VReel: Beta v2 fully open - what's new and what's coming

[VReel-Eoin]

Hi all,

We're going to be making monthly announcements as to the progress of VReel as Beta v2 goes forward. I have the absolute pleasure of opening this announcement with positive news - our Open Beta is now set to continue as it has been, allowing access to our users (being you), without the need for any closed beta invite key.

So with that in mind, let's take a look at what's coming up over the next couple of weeks and months:

• User Reward System
  As some of you have already noticed, your profile now shows "vPoints", and then what would appear to be some random numbers just after it.
  
  Thankfully, there's a system behind generating those numbers which don't involve random math! Your actions and contributions towards VReel affect the amount of vPoints you've got on your account. A "vPoint Store" will be set up in the upcoming weeks, which will allow you to trade these points for various VReel related paraphernalia, such as:
  
  * Premium Accounts (Both gold and Platinum)
  * Additional bandwidth for embed usage
  * Merchandise (Such as t-shirts, hoodies etc)
  
  And many more features to be revealed as time goes on. You can earn vPoints in various ways:
  • Have one of your videos set as featured: 100 points
  • Upload an avatar (can only get this reward once): 25 points
  • Invite a user (successful): 20 points
  • Writing comments to videos and users: 2 points
  • Voting videos: 1 point
  • Uploading videos: 10 points (3minute video minimum - anyone abusing this (such as uploading the same video multiple times, uploading a video without picture/sound, cutting a video up into 3min segments etc etc) will have their vPoint count reset to 0, and may be subject to further disciplinary action)
  • Log in to your account - 1 point (1pt per 24 hours maximum)
  • Upgrading to a gold account: 200 points (current gold members are credited)
  • Upgrading to a platinum account: 600 points (current platinum members are credited)
  • Own a group with more than 20 members: 50 points
  
  We'll be releasing more info on vPoints and should hopefully be announcing our Reward Store in the very near future. We'll keep you updated!
• Peer to Peer interaction
  The biggest challenge the online video industry has faced is ensuring that we can both cut costs and monetize our content to the point of where each video streamed can pay for itself - and hopefully allow enough left over to pump straight back into the development of VReel.
  
  We have been speaking with Pando Networks, who worked with DivX's Stage6 in the past, in order to implement a Peer delivery network over both the DivX webplayer, and VReel Player. This will allow for two things:
  
  (*) Reduce video delivery costs
  (*) Improve end user speed - especially in countries outside of the USA, and Mainland Europe.
  
  Pando is a highly trusted company, and their media booster software is of course adware, spyware, malware and general scumware free.
• Advertisements
  As you can see, VReel is currently supported by an advertisement model, and is working alongside many large and trusted publisher solutions in order to fund our continued (and as usual, massive) growth.
  
  As we announced during our downtime, there are plans in place to switch on a video advertisement system - whereby a short video ad will play before your requested video is aired. As I've mentioned, these adverts are short, non-intrusive, and will not take away from your VReel viewing experience.
  
  If you are looking for an ad-free VReel experience (or just looking to support VReel's early growth!), you can upgrade to a Premium account by clicking here.
• Revenue Share
  As we said - any left over cash flow is always pumped straight back into VReel. We're currently working hard on drawing up architecture to allow users to benefit from our service, by being able to earn money from their uploaded content.
  
  While there's not a lot of info I can divulge on this at the moment, it's high priority to get this rolled out in the new year.
• Direct Advertisement
  You may have already noticed that VReel serves up small 125x125 adverts on video view pages. This type of advertisement, while definitely not new in the publisher marketplace - is one of the most effective, yet unused forms of advertisement online. Not the mention that these adverts are often very easy to blend into webpages, and can be a lot more aestethic than large banners.
  
  Over the next few weeks, we will be setting up a free publisher solution, where you can submit your 125x125 banner, and we will add it to our rotation. In return, you will be required to add the same rotation to your own website - thus in effect, allowing all publishers and advertisers to benefit from additional traffic without cost.
  
  Once again, this trial period will be without any charge to the webmaster, and will not be under an impression limit.
  
  If you are interested in taking part in this trial, please send a mail to 125@vreel.net , titled "125x125 affiliate" - and include a linkback to your webpage, along with a 125x125 banner. Please note that not all advertisers and publishers will be accepted to this trial. For the purpose of this trial, your website must be primarily in the English language, and also be a top level domain. i.e: www.yourname.com/.net/.org/.us/.co.uk etc etc

And that just about wraps this session up. We encourage you to help VReel sustain it's growth by using the "Invite Friends" link under your profile, and rack up your vPoints.

Thanks for stopping by, and please send on any and all comments, queries, or suggestions!

- Eoghan

[VReel-Deacon]

Awesome news! Let's rock and roll!

[adam_2008]

That is great, really glad its open to the public and the point idea is nice

How comes i have 0 points and i saw someone else post they had 500 something even though iv done some of the stuff to get points :S

[Will]

Awesome! Sounds like it's time to get busy. ^_^

[VReel-Eoin]

Originally Posted by adam_2008

That is great, really glad its open to the public and the point idea is nice

How comes i have 0 points and i saw someone else post they had 500 something even though iv done some of the stuff to get points :S

Only Premium accounts have currently been credited (with an additional "early bird" bonus) - points take a while to update through the cache also. This system is currently experimental, and it may take up to 24 hours before we start seeing the results we're planning on.

[nuckfan]

YAHOOOO!!! Vreel is awesome GREAT WORK GUYS!!!

[adam_2008]

Originally Posted by VReel-Eoin

Only Premium accounts have currently been credited (with an additional "early bird" bonus) - points take a while to update through the cache also. This system is currently experimental, and it may take up to 24 hours before we start seeing the results we're planning on.

Just like them premium users to get it first, accountial discrimination lol

[cypax antrax]

Finally.Thats great news boys and girls.

[Mictlan]

This is great news Eoin.

[xtatic]

A well thought out long term strategy, after lots of hard work, I hope it all goes to plan, and you go from strength to strength for many years.

Time now for me to do my bit and upgrade to a premium account.