Are you comfortable with the roles and waiting periods?

[MariPZ]

Hi! I just want to know what others think about the new model that's been implemented with roles and such.
Am I the only one who feels like the community has been moving backward instead of forward ever since then?
I'm especially interested in hearing the opinions of cofunding members!

The thing is, no matter how I look at it, there seem to be more downsides, and I'll explain them.
If anyone has a different point of view, please share your opinion!

1. I don't quite understand why consider stopping cofunding of english versions due to piracy since this has always happened. The important thing would be to maintain a safe space for those who share them, right? Of course, this includes crowdfunding members so that the links they share are respected. They'll decide what they want to share, and if it's not possible for them, others will upload it using their own methods.

2. Has an explanation been given for the new waiting periods? Is it to filter by roles and grant benefits? Because it doesn't guarantee that link leaks will be prevented, right? (and I'm not trying to point fingers. I'm just sharing my opinion that the new model might make people more impatient and indirectly encourage the very thing it's trying to prevent, I think). I've noticed that someone tried to share a game on their own awaiting for release through crowdfunding, and the post was deleted for no reason. I understand that there are priorities, but this makes it feel like others are being held back, when at the end of the day, the goal is to be a supportive community. This is another problem with the wait times I found.

3. Is the purpose of the roles themselves to restrict the section? I see that they have their benefits, but the truth is that with wait, the basic and intermediate don't seem to make much of a difference. Plus, the wait will only encourage members to find their own ways to get the games or to get impatient when the countdown ends.

No matter how you look at it, the only thing that should matter is everyone's comfort. Sorry if this is long or sounds off! It's just that I get the impression the new model is more focused on restrictions that end up affecting its own members, so I wanted to know what others thought to see if I'm the only one ;;

 

[Beannie]

Hi, first of all, thank you for taking the time to write down your thoughts . I'm not a mod, but I've been a contributor since the beginning and an uploader on AS, so please still take my thoughts with a grain of salt.

1. As for the English releases, it seems that most of them are being shared on public websites on day one anyway. Because of that, there has been some discussion about at least postponing the purchase of these releases, or simply not purchasing them at all in the case of bigger releases, in order to effectively redirect those funds toward smaller games that are less likely to be picked up.

2. Just my personal opinion, but I think it might simply come down to a few things:

A. High download traffic increases the risk for the uploader. The sooner you upload something, the more people will potentially download it.

B. We do want to give a game a fair chance. There may be people who would simply buy the game because they don't want to wait. Some frustration is understandable, but I've also heard about some rather nasty comments directed at the uploader/group, and I can imagine that this would discourage the uploader from sharing things as quickly.

I have no clue what happened with the deleted threads, but I agree with you about the importance of having a strong and healthy community.

3. I think originally it was supposed to be some sort of "badge of honour" system: an incentive to engage more with the community and, in turn, receive a badge.

And yeah, we are all pirates, but at the same time, I do think that waiting is a fair trade-off for getting something for free. There are also options to join the co-purchase group or simply buy the game if someone is too impatient to wait.

 

[MariPZ]

Hi, first of all, thank you for taking the time to write down your thoughts . I'm not a mod, but I've been a contributor since the beginning and an uploader on AS, so please still take my thoughts with a grain of salt.

1. As for the English releases, it seems that most of them are being shared on public websites on day one anyway. Because of that, there has been some discussion about at least postponing the purchase of these releases, or simply not purchasing them at all in the case of bigger releases, in order to effectively redirect those funds toward smaller games that are less likely to be picked up.

2. Just my personal opinion, but I think it might simply come down to a few things:

A. High download traffic increases the risk for the uploader. The sooner you upload something, the more people will potentially download it.

B. We do want to give a game a fair chance. There may be people who would simply buy the game because they don't want to wait. Some frustration is understandable, but I've also heard about some rather nasty comments directed at the uploader/group, and I can imagine that this would discourage the uploader from sharing things as quickly.

I have no clue what happened with the deleted threads, but I agree with you about the importance of having a strong and healthy community.

3. I think originally it was supposed to be some sort of "badge of honour" system: an incentive to engage more with the community and, in turn, receive a badge.

And yeah, we are all pirates, but at the same time, I do think that waiting is a fair trade-off for getting something for free. There are also options to join the co-purchase group or simply buy the game if someone is too impatient to wait.

This is exactly what I wanted! Thanks for your comment.
I wanted to hear the opinions of cofunding members.

I respect the idea that those who contribute the most should have first access, and that just anyone shouldn't be able to download it and then disappear. The nasty comments are a shame. I understand the frustration, but getting personal is going too far.

One thing I do think is that waiting two weeks is a bit long, since, as they say, it makes no difference if people go to another site to get the game, so I feel like the sense of belonging to the community gets lost a little. I understand a few days, especially if they think it might affect the game's sales but in that case I'm left with one question if you're okay with it: if, for example, I bought the game and wanted to share it before the waiting period ended, would that cause any issues? No explicit rule has been stated regarding this, so I don't know how that would work.

 

[Ted]

Hi, how's it going? Personally, I haven't been part of the crowdfunding group, but I've bought a few games that I want to share with the group. However, in one particular case, I wanted to share with another member in a post a copy I bought, but my post was deleted. There was already a thread for that game (with a waiting period that hadn't been unlocked yet, though).

Is this not allowed? I don't think I've been able to find anything clear about this in the rules.

On that occasion, I won't lie, I got a little discouraged about continuing to share my copies if I "have to" do it only through the crowdfunding group. Or at least, that's the impression I got.

I appreciate the efforts of all the moderators and the community for providing a space to share our thoughts and for trying to make this a safe place to download otome games, and I especially appreciate those who contribute to buying them, whether individually or as a group!

Edit: I shared a bit of my concerns about the same topic in another post but my answer has been deleted there , maybe it's an error?

 

[dogiwall]

I'm not a co-funding member and most of your questions have been already answered, but I need to point out that there's other piracy groups for other niche things also that have the same/similiar practices or are a lot worse so I'm not not that bothered by this group's new model lol. Especially when I have hobbies and a massive backlog that makes two weeks fly by so fast.

 

[MariPZ]

I'm not a co-funding member and most of your questions have been already answered, but I need to point out that there's other piracy groups for other niche things also that have the same/similiar practices or are a lot worse so I'm not not that bothered by this group's new model lol. Especially when I have hobbies and a massive backlog that makes two weeks fly by so fast.

Yes, I'm aware! At the time of this post, I still hadn't received a response and was confused. I understand how it might be for other groups. I'm just talking about my experience in this one particular compared to how it was before. Thanks for your opinion

 

[MariPZ]

Hi, how's it going? Personally, I haven't been part of the crowdfunding group, but I've bought a few games that I want to share with the group. However, in one particular case, I wanted to share with another member in a post a copy I bought, but my post was deleted. There was already a thread for that game (with a waiting period that hadn't been unlocked yet, though).

Is this not allowed? I don't think I've been able to find anything clear about this in the rules.

On that occasion, I won't lie, I got a little discouraged about continuing to share my copies if I "have to" do it only through the crowdfunding group. Or at least, that's the impression I got.

I appreciate the efforts of all the moderators and the community for providing a space to share our thoughts and for trying to make this a safe place to download otome games, and I especially appreciate those who contribute to buying them, whether individually or as a group!

Edit: I shared a bit of my concerns about the same topic in another post but my answer has been deleted there , maybe it's an error?

I've seen this happen which is why I'm unsure. I don't know if sharing games is safe because I've noticed that they get deleted if you share them before the co-puchasing release :c I respect their roles and waiting periods, but I feel that they limit others if I can't share what I want with my own money.

@Checkmate
Sorry for the ping, I wanted to ask if is there a rule about this?

Post in thread '[JP/ENG/ZH] 乙女ゲーム共同購入 / Otome Game Co-Purchase group'

Today at 8:16 AM

Well DM me some evidence as Im not seeing us having a discussion about this at all Unless it was some time ago, i'll move this conversation there.

Okay!

Edit: I think my previous responses were deleted. Maybe it was an error?

• Ted

 

[Checkmate]

Well, I believe I have explained this clearly in the past, yet my explanation never seems to come through.

Let me clarify again, and I truly hope I can make this clear one more time.

First, let's address the elephant in the room: the Otome Co-Purchasing Group (Otome Group) is an independent entity. They have my support, but in return, ASF members will gain access to the content after a specified waiting period, which is determined at the discretion of the Group Leader, who also acts as the moderator of the ASF's Otome Corner.

The admin hopes that by establishing this mutually beneficial relationship, we can provide ASF members with more content.

Unfortunately, this brings us to the second issue: more content equals more unwanted attention, and the Otome Section has been under constant threat that I cannot disclose.

The Co-Purchasing Group is not responsible for the new roles and ranking system. These measures were implemented to safeguard the content provided by the Co-Purchasing Group.

I have mentioned this numerous times, but it seems to fall on deaf ears, many members find it incredibly easy to obtain the basic rank at ASF;. some achieve it in just 10 posts. Read that again: T-E-N. Was that really difficult? Perhaps it was inconvenient, but it's nowhere near hard, and we never asked for donations to ASF.

You are welcome to join the Co-Purchasing Group, which allows you to access the content more quickly, but beyond that, you will receive the content eventually, as long as you have the basic rank at ASF.

---

Now that's clarified, let's move on to your questions and concerns:

The Admin has repeatedly stated that all otome members can post their own content without issues, even before the establishment of the Co-Purchasing Group. In fact, if you take a trip to the game section, you will see content uploaded by everyone, not just the Co-Purchasing Group.

If a moderator deleted your upload without a valid reason, please report it to me with as many details as possible.

As for Ted's message, it was deleted because it was off-topic in the Co-Purchasing Group, but our mod did say Ted can PM to follow up with any question she may have. Ted can also try Site Support instead, and this is the best way bring the concern with the admin and general staff.

For Ted's deleted upload thread, that was back in May, and I've made the rule clear ever since then

But in case it's not clear, let me made this clear once more time:

Member can post content of their own procurement even if the Co-Purchase Group hasn't unlocked the same thing. We just ask you to use the Hide Group function

Member can also do so while the Co-Purchase Group still has an active timer gate. Without any problem.

 

[MariPZ]

Well, I believe I have explained this clearly in the past, yet my explanation never seems to come through.

Let me clarify again, and I truly hope I can make this clear one more time.

First, let's address the elephant in the room: the Otome Co-Purchasing Group (Otome Group) is an independent entity. They have my support, but in return, ASF members will gain access to the content after a specified waiting period, which is determined at the discretion of the Group Leader, who also acts as the moderator of the ASF's Otome Corner.

The admin hopes that by establishing this mutually beneficial relationship, we can provide ASF members with more content.

Unfortunately, this brings us to the second issue: more content equals more unwanted attention, and the Otome Section has been under constant threat that I cannot disclose.

The Co-Purchasing Group is not responsible for the new roles and ranking system. These measures were implemented to safeguard the content provided by the Co-Purchasing Group.

I have mentioned this numerous times, but it seems to fall on deaf ears, many members find it incredibly easy to obtain the basic rank at ASF;. some achieve it in just 10 posts. Read that again: T-E-N. Was that really difficult? Perhaps it was inconvenient, but it's nowhere near hard, and we never asked for donations to ASF.

You are welcome to join the Co-Purchasing Group, which allows you to access the content more quickly, but beyond that, you will receive the content eventually, as long as you have the basic rank at ASF.

---

Now that's clarified, let's move on to your questions and concerns:

The Admin has repeatedly stated that all otome members can post their own content without issues, even before the establishment of the Co-Purchasing Group. In fact, if you take a trip to the game section, you will see content uploaded by everyone, not just the Co-Purchasing Group.

If a moderator deleted your upload without a valid reason, please report it to me with as many details as possible.

As for Ted's message, it was deleted because it was off-topic in the Co-Purchasing Group, but our mod did say Ted can PM to follow up with any question she may have. Ted can also try Site Support instead, and this is the best way bring the concern with the admin and general staff.

First of all, thanks for replying!

Thanks, I have no problem with the rules if they help protect against the threat.

My question is specifically about other posts about the same game. I've seen posts by other users sharing a game get deleted before it was released by the cofunding group, so I wasn't sure if that wasn't allowed. That clears up my question.

The thing is, if we have to wait without being able to share through our own, that would force us to wait until the countdown ends: that's why I had questions about the roles, since how long we'd have to wait if we can't share it would depend on that.

If we can share our own versions, then everything is clear! Maybe it could be added to the rules? I feel like there might be more misunderstandings about this again

 

[Checkmate]

My question is specifically about other posts about the same game. I've seen posts by other users sharing a game get deleted before it was released by the cofunding group, so I wasn't sure if that wasn't allowed. That clears up my question.

Ted case was back in May, that was the ONLY incident, and I've made it clear since then, I remember Ted wish not to repost the thread and I respect Ted's decision, that was the end of it, since May 1st.

Member can post content of their own procurement even if the Co-Purchase Group hasn't unlocked the same thing. We just ask you to use the Hide Group function

Member can also do so while the Co-Purchase Group still has an active timer gate. Without any problem.

Is it clear enough or still need clarification?

If we can share our own versions, then everything is clear! Maybe it could be added to the rules? I feel like there might be more misunderstandings about this again

Affirmative, you can share your own version, while the Co-Purchase Group plan to release it, before Co-Purchase Group release it, or during the timer grace period that the Co-Purchase Group had.

 

[annaqueue]

As a relatively new member here, I don't really have a major problem with the system itself. Sites like this with long histories often naturally lean toward keeping the community smaller and more tight-knit—especially considering we deal with a niche interest like otome games and drama CDs.

Speaking as a new uploader, legal issues aren't really my main personal concern. However, unlike male-dominated gaming communities that heavily rely on torrents, our community mostly uses direct download hosts. Unlocked links on these platforms can easily be indexed by bots from Japanese publishers, leading to quick takedowns. In some regions, there are real legal consequences for uploaders, not to mention how exhausting it is to constantly re-upload taken-down files. So I fully understand why uploaders want protection.

That said, here are my honest thoughts on the new system:

The 1-Month Wait Time & Account Limitations: While a 2-week restriction doesn't feel too long, requiring a full month of waiting feels a bit exaggerated to me. What's frustrating is that even if you earn a specific title/role, system limitations can still restrict your account simply because it isn't a month old yet. In those edge cases, there's no real assistance available—you're just told to wait out the clock.

Realistic Expectations About Leaks: If the sole intention behind this system is to completely prevent files from being shared outside this site, I think that's a bit unrealistic. Once something is uploaded to the internet, you have to accept that it no longer belongs strictly to you. Expecting a link to never leak once it's online just isn't grounded in how the internet works.

Incentivizing Uploaders: While the forum wants to encourage sharing, realistically, who wants to start uploading before they cant even see the download pages? It doesn't affect me personally since I used to share files on free platforms years ago without expecting anything in return—which is part of why I joined here. But I agree that the current structure can make it feel like contributing is being discouraged rather than welcomed. (Personally, I'm waiting to unlock my title just so I can upload more).

The Uploader Dynamic: I initially thought that reaching a certain number of uploads should automatically grant titles, but that might encourage "one-hit runners" who upload just enough to get access and leave. So the current framework might still be the safest option overall, though I'd love to see some middle-ground tweaks^^

Ultimately, we have to keep in mind that in almost any forum or online platform, around 95% of users are purely leechers/consumers—they download, leave, and don't contribute back. Because of that, it makes complete sense to me that the staff prioritizes protecting active uploaders rather than catering strictly to passive downloaders.

Thanks for starting this discussion, and I'm curious to hear how others see it as well!

 

[Checkmate]

The 1-Month Wait Time & Account Limitations: While a 2-week restriction doesn't feel too long, requiring a full month of waiting feels a bit exaggerated to me. What's frustrating is that even if you earn a specific title/role, system limitations can still restrict your account simply because it isn't a month old yet. In those edge cases, there's no real assistance available—you're just told to wait out the clock.

Are you referring to the game thread or the member rank?

It's important to clarify the difference. Here on ASF, we allow Uploaders to make their own choices within reasonable limits; they can choose to restrict their content to a selected subset of members, hide it behind a timer of 180 days, or allow visibility to only a very small group.

This is left to the discretion of the Uploader. This practice has been in place since the establishment of the Otome Group over a decade ago. Ataraxia was among the first Uploaders to utilize this function extensively in the past.

For the ranking system, there's a fast path of 14 days, and a slower path of 30 days to obtain the basic rank.

Realistic Expectations About Leaks: If the sole intention behind this system is to completely prevent files from being shared outside this site, I think that's a bit unrealistic. Once something is uploaded to the internet, you have to accept that it no longer belongs strictly to you. Expecting a link to never leak once it's online just isn't grounded in how the internet works.

As long as it is not within 30-60 days, there is little problem. A leak will eventually occur, and I have made this clear to the Co-Purchasing Group. Please understand that as the admin do not wish to impose more restrictions than necessary.

Although I am not an Otome player, I recognize the sensitive nature of the section, which requires these restrictions to be in place for everyone's benefit. Honestly, if I had to choose between waiting a month or not waiting at all, I would always choose the month.

 

[MariPZ]

Ted case was back in May, that was the ONLY incident, and I've made it clear since then, I remember Ted wish not to repost the thread and I respect Ted's decision, that was the end of it, since May 1st.

Member can post content of their own procurement even if the Co-Purchase Group hasn't unlocked the same thing. We just ask you to use the Hide Group function

Member can also do so while the Co-Purchase Group still has an active timer gate. Without any problem.

Is it clear enough or still need clarification?



Affirmative, you can share your own version, while the Co-Purchase Group plan to release it, before Co-Purchase Group release it, or during the timer grace period that the Co-Purchase Group had.

Yes, I also respect Ted's wishes and understand them! Still, I think this wasn't the only case... ;;; I don't know if others have been reported tho?

Thank you for clarifying if it's possible to share a Co-Purchase title before it's been released! That was my question. To avoid further confusion, maybe this could be added to the rules pls?

 

[annaqueue]

Are you referring to the game thread or the member rank?

It's important to clarify the difference. Here on ASF, we allow Uploaders to make their own choices within reasonable limits; they can choose to restrict their content to a selected subset of members, hide it behind a timer of 180 days, or allow visibility to only a very small group.

This is left to the discretion of the Uploader. This practice has been in place since the establishment of the Otome Group over a decade ago. Ataraxia was among the first Uploaders to utilize this function extensively in the past.

For the ranking system, there's a fast path of 14 days, and a slower path of 30 days to obtain the basic rank.



As long as it is not within 30-60 days, there is little problem. A leak will eventually occur, and I have made this clear to the Co-Purchasing Group. Please understand that as the admin do not wish to impose more restrictions than necessary.

Although I am not an Otome player, I recognize the sensitive nature of the section, which requires these restrictions to be in place for everyone's benefit. Honestly, if I had to choose between waiting a month or not waiting at all, I would always choose the month.

Thank you so much for the detailed reply and for taking the time to clarify how things work!^^

I think there might have been a slight misunderstanding regarding a couple of my points, so I'd love to clarify what I meant:

Regarding the 1-Month Wait & System Limitations:

I wasn't actually referring to the custom timers or visibility restrictions that Uploaders individually set on their own threads (which I completely respect!). What I meant was the site's automatic system check. From what I've observed—though please correct me if I'm mistaken—it seemed like even if a new member completes the fast-track criteria (the 14-day path) and earns a title, the automated system still locks certain features simply because the account age hasn't hit the 30-day mark yet. My point was just based on a few instances I noticed where eligible members appeared to get stuck at that automated roadblock without a manual workaround.

Regarding Leaks & Co-Purchasing:

I wasn't referring specifically to the Co-Purchasing Group's exclusive releases, but rather to general uploads across the forum. My thought was simply a general perspective that once any link is out on the internet, some level of sharing is inevitable over time. I completely agree with you, though—protecting content during that crucial initial 30–60 day window makes total sense, and I appreciate the staff balancing protection without being overly restrictive.


To wrap it up, I actually think the system does a good job of protecting uploaders, and I completely understand why the community prefers to stay small. I don't have a problem with how things are set up, but I thought highlighting these edge cases might help find an even better balance between protecting uploaders and encouraging new members to contribute. Really appreciate your response and all the work you do here!^^