Update & Donor List – Donation Drive 2015

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It’s been three weeks since we launched the 2015 Donation Drive that transitioned from 12 years of using PayPal to the new Patreon model -- www.patreon.com/gwj. As I write this we currently have an amazing 444 GWJers helping to support the community, the site, the podcast and the many people who play a part in this whole endeavor.

So above all else, thank you!

I know many of you are interested in how the DD is going, so this update addresses several things. Here’s the order of things I’m going to touch on here, in case you’re only interested in some of it.

The numbers
Stretch goal details
Matching up Patreon & GWJ for icons
Rewards info
2015 Tagged Donors List

1 - NUMBERS-- So, the upfront answer is that the numbers are a little down. At the 21 day mark last year we had 574 donors. With 444 donors at the same point this year, that means we’re tracking 130 donors fewer, or a drop of roughly 23% year-over-year. With a week and a half left to go in the drive, it’s probably not exactly where we’d hoped we might be, but we also were practical in going into this to know that the Patreon change and some of the changes to the rewards structure probably wouldn’t work in our favor.

It’s hard to start putting any kind of dollar amounts into play to analyze, because there’s a big open question about how much of what’s out there right now will be from one-time donors. Now that the first few hundred donations have processed -- check your statements if you’ve been waiting for processing, as most of those who donated in September will now have seen the first charge -- we’ll be watching closely to get a sense of how many people withdraw from the Patreon, and we’ll report more on that toward the end of the drive.

All that said, we also know from experience that the last week or two of the drive tends to be some of the busiest, so we’ll see how it all ends up. If you’ve been waiting a bit to dive in on the donation drive now’s probably a great time to visit www.patreon.com/GWJ, as we’ll be launching rewards like the GWJ hangout on Saturday and game night next week Wednesday.

We’ve got a long way to go to get in the ballpark of matching the number of donors supporting the site last year. We sincerely appreciate your help in trying to get there. Thank you if you’ve directly supported the Patreon, and if you aren’t in a position to do so thank you for supporting the site by helping to foster and be a positive part of the amazing community. Those are things of equal importance!

2 -- STRETCH GOAL -- It may seem odd to talk about stretch goals when we’re 23% down on the number of donors, but from a pure dollars point of view we’re actually very close to the first goal with $2,284/mo of the $2,500/mo pledged. If we cross that $2,500 amount, that will trigger the goal, even if it turns out some donors remove their pledge later as one-time or short-term donors and the number goes back down. Fact is, we _really_ want to record a monthly pen-and-paper game, and we’ve lined up a killer DM for the job.

Rob Daviau, creator of, among many things, Risk Legacy & Seafall, as well as co-designer and publisher of Pandemic Legacy which releases this week, will be joining us as DM of our campaign. I’ve known Rob for something like five years now, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned in that time it’s that if Rob is running a game, then you want to be playing that game.

We have a few other ideas kicking around about cool stretch goals to put up should we hit this one, but more on that later.

3 -- TAGGING -- Icon tagging for many donors up to September 30th has been completed. There is a list of tagged donors at the end of this post. If you do not see your name on the list or you have not seen your icon updated the first step is to make sure that your Patreon and GWJ emails match. We are updating the list based on merging these two lists to match things up. If you need to change your GWJ email, you can do that by hovering over your icon at the top right of the page and going to Edit Account.

Just update your email to match the Patreon and we’ll get you up in the next round of tagging. Also if you only recently donated -- within the past few days -- you may not see your name on the list yet. Be patient, we’ll get you on the next round.

4 -- REWARDS -- Now that the first batch of donations have processed we’re beginning to roll out some of the rewards. Currently scheduled we have

**GWJ Live Hangout ** Our first live chat for $10+ patrons will be Noon CST (1PM EST, 10AM PST) Saturday, October 10th! We'll be using Google Hangouts and sharing the link here when the time comes. No major format set, we're just going to shoot the breeze, answer your questions and chill with you all.

** GWJ Game Cabal ** Our first $15+ patron-only game night is going to be 8PM CST (9PM EST, 6PM PST) Wednesday, October 14th!

We are posting Patreon specific information on the GWJ patreon page, but we’ll also be providing dates and times through email, on the podcast and either on the front page or in the forums as appropriate. We’ll be launching the remaining tier rewards soon.

5) DONOR LIST -- A huge thank you goes out to these donors to the community. If you are concerned you might be missing from this list, please review above in the section labeled TAGGING.

Thank you all for your support in so many different ways this year. We have just around 10 days left on the drive, and then things will get back to normal. If you want to help support the site, please visit www.patreon.com/gwj, and thanks again.

_Khaaceil_
*Legion*
Aaron D.
Abu5217
acetate3
Aerto
Agent 86
Alien13z
Always The Rogue
Amicus
Ancillas
angemaler
Anjin
Antichulius
Archon
Aretz
Aristophan
Arkon
Asterith
Atras
B Dog
BadKen
Banquo
beanman101283
beeporama
Bergs
billybob476
bjlightnin
Blotto The Clown
Bonus_Eruptus
boogie
branmyson
branwright
Breadmanben
brendonsmall
brouhaha
Bubs14
Bullion Cube
ButtonMasher
cabdodger
Caelum
Camping_Kindling
Capricorn1
CaptainCrowbar
cartoonin99
catgh
Cathadan
CathodeRay
ccesarano
Chief
CindyTheCroft
Clusks
coffeemike
complexmath
Coolbeans
Copingsaw
CptDomano
Crimeny
cube
Custos
Cyaniguana
damnablebear
DarkwingDuck
Datyedyeguy
davet010
dejanzie
Delerat
Demeaner
DeThroned
dewitt
dippinsauce
discoursian
disobedientlib
Distantsound
dj b rock
docbadwrench
Donan
doubtingthomas396
dragos
drdoak
drexle
DrSugardaddy
Dryden
DudleySmith
EatsLemons
El-Producto
Eleima
ELhaydos
Elliottx
EllTee
emolina
ergstrom
EvilDead
evildoc
Fastmav347
Felix Threepaper
Finandir
firesloth
flax
foose
Foxua
freebeema
Fripper
frogbeastegg
Fronsac
frozensquozen
Furtivespy
gamerparent
garion333
Garrcia
germsathome
Gravey
gravity
Grayghost
groan
Growat
gwyrlim
H3TJA
Haakon7
Hangdog
Harpua
harrisben
Hassasain
Hemidal
Hrdina
Hypatian
il dottore
ilduce620
Immedius
Impulse
indy
Jakoozie
japir
Jarpy
jcizmar
jdzappa
JediK809
JeepersCrow
jennska
JeremyK
jimmyike
jlaakso
JoeJJohnsonII
John Caboose
jollyeskimo
jonfentyler
Jonman
Jucofett
jupham
juv3nal
jwb1971
Kannon
karmajay
kazriko
Keithustus
kenada
KingOctavious
Kiri
kitastrophe
Kite
Korik
Kosars
krev82
kstress71
Kurrelgyre
Lasor
lbdwag
legopirate27
lehren
Lemluyen
LMN8R
LockAndLoad
Lorigga
Lothar
LouZiffer
Lucky Wilbury
lunchbox12682
m0nk3yboy
Malkroth
mandkhodge
Mantid
Maq
Marchantia
Markly
marmamic
martocalypse
mateo
matoos
maupin
McChuck
McIrishJihad
MeatMan
Meliroon
merphle
merzy
mguenther
Michael Zenke
MikeSands
Minase
Mixolyde
mmk01569
Moggy
MonoCheli
monoqueso
Mousetrap
Mowens1984
mrlogical
MrPeteW
mrthemike
mudbunny
NavyFish
Nightstorm
njudah
noattention
NotJohnnyMojo
Nova
noxum
NSMike
obirano
oilypenguin
OnePompousPenguin
opsirus
Optionality
Osiran
Outlandish
PaladinTom
parallaxview
PewPewRobo
philucifer
pinkdino99
Pinkerton
pkirkner
planesforstars
Podunk
Polliwog
Poppinfresh
Prozac
psu_13
pyxistyx
qaraq
raevenote
ragin_redneck
Rahmen
Rallick
Randolph_Carter
RedJen
Rezzy
RnRClown
Robear
robthomasson
Running Man
Rykin
RyzMonkeyRyz
sartoris
Schade
schutter31
Scoobing
scrub
serenaf479
Shadout
shoptroll
sikapwach
sikk
Skiptron
Slojo
snuggles
sometimesdee
Sonrics
Speedhuntr
Spikeout
sr_malo
St.Hillary
stauf7
Stengah
Strange Colors
Strangeblades
stupidhaiku
Sufi
Tach
taer
Taharka
Talking Mudcrab
tallfroggy
Tamron
Tanglebones
tanstaafl
taokao
Ted
Tekman
TempestBlayze
Tenao
ThatGuy42
The Great Skeeve
TheGameguru
TheHarpoMarxist
TheThomp
Thin_J
Throck
Torq
trueheart78
tuffalobuffalo
Tzu
ubrakto
Ulairi
UltimateBrent
UMOarsman
UpToIsomorphism
Vrikk
vrock99x
Wakim
Walken Dead
walterqchocobo
wanderingtaoist
Wembley
whispa
Wink_and_the_Gun
winmill
Xeavn
Xeknos
Yew
zeroKFE
zoobert
Zudz

Comments

_Khaaceil_
*Legion*

IMAGE(http://static3.fjcdn.com/thumbnails/comments/Bravo+sir+_f68edd8d2387ff032c569653b3cbe171.gif)

garion333 wrote:
_Khaaceil_
*Legion*

IMAGE(http://static3.fjcdn.com/thumbnails/comments/Bravo+sir+_f68edd8d2387ff032c569653b3cbe171.gif)

Also, hooray! Got my yacht!!!

Keep donating! Let's keep this boat afloat!

Maybe GWJ should look into becoming a church, a la John Oliver.

I'm not going to change my emails to match as then I won't know where I get spam from and be able to block it. Can you guys help me out to link them? I sent a PM about a week ago to Certis. Thank you!

Try sending one to Elysium; he's usually the one processing the donations/icons.

I hope you all reach your stretch goal. This is a great community and I have faith in them.

garion333 wrote:
_Khaaceil_
*Legion*

IMAGE(http://static3.fjcdn.com/thumbnails/comments/Bravo+sir+_f68edd8d2387ff032c569653b3cbe171.gif)

WHAT THE F#@K MAN

IMAGE(https://nypdecider.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/d9mq69h.gif)

Try sending one to Elysium; he's usually the one processing the donations/icons.

I'm not actually processing this year. That's changed with the move.

I updated my GWJer email address to match, thanks guys!

LeapingGnome wrote:

I'm not going to change my emails to match as then I won't know where I get spam from and be able to block it. Can you guys help me out to link them? I sent a PM about a week ago to Certis. Thank you!

Special requests and reconciling emails to non-matching accounts will happen at the end. I got yours noted!

Although you'll never see any spam originating from GWJ other than notices site you signed up for.

This Patreon hack has me really uncomfortable making yet another online account that has my credit card number. What is the cut off date to snail mail a check to someone to donate? I want to get my icon/support the community - but I really don't like the idea of using Patreon.

So... I log into patreon with my facebook account... How do I go about linking that?

Any ideas?

Certis wrote:
LeapingGnome wrote:

I'm not going to change my emails to match as then I won't know where I get spam from and be able to block it. Can you guys help me out to link them? I sent a PM about a week ago to Certis. Thank you!

Special requests and reconciling emails to non-matching accounts will happen at the end. I got yours noted!

Although you'll never see any spam originating from GWJ other than notices site you signed up for.

Thanks!

If the emails matched, how would I know if the spam was from GWJ or from Patreon? Also no site on the internet can guarantee the security of their user information, as evidenced by the recent Patreon hack. Once a site gets hacked (or sells their information) and starts spewing spam to that address, I can easily block that address since I have unique addresses per site. It is also interesting to see who sells their user information to spammers so I can limit my business with those companies.

SallyNasty wrote:

This Patreon hack has me really uncomfortable making yet another online account that has my credit card number. What is the cut off date to snail mail a check to someone to donate? I want to get my icon/support the community - but I really don't like the idea of using Patreon.

I used Paypal with them, if that is an option for you.

This Patreon hack has me really uncomfortable making yet another online account that has my credit card number. What is the cut off date to snail mail a check to someone to donate? I want to get my icon/support the community - but I really don't like the idea of using Patreon.

No worries, we'll make sure you're covered. Just send me an email or PM and I'll give you the address!

Also, as Leaping points out PayPal through Patreon is an option as well.

Donated! I have loved the community here for the past couple of years and it's worth a couple bucks a month to support!

Elysium wrote:

No worries, we'll make sure you're covered. Just send me an email or PM and I'll give you the address!

Also, as Leaping points out PayPal through Patreon is an option as well.

Is there an alternative (say a Paypal address) I could send a donation to? Patreon wants to charge me 20% extra in fees for being in the EU and I'd rather the extra cash went to yourselves.

I got my golden chair a couple weeks ago. I forgot to say THANK YOU and I LOVE IT. I refuse to ever give this icon up.

I've been castled. That makes me a King right?

I'm been car'ed! But I'm not donating enough for an updated icon, I should still be at the wiener bomb.

I should forever be at the wiener bomb.

Gravey wrote:

I'm been car'ed! But I'm not donating enough for an updated icon, I should still be at the wiener bomb.

I should forever be at the wiener bomb.

Folks are allowed to keep current tags if they like. No biggie.

I don't know what my Patreon email is, but ... I think my cred around here is about as high as it'll get.

DID IT! Finally kicked my butt to get my donation in... Great work guys. Stay awesome.

I updated my donation, probably when it was about to processed, as my name isn't in there. Will check in the next update if my name shows up
-----
Whoops, checked my email address, was indeed different. Fixed that. Ready for new icon!
----
and it seems there are 39 more donors since this thread was posted. Cool

I just updated my Patreon email to reflect my GWJ email. Tag meh!

Golden Helicopter. Ballin'.

We just hit our major funding goal! Thank you to everyone who helped contribute and make this happen. We genuinely appreciate the trust and support you put into the site.

Elysium wrote:

We just hit our major funding goal! Thank you to everyone who helped contribute and make this happen. We genuinely appreciate the trust and support you put into the site.

Woo Hoo! This is most excellent news.

What's the Elysium lap dance stretch goal?

(Not for me, for Rabbit a friend.)