Status of Xylot Themes
 

http://themes.xylot.com/images/banner_v3.jpg

Before anybody flames me for this thread, I got the OK from Funky Fly after he PMed me regarding the status of my site, Xylot Themes. He was one of dozens of TPWWers asking about the status of the site, so I figured I'd officially let you all know.

Xylot Themes will hopefully re-open on September 22nd (first day of autumn and the Autumnal Equinox). It is being re-written in entirely new script (in PHP, which is way faster and more efficient in its operation than ASP can ever be) from the ground up. This means that all users wil have to sign up all over again.

The other reason for all users needing to sign up again is that I've changed the membership scheme. When you sign up, you are automatically a Basic member, which is free and gives you 10 MB of downloads per day. The other memberships are as follow:

• Premium Membership - $10 per YEAR (about 83 cents a month) for 50 MB of downloads per DAY.
• Gold Membership - $20 per YEAR (about $1.67 a month) for 120 MB per DAY.
• Platinum Membership - $50 per YEAR (about $4.17 a month), but get this: you get UNLIMITED downloads for that entire year. Want to download everything in one day? Go for it! I can't guarantee the server will handle it for more than a few people, but it can damn well try!

So yeah, upgrading is optional and is not forced upon anybody, but it's obviously a good deal. Why else is it a good deal, you ask?

I will have WWE, WCW, ECW, and TNA themes on this site. Not only entrance themes, but PPV and TV themes as well. The ECW section will be slow in coming because it's 99% actual songs, most of whcih I don't currently have on my computer. This means a lot of downloading on my end and then uploading to my server.

In addition to the above, there will also be a chat room and message forums geared toward theme-related discussion, but it will also have forums for wrestling, music, sports, and a casual forum as well. There will also (eventually) be a Search feature to search all themes for a particular title or part of a title, as well as the usual Site Updates and Contact Us sections.

I can't really think of anything else really. If you want to help the site, I could REALLY use somebody who can host all the ECW themes (entrances only so far) on their own server (one that allows remote linking of files, so most likely a paid web host) for the site. The person that can do this for me (download the songs that are ECW themes, upload it to their server, name them according to a specified scheme) will get unlimited access to the site, basically a free Platinum Membership.

I also want to get your feedback on the paid membership idea. I don't want to hear about the legalities of it, I've sorted it all out in my head and I've decided to just take the risk. But are people willing to either stay with 10 MB/day, or pay for membership to the site. I mean, it's really not that much to ask for (as opposed to what, e.g., music download sites charge), and besides it's a valuable service I provide wrestling fans. :)

We can provide you really good rips and everything. :)

Pft. I got no credit. ;\

Shit! I'm sorry, Jaton, here goes:

Jaton is basically considered co-creator of this site now. He's been instrumental in helping me obtain rips from several video games and will assist in ripping sound from rented pay-per-views (as a last resort for those rare themes I cannot find anywhere) and from...other sources. :shifty:

He will be the moderator of the forums when they're done, so start kissing his ass now. ;)

:naughty:

Yay! The day after my birthday!

Now do I go Gold or Platinum....

Platinum, fool!

Heh, seriously, I've been paranoid for weeks now over the decision to charge for the site. I mean, I'm sure there will be SOME resentment, but it really does help pay for the web hosting and for extra bandwidth when I eventually upgrade to a better plan. So it's for a good cause. :p

It's not like we're asking for much anyways.

How will you be accepting payment?

Because I will more than likely be going Platinum..

That's up to TerranRich, and I think he's gone for the night. I'm pretty sure it's by paypal though.

WWE will shut you down if you are charging for what is essentially their property without their ok.

I'd make it "donation" based (with the perks remaining the same). There is no real change, but you are not tecnically charging for the songs anymore.

I have a few show themes. HeATs 1998 theme and the old RAW is WAR theme (both the version played at the start of the show and the full 4 minute version) and I think I may have a few others somewhere.

Funky, we're charging for the bandwidth, essentially.

Oh, you're in on it too? Cool.

yeah prob wont d/l anything but I will troll your forum like a bitch. basic membership for me <3

Cha. I'm ripping themes and running the message board. :D

Didn't you read above? :yes:

No, I didn't.

But I have now, and let it be known: I KISS NO ONE'S ASS.

I only kiss big black Ultimo_lovin' mods ass

:kiss:

And I still banned you that time. :kiss:

Why would you kiss anyone's ass? All I ask for is thanks for the themes that I rip. And your money, of course.

Kidding, har har.

No, but seriously. Money is nice. ;p

:kiss:

You will have to fight me for my money. :mad:

-pulls out brass knucks-

Jaton as my pet n00b (Even though I haven't done anything)I would like free membership ;) :kiss:

I don't control the memberships. I'll see what I can do though.

Yeah, some apprentiship. :\

whoa czeck out jat0ns profile

hes black :eek:

Be careful, you can and will be sued for charging people for bandwith... to download illegal mp3's. (ECW themes esp.)

They pay just for the sites address, that'll work.:shifty:

OMG Ferret! I'm black! Actually, I'm black/white. I'm a mutt. :)

See, I understand the legalities behind it. And Funky Fly had a very good idea. Make it donation based, which I will. But, you see, by offering a free membership anyway, wouldn't that help my case that I'm not charging for access, merely for extra bandwidth? I know, I know, it's wishful thinking to think that WWE would see it that way, but maybe with plenty of disclaimers and notices it would work out. Eh, whatever.

If I get "shut down", I have plans on going underground. I would keep the site running, but have people join up through me, personally. I would add them manually as a member and give them their login info. People would have to spread the site around by email or PM only, not by public posting. If I find any instance of a public posting, I would have to change the site URL. The main login page would be plain and simple, and random visitors would not know what the hell it is. But that's just my "underground" Plan B.

And now everybody knows what your secret plan is. Way to go, loser. :y: :p

Seriously though, keep up the good work, I may consider a "donation" membership once I get a sodding job.

I'm just saying.. I've seen tons of sites have legal action threatened against them for things alot more miniscule then 100's of illegal mp3's... most of which are actually on CD's that were sold for profit at one time or another by WWE. If they'll fire the Hebner's after reffing 500 years, just for selling a few shirts... they will blast you for freely distributing their copyrighted music. ECW tunes would probably get you in the most heat, as soon as Sandman's theme is uploaded...

Metallica + Internet + Potential Money = Lawsuit.

I hope it doesn't happen though, there's no more good theme sites around..

If needed, I have a majority of the ring of honor themes. DOn't know if you'd wanna use them for the site though.

Okay, here's the plan. For the ECW section, I will ONLY list what songs were used. I will NOT put the actual songs up for download, since you can get [buy] them anywhere and, yes, putting up a shitload of licensed music on one page is suicide. I will simply list WHAT the songs are, not have links to them for download.

The other pages, however, will have WCW and WWE themes for download.

thecc: ROH themes would be great. Are they actual themes, or real songs? If they're real songs, that falls under the ECW plan and will only be listed.

ThruTheWire: The way it works is WWE would threaten me, not take actual action. That's when I'd go underground. If WWE ever visited the new version of the site somehow, they'd only see a plain old login box, no sign that it's a themes site whatsoever. Members would have access and registration would be manually and through me, personally, through emails. Members would refer other people to my email address to ask for membership, and I would rigorously check all sites and search engines to see if my site is being posted for public view, in which case I will change the URL and ask for the post to be taken down. Hard work, I know, but that's the backup plan.

Hey, the original Xylot Themes (V2 actually, the last one I had up and running) ran fine for a few months and I didn't hear a peep from any legal offices or anything. We'll see.

On a side note, I never understood why people ask for the ECW themes that are actual songs. Use LimeWire or Napster or something. Christ. :p

There ARE, however, certain ECW themes are were original themes, like those by Harry and the Slashtones, etc. Those will be available for download. But any actual songs used as ECW themes would be only a listing, not a link. That is all. :)

Send me Super Crazies theme dammit. :p

Seriously