After deliberating at length the very real issues and costs of distributing OFF on DVD - or via payware download sites (costs money that the end user has to bear) we have decided to give voluntary donationware another shot.

We hope to receive enough donations over the next months to pay for our basic development and support costs, (overheads) of OFF Phase 2 and Phase 1

If not we will reconsider at the time of release how we will recover our expenses - but bottom line OFF will remain donationware - we will simply have to prod you guys harder for support!

We are aiming for release in the third quarter 2006 all being well but we will update the release date in due course.

The OFF donation buttons will be re-setup on the sites in due course.

Best

WM on behalf of the OFF team

That is cool, however...If people donate (which i will be more than willing) but not enough funds arrive...what happens to the guys who have donated?
Will they be expected to pay again if you decide that not enough funds have been given via donations, and you release as payware?
That would mean paying twice in effect.....
Obviously, that would be totally unfair.

I would think (hope) they would keep a list of who donated how much, internally anyway, and then if they reverse their decision the amount already donated would be deducted from the cost. Unless the donation was larger, in which case it would be gratis for them.


The Jedi Master

Jedi - correct but I will not be reversing this decision.

HTH

WM

Well, for all it's worth, my opinion is that a few will pay...and many will leech (human nature being what it is)
But I shall happily pay UK Retail price average for a Newly released game (ie £29.99)...And shall sleep easy in my bed!
And i will let the Leechers live with their concience!

Thanks WidowmakerUK

Guys, please start a new thread topic when the Phase 2 Donation system is up and running.

Thanks.

Perhaps it seems a bit crass, but have you considered posting an estimate of the incurred costs? That might (or might not) inspire donations.

sinbad

Great idea. You could even do it like some churches do: "$7,000 dollars collected, $3,000 more needed to break even. Come on guys, contribute!" Something like that.