Ok, I just joined this site.
I think it would be a great idea for the site to start new users off with at least a few clothing items instead of making them naked (half) right off the bat.
And maybe increase the first amount of gold you give them, 50 gold just isn't enough for newbs to buy anything.

I also think the dream avatar maker, or Dac should be made public to everyone.
I do understand that the site needs help staying alive with donations, but that's what you have CI's for, or special items, right??.

Why don't you do what Gaia does and have a special CI/ special item store where people can pay the site for those special items???.
I'm talking about having more then just 2 special items a month btw......

Thanks for reading

Mene starts every user with nothing and on fair playing grounds. I like it better that way because earning items is more fun and fair to everyone than handing items to people. Plus if items are handed out to everyone then those items would have no value (like those darn eggs). Plus for 50 gold you can go to the Market Place and buy some items. It's not like gold is hard to earn on Mene anyway.

As far as the DAC goes, it's not public yet because it takes up a lot of server space that costs money. So I really do not have a problem with the DAC being open to only those who donate. It's not like you have to donate monthly to keep access to the DAC anyway. It was open to everyone at one point and caused problems so it can't be public yet.

I don't mean to sound mean or anything but handing out items is horrible for the economy. It's like in real life if everyone was given something then it would have no value and no one wold want it.

I loved the fact everyone started on an equal playing field. Also if you type a really good opening post in the Fresh meat, then you can easy buy the cheaper clothes. I just wandered the site naked until I could afford clothes I liked.

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I'm not talking about hand outs.
I'm saying a shirt and pants, or shorts instead of a bra and underwear.
And I looked in the market place, I didn't see any newbie items for cheap except the egg things and socks.

Hot Gossip and Studio 54 both have cheap clothes that are easy to afford after a newbie posts their Freshmeat thread.

*pokes head in*

The cheapest clothes we've got on Mene are the rag items: Costume Department

As long as a new user makes a Fresh meat thread, they can afford to buy an outfit of those. :yes:

Shirts and pants would be handouts. They would be like those darn eggs and no one would want them. XD There was even a staff run account that was taking those eggs from users who did not want them because there were so many that were handed out during an Easter event. I just would hate to see the staff's work being pretty much thrown out like that again because no one wants them.

I don't see the problem with a shirt and pants/skirt. They aren't supposed to be limited (like event items). They're supposed to be clothes that a newbie can put on right away while they get used to the forums and users of Menewsha. The value wouldn't be how much gold they're worth, it'd be how welcome they make a newbie feel. If people don't want their newbie clothes after a while, then maybe they can sell them for 1 gold each.

The playing field will still be level for all new players, because new players will all receive the same things when they sign up. And if old users are worried about being put at some disadvantage because they didn't get newbie clothes when they signed up (um what lol), the clothes can simply be granted to all accounts.

So I ask, what's the big deal?

There was another thread about this that had some really great discussion about Starter Sets, and there's also a FAQ about this, so give them a read if you have the time:
Starter Sets - Tired of Seeing Noobs in their Underwear?
Is There a Welcome/Starter Pack?

The main reason why Menewsha doesn't provide new users with gold or clothing is because, after posting a Fresh Meat thread, everyone can afford to buy an item that covers up their undies. If more items were to be supplied, they would quickly become worthless, be labeled as boring, and would create the social stigma of "Oh, only a new user would wear that."

All in all, it's not a big deal. We want people to be happy and enjoy their time on the site. But Menewsha has always been a place where people can work hard and earn everything that they get. It lets you feel accomplished once you create your first outfit. That kind of satisfaction ain't free. ;)

Don't forget that there are also charities, some of which are specificially designed to help give new users a helping hand, both in items and in friendship (multiple people answering any questions you might have, no matter how 'silly' they may seem). ;) There are piles of treasures, and new friends just waiting for new users, all you have to do is be brave enough to explore the Charity forums :)