Vault Network

The Vault Network, or VN, was a game network dedicated to role-playing video games (including massively multiplayer online role-playing games), providing gamers with information such as news, editorials, guides, hints and tips, as well as discussion. The Vault Network consisted of RPG Vault, the Vault Wiki and the VN Boards, as well as several other hosted sites, called "Vaults", dedicated to specific game titles or topics. The Vaults used a single, unified discussion forum for all their websites, which resulted in a combined total of about 40,000 to 50,000 posts a day, over 400+ forums. Together, this group of message boards was known as the VN Boards.
History
The Vault Network began with the creation of the Ultima Online Vault in 1995 by an individual named Gasper Dragon. When EverQuest and Asheron's Call was announced to be released in 1999, Vaults were created for them as well. Around this time, the existing Vaults were merged with the Snowball Network, better known by its later moniker, IGN (Imagine Games Network).
As new online games and MMORPGs were created or announced, respective vaults and message boards were created if the game was popular enough to warrant the resources. In December 2007, there were over 20 Vaults and forums for over 70 games. Vaults included games such as World of Warcraft, Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning, Final Fantasy XI, EverQuest II, Lineage and Lineage II, Guild Wars, Star Wars Galaxies, Dark Age of Camelot and many more. In addition to the gaming message boards, there were community and off-topic forums where users could discuss issues not related to any game in particular.
With its acquisition by IGN, the Vault Network and the VN Boards worked on a similar business practice utilizing advertisements as a form of revenue. IGN Insider accounts also worked across both sites.
Staff
The staff which ran the Vault Network were on IGN payroll. Payment was based on the Editor-in-Chief's assessment of their work and its value to the network. The staff were a core group that oversaw volunteers that filled a number of roles. Traditionally, there was a Vault Site Manager (and possible Assistant Managers) who oversaw volunteers such as Quest Writers, Database Editors, and Column Writers. As some recompense for their work, these volunteers were given VIP status on the message boards. This amounted to free IGN Insider, a custom title and avatar if they wished, and the ability to change the color and style of their username when displayed on the forums.
The staff who oversaw the message boards and enforced the rules worked in a hierarchical manner. First were the Admins, then the Managers, and finally the Moderators. All of these positions were volunteer and came with the same perks as a VIP, but with more responsibility.

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