Egg Circulation

[Rally Vincent]

So this basically accomplishes the same thing that multiscrolling does: It holds eggs for you until you're unlocked and then you can grab them when they're ERs.

It holds the egg for nobody specific so that anybody could grab it from the AP. That's an ethical difference in my eyes, even if the outcome is similar.

 

If you are against it, fine by me; I won't press the matter, then. I like the idea nonetheless.

 

Actually, this cave scroll would create another problem anyways. If it repeatedly took blockers and dumped them off in the AP as ERs a few days later, nobody would ever take blockers from the cave, because they're more or less available as auto-hatchlings. Which is encouraging the current problem.

Cave blockers aren't taken that much anyway. With cave scroll, blocker eggs would be taken every sixty seconds.

Edited August 16, 2011 by Rally Vincent

[Fuzzbucket]

Exactly. Especially if you have several egg slots open and grab one of the blockers. Besides, you're most likely the first person to be able to grab the new egg, whichever one it actually is. Who knows, it might even be a rare. (As a matter of fact, I managed to grab 2 glory eggs in succession this way - and they were very hard to get before biomes, at least for me.)

Yes - glories I got, and reds...

[Kila]

Exactly. Especially if you have several egg slots open and grab one of the blockers. Besides, you're most likely the first person to be able to grab the new egg, whichever one it actually is. Who knows, it might even be a rare. (As a matter of fact, I managed to grab 2 glory eggs in succession this way - and they were very hard to get before biomes, at least for me.)

I grab blockers all the time and when I go back to hunt for more eggs I actually want, I see, guess what, more blockers!

 

I'm really sick of grabbing blockers, to be brutally honest. But if I don't, it feels like they'll sit there. And sit there. And sit there.

 

I think what we need is more diversity in the biomes.

[elynne]

A suggestion that I know people won't like, although I still don't know the specifics about why--I wasn't playing when the explosion happened--is to occasionally, say every six months, pick a breed to permanently retire. It probably wouldn't be too difficult to figure out which breed would go; track how long eggs sit in the biomes before being picked up, and axe the one whose eggs sit the longest; add in the ones most likely to be killed by players (through deliberate killing, biting, neglected experiments), and you'd probably get a couple of clear contenders.

 

I love new releases; but I think that the proliferation of commons is part of the problem. I kind of regret never having picked up one of the original pinks; I never liked them, but now that they're perma-gone, I kind of wish I had one on my scroll. Same with frills, although I do have several of those--I actually liked them.

 

I understand that the extinction of the frills caused (or was caused by?) some pretty heavy drama on the forums--again, I don't know what happened, I wasn't here. But I think the basic idea is a sound one. I think it would actually -increase- players' willingness to pick up and raise common eggs. If I knew that there was a system like that in play, I'd be picking up guardians more often--I like them, but I know they're not popular, so I'd be trying to bring their egg-grabbing time down.

 

I know this might be a bit incoherent, and I know it has been suggested before; and I know that it is strongly resisted, mostly because of this drama that I -don't- know about. But I think that it is an idea with merit, and if it could be looked at without the bias of the drama that happened with the frills, it might give some kind of solution to the situation.

[Layn]

A suggestion that I know people won't like, although I still don't know the specifics about why--I wasn't playing when the explosion happened--is to occasionally, say every six months, pick a breed to permanently retire. It probably wouldn't be too difficult to figure out which breed would go; track how long eggs sit in the biomes before being picked up, and axe the one whose eggs sit the longest; add in the ones most likely to be killed by players (through deliberate killing, biting, neglected experiments), and you'd probably get a couple of clear contenders.

 

I love new releases; but I think that the proliferation of commons is part of the problem. I kind of regret never having picked up one of the original pinks; I never liked them, but now that they're perma-gone, I kind of wish I had one on my scroll. Same with frills, although I do have several of those--I actually liked them.

 

I understand that the extinction of the frills caused (or was caused by?) some pretty heavy drama on the forums--again, I don't know what happened, I wasn't here. But I think the basic idea is a sound one. I think it would actually -increase- players' willingness to pick up and raise common eggs. If I knew that there was a system like that in play, I'd be picking up guardians more often--I like them, but I know they're not popular, so I'd be trying to bring their egg-grabbing time down.

 

I know this might be a bit incoherent, and I know it has been suggested before; and I know that it is strongly resisted, mostly because of this drama that I -don't- know about. But I think that it is an idea with merit, and if it could be looked at without the bias of the drama that happened with the frills, it might give some kind of solution to the situation.

I would very much hate it if my pure waterhorse lineage was destroyed by retiring the waterhorses. As would anyone who breeds pure lineages of commons. I stalk the coastal biome whenever I can for new waterhorses, but one person can only grab so many. Especially when that lineage isn't the only thing I'm working on.

Edited August 17, 2011 by Layn

[HeatherMarie]

How exactly would permenantly retiring multiple breeds help anything? It wouldn't cut down on the number of total breeds, since there are always going to be new releases. It won't cut down on blocking, either cave or AP, because blocking goes in waves.

 

And that's really why retiring wouldn't solve a thing. Awhile back, black and vine eggs *flooded* the AP, that's all you ever saw. Ask anyone nowadays if they would like those two breeds to be permanently retired, it'd be an overwhelming no.

 

"Unwanted" and "blockers" and such, it changes constantly. Retire a certain breed that's "unwanted" *now*, and you take away everyone's chance to have that breed *ever* again. Just because they are unwanted right now. I don't think that's fair, and I don't think it would solve anything.

[PacketMonkey]

Maybe we can make some of these current breeds more desirable?

Say, adding multiple adult alt sprites of Pebbles/Fogs/Canopies, as well as hatchlings?

[elynne]

It's unfair that I can never get an original pink, or a CB holiday, because I wasn't around for the holidays when they were released. It's unfair that a newbie can't start with a guaranteed rare metallic egg. The game is inherently unfair. There is an element of competition built into it, in the collections and breeding, in trading and hoarding.

 

I suppose my question is answered already--it seems that the idea of removing any breeds, no matter how unwanted they are, is an extremely unpopular one. I honestly think it would be good for the Cave, good for the game, to keep the population more dynamic in this way. But that's just my opinion.

[Kila]

It's unfair that I can never get an original pink, or a CB holiday, because I wasn't around for the holidays when they were released. It's unfair that a newbie can't start with a guaranteed rare metallic egg. The game is inherently unfair. There is an element of competition built into it, in the collections and breeding, in trading and hoarding.

 

I suppose my question is answered already--it seems that the idea of removing any breeds, no matter how unwanted they are, is an extremely unpopular one. I honestly think it would be good for the Cave, good for the game, to keep the population more dynamic in this way. But that's just my opinion.

It might be a better idea to use a similar, less radical idea, like migration. Breed X is unavailable during months X, Y, and Z because of migration patterns away from the location of the cave, etc.

[Wookieinmashoo]

It might be a better idea to use a similar, less radical idea, like migration. Breed X is unavailable during months X, Y, and Z because of migration patterns away from the location of the cave, etc.

This is exactly what I was thinking. Seasonals are in high demand, not only because they have 4 sprite species, but because their populations change every 3 months. I supported this idea then and I still support it.

[elynne]

I have to say, I -love- the migration/seasonal rotation idea. It wouldn't remove them from anybody's breeding projects, nobody would ultimately "miss out"--and it would alleviate the common egg-blocking pressure while bringing more vitality to the cave, without having to come up with a new egg release every few months.

[Harley Quinn hyenaholic]

Trouble with switching out unwanted eggs is that they will still be unwanted...

 

Maybe the ratios of eggs need tweaking...

[Fuzzbucket]

*cough*

[~!~]

So this basically accomplishes the same thing that multiscrolling does: It holds eggs for you until you're unlocked and then you can grab them when they're ERs.

It does indeed accomplish the same thing multiscrolling does. However, it gives the advantage of the multiscroll to each and every player on DC, with absolutely no effort on their part. They may not even know it's happening.

 

Not to lecture you about your own site, but the only reason multiscrolling causes problems is that they are controlled by players, thereby giving whoever controls the multiscroll a decided advantage over everybody else. If the "cave scroll" were controlled by a bot, nobody would have the advantage of being able to know exactly when the next egg would come up, and everybody would have equal opportunites to get the ER eggs the cave scroll dropped to the AP. The net effect would be to make the game easier all around. Unless that counts as one of the negative effects of people using holding scrolls, the cave scroll gives users all the benefits with none of the negative effects on the site as a whole.

[TJ09]

But the side effect of huge egg turnarounds is still there.

 

Grab 7 eggs, when they hatch, grab some ERs from the AP and hatch them near immediately, then grab some more ERs from the AP and hatch them, etc until full.

 

Suddenly, 21 hatchlings. In like 5 minutes. It's more like they're being handed to you; you're not even playing.

[~!~]

But the side effect of huge egg turnarounds is still there.

 

Grab 7 eggs, when they hatch, grab some ERs from the AP and hatch them near immediately, then grab some more ERs from the AP and hatch them, etc until full.

 

Suddenly, 21 hatchlings. In like 5 minutes. It's more like they're being handed to you; you're not even playing.

Yeah, if you want to do nothing but raise unpopular breeds.

 

The whole idea is that it would make it that easy, but only for less desirable, less popular breeds. Popular and valuable breeds would still be hard to get, and you wouldn't be able to get them ER from the AP. Since the cave scroll would only take the egg from the left slot every minute or so, it would ensure that it would take an egg that had been displayed and available to any passing user for a good long time. (Except during, like, holidays and new releases, but during those times the cave scroll could be turned off, as AP blocking is... (isn't it?))

[Renorei]

But the side effect of huge egg turnarounds is still there.

 

Grab 7 eggs, when they hatch, grab some ERs from the AP and hatch them near immediately, then grab some more ERs from the AP and hatch them, etc until full.

 

Suddenly, 21 hatchlings. In like 5 minutes. It's more like they're being handed to you; you're not even playing.

I don't see how this is a bad thing...at least people would be raising the blockers (even if they took a shortcut), which would help out the ratios, and at least things would keep moving in the biomes. And I disagree that it would mean we aren't even playing. We'd still have to compete with others for those ER eggs. If people knew that a lot of ER eggs would be appearing in the AP on a regular basis, more people would be doing a lot of hunting on the AP for them because those eggs would be desirable, regardless of breed.

 

I think what it boils down to is that a lot of us just want a game that is a bit more fast-paced, and that doesn't force us to waste precious egg slots picking up dragons that we don't want. This game gets so incredibly tedious when we have to sit there and stare at a bunch of Guardians or Greys for what feels like ages. I don't mind raising them if I can catch them as ER eggs or hatchlings. But I'm not going to use up one of my egg slots on a dragon that I don't need, when I could keep that slot open and hunt for a rare that I do need.

[Fuzzbucket]

I don't see how this is a bad thing...at least people would be raising the blockers (even if they took a shortcut), which would help out the ratios, and at least things would keep moving in the biomes.  And I disagree that it would mean we aren't even playing.  We'd still have to compete with others for those ER eggs.  If people knew that a lot of ER eggs would be appearing in the AP on a regular basis, more people would be doing a lot of hunting on the AP for them because those eggs would be desirable, regardless of breed. 

 

I will never regard a ( I don't want to be shot down for naming my least favourites and upsetting their spriters) as desirable, no matter how fast they will grow up.

 

I think what it boils down to is that a lot of us just want a game that is a bit more fast-paced, and that doesn't force us to waste precious egg slots picking up dragons that we don't want.  This game gets so incredibly tedious when we have to sit there and stare at a bunch of Guardians or Greys for what feels like ages.

 

It does ? I kind of like the leisurely pace. Dragons don't move that fast, as I recall... If I want to play high speed games there are car racing ones and so on....

 

I don't mind raising them if I can catch them as ER eggs or hatchlings.  But I'm not going to use up one of my egg slots on a dragon that I don't need, when I could keep that slot open and hunt for a rare that I do need.

 

Depending on how urgent things are (I have seasonal issues just now) - why not ? we have 7 slots. We could be REQUIRED always to pick up a blocker for one of them...that would be another way...

[Rally Vincent]

Yeah, if you want to do nothing but raise unpopular breeds.

 

The whole idea is that it would make it that easy, but only for less desirable, less popular breeds.  Popular and valuable breeds would still be hard to get, and you wouldn't be able to get them ER from the AP.  Since the cave scroll would only take the egg from the left slot every minute or so, it would ensure that it would take an egg that had been displayed and available to any passing user for a good long time.  (Except during, like, holidays and new releases, but during those times the cave scroll could be turned off, as AP blocking is... (isn't it?))

~!~ has the point of "cave scroll" - getting players to raise cave blockers that otherwise would just sit in the cave. Some players would benefit since they can acquire ER eggs. Other players benefit because it is not them that have to raise those dragons, and have a new egg in the biome guaranteed once every minute (which are all seven day eggs). And the cave "benefits" in a way that more cave blocker dragons that are needed for the ratio balance are getting raised and keeping the biomes interesting.

 

In other words - most of the other ideas were aimed at tweaking ratios, which you obviously don't want to do. That doesn't leave many options other then "everything stays as it is". The decision is still yours, but as I see it, it's simply that more blockers need to be raised.

 

Alternatively: If you make wilderness dragons count towards the ratios, you could make the "cave scroll" visible and raise dragons to adulthood (I guess enough users would visit the cave scroll to help out raising them), then release them to the Wilderness. After the year they count towards the ratios, delete them (no harm done since they are CB anyway). That would make the cave move without insta-hatchlings (if that is the only worry you have), and the codes can be re-used.

 

[HeatherMarie]

I *would* suggest an extra scroll-slot or two that is coded to only be available when picking up eggs that have set in the AP for awhile... But I'm sure that's a no-no. It would eliminate the "don't want to take up a spot with undesirable eggs" arguement though.

 

I do see TJ's point about cavescroll/multi-scrolling. It just seems... Too easy. Like TJ said, if people could *always* just grab ER eggs, that would completly do away with a huge part of the game: Raising your own eggs/dragons. That's what this game is all about, really; Lineages and breeding are things you can take or leave, but in order to play this game, being able to raise eggs is kind of a must. Always being able to grab ER eggs, just because they are "undesirable", would change the entire way the game is played.

[Fuzzbucket]

I *would* suggest an extra scroll-slot or two that is coded to only be available when picking up eggs that have set in the AP for awhile... But I'm sure that's a no-no. It would eliminate the "don't want to take up a spot with undesirable eggs" arguement though.

 

I do see TJ's point about cavescroll/multi-scrolling. It just seems... Too easy. Like TJ said, if people could *always* just grab ER eggs, that would completly do away with a huge part of the game: Raising your own eggs/dragons. That's what this game is all about, really; Lineages and breeding are things you can take or leave, but in order to play this game, being able to raise eggs is kind of a must. Always being able to grab ER eggs, just because they are "undesirable", would change the entire way the game is played.

This is just how I feel about it. It isn't supposed to get EASIER - why should it get easier ? If it was all pick up quick and the rest - it would be dull.... May as well buy cereal and collect Pokemon cards or Crazy Bones.

[Rally Vincent]

It isn't supposed to get EASIER - why should it get easier ?

Make every egg that gets abandoned at any time have seven days, then? Because, if someone abandons an ER from their scroll, wouldn't that make it too easy to raise that dragon? Wouldn't it simply be handed to you?

 

What is the harm if some players will get a steady supply of ER eggs of (say, five or six breeds) nobody else wants?

[Fuzzbucket]

Make every egg that gets abandoned at any time have seven days, then? Because, if someone abandons an ER from their scroll, wouldn't that make it too easy to raise that dragon? Wouldn't it simply be handed to you?

 

What is the harm if some players will get a steady supply of ER eggs of (say, five or six breeds) nobody else wants?

That isn't a constant happening. One you can rely on. This would be. And the randomness of it all is part of what makes the AP interesting.

[Rally Vincent]

Your argument was about ER eggs being too easy to raise, not the level of interestingness of the AP. If we include that, moving biomes ist what makes the cave interesting.

[mou325]

what i decided to do is empty my egg, go into a cave where there is 3-4 people. open 5 tabs, and start clicking. i get 5 chance at getting a egg i want