Note 52 Morwen (08/28/11 14:26) Help needed Everyone, It's time for us to get serious and share some news with you all of what our current situation is like. First - our financial side. Not long ago we've been made aware by Aule that our funds are running low. There is a monthly cost of keeping The Two Towers online which so far we've been able to cover based on past fund drives and generous donations from our players. These funds are currently set to run out by about the end of November, which is three months from now. Unless we can get more support from our players and the community to help continue to offset those costs, it is uncertain what will happen after November, but we are looking at a few options. Second - our player and staff numbers. While our average number of players has neither improved nor gotten worse over the past year, what has changed though is the size of our staff in Valinor, which has sharply dropped off since the beginning of the year. While a year ago we still had several active projects that were moving us forward, these days we have less than a handful of ainur active enough to keep up with our maintenance, let alone finish projects that are backlogged. So what does this mean? We face a double-threat and need your help. After all, T2T was first established in 1994 by fans, for fans, so if you enjoy the experience of playing here and would like to continue to do so, please go to our website at: http://t2tmud.org/donations.php Our paypal account is safe, secure, and easy. Any donation you can make, be it small or large, will be appreciated and contribute to keeping us online into the next year and hopefully well beyond. Also, if you have ever entertained the notion of immorting or getting directly involved in keeping T2T running and evolving, there is no better time to do so than now. We need those who have experience with the game to step up and become the next generation of developers to replace those before them who are no longer able to contribute, and with enough grit and motivation, any position is attainable including that of a Power and administrator. Be aware though, that being an ainu is work. While we strive to keep things fun in Valinor, most times it is more like a job than a game, so only those who have the dedication should apply. For other ways you can also help, please go to: http://t2tmud.org/howcanyouhelp.php These are some tough news, and while the possibility of us one day shutting down is very real, all of us in Valinor are committed to keeping T2T online and running for as long as we can. We cannot do it without your support though. I am available to respond to any questions, and will keep you informed of any changes. Thank you, -Morwen, on behalf of the Administration.