I absolutely hate these changes. They are intrusive and in some case of very doubtful legality.
Links to sites selling in game gold for example!!
Just imagine a post from Gaile Gray about the EULA, or saying "buying in game gold is not acceptable" and that having sponsored links out to a gold selling site!
At the very least these changes should be optional and you should be able to turn them off in your preferences. At best they should be removed totally.
Ads In OP of Threads...
Hengis
Thallandor
Thanks kzap. Clicking on banners to support GWG.
Riesz
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wrath Of Dragons
hmmmm. is my adblocker that good? I havnt seen ANYTHING
I don't see anything either... but I don't think I even have an adblocker. 
I see "Sponsored Link:" and there's nothing beside it.
Were the green links and other ads removed too? I don't see anything!
I see "Sponsored Link:" and there's nothing beside it.Were the green links and other ads removed too? I don't see anything!
Lykan
This is kinda silly. 
Time to start adding this to my posts?
"This post is sponsored by ---->"
Time to start adding this to my posts?
"This post is sponsored by ---->"
SaucE
Get rid of them. The banner at the top is more than enough. I don't come visit this site to of ads shoved in my face every 5 seconds.
Zinger314
On the brightside, unlike the ads at GWO, you don't get viruses and keyloggers from these ads. 
Sir Mad
Quote:
The green links in forum threads are very obtrusive and annoying. For me personally it is simply unacceptable that something I wrote is altered without my approval to become an advertisement. If these green links aren't removed, I'll stop posting on the GWGuru forums and look for a new home, period. I'd hate to do so, because the GWGuru forums are clearly the best GW forums on the internet. Please, there must be other, better ways to advertise. I don't mind banners all over the place. But pop-ups and ad links in editorial content or forums are a no-no.
Quoted for truth. I feel the same thing. I own a few domains and offer free hosting with no bandwidth cap to sites I like and wanna support. Of course the server generate probably less bandwidth than guru by far, but I still pay for that. I have a politics: no advert on the sites hosted. At all. Simply because that's what internet should have remained in my mind. Of course I understand one can't afford or even don't want to do that, and I have no problem with sites like guru putting ad banners and such.
But THIS!
Ads are not on the top of the page, you haven't added a culumn of ads on the left side, but the ads are now a part of the text of random posters. Ads are one thing, but when you stop making differences between someone's words/mind/etc and commercial advertising, things are getting really bad. And that's sad. Sorry but I won't - I can't - keep posting for a long time in a forum where my own words are a pretext to generate ads, which are much more visible than what I worte. Think about it: do you have a forum so you can have ads or do you have ads to make live your forum?
EDIT - Oh they seem to have just been removed, thanks a bunch!
EDIT 2 - No, they've not
skretth
Quote:
Originally Posted by arcanemacabre
I have a suggestion:
Have an option somewhere on the site where we (the forumites) can give donations for site upkeep in exchange for special titles under our name. Seriously, is this possible? I've been looking everywhere on how to contribute, but I can't find anything. So, ya know, if it's there, maybe make it a lot more noticeable.
I'd love to contribute. I seriously think a lot of us would. This is a great site, and I'm sure we all want to see it do well. I just don't think littering it with ads is going to make it any better. Agreed kinda like the sponsors that are on gwo
Have an option somewhere on the site where we (the forumites) can give donations for site upkeep in exchange for special titles under our name. Seriously, is this possible? I've been looking everywhere on how to contribute, but I can't find anything. So, ya know, if it's there, maybe make it a lot more noticeable.
I'd love to contribute. I seriously think a lot of us would. This is a great site, and I'm sure we all want to see it do well. I just don't think littering it with ads is going to make it any better. Agreed kinda like the sponsors that are on gwo
Saraphim
I missed the boat on the green text..
Personally, I hate the thought of any sort of ad being embedded into any post I make. I've seen plenty of forums that have a break in the topic with embedded ads (flash and text) which is, in my opinion, a necessary evil for free forums.
But inside posts... no. If it stays I won't be starting any threads. Though I will contribute as long as they don't start randomly popping up in all posts.
Personally, I hate the thought of any sort of ad being embedded into any post I make. I've seen plenty of forums that have a break in the topic with embedded ads (flash and text) which is, in my opinion, a necessary evil for free forums.
But inside posts... no. If it stays I won't be starting any threads. Though I will contribute as long as they don't start randomly popping up in all posts.
Cracko
Theyre gone for me, both the green text and the ads. GJ GWG ^^ <3
Saraphim
Mmmm me too.
*starts clicking the banner ads*
*starts clicking the banner ads*
Sir Mad
Apparently they disappear after a few mins of activity on the forum. They had disappeared for me too, and now are back a few hours later.
/resign
/resign
Inde
No, we still don't allow the discussion of ad blockers 
Please, this is just a test I think you can all see that we are making changes and taking your constructive and valid suggestions as we progress here. There is absolutely no reason to go over-the-top as we test this out. Please continue to leave feedback, let us know about any bugs you see. Change is never taken lightly, especially in a forum setting, and we are all very aware of that. Nowhere has anyone stated that this is permanent, that it won't be changed, that we aren't taking suggestions or listening to your feedback.
Please, this is just a test I think you can all see that we are making changes and taking your constructive and valid suggestions as we progress here. There is absolutely no reason to go over-the-top as we test this out. Please continue to leave feedback, let us know about any bugs you see. Change is never taken lightly, especially in a forum setting, and we are all very aware of that. Nowhere has anyone stated that this is permanent, that it won't be changed, that we aren't taking suggestions or listening to your feedback.
Hanso Togakure
Quote:
Originally Posted by kzap
what do you guys find less intrusive the rectangle ad or the green text links?
I hate them both. Both are annoying and in a sense can lead people to believe that we are advertising some bull like Scarface stuff for you phone or whatnot. Please remove both.
Darcy
I missed out on the green word links, thank goodness, but I would vote against them.
As to the block ad in the 1st post on each page, I suppose I could learn to live with it if it was a static ad instead of animated. The animation keeps drawing your eyes away from the text. It's very annoying which does not induce you to click on the ad, but to get out of the forum pages.
Of course, my first impression this morning was that the OP had included the ad in their post. I think I would be upset also.
I agree with other posters that if you had a voluntary donation method, I would donate money to keep this website operational. I have noticed that your bandwidth has been recently increased and understand it has to be paid for somehow. Old habits (never clicking on any ads) die hard, but I will click on the banner ads more often.
As to the block ad in the 1st post on each page, I suppose I could learn to live with it if it was a static ad instead of animated. The animation keeps drawing your eyes away from the text. It's very annoying which does not induce you to click on the ad, but to get out of the forum pages.
Of course, my first impression this morning was that the OP had included the ad in their post. I think I would be upset also.
I agree with other posters that if you had a voluntary donation method, I would donate money to keep this website operational. I have noticed that your bandwidth has been recently increased and understand it has to be paid for somehow. Old habits (never clicking on any ads) die hard, but I will click on the banner ads more often.
Phoenix Denfer
I have gotten use to the banner ads and even clicked on them.
I refuse to get use to ads inside of threads, pictures or links. This just looks like one of those cheap free forum sites now.
Page load is worse now then it has ever been, and I was just thinking how much more stable the forum was behaving prior to the new "test."
Either charge for a premium membership that has AD FREE viewing of the entire site and would be customizable for the user or give us a more visable donations accepted HERE link and cut the advertising down to just banner ads.
Those are my thoughts anyway.
GET RID OF IN THREAD ADS PLEASE.
I refuse to get use to ads inside of threads, pictures or links. This just looks like one of those cheap free forum sites now.
Page load is worse now then it has ever been, and I was just thinking how much more stable the forum was behaving prior to the new "test."
Either charge for a premium membership that has AD FREE viewing of the entire site and would be customizable for the user or give us a more visable donations accepted HERE link and cut the advertising down to just banner ads.
Those are my thoughts anyway.
GET RID OF IN THREAD ADS PLEASE.
Mourne
Yay! The picture of my warrior in the Post Your Warrior Thread has a sponsor...
As everyone has said, inthread adds are so annoying. There isn't a reason for these when you already have other ads running the place. Someone else also mentioned a donation link, is there one?
As everyone has said, inthread adds are so annoying. There isn't a reason for these when you already have other ads running the place. Someone else also mentioned a donation link, is there one?
dudehere120
i started a thread on this subject, and saw this one, so i thought i might add my 2 cents. please, get rid of the ads. as if we aren't bombared enough with ads everywhere you go nowadays, ads creeping their way into forum threads is just annoying, and the last place they should be. i go to these forums frequently to read content, not to have ads shoved in my face. i like the idea of a contribution system. i would contribute to this site because it is quality, and i would also do it to keep these ads out of the threads. :P
Mercury Angel
Ay-yi-yi, I just threatened to ban a user a few days back over the ads they embedded themselves into their first post, complete with referral links. And now this o_O
I rarely create threads, preferring to post in existing ones, but I can really see how people might be offended over having their post turned into an advertisement, even if just an ad on the side.
The Gaile Gray post link is a particularly comical demonstration of how this can have some incredibly bad backlash.
Additionally, the forums, while not too bad on the loading times, hang on the first post for me until the flash banner has loaded. I really, really dislike that ><
Intermittent posts generated by adbots, even multiple ones, annoy me less than the single one actually inserted INSIDE the OP's post, or even intellitext. Whatever the final implementation is in, it's GOT to be less intrusive. Converting people's very posts into adverts is... a serious issue.
It's also something we don't allow people to do willingly and ban people for.
I know that guru isn't free to run, and that a large amount of people run adblockers as a slap in the face to any website run primarily on ad revenues, but there's got to be some kind of compromise here. I could even live with 'on the side' gamefaqs style ads, and I loathe those, as long as they're silent.
Edit:
Oh... my... goodness -_-
This won't do at all.
I rarely create threads, preferring to post in existing ones, but I can really see how people might be offended over having their post turned into an advertisement, even if just an ad on the side.
The Gaile Gray post link is a particularly comical demonstration of how this can have some incredibly bad backlash.
Additionally, the forums, while not too bad on the loading times, hang on the first post for me until the flash banner has loaded. I really, really dislike that ><
Intermittent posts generated by adbots, even multiple ones, annoy me less than the single one actually inserted INSIDE the OP's post, or even intellitext. Whatever the final implementation is in, it's GOT to be less intrusive. Converting people's very posts into adverts is... a serious issue.
It's also something we don't allow people to do willingly and ban people for.
I know that guru isn't free to run, and that a large amount of people run adblockers as a slap in the face to any website run primarily on ad revenues, but there's got to be some kind of compromise here. I could even live with 'on the side' gamefaqs style ads, and I loathe those, as long as they're silent.
Edit:
Oh... my... goodness -_-
This won't do at all.
Kahlindra
Although they have now mysteriously disappeared (yay for being logged in and active) I really dislike this change. A serious reason is that it very much increased my page load times- given the amount of data that's on here loads can be verrrry slow anyway. This just made me frustrated and I logged off. A slightly less technical reason, but still serious to me- NO I do NOT want to see pictures of baby suri......god.......
Doomlord_Slayermann
The intellitext just has to go. Anyone who looks at the links that it gives will realize that it's useless even from an advertiser's point of view, and it just bogs down load times for everyone.
The ads inside the OP are annoying for the same reason. I don't care if this means that Inde makes us all click on the "Baby Suri" ad a thousand times a day to keep the site going, or if we have to do it via paypal donations. Both options sound better to me than what's happened now.
EDIT:Looks like the first issue is fixed. I promise to click on the banner ad at the top three million times a day if you guys remove the OP ads. Seriously.
The ads inside the OP are annoying for the same reason. I don't care if this means that Inde makes us all click on the "Baby Suri" ad a thousand times a day to keep the site going, or if we have to do it via paypal donations. Both options sound better to me than what's happened now.
EDIT:Looks like the first issue is fixed. I promise to click on the banner ad at the top three million times a day if you guys remove the OP ads. Seriously.
Inde
Please keep the feedback coming. We are reading every post, let me stress again that ad blocker talk gets your post deleted. We are looking for constructive criticism and feedback.
Commander Ryker
Quote:
Originally Posted by arcanemacabre
I have a suggestion:
Have an option somewhere on the site where we (the forumites) can give donations for site upkeep in exchange for special titles under our name. Seriously, is this possible? I've been looking everywhere on how to contribute, but I can't find anything. So, ya know, if it's there, maybe make it a lot more noticeable.
I'd love to contribute. I seriously think a lot of us would. This is a great site, and I'm sure we all want to see it do well. I just don't think littering it with ads is going to make it any better. I really like this idea. Put me down for hating the ads, but loving the donations idea.
Have an option somewhere on the site where we (the forumites) can give donations for site upkeep in exchange for special titles under our name. Seriously, is this possible? I've been looking everywhere on how to contribute, but I can't find anything. So, ya know, if it's there, maybe make it a lot more noticeable.
I'd love to contribute. I seriously think a lot of us would. This is a great site, and I'm sure we all want to see it do well. I just don't think littering it with ads is going to make it any better. I really like this idea. Put me down for hating the ads, but loving the donations idea.
SnipiousMax
Issues with the green text aside, as Tetris already made a brilliant post on that subject. The ADs in the OP are jarring and intrusvie, but if that's what it takes to keep GwG running, I can manage it.
I would point out that text does not always line up well with the ad... especially quoted text, and it seems to take the fire out of a post to have to read around the ad... Maybe if it was on the top of the post instead of the side? or the bottom? And smaller regardless.
I would point out that text does not always line up well with the ad... especially quoted text, and it seems to take the fire out of a post to have to read around the ad... Maybe if it was on the top of the post instead of the side? or the bottom? And smaller regardless.
zelira
After reading this thread, I logged onto PCMech (a site I haven't been to since 6/26/06) and donated $26.99 just to get rid of the ads on that site. I probably won't log onto that website for another 3 months, however I just hate ads that much.
<-- willing to donate
I'm trying to focus, but that ad is distracting.
<-- willing to donate
I'm trying to focus, but that ad is distracting.
Sli Ander
Panicked this morning. Thought you guys had been hacked or something when I saw the ads.
Ummm.. never saw the green text, but I agree that would have been the more annoying of the two. The in-post ads feel more intrusive(it's violating my 'personal space' you might say) but I could learn to deal with them. It would be nicer if they could be moved off to the side or something, but if they have to stay there, I'll deal.
As for donations, would love to but think about the fact that you're a forum for a bunch of people who decided to play a free online game. Even if I had the money to spare, I'm paranoid about putting credit card stuff online, even to start paypal.
I'm going to go start clicking ads now, let us know the final verdict on the test.
But thats just my two cents
Ummm.. never saw the green text, but I agree that would have been the more annoying of the two. The in-post ads feel more intrusive(it's violating my 'personal space' you might say) but I could learn to deal with them. It would be nicer if they could be moved off to the side or something, but if they have to stay there, I'll deal.
As for donations, would love to but think about the fact that you're a forum for a bunch of people who decided to play a free online game. Even if I had the money to spare, I'm paranoid about putting credit card stuff online, even to start paypal.
I'm going to go start clicking ads now, let us know the final verdict on the test.
But thats just my two cents
Fungus Amongus
The ads in the OP are tolerable albeit on the large side. I have grown accustomed to ignoring ads everywhere I go so I don't see it as that big of a deal. The text ads are just downright annoying. Really, having to dodge text ads with my mouse pointer is downright annoying.
KamikazeChicken
Ad Blocker does remove all the ads, but it makes the site load a hell of a lot slower. I'd vote to remove the large pictures and use the green links (I never saw the links), if it makes the site load normally again.
Winterclaw
I'm glad the green links are gone as they were the worst, but I'd still like to see the OP ad removed.
If you guys want to make more money, why not make a deal with NCsoft that if any referred customers from this site buy an ncsoft game, GWG will get a commision?
Another thing is maybe you guys could think about cutting costs by eliminating one or two features of the site.
If you guys want to make more money, why not make a deal with NCsoft that if any referred customers from this site buy an ncsoft game, GWG will get a commision?
Another thing is maybe you guys could think about cutting costs by eliminating one or two features of the site.
Xenex Xclame
I would love for the in post ads to be removed,the one on top is enough.
(I even clicked on the free smilies eon and am using the smilies provided in my msn they are very nice, you sould try em)
I also would like the Donation or premuim membership option.
But thinking real here, i dont think the ads will go, so i thought of an idea.
Why not put ads like the one on top ( the size) in between posts, say like after the 5th post you have one of the ads.As long as its not too big ( the one on top is perfect) i dont see any problems with em.
Having the in post ad right under the top one doesnt really help ,because for me atleast they are advertising the same thing, having it somwhere in the middle means im not looking at the top one anymore meaning the ad is basicly always in view ( good for the advertisers)
But theres another issue, the load times, the one on top doesnt prevent the site from loading that slow, but for some reason the in post ones do.
So my idea : Put a ad same size as the top one after the 5th post.
(I even clicked on the free smilies eon and am using the smilies provided in my msn
they are very nice, you sould try em)I also would like the Donation or premuim membership option.
But thinking real here, i dont think the ads will go, so i thought of an idea.
Why not put ads like the one on top ( the size) in between posts, say like after the 5th post you have one of the ads.As long as its not too big ( the one on top is perfect) i dont see any problems with em.
Having the in post ad right under the top one doesnt really help ,because for me atleast they are advertising the same thing, having it somwhere in the middle means im not looking at the top one anymore meaning the ad is basicly always in view ( good for the advertisers)
But theres another issue, the load times, the one on top doesnt prevent the site from loading that slow, but for some reason the in post ones do.
So my idea : Put a ad same size as the top one after the 5th post.
Lasareth
I've been proposing the change in location for the ad itself. I don't mind more than one banner ad, I just think that tact lies in placement (without being overly gaudy!).
Good suggestions so far though.
Good suggestions so far though.
Vilaptca
I don't mind ads, I'm used to them, they're everywhere. But they should not be located in our posts. Leave them as banners on the top, bottom and sides of pages and its fine, but when they get in the posts, then its in the way and a becomes an incredibly annoying thing to deal with.
Astro Pubes
it seems as though my post earlier was deleted, since i mentioned ab blocker, but what about just keeping the ads to the banners on the top??? those ads in the banners never bothered me, but ads in the top post on the page seems just like an invasion, but honestly why not just set up a pay-pal donation to help with server fees and such? this isn't the first time you guys have tried to implement ads into the forums, first time was that text when you scrolled over it'd have a website where you could "buy" things, then shortly after it was gone, guru is definitely one of the better guild wars sites out there, alot of knowledge here when the right people speak up just IMHO placing ads in someones post is wrong and it will drive alot of people away.
Winterclaw
Las, you mean like a banner ad at the bottom of every page as well as on top? That might work fine.
DigitalForm
What about text ads like the Google ones in a column OUTSIDE of the posts or in between them? A donation ability would help a lot I think. Adding a custom title or name color shouldn't add to the bandwidth. Might have to do a little ALTER TABLE stuff to keep track of who donated though.
All I know is that more pictures slows down me cause of my slow connection, and I doubt I am the only one. The pictures are easy enough to ignore unlike the IntelliText popping up unexpectedly though. Maybe have the picture in between like the first and second post on every page ???.
All I know is that more pictures slows down me cause of my slow connection, and I doubt I am the only one. The pictures are easy enough to ignore unlike the IntelliText popping up unexpectedly though. Maybe have the picture in between like the first and second post on every page ???.
Doomlord_Slayermann
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lasareth
I've been proposing the change in location for the ad itself. I don't mind more than one banner ad, I just think that tact lies in placement (without being overly gaudy!).
Good suggestions so far though. I don't know if the advertisers would appreciate the bottom of the page very much (a less viewed location), but what about under the navigation bar at the top but above the first post? Advertisers would be happy because the ad would be in about the same place, but it would be a lot less invasive.
Good suggestions so far though. I don't know if the advertisers would appreciate the bottom of the page very much (a less viewed location), but what about under the navigation bar at the top but above the first post? Advertisers would be happy because the ad would be in about the same place, but it would be a lot less invasive.
Lord Aro
Sidebar or between a random post (as long as they don't start showing up between all posts or the majority) would be fine.
The sidebar would be the best.
Also the 'premium' account can work (even though I find that ironic when it deals with free games). You'd also have to give ANet reps an account that would never show green links or ads within their posts.
Bad places: While writing a reply or creating a topic, at the 'thanks for posting' redirection page (you don't spend much time there), and within posts (though most places state when you submit the info it now belongs to them).
Guess I should'a got a screenshot of the green text too.
The sidebar would be the best.
Also the 'premium' account can work (even though I find that ironic when it deals with free games). You'd also have to give ANet reps an account that would never show green links or ads within their posts.
Bad places: While writing a reply or creating a topic, at the 'thanks for posting' redirection page (you don't spend much time there), and within posts (though most places state when you submit the info it now belongs to them).
Guess I should'a got a screenshot of the green text too.
Akhilleus
do what other large sites have done in the past...
post how much it costs to upkeep the sites bandwidth on a monthly basis (give it its own little page or something), and post how much has been donated (update daily or weekly or whatever).
i can almost guarantee you, if you let people know what it costs to keep guru running, and what is donated towards that cost regularly, you will pay for the bandwidth...and probably have money left over.
post how much it costs to upkeep the sites bandwidth on a monthly basis (give it its own little page or something), and post how much has been donated (update daily or weekly or whatever).
i can almost guarantee you, if you let people know what it costs to keep guru running, and what is donated towards that cost regularly, you will pay for the bandwidth...and probably have money left over.
Lord Sarevok
Ads in a post are bad, really bad. Please remove ASAP. This is the sort of thing to leave over.
Scutilla
I really cannot stand it. Having ads at the top of a page is one thing, but in the posts themselves (particularly word-wrapping or even obscuring them) is another. Not to mention it slows down page loads even more- even before this GWG, and in particular the auction site, has always been insanely slow, one reason why I prefer GWO.