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Posted by: MidwestBoyInLA Feb 7 2005, 04:18 PM

From: RCT*Mart Home Office
To: Store Managers & Members
Re: New "RCT*Mart 5-Star Member" Usergroup

**********MEMORANDUM**********

Due to the new "Global File Attachment" allowance with the IPB 2.0 forums some of our more active members have encountered they are no longer able to add attachments to their posts, as their allowance has quickly been used up. In order to facilitate their ongoing contributions to the site, we have created a new usergroup: "RCT*Mart 5-Star Member"

This group has the following "benefits:"

• 5Megs Upload Allowance
• Maximum Profile photo size allowed (450x450, 100kb)
• Ability to mass PM up to 25 members at once
• 200 PM Storage capacity
• Ability to edit their own topic/post titles
• Ability to delete their own posts
• Ability to open/close their own topics
• Custom "badge":

It will be at the Management team's discretion as to which members will be given the new group status, but if you feel that you need more space and your involvement at RCT*Mart justifies adding you to this new usergroup please PM me or rct2nut with your request.

We would like to remind members that the attachment feature here is a unique priviledge that even sites like RCT2.com do not allow their regular members. We ask that you use this feature responsibily and remember that our server space is not unlimited; so please only upload RCT-related images and files here in the forums.

Members are also reminded that there are several free image and site hosting services out there on the web. For a full list visit /forums/index.php?showtopic=2059.

Thanks!

Posted by: BeastFan04 Feb 7 2005, 05:46 PM

I really appreciate your efforts to make the Mart a better place, as do all of us! Thanks for everything!

Posted by: SythDude Feb 7 2005, 07:44 PM

If I get this, will I be able to upload track files? I really wanted to share my "Carnivore" with the others and it really was kind bad that I couldn't.

Of course I'd only upload RCT related stuff. I might just give you guys a PM, I don't know.

Posted by: Leonardofury Feb 8 2005, 11:05 AM

Thanks for this MWBILA. It should prove a great help. I'm sure I'll have some more stuff up for the mart soon.

Posted by: TheVelvetFoxx Feb 8 2005, 12:01 PM

Excellent idea and one that allows our regularly contributing members to continue to do so. Bravo!

Posted by: Lord Dreamer Feb 8 2005, 01:21 PM

cool , but i am allready happy with my banana trophy

Posted by: Ryan Feb 8 2005, 01:27 PM

Sounds like a great idea, especially since you're only allowing it to a few select members.

Posted by: Phix Feb 8 2005, 01:41 PM

Wow, cool! Now I can upload screenshots!

Posted by: MidwestBoyInLA Feb 9 2005, 12:52 PM

One other word of advice... to conserve space (even for those who now have more upload space) save your .jpg images at 60% quality. This can make the difference between a 250k file and 110k file... and the 40% drop in quality is not noticable when viewed via the web (100% quality is intended for more print-quality images).

Also try saving your screenshots in various formats (.gif, .jpg or .png) and see which one is the smallest - then upload the smallest one.

Posted by: ekimmel Feb 10 2005, 10:28 AM

Just a quick note that that 5-star group icon appears to be broken.

Posted by: ekimmel Feb 10 2005, 03:29 PM

Just a quick note that the 5-star icon appeard to be working now.

Posted by: zacpro Feb 15 2005, 09:48 AM

Hemmm, i dont know for the others, but i only have 44kb free for my posts, but i havent used my 5 megs, only something like 200 kb....

MidwestboyinLA, could you please check my free space, because i have some coasters to post.

Or i could simply put the track file here, because it is not large, and put the images on a free image host....

Anyway, please check my status. Thanks

Posted by: Secret Shopper Feb 15 2005, 10:33 AM

I'd heard a rumor that there were some problems with the Mart as of late, so I'm here to test a few things for my report which will be sent back to Home Office.

This is just a test, darlings, so pay no mind to the man behind the curtain.

As a test of the Global Attachment Allowance I need to upload an image, so I present you with an advertisement for one of my favorite cooking ingredients, Carnation instant milk.

Nothing says "we're having a baby" quite the same as Carnation!


Attached thumbnail(s)

Posted by: MidwestBoyInLA Feb 15 2005, 10:44 AM

Zacpro,

Thanks to some testing by Secret Shopper I've been able to test the 5-Star Member permissions, but unfortunately everything worked for her as it was supposed to.

If you can, please try to upload a picture or file that's larger than your remaining allowance and send me a screenshot of the error message you're receiving. I'll need to see the error and any messages about your allowance file size remaining and/or used.

The only other way to trouble-shoot this would be for me to log into your account and attempt to de-bug it that way, but I would need you to PM me your password (and to reset it after I've fixed the problem). But let's try that as a last resort after you send me a screenshot of the error you're getting.

Send the screenshot(s) to homeoffice@rctmart.com.

Thanks!

Posted by: MidwestBoyInLA Feb 15 2005, 01:21 PM

Just a quick note to other 5-Star Members... and all members, really.

If you go to "My Controls" there is a link to "Manage Your Attachments". This page will show you a list of all the attachments you've uploaded, as well as a bar indicating how much of your maximum allowance you've used. You can also delete attachments from here (thus freeing up more allowance space). However if you delete an attachment from here, it will be removed from the post you made with that attachment, so you may need to edit your post as well.

As Zacpro is experiencing, he's used almost all of his allowance, even the expanded allowance we set up for 5-Star members. One option is to modify your attachments and optimize them to save space (we recommend you .zip everything and try saving your graphics in several formats to see which is the smallest).

We hadn't anticipated that our 5-Star Members would hit their maximum allowance so quickly, so I'll need to discuss with the rest of the staff the possibility of expanding that limit or coming up with a Plan B.

In the meantime, everyone please consider the option of using free image hosts (like Photobucket) if you're reaching your maximum allowance for uploads.

Thanks!

Posted by: ekimmel Feb 15 2005, 02:16 PM

The 5-star members that are in RCTA already have unlimited image hosting on the official RCTA website. There should be no need for them to be using their 5MB here except in unusual circumstances.

Posted by: Ryan Feb 15 2005, 02:20 PM

I have a large portion of my space used up, and just for RCT2 Tracks. I host my pictures elsewhere. I would suggest raising the limit, but only at a moderators discretion for each member.

Edit: Nevermind that part about taking up a large portion of space without screenshots. I forgot I asked another member to edit some screenshots for me and I sent them to him as attachments, but I would still recommend raising the limit just a little.

Posted by: MidwestBoyInLA Feb 15 2005, 02:56 PM

We're happy to provide the 5-Star member benefits here, but we still strongly encourage people (even our 5-Star members) to utilize the free image hosting sites that are available. Please only use your RCT*Mart allowance as a last resort if you have no where else to host/post your images.

Track files and .DATs are another issue, as most free image hosting sites don't allow you to upload other types of files. But as Ryan suggested, host your images on the free hosting site, then use your Mart allowance for the other types of files (tracks, objects, etc.).

Also, most ISP/dialup companies these days provide you with a certain amount of server space to put your own websites. I think even AOL gives you 2Mb per screenname (and they allow 7 screennames total, which gives you 14Mb of space total). You could potentially use that space to host your larger image and download files, too.

Brad

Posted by: Leonardofury Feb 16 2005, 02:00 AM

Yeah uploading RCT3 pic chew up space. They are about 800k each even in PNG format. Once the RCTA website is working again I'll try to use that.

Posted by: zacpro Feb 16 2005, 02:18 AM

One thing you can do is to make all your screenshots in 640x480 resolution.... That makes the file less large. That is what i always do when i have to do a screenshot of something.

Posted by: erhswimming Feb 17 2005, 07:16 PM

Cool idea guys! Too bad I'm not that active (I barely have time anymore to come check up here) or I else I would apply for one too! Maybe this summer when I have a lot more time!

Posted by: ride_exchanger Feb 17 2005, 08:56 PM

zac, if youre running out of 5 star space, you gotta start taking advantage of the RCTA database and image gallery. the image gallery is back up, but you need to talk to Rick so you can upload pics yourself and create galleries. and the RCTA DB will be up in the next few days, and you can put non RCTA files in there, and link to them.