Would it be possible to have ads around the game screen bringing in enough money to be equal to the the normal fee so that there is a free version that has ads around the screen paying the fee and a paid version with no ads around the screen?

Bascially in the free version, instead of just seeing the regular game in the window you see the regular game in the center and ads around that.

no

I second drazed: no.

This wouldn't change anything for those now. It will just be an alternative for the subscripton. You don't like seeing ads do what you have always done.

The problem is... People that can't/won't pay for the game are the same people that advertisers want to avoid, because said people won't buy anything anyways (cheepos or too young or both). Thus no SANE advertiser would want their ads in such a "free" game. Maybe ads for"viagra" or scam ads would be ok putting ads ANYWHERE, but it's not really a good idea to put on a PG rated game, in fact it might actually hurt VO because it would automatically place it in "adult" category.

Not to mention VO is not big enough to attract large advertisers, who would again (as stated above due to ad targetting) not be interested anyways.

No. Now go get a job you lazy smelly dirty hippie and stop trying to get things for free that others pay for and still others work hard to provide. Its ten dollars a month, if you can not afford ten dollars a month, you have larger issues than not being able to pay for a video game.

Also, use the damned search... this topic has been done to death.

Well, I'd have to go with Ryan on this one. Well said. :)

Then again, he could be a clean hippie that is also a cheap ass. Wait, is that you Bill?

It has been suggested many times, and the answer is always the same in the end: there's not enough traffic here to interest advertisers enough to make it worthwhile yet.

hell no.

Lets revert the idea:

Once you find any company really interested in paying to advertise in VO, you raise this idea, and I'm quite sure Devs will accept it...

For starters, there are html advertisements that anyone can apply for that pay for impressions and clicks. Every so often reload for new advertisements.

Yeah I can see that evony billboard outside the station now....

Hmm, who the hell is going to pay to advertise rl stuff in VO ?

VO : playerbase small, 12 - 80+ years old , all a bit techy, located globally,
technologically diverse, and by definition picky about what we spend money on.

Nope, we are a marketing departments nightmare. Long may it be so.

I've been here to long and now I've seen it all. I completely agree with Ecka.

/me goes to drink away this bizarre feeling.

Who would ask to be cursed with more advertising? Although the thought of product placements outside of stations is rather humorous. That is the only method that would be cool enough for VO and its citizens IMHO.

I would however be supportive of Dev approved, player created ads outside of station... written in GTS.

Perhaps a few tequila ads might work.....

GTS would make player ads worthless.

Or it would require a bit of intellect to translate.

I know several players, including myself, that can translate GTS. However, the common player cannot, and that majority of people is where business lies.