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Discord to Patreon only? (Patreon)

Published:
2024-06-17 10:00:09
Edited:
2024-06-17 13:48:16
Imported:
2026-09
Tags:

Content

Hi, I'm hoping to hear some opinions from you guys!

The community has grown during the years, and there's over 600 people on our Discord server. Some people joining don't really have online presence, and while it's been peaceful in there, I've gotten a little antsy with how things could change in longer run. Sometimes there's boom of new readers, sometimes they're young and I don't know where they're coming from. With as many people as we have, I don't tend to interact that much either and sometimes I feel bad for it.

I've been playing with the idea of making the server Discord-only (one time pledge, you can stay even if you don't renew your tier). What attracts me the most about this idea is that people who join are there because they're interested in what I do instead of just clicking themselves into a random art server, so it's not the money I'm after with this. It's also a way to make sure everyone is 18+ years old which would be nice, (YOU NEED TO BE 18+ TO VIEW MY PATREON PAGE IN THE FIRST PLACE!! dastardly criminals) and more or less share the same outlook of not being a Phobic Bigot which you can often find on dA.

IF I were to make a new server, I'd likely make it related to all the things I do, including Jet and Harley. Right now our server is GS-only, and I don't currently feel comfortable expanding it to my other projects since it's advertised as that, GS-server. Our current discord channels and info are bit of a mess too, I'd love to start with a clean slate.

Troubles with this would be losing nice non-patreon members with the change, and I'd hate to tell them "uuh ooh well go throw money at me then and come back". Like said, I don't really care about the "payment", but if I grandfather everyone in, there'll be younger people, and people with no online presence. Someone mentioned patrons suggesting people they trust to join, a plus one, maybe that could work.

What do you think? Would you be more comfortable with a change to a smaller, more sheltered server, or are you fine with what we have? Don't be shy to comment, I'd love to work with you guys to build something new OR improve the old. The number one thing I want is that everyone feels as comfy and secure as we can in this day and age.

EDIT: Maybe something like this?

So, NO patreon-only server, but a bit stricter when it comes to let people view and comment.

Patreon/Ko-fi users are automatically accepted

New non-patreon/kofi joiners have to be over 18 years old AND provide a link to some sort of SFW platform that isn't empty.

New joiners under the age of 18 OR having no platform can stay, but they only have access to a couple of read-only channels, like where I post a page of either Golden Shrike or Jet and Harley.

Comments

Tholfbutt

Hmmm. This is hard to really work around when it’s supposed to be an 18+ server in the first place. Personally, I would say that, if you can manage it, open up a Patreon only server where we can discuss all of the comics freely while keeping the current server open as well. I’m willing to submit age verification stuff as needed to keep my place in the discord- I’m sure others will be too.

rattGS

Oh I don't want to see anyone's IDs or other verifications, I'll just trust people are what they say and kick if things turn otherwise. Keeping two servers isn't really doable, it'd just double the work.

Cathy

I understand your idea and support it. Though you didnt directly say it, i think you worry that someone could use your discord to prey on your younger audience. You dont have time to police it and even if you did or had an admin team that did there would never be a way to 100% make sure that didnt happen. By making it patron only and you have to be 18 to pledge, it adds an extra layer of protection.

rattGS

Honestly, that scenario didn't even cross my mind before. I glance at pretty much each convo with one eye when I have the time and have never seen anything like that but yeah, it could always happen. The fact I'd like a 18+ server is solely because many adults don't feel that comfortable with minors in the mix, and the energy levels can differ a lot! Herding a group of adults is a lot easier than children.

Galezira

I don't like closing the discord to non-payers. Feels like there's good advertisement in staying open and folks can use discord as a 'news page' for GS, or your other projects if it expands. There's plenty of ppl that don't like social media and non-artists (maybe the best paying audience for art?) don't like using DA and other socials and won't remember to look for page pings there. IMO, if you want to swap from 16 to 18+, a payment isn't actually a barrier either. Maybe a rebuild would be in order. Add new roles that users would have to re-aquire in a new form or by reaction to an updated ruleset, have those roles required to open up the server. Most of the channels could be kept and renamed, moved into new categories, whatever. My personal opinion is to keep the server and broaden it to cover all your work, but not to restrict it's users. Regardless, I'm not going anywhere! Whoo! <3

Galezira

Also, if the discord is limited, I would be worried that someone may open a fan-run discord you're not in control of and the weirdness that can spawn from that. I have no idea if that's something would actually happen, but it seems possible the bigger your enterprise gets???

rattGS

I think the greatest worry for me is the influx of 16 years olds with no socials at all, it makes it very hard to verify their age or vibe check. The 600+ people scare me too! The part of requiring payment isn't something I like, I don't really want to monetize having a place to talk about shared interests, but I do like the fact there's an extra step to join so it's not done all willy nilly. Maybe there could be couple of non-talky page alert channels for anyone who joins... Or maybe one channel to talk. Agh....!

rattGS

Lmao that'd be a nightmare

Galezira

Yeah there's SO many Discord structure options that it's hard to get in the weeds here, heh. Idk ifnaf 600+ one can expect the curation standards to stay top notch. Maybe so! Maybe more automation and mods and a restructure are key. Idk....

Jaykobell

I follow another creator who basically had the same feelings concerning their Discord server. I think it's all about doing what's best for you as a creator: it sounds like everything has grown, and I agree that the channels are a little weird to navigate. Sometimes, starting clean is the best way to go! The creator I follow ended up doing a system where yes, folks can still join the server, but if you're not a Patron, you can't talk in the server. You get news and announcements and page releases, but you're very limited. Still, you can also use the emojis with Nitro, things like that...and if you're friends with a Patron, established Patrons can ask for specific people to be allowed in the server (so no full monetary gatekeeping). That way, you can vibe check some folks a lot more easily. Do what's best for you! I know the creator I mentioned feels worlds better now that their Discord is more "private". There were so many people to moderate and it was becoming stressful for them. They've become more comfortable socializing too now that it's not just for moderation!

rattGS

Ohh thank you for this info! So far this feels like the most doable option.

AlbinoWolf

I was added to the Discord when I signed up to be a Patreon of you, and tbh the size intimidated me so I mostly lurk and I’ve commented a few rare times in the big-bird-chat channel. I personally like the idea of having a small Patreon discord that may be less hectic and more comics discussion. Another creator I follow has a patron only discord and it’s a nice well put together little place where you recognize the names commenting because it’s a small loyal user base

Jaykobell

Happy to hear it! 🙂‍↕️ The creator is ArualMeow, who's making the comic What Lurks Beneath! If you wanted to ever get in touch to see/ask how they set it up. I know they didn't wipe/restart the server, they just got rid of some channels and reworked the permissions. But they also share the exclusive Patreon content in the server, so I bet restarting would have been harder for them. But if it's viable for you, it could be a beneficial option!

Voidcall

I really like the idea of another smaller discord! I’m honestly intimidated by the current one so I don’t check it very often at all, so a smaller one sounds much more comfortable!

Magnum

I haven't even joined your current discord server purely out of laziness, but I'm in a separate one facing a similar issue to yours. It had to remove its channels for 18+ only because kids were lying to get access to them. It's STILL a problem, especially since the server has around 1k members. I'd wholly support you starting with a clean slate to try and curb your own issue with it, & I'd love to join to read/chat about all of the comics!

Cathy

Yea my little sister fell victim to an online predator (luckily we caught it before anything serious happened). So it is something im very paranoid about, so i love the idea of making a more secure 18+ server.

karlobears

I've had to personally remake a server from scratch because the old one had people I never saw active and a fresh start ain't nothing bad! It's like cleaning out your room and reorganising shelves to look neater. Ensuring there's an age limit is also pretty good; unless I know the underage person as a friend, I don't willingly interact with minors out of nowhere.

ShaBiest

Love the idea of a discord server for patrons! I honestly wouldn’t mind you inviting people from your previous discord who you are comfortable with and you KNOW are going to be active in there! You could make an extra channel that’s only accessible to patrons too? I believe there is an option that you instantly get a role when you join through patreon (I could be wrong). So in the end you could invite people who YOU enjoy spending time with from the other server but also give your patrons a special little role and channel. It doesn’t need to be anything fancy! If people ask why they weren’t invited to join Id explain to them that this is a more private discord for you. Setting boundaries is never wrong (not always easy but worth it in my opinion)

Verridith

I’m going to be the devil’s advocate and say that I don’t like Patreon/Ko-fi supporter only servers anymore. They can become very elitist and cliquey very quickly, and it’s pay to play - you have to pay to partake in that community. I think it’s better to have certain channels available to supporters, but otherwise let there be free spaces for the community to thrive, and put your trust in your mod team. If a member becomes a problem, ban em.

NikuComics

I personally, quite like the way it is now, but I'm also not much of a discord chatter :)

rattGS

I don't personally dislike people just lurking, since if activity had to be an issue, I myself would be booted from everywhere! Then again I'm sure there's tons of abandoned accounts on our current server and it'd be nice to clean those out.

rattGS

Yeah that's the other side of the coin I'd love to avoid, and the reason I don't like having money involved. We already have tier exclusive channels and they'll definitely be there to stay, but if I leave things as they are, I'm personally going to have not so great time.

Verridith

Definitely up to you! Just be aware of which direction your supporter community is going and tamp down on any of that behavior as soon as it pops up. I’ve been watching a big supporter community not do that for over a year now and it’s been a not so great time for anyone not in ‘the group’.

rattGS

Very valid concerns! Keeping things kind and decent in the readership is something I hope to upkeep. Being in the center of a rotten atmosphere isn't a place I ever want to be, I'd rather jump ship.

ShaBiest

Oh yeah, I agree! I don’t mind people lurking either but having some people keep the chat alive to have something to look at is always nice

BrambleBat

I would love a Patreon only discord if only to prevent those who aren’t 18 from mingling with adults .. a safe space for all involved ! I think it’s a great idea .

Marissa Statler

I think its a good idea to have a Patreon only server (to avoid potential raids from randos and trolls, and ofc to have it be adult only), but you could set up a tip jar on Patreon to allow people to join without forking out more money than they can spent. $1 a month feels really reasonable to me, because it protects you and your community (and if people pay you to raid, you now have their info via Patreon) but it's also cheap enough that it's not wholly exclusive and should ease concerns from others who posted here.

Kwelve

let's see how I can say this without sounding weird, but this decision, especially the +18, I think it's great. People underestimate the internet a lot, when things as they are, it's rare that a 30 year old can be talking to a 15 year old just because they talk on discord (or worse, we can't even know the ages of those people) Also, don't feel bad for making a patreon only server, we know for a fact that you don't do it for the money, but there are many artists who make that decision, it must be for a reason. But your decision to keep your server suitable for all audiences but with those slight changes is also fine! Anyway, if in the end you choose to make a server only for +18 and patreon people, that's your right. It's your comic, it's your server, it's your rules.

mmfris

I'm a lurker in all big servers I'm in mostly because I'm intimidated by the amount of people, GS server is no different, so a smaller restricted place could be a nice option and definitely more comfortable.

Nikumareyaku

You could limit channels to patreon-only. Then the server would still be open to everybody but they couldn't read or post everywhere. I am in another discord where it is handled this way and it works pretty well.

Maebelline

I think my only hesitation with a clean slate is just all the community art that’ll be gone, but everyone can always repost over time. You (or mods) could also start deleting inactive members. Create a verified members role, that grants access to the normal discord channels. Everyone without it can only see the introduction and page alert channels. You can grandfather in active members, and slowly kick inactive ones. I completely understand wanting to keep it 18+. If you go that route, underage members are going to lose access regardless of whether you start fresh with a new server or kick them from the current, so I wouldn’t necessarily fret over how that influences that decision. Other than the fact that it’ll be easier to start fresh with a new server rather than manually go through the introduction channel. But you could also always let them stay to have the page alert channnel, and nothing else, so they’re not completely omitted 🤷🏻‍♀️

Grey

I would not wish the moderation of open discord servers on anybody, tbh. For the sake of your own expansion, as I’m sure you’d like to bring more attention to works other than Golden Shrike, I think it’s a good idea to retool your server—unless, like some other commenters suggest, you require activity or something, cause I generally just lurk.

Norwein

Personally, I heavily like and support the patreon-only discord idea, It's not even about the money like you mentioned, it's just a good way to make your creative and personal space safe for yourself and your audience, both under 18 and 18+ of age since it's a lot easier to manage and keep an eye on. As far as the expansion and growth go, yeah, sure, making a private server can cut off a part of your audience, but since you actively post on DA, ko-fi etc, I think the expansion will happen naturally over time. Your own comfort in all of this is what matters the most!

Ollieosa

I think first and foremost you should do what makes you the most comfortable for your mental state. That being said, I do prefer spaces that are 18+ being a 30's person myself, especially if your comic is geared to 16+ (I think?) anyone under that shouldn't be there- or that they are in a read only/restricted channels. I think that is 100% reasonable, as a couple people have said. It wouldn't put a lot of restriction, but a little more safety. I think your supporters will know it's not just about the money. I think lurking is fine for folks who don't chat, but a verified token of some sort like an online presence somewhere isn't unreasonable, to weed out potential spammy/bots etc, and perhaps granting specific roles for such users

KnightSmudge

I originally joined the discord because it was a way for me to know when pages were released asap! I wasn't a patreon when I joined but I felt comfortable enough to subscribe after being part of the discord itself for long enough, as well as just wanting to see more content! I personally think the server is quite nice as is, perhaps a small tidy of the channels could possibly help or making more Patreon exclusive channels/sides to the server to lean more towards the 18+ side of things there? TL:DR I do quite like the server being open, and theres already a stopping block for things like raids and others wth people having to be manually let in, I can see the upsides to a Patreon only server but I do think it may cut folks who are interested but unable to support via money completley out if the old server isn't left up in some capacity.

SolarRoseArt

I'm a bit late to this convo but I moderate a server for an artist friend of mine who has a substantial following, so I know how it can get a bit tricky to weed out the people who aren't supposed to be there or who don't help foster a welcoming environment. Personally, I like the server being somewhat open. I think the idea of only getting access manually after you introduce yourself is really smart. Though I also tend to get overwhelmed by larger servers, but with so many social spaces moving away from public "forums" and onto discord I fear that a lot of perfectly chill people would get weeded out by not having money or a social media account. I like the ideas you edited in so far, like a somewhat public but vetted server and also a separate patreon server that kinda ensures minors don't join, but I wonder if you could keep the server as it is, have a general section, that you only get access to after an introduction, with notifications for updates on GS & JaH & etc, maybe with a discussion channel for each as well. Then maybe a leveling system? where as you talk, you gain "levels" so that way people who lurk can still lurk on public GS and JaH pages and see the discussion, then you could have an "extended" section for people who actively participate in the community without fear of being lurked upon. This could include the art and promo channels. That way you can also vet them for any, uh, "red flags" before gaining access to the rest of the server. And in addition to all that you can have a patreon section, where people who sub via patreon can see extra patreon-only stuff, but they also get automatic access to the "extended" section and keep that access even if their sub expires. This is just me spit balling an idea, obviously what is most important is what you think will make you the most comfortable!