Full Update Explanation (long) (Patreon)

First of all, apologies to you guys for not asking for feedback first on the last update. I was an idiot and didn't read it completely before implementing, it being permanent and all. I mostly wanted to see if it would remove the long, annoying list of declined pledges, since they're a pain to work around, and since the update a month ago regarding 'locking posts' to processed patrons only, this update actually changes VERY LITTLE, yet seemed to cause a lot of confusion, so, here's my best explanation at the changes:

----------

The first update I mentioned- About a month or two ago, Patreon released a non-optional update to some creators, detailed here:

https://patreon.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/206259126

What this update changed was how my posts are visible to others. When I create a new post, I can choose for the post to be "Public/Everyone in the World", "All Patrons", or per-tier. Generally, since my content has always been handed out in ZIP files/PMs, I only ever used "Public" and "Patrons". Before this update, if a new patron signed up, they would see all patron-only posts whether they were declined or not. After the update, it makes patron-only posts inacessible if the last payment was declined. This is what it says when I'm about to make a new post, and select "All Patrons":

https://gyazo.com/8d631abe1e193c7bfb48cb8d04801afb

This update has been in place for a month or so, and appears some creators got it, some did not. I really have no idea why. Even now, friends of mine don't see this when they make a new post, yet I do. When I make early posts and votes and sketches, I use the "public" option. That means anyone that visits here can just see it. This is so they can get an idea of how my patreon works, the feed works, voting, and get an early peek at work before I push it to public galleries. Some other stuff is posted using the "all patrons" option though. So it's a bit of both.

----------

The NEW update, the "charge upfront" update, makes different changes.

https://patreon.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/210291283

If you are an existing patron, the only thing that changes is:

- If you increase your pledge, the difference between your current pledge and the new one will be processed to your account right away.

That's it. That's literally the only change this makes for existing patrons.

--

If you are a just-now-signing-up-patron, and you pledge 5$, it will charge 5$ right away, and then again on the 1st of the following month. The immediate charge is for the current month, and you'll get the content for that month. Then the charge on the 1st of the following month will get you that month's content, etc. and you'll be processed along with the rest of the patrons.

Basically, it means, instead of signing up and waiting til the end of the month, it's treating new signups as if they started on the 1st of that month, and processes them accordingly. It doesn't charge anyone twice or anything like that, it's just more of a retroactive pledge for that one month they sign up.

---------

With that first update locking content to processed patrons only, the "charge upfront" one doesn't really do all that much to you guys. Even without it I could've started posting HD stuff in the feed, I just wasn't sure if the locking-of-content applied to brand new patrons who have been neither processed nor declined yet.

I commented earlier on the "trial" kind of method, where new signups could see how it all works before they're charged at the end of the month. But to be honest, I think since my work is not a pay-wall, and posted using the "public" method often, they could scroll down through the feed and use my front page profile as a trial just the way it is. Even without the "charge upfront", new signups wouldn't be able to see any "All Patrons" posts anyway, because of that earlier, non-optional update I mentioned first, so they might as well just be looking at my front page feed anyway, if that makes sense.

--

Whew. Okay, I do hope that clears anything up? TL;DR:, not much has changed, and I've put on my front page to suggest viewing the "public" feed there to get an idea of what to see. I know some of this is REALLY confusing, but looking at it from a newcomer's POV it should, in theory, be less confusing, since they don't have to "wait to get processed" or "wait until next month", etc. when asking about HD files, raffle bonuses and the like.

I really appreciate your guys support, comments, feedback, I really do. Just trying to be as clear, concise and honest with everyone as I can. The absolute LAST thing I want to do is make people feel I'm pulling rugs out from under them or that I'm here just for money; yes it's my job now, but you guys are the core part of it. I can't be clear enough about that; this is my passion and focus of all my work these days, is this Patreon, I want to come off as totally transparent and trustworthy with everything I do here.

Thank you for taking the time to read this!