Chatlands Deltas FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
 
This is the DELTAS FAQ for the Chatlands™ network of chat sites. The first Chatlands™ site, Wolfhome may well have been the world's FIRST first browser based avatar chat site. It is certainly the only one that we knew of way back in 1998-1999.

Now, there were other avatar chat sites before Wolfhome, of course! But the only ones that we saw back then required either a special program of some sort, or a custom browser plugin or other sorts of modifications. Wolfhome just required that you have a web browser and the (more-or-less) standard Java plugin (we switched to Flash when that became the more common standard).

We started out as a FREE site way back in October, 1999. Wolfhome has been online and offline a bit since then but, when online, it has ALWAYS had accounts that allowed free access for most features.

We want to keep the Chatlands™ sites free for a long, long time. In order to keep these sites going for the long run, however, we really have to generate some revenue (also known as "money") to help pay expenses. The details about how we are going to do this are explained in the following FAQ.
Why do I have to pay to use this site? Why can't it be free?
Actually, you don't have to pay to use this site. There are six different types of subscription. The first one is free.

However, the hard truth is that running a chat server costs both time and money. I am spending several hours every day working on this site. These are hours that, as a web consultant, I could be making a good hourly rate. Add to that the fact that I also have to pay an ISP a monthly fee in order to to host the server. So, I want to reward those that are helping to keep this site going. There are some things on the site that people earn when they buy Deltas and then use Deltas to purchase one of the five higher level subscriptions.

So, the "bottom line" is that money is what keeps this site going. And paying for a subscription is pretty easy, the basic subscription costs about 5 cents a day (see the chart below).
How do I pay for a subscription?
As mentioned above, the first type of subscription is free. And you can learn more about subscriptions by checking out this chart. The other three types of subscription are purchased using something we call "Deltas" (Δ). To purchase Deltas, log into your account and select "Deposit $" from the map menu.
What are "Deltas"? And how do I spend these "Deltas" once I get some?
Like many other sites these days, this one uses an online currency. The basic unit of currency is called the Delta (Δ). Deltas are similar to video-game tokens or ride tickets at a carnival.

For now, Deltas are only used to pay for your account on Chatlands, Wolfhome, or other Chatlands subscriptions, but we hope to make it so that Deltas can be used to buy poses or artwork, or to pay for other services on this chat network. Check back here for more details.
Can I buy poses and other stuff with the money in my account?
First off, it isn't "money". Deltas have no cash value. But, when you are on Chatlands and partner sites, Deltas do have purchasing power. So, yes, you may use them to buy poses or other things on here. But, the details aren't all worked out just yet.

Since YOU can transfer Deltas to another Chatlands user, and since THEY can then transfer poses to your Chatlands account, it turns out that purchasing poses using Deltas can be done right now. But it takes a few steps. Some day we plan to automate this process and others like it. Right now you will have to go through the individual steps of transferring the Deltas to the person selling you the pose and having that person transfer the poses to your account.
Will I be able to use all the rooms on Chatlands, even if I just have a "free" subscription?
That depends. If you are using a "free" subscription, you can go to any room on the main map that isn't full. You can get into private rooms only when the room owner has decided to allow it. Standard subscriptions (and above) are allowed to own their own custom rooms or to create their own temporary private rooms.
I don't have a PayPal account. How do I buy Deltas?
You don't have to have a PayPal account in order to use PayPal. You may use a major credit card or a debit card without creating a PayPal account.
I can't use PayPal! Can I use "snail mail" to put money into my account?
If you mean can you use "snail mail" (regular post office mail) to purchase Deltas, at this time the answer is "no". We don't have the resources to handle post office mail, cashing personal checks and making bank deposits. Several people have volunteered to do this for us, but at this point we recommend finding a way instead to work through PayPal if at all possible.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: wunderwood, LLC, WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY LOST OR STOLEN PAYMENTS OR DISPUTES INVOLVING MONEY TRANSFERS BETWEEN USERS (or anyone else, for that matter).

There have been several requests recently for a pay by check option, so we will post more information here if/when it becomes available.
How many Deltas can you buy for one US dollar?
At this time, US$1.00 will buy Δ1.00 (one Dollar will buy one Delta). That might change, but probably won't, at least not right away.
How do I check to see what type of account type I have?
On the map select "My Account -> Account Balance" and look for the line right below your User Name that says "Subscription Type". You can also go to "My Account -> Change Subscription" to see your current subscription or change it to a different one.
Where can I find out about the different subscription levels and what they allow?
Check out this price chart. It shows you the different subscriptions and how much each one costs per day in Deltas.
 
Table showing subscription types and costs in Deltas.
Subscription Rate1 Poses Rooms Objects2
Free Δ0.00 0 0 0
Basic Δ0.06 5 0 0
Standard Δ0.12 10 1 5
Preferred Δ0.20 50 10 10
Elite Δ0.25 150 15 20
Ultimate Δ0.33 2000 50 50
Note 1: This amount is deducted daily from your account.
Note 2: Customizable room objects will be available soon.

You can see a more detailed price chart here.
What if I have Deltas in my account and I am banned? Will I be compensated for the time that was charged against my account during the duration of the ban?
No. There are NO REFUNDS, and if you are banned your account stays as it was unless you change it. You may choose to close your account, or to reduce your subscription level during the ban, but that is up to you. We will NOT refund or credit your account during a ban.
My country doesn't use the U.S. Dollar currency. How do I figure out the exchange rate of my currency to U.S. Dollars?
PayPal handles the currency conversion for you. For more information, check out this link.
Suppose somebody transfers a pose to me, but my pose limit is already maxxed out. Will I have to delete an existing pose in order to accept the transfer?
Poses that are "in transit" (waiting for acceptance or for approval) are not counted against your limit. If you want to use the pose, you will have to go through the regular process of getting it approved and then that pose will count and you will have to choose to either remove a pose to make room for it or upgrade your account to a higher level.
If the site crashes for a long period of time, will I be reimbursed?
While we are not guaranteeing that Chatlands will be up 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (i.e. all of the time), we will work to keep it running smoothly as much as possible. However, it is important to realize that the site WILL be unavailable from time to time, sometimes without warning. If that happens, and certainly if it happens very often, or for an extended period of time (several hours) we will find a way to compensate our subscribers by some means, such as... (1) Refunding Deltas, (2) Running the site for a while without charging Deltas, (3) some other compensatory action that seems fair.
I would like to donate some Deltas to a user who doesn't have a PayPal account. Who should I contact in order to make this arrangement happen?
They don't need a PayPal account. You may transfer Deltas by using the map menu and selecting "My Account -> Transfer Deltas".
I have just purchased something (artwork, poses, a room, deltas) from another user and I am using PayPal for cash transactions. I paid them using PayPal, but I have not received my purchase from the seller! What should I do and who should I contact to look into this?
This is a transaction between you and the other person that was handled by PayPal and not by wunderwood, LLC. Since we were not involved in this we can't help you resolve it either. If you have done business with using PayPal and have a dispute, you will need to resolve it through PayPal, not this site. Try using the dispute resolution systems offered by PayPal as a starting point. As a buyer, you should check their page on PayPal Buyer Protection.
What should I do and who should I contact about the fraudulent sale of Deltas, and how can I go about getting a refund for purchasing a fraudulent sale of Deltas?
This is much the same as the previous question. Check with PayPal for dispute resolution.
Someone is accusing me of selling some Deltas which I do not have and I consequently cannot deliver. What should I do and who should I contact to look into this?
This is a transaction between you and the other person that was handled by PayPal and not by wunderwood, LLC. Since we were not involved in this we can't help you resolve it either. If you have done business with using PayPal and have a dispute, you will need to resolve it through PayPal, not this site. Try using the dispute resolution systems offered by PayPal as a starting point. As a seller, you should check the PayPal page on PayPal Security for Merchants, or the Seller Guide to PayPal Dispute Resolution.
I have not requested to purchase Deltas from anyone, but someone has transferred some Deltas to my account and they are now demanding I pay them the requested fee (through PayPal). What should I do and who should I contact to look into this?
Probably the best thing to do is to just simply transfer them BACK to the person that sent them to you. If you can, follow up with an email message or get on the forums and see if you can send them a PM (private message) letting them know about the misunderstanding or mistake. If you didn't want the Deltas, returning them shouldn't cause any problems.
Is it safer for me to buy and sell my Deltas through this site rather than making transaction commitments through IM services or E-mail?
We would prefer that you handle such transactions using Chatlands or one of our affiliated chat sites whenever possible. Since we do not have any mechanism for electronic transfer of US dollars, you will need to use a financial institution such as PayPal for that portion of it.
Is there a secure form on this site that I can use to purchase and sell Deltas to another user?
Currently we don't have an SSL certificate, so we can't provide a suitable web service for secure financial transactions involving credit or debit bank cards. We will pursue that as an option at some point. For now, though, the simple answer is "no".
What is the general accepted amount I can buy or sell my Deltas for?
The "going rate" for Deltas is US$1.00 = Δ1.00 (one Dollar buys you one Delta). This exchange rate WILL change, and furthermore, you may be able to find a better rate by striking a deal with someone else. wunderwood, LLC is not involved in such arrangements and appropriate caution should be exercised!
I have purchased some Deltas from another user and now I wish to sell the Deltas to someone else. Can I sell my Deltas for more than I paid for them?
If you are able to make a profit, that is up to you.
I have received a credit card bill showing a charge from wunderwood, LLC. I have not authorized this payment. Who do I contact about correcting this problem or getting a refund?
Please contact William Underwood directly at underdog-billing@fantasy3d.com
Will there ever be contests / games / activities awarding Deltas as prizes?
Yes! We have before and keep watching the site, because something like that is frequently in the works.
I had a number of poses / rooms / objects but I can no longer keep up my paid subscription. What happens to my excess poses / rooms / objects?
If you choose to change your subscription to one that doesn't allow as many poses, rooms or objects, you will have to decide what to do with the excess inventory. You may choose to delete the items or transfer them to another account. If you log out without taking any action, no changes are made. After 30 days on an account that has insufficient funds in Deltas, the account is removed and all of those assets (poses, rooms and/or objects) are permanently removed.
My friend got promoted to Gamma. Does he/she still have to pay for the extra poses?
Administrators of any rank are volunteers. They do not have to pay for their chat accounts. This is one way we thank them for their work to keep the website going.
Do different admin levels allow different amounts of poses?
No, actually all admin ranks get the same benefits.
Do you make decisions for promotions based on who has a paid subscription?
No! In fact, until the question was asked it hadn't even occurred to us! Promotions are made based on our belief that someone is suited for the job, not on how much they have spent on Chatlands or any other Chatlands site.
Is there any rule against begging people for Deltas?
Yes. Do not beg for Deltas or other items on this site. Not only is it unbecoming, it is not acceptable behavior. Ignoring this rule will get you kicked from the site. Continuing to ignore it will get you banned.
What sorts of things we can trade for Deltas? For example, can we start offering a Delta price on our comission poses?
You may trade anything for Deltas as long as you follow "real world" laws. Selling your poses, artwork or other online services is OK.
I have a question that isn't about Deltas. Where should I look?
You can find another FAQ that covers Chatlands in more general terms on The Chatlands General FAQ. You can find out about the rules of conduct on Chatlands by checking out The Chatlands Terms of Use FAQ.


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