To the most valued members of our Community (that means you!),

Since we released the original PMOG public beta in early 2008 this game we call The Nethernet has been completely free-to-play; we have never sold your data, personal information or e-mail addresses, and that isn't happening going forward either. We want to continue to provide you with a game that you can play across the Internet, in your web-browser, with as few strings attached as possible. You all have helped us grow an idea into a company and a small group of players into a thriving community, and for that we are extremely appreciative.

You most likely heard about TNN through TechCrunch, jayisgames, another online forum, or perhaps a friend. If you're reading this, then obviously something about the players or game itself made you stick around, and we're very glad you have chosen to do so. Over the past few weeks our focus has been on improving the stability of the site, and we will continue that focus going forward. Additionally, we are working to bring you even more immersive game-play, storylines, and action, which should make TNN an even more engaging and exciting experience.

In order to keep the wheels turning though, we want and need to expose as many people as possible to our game. Throughout the history of the game, we have offered a number of incentives to invite other players, namely starting with Badges, and more recently a custom invite link linked to rewards. We value you greatly, and we hope you value The Nethernet enough to share the word with a few of your online or real-life friends.

There has been some negativity surrounding inviting other players in our community for a while due to some invite fraud, and perhaps a desire to keep TNN a well-kept secret. I'd like to try to change your mind. The Inviting Badge should be seen as a mark of a true Nethernaut. A mark of a player who cares enough about the game they enjoy to share it with others, and not just a mark someone out to get another badge, some DP/Pings or some other reward.

If you've yet to invite anyone to join you in playing TNN, you can find your link on your profile page. It follows the simple format of http://thenethernet.com/join/[yourplayernamehere]. Every time someone joins from that link you'll be credited with progress towards your Inviting Badge.

If you have earned the Inviting Badge or beyond, please post in the Inviting Badge Community Heroes thread on the Community Tools Forum. Also, if you feel someone has defrauded our community by dishonestly earning an inviting badge, file an abuse report and I'll take care of it immediately.

Thanks so much for playing TNN and wanting to share what I believe to be one of the greatest communities on the Internet.

Your Community Manager,
Joe

What a speech :P

As you've kinda posted this twice, does that make you a spammer?

;)

I have a few friends that play this now... although the bar stewards never followed my link so I got NOTHING.

Stupid Bar stewards.

i try and try to lure some in

and you're perfectly right

me needs more players to toy around with

the nethernet is going to be something big

I'm gonna start printing a tinyurl link on cards and sticking them in books at the local bookstore. That'd be kinda funny...

I was dabbling with the idea of bringing back PMOG Link Monday. Of course, I am pretty sure my 4 RSS feed subscribers are already players. ;)

@shyiskhar: That's a great idea... I think I'll do it myself!

@sikkdays: Bring it on!

http://thenethernet.com/forums/c...

I am careful about who I invite to not invite spammers or those who use the internet to promote their own commercial agenda.

@Shyiskhar

Vistaprint.com prints free business cards.

They do it to entice you to get their cards and other stationary. Naturally a business card with their name on the back as advertisement isn't 'professional' enough - their enticement to buy their cards.

Nevertheless a handful of these to pass out at the mall to all of those bored clerks, with their internet ready terminals, who have to kill time waiting for customers is an idea.

Samewise, if someone could make up a poster - perhaps it has already been done, to post whereever one sees Blizzard posters would be an idea (yes I am thinking of my local game shop.)

Here is one link, http://www.vistaprint.com/vp/ns/...

tho, one should really look at the plethora of products on the main site.

(I will pass this over to the design your avatar link in a moment.)

Cross link: http://thenethernet.com/forums/s...

Nethernet viral marketing? Sign me up!

Viral marketing? Okay.
Inviting more people to join the NN? Okay.

But i want an ignore option, then. I've been spammed by idiots enuff recently, including nice things as insults, harrasment and so on. The more freely we advertise, the more freely we will have to welcome idiots and i want to be able to block those people.

Eh? I think that's a little elitist\isolationist. The aim of the game from the developers point of view is to share it with as many people as possible, remember.

Just lob a grenade at them. I won't try to stop you.

@holzonkel: File an abuse report on The Nethernet Support Center when someone harasses or insults you. If you don't report it, I can't take action on it.

Thanks everyone for your interest in starting some viral marketing for TNN!

I do not favor blocking by individuals, rather the current sytem of suspension seems adequate,.Blocking ability leads to indiscriminate censure of otherwise than rudeness players that need individual censure that allows a cool down and rethink tyime... nuff said....

@Shyiskhar & burdenday (& anyone else considering the cards in books route) -

Please, please PLEASE do not do this thing. I work in a bookstore, and there is already enough unpleasantness in what should have been a dream job without having to pull stuff out of product on a regular basis. Customers seem to love any excuse to pick fights with employees and/or claim they deserve a discount or (logically) a free book. As well meaning as it would be, this plan would just feed that.

Does your local bookstore have a bulletin board? Dav2's poster would be an excellent idea-especially if it had a little pocket you could put cards in. Heck, someone make a quality poster and I'll put it up at work myself-glossy, full color, the works!

If your local bookstore doesn't have a place for posting info...well, they're failing to contribute to the community, and you ought to let them know...

P.S. Hey-you know who else puts unsolicited info in books?

Scientologists.

Wanna be lumped into that crowd?

Hey, burdenday - Have you thought of getting an interview with NPR (National Public Radio)? They usually have local segments on up-and-coming internet culture. It'd be a quick and easy way to get the word out to many people.

Is the invite reward permanently only 20DP, and 20 Pings? Because that is super lame.

We are working on alternative rewards as we speak. Don't become discouraged!

You know what'd be really epic? A Nethernet ARG. It would grab the attention of another, quite large, playerbase of (kind of) Internet-based games, who do spend quite a lot of time online. And at the same time as they get this game, they get an ARG as well. There's also twice as much for people to talk about that way.

...Of course, it would be a lot of time and work. There is that.

I have to agree with Geb here and say that 20DP+Pings might sound great to newbies, but that gets you what - one mine/grenade (to name something off the top of my head)? It's not that easy - unless you're some Big Name Geek - to get people who'll actually get all the way to signing-up and playing.

This is completely materialistic of me, but I think I'm gonna hold off on asking my BF to sign up until I know I'm gonna get a bigger pat on the head for it. XD

@studyofrunning - I love the Nethernet ARG idea. What a great way to get people to join!

I always wanted to push out an ARG myself for PMOG, never had the time to make it, though I've heard rumors...

how awsm would it be to have Players create posters and trading cards and clues to objects in the real world that all lead back to puzzle crates and portals that all lead back to the Nethernet?

@czarchron If the items were made available to print off from TNN I would be more than happy to distribute them.

Imagine finding a little papercraft crate in a coffee shop.

I'd fill it with chocolate coins dp

That'd be awesome!

Or little playing cards painted over to look like DP Cards! ^.^

http://www.boingboing.net/2008/0...
Heheh. Nethernet-ish looking crates!