Revamped Free Memberships

[+Erik]

FREE MEMBERSHIPS RESTORED 

FREE Memberships are now automatic and provide 2 files per day. If the system isn't abused we can discuss increasing the number of downloads the FREE Membership provides. 

Account promotions will automatically be given to your account when you meet the following guidelines.

MEET THESE REQUIREMENTS

1. Your account is 30 days or older.
2. Your account has made 2 posts in the forums in the last 45 days.
3. Log out and back in. Top Right Corner of browser window > Click your user image > Sign Out > Close your browser > Open browser > Sign in to reset our user salt.

CHANGE 10/21/25

Got a lot of PMs about people having problems so I moved everyone back into our new member status so the system can upgrade your accounts the next time you log in. To get your promotions you have to meet the requirements above, log out and then log back in, the system will do the rest. 

Paid memberships will function independently and exclusively as they always have.

Edited 19 hours ago by Erik
UPDATE 3.0

[wannadriver]

Great news,  Brilliant solution, Thanks!

[Wingcommanderwolf]

Great

[+Erik]

One of my new scripts is failing to pull members into the group set, give me a little bit to work out why. 

[pizolato]

Great! Thanks Erik!

[+GKABS]

I think this is a good solution.  

[erafitti]

Thank you very much for implementing this option.
On the other hand, thank you very much for your effort and dedication to keeping these simulators alive.

[Cellinia_Texas]

This is a good method

[+Erik]

Still working on getting it to work right, it has thrown me a couple curve balls but I'll get there.

[+daddyairplanes]

the optimist in me hopes it works

the reallist/retired NCO in me waiting to see how joe goes and screws this up

as somebody once said, make it idiotproof and the world will send a better idiot.

but i hope im wrong and this works 

[+Wrench]

I'd have gone for "one a week" until (yet to be determined) time period for community involvement has passed. But that's just me.

[+Erik]

The best part of working for you all is the pure level of positivity and encouragement you foster among the ranks. 

[+Erik]

If your account isn't bumping; try logging and out, closing the browser, and then logging back in. That should trigger the task to promote your account, takes about 10 minutes to run after fresh log in. Report back if it's working or still broken.  

[RustyKurnass]

12 hours ago, GKABS said:

I think this is a good solution.  

+1

[debmalya]

 

first of all thank you to you(Mr Eric  ) and all the others in trying to keep this classic sim  alive , and in thinking of people like us who cannot afford paid subscriptions

also thank you for replying to my queries on the forums

but it seems that my account is unable to access  any download ( 1 free download per day )

have   a account in combat ace since 2008 , recently i have been active in the forums as well

just re logged in as suggested in the forums , but still no luck....

my

Edited Saturday at 08:40 PM by EricJ
reworded

[+EricJ]

I removed your email for doxxing reasons, but you need to be Airman Basic to get the download per day.

[debmalya]

 

what is required to be airman basic ?

also what is "doxxing "

 

[+EricJ]

Doxxing is posting your email address somehwhere and people use it to harass you and stuff. You don't need to post your email address, we can get your profile info if needed. But the requirements are above at the first post. you have to follow those rules to get the free download per day.

[debmalya]

Thank you

MR  Eric

seems my account has been promoted to "HAT in the ring " automatically + my rank is rookie (account was created in 2008 )

but  1 free download is not working

"user type is not authorized  to download file "

will i have to wait for 30 days  ?

 

[+EricJ]

I don't know @Erik will have to look at your account. Mind you some issues did come up with the new site, so yours may be jacked up. I notified him, and he can sort you out.

[TheF18Lover]

Me too, I tried the method Mr. Erik suggested, but I didn’t get promoted to Airman Basic after a few minutes. I really hope those guys messing with the membership stop doing that

 

Edited Saturday at 10:12 PM by TheF18Lover

[+EricJ]

Okay @Erik Another one. I don't have any control over user accounts so I can't do anything but tag Erik. Maybe he's working on it or something.

[+Erik]

I guess it helps if I take that subscription plan I was working on out of testing mode. Sorry, I'm not all there apparently. Try again and let me know. For everyone that might be confused or that I confused. I edited my original post to update the program. New members start off in the JAGDSTAFFEL 11 (Red Baron's Squadron). After completing two posts in the forums within the past 45 days, and your account is 30 days or older your account will promote to the HAT IN THE RING Squadron. Once you've been promoted the Free Subscription automatically gets added to your account. It will take the task 5-10 minutes to poll the membership and make the promotions after you've logged in. That's the final piece if nothing is happening, log out and back in again. Once the task sees the new log in salt it knows to check your account.

 

[+daddyairplanes]

dunno if you need the input, but non newbie downloading seems to be workin fine

got a kick out of the countdown to DL after i signed out/back in

[+Erik]

Didn't know you never saw it before, interesting. The minimum is 5 seconds because of the way we're storing files now, the system has to grab it and stage it for download. Thanks for the field report.