Location: SPS Accounts » Features & FAQ

What is an SPS account?

SPS accounts are our way of giving something extra back to those of our visitors who directly support the operation of Sorcerer's Place by donating a certain sum of money. Additionally, all members of the SP team get SPS accounts for free.

We will work hard to add new features to SP that are exclusive to SPS account holders. Note, however, that if you don't join, nothing will be different for you in terms of regular content availability - SP is still completely committed to offering the best news and information about D&D and other select fantasy games, and that will not change.

Why does Sorcerer's Place need SPS accounts?

The SPS accounts serve a double function - to provide added value for the generous donors who have been satisfied with little in return until now, as well as to incite other visitors to sign up; visitors who might not have wanted to donate thus far, because they didn't see themselves gaining much from it.

The harsh reality of the situation is that Sorcerer's Place has long not been able to support itself with advertising revenue alone. Over the years, the ads have gotten progressively bigger and more annoying, and paid consistently less. Coupled with Sorcerer's Place's continual growth, both in size and resource requirements, we have arrived at a fatal combination. To survive, we rely heavily on the generosity of our donors. And since we want to make the donors feel they are actually getting something in return besides the warm, fuzzy feeling that comes with supporting something you enjoy, we have provided the SPS accounts.

What do I gain with an SPS account?

By becoming an SPS account holder, you help support Sorcerer's Place. This service allows us to expand our coverage and offer you a variety of new features, which will continue to grow over time.

Here is a list of the benefits you currently receive by becoming an SPS account holder:

1. No More Advertising!
One of the first things that you will notice about becoming an SPS account holder is the option to remove all advertisements from Sorcerer's Place:

• The removal of all intrusive advertisements from our pages. This means no more pop-ups, pop-unders, flash ads, etc.
• Optional removal of the left and right side skyscraper banners, as well as the top banners.
• The removal of ads from our message boards.

  2. Message Board Perks
  By becoming an SPS account holder, you will have the following unique features added to your account in our forums:

• A special icon () & title indicating your SPS status.
• Access to a private forum for SPS account holders only.
• A custom portrait/avatar & title. SPS account holders can have titles twice the regular length, and select from over 1000 avatars and portraits.
• The ability to upload an animated profile picture (gif).
• Expanded album pictures (larger width, height and file size, plus double the number of allowed pictures to upload to the albums).
• Expanded signatures (higher character, line and code limits, and the ability to use link advertising and images in signatures).
• Expanded private messages (PMs). 500 PMs storage limit, the ability to send PMs to users who have reached their maximum stored messages quota and the ability to send a PM to a maximum of 5 members at the same time.
• Reputation control (the ability to see who has given you negative or positive reputation points).
• The ability to change your user name up to 5 times.
• Private calendars (very similar to Outlook's calendar).

3. Direct Content Download
As an SPS account holder you will also gain direct access to a number of exclusive download options, including screenshot batches and game soundtracks.

Additionally, you will be able to download each of the files hosted at Sorcerer's Place without having to wait a few seconds for your download to be prepared. No more waiting in line!

4. Sorcerers.net E-mail Forwarder
As an SPS account holder you are entitled to a @sorcerers.net e-mail forwarder. You are free to specify the name of the forwarder, as well as the forwarding location.

5. Basic Web Hosting
As an SPS account holder you have the option to request a basic web hosting account with us. At this point we are able to provide all SPS account holders with 300 megabytes of space, an FTP account to access their sites, 1 database (by request) and unlimited monthly bandwidth (within reason). All web hosting accounts are normally set up as subdomains, though setting up a separate domain is also possible by arrangement. If you've ever needed some web-accessible place to put up various images, files, a personal website or something similar, this SPS account feature should come in handy.

6. Beta-testing New SP Features
As an SPS account holder you will have the opportunity to try out and provide feedback on the upcoming site or message board features before everyone else.

We are always looking to add even more value to the SPS accounts, so we regularly keep improving the SPS features and services. Ready to sign-up? You can do it here!

If I do not join, do I lose access to anything on SP?

Not at all. All of the services and features that we had available to you before starting this new service will still be available to you absolutely free.

How much does it cost?

A variety of subscription options are available. Please see this page for the current prices.

Is it safe to send my credit card information over the Internet?

We use PayPal to handle all the money transactions. All credit card transaction information is sent from your browser to the PayPal servers that process the transaction via a securely encrypted connection. We don't store your credit card information on our servers; in fact, we do not keep credit card numbers on any server in any file or database. PayPal is completely safe and used by millions of people every day.

Is there a way to donate without using a credit card?

Yes. Please see this page for details.

What is your refund policy?

Due to the nature of this service, we do not offer refunds.

Can I cancel my membership?

There is no formal cancellation process. If you no longer want to use your SPS account, simply let it expire on its own by choosing not to renew once you get the notice that your SPS account is about to expire. We do not automatically renew subscriptions.

If I get an SPS account, will the site be faster?

Most likely, yes. The reason is the lack of ads. However, there are many factors that determine how quickly a web page loads, and not all of them are under our control. But we do strive to keep our site as fast as possible for subscribers and non-subscribers alike.

How do renewals work?

We will notify you when your subscription is about to expire, and at that time you can decide whether you wish to renew it. We will save your account information for 90 days after your subscription lapses. We do not automatically renew subscriptions, and no further charges will appear on your credit card.

Is my personal information kept secure & private?

Yes. We take great pains to protect your personal information. We do not share your personal information with any other parties whatsoever. That is our policy and our promise. We take your privacy concerns very seriously, and we are committed to protecting your personal information from all unauthorized access.

What happens when an SPS account expires?

If your account expires, you lose all of the SPS benefits mentioned above, with the exception of your chosen avatar/portrait + title. You keep these for as long as you remain active on our message boards.

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