play. That can't be good for the future of the game.

As for MCA, discussion seems sort of irrelevant - MrJ and Alien are the only two people who's opinions are going to matter.

I feel like right around the time when Mojang is making massive changes, is maybe the time that our server owner should show up to talk about it.

(That's your que Jangles)

An "official statement" will be posted closer to the end of the grade period.
Currently there are a few technicalities in the EULA and we have no official opinion(s) on the matter at this point. We will attempt to make MCA's future clear at a later date.