Sulake cracking down on VIP

[Yonder]

http://habbopetition.com Hoping to get a powerful email in there for visitors just to click submit and it will be sent to sulake.

[HotelUser]

http://habbopetition.com Hoping to get a powerful email in there for visitors just to click submit and it will be sent to sulake.

The idea is genuine, though can't Sulake revoke Habbox's privileges to all Habbo images and text if we rebel?

[Yonder]

This is nothing to do with Habbo this is me has no affilate with Habbox or any other fansite. Im just driving to start a movement i want a powerful email anyone think they can write one i might contact a article write.

[FlyingJesus]

Hard work when ppl start using first names instead of habbo names lol

I think its a great idea and a way forward i would line up a charity to start all this from just before vip needs stopping then on that date resign from the official list out of protest and then do good for the children og britain or the world

Dont back down Mr Nigel we need you :eusa_danc

I'm fairly sure that's not his real name lol, I just pick random names that start with N to call him and Nigel seems to be the most used

http://habbopetition.com Hoping to get a powerful email in there for visitors just to click submit and it will be sent to sulake.

Your heart's in the right place mate but I don't see it helping, rather it would be annoying to them and be a hindrance - a load of kids sending the same angry email is not the same as reasoning with them or working with/around them, and petitions really aren't known for their successes, especially against corporate giants.

[Tintinnabulate]

I'm fairly sure that's not his real name lol, I just pick random names that start with N to call him and Nigel seems to be the most used

He probably has an Indian name. I dunno
Ah well, hope habbox work a way around this.

[Yonder]

Well anything is better than nothing at the moment they are just walking all over us. It wont be an angry email and powerful email, on trying to come to some sort of way to solve this issue.

[nvrspk4]

My name isn't Nigel But you are free to call me one of the many names I've been given, Norman, Nathan, Nigel, Ned, Speedy, Grapefruit, Zigzagoon, the list goes on.

Have you replied to them, trying to reason with them with how utterly stupid this move is?

Yes, several times. Then they stopped replying to my emails and gave sierk the letter.

We aren't making profit as a result of their images though, it would be different if you got a free picture of a Habbo with your VIP but it's completely different and non-related.

No but we offer a service and people buy VIP to gain privileges on that service and Habbo images are a part of that service.

Hence having the "competition" on another domain - VIP manager could easily own it and still not have it as an official part of the site, and there would seriously be no legal action they could bring against us. Also as you mentioned, we are non-profit, so we aren't actually making any business off their name.

They still give money for special privileges which is explicitly forbidden.

Its a very sad day if you dont FIGHT this bullying bunch of scum bags.
I really thought Sierk would relish getting stuck into them over this. I have always found Sierk a very strong character who has always fought for whats right
Habbox has got a great fanbase now who would stop with them whatever get in touch with some other games to see if they would have a problem with VIP and promote their site? imagine all the lost revenue to habbo then and then change from being habbo related and then just minor habbo news etc.

It is ridiculous, and of course we've asked them to change the rule. However our requests have been rebuked and we've been told to make the money via ads (which is insane) but we will reply, however we've been given a deadline of December 1st and we will stick to that simply because I don't want services to be interrupted if we get shut down. We are going to ask them if they will allow us to do the Charity benefit but that too is still up in the air.

@ NVR
Has any explanation been offered from habbo?

They sent us a letter if that's what you mean, but offered no rationale for the decision.

Would it be possible to register as a charity?

People will not be paying for VIP features, but will simply be donating towards the charities main goal - to raise money for a specified charity. And if management choose to, these people may just by chance receive features others don't. They can't complain for that surely - as admins, mods etc. have different features from normal users so why not just make those who donate to charity coincidently get something extra.

That way, we could give the donations towards a charity, but in the UK the company is actually allowed to keep a percentage for the upkeep of the company.

The charity could even be interchangable, with users getting to vote each month which charity the donations go to?

Another quick thought of a loop hole... People who decide to 'donate' for the upkeep of the website happen to become 'Staff'.
We could invent a new role that includes all the features of vip, but maybe some element of optional 'work' that could be done and it could just be a coincidence that those who donate generally appear to be the main people with this 'job'. They can't criticise us for hiring staff with extra features than others to run the site.

I love the idea but I don't think it will work.

Here's an excerpt from the email:

This rule is not a condition for being an official fansite, but a condition for all sites who wish to use the name 'Habbo' or 'Habbo Hotel' in domain names or make use of any graphics, code or written content created by Sulake.

This includes not linking to any site that does not follow the fansite way, whether this is a scam site or premium VIP site or porn site. If you do you are breaking the Fansite way and we will take action in the usual manner (although not run a cease and desist/ removal immediately), but the site charging a premium will be removed immediately. We recognise that popular fansites require money for hosting and other services which is why you ARE allowed to put donation buttons and adverts on your site. In the case of donation buttons, you may not offer a gift or service in return for donating, but you can publish the names of donators anywhere on your site as a 'thank you'.

Those knock down some of the suggestions.

What would be good was if a serious media source got a hold of this We'll email Sulake and Habbo but there's not much we can do past that, in the meantime our main objective will be continuing services without interruption.

[Digital]

Sluke are stupid :| habbox will just die without funding... How do they have any rights to close the website? It's not like V.I.P is uncommon in forums, the sole purpose of V.I.P is help with the funding of the website and in return the people who 'donated' get access to a few extra forums and get a different coloured user name and a few extra things then normal members. What effect does this have on Sluke? NONE except they must think that people will give them more money if they don't donate to forums?

Maybe someone should give them a ring and make a complainant? Unless anyone can think of a way round this?

[nvrspk4]

For the record, Habbox is not closing in the near future, we have funds for the short term, and we are working on alternate plans for the long term if we don't get to reinstate VIP.

[Digital]

What about if habbox sell something? Such as rep? and people who but certain amouts will be given a rank (v.i.p with a different name) in return? It's not donating and its not v.i.p lol dnt see why it wouldn't work