Keeping users interested in DC

[skauble]

@skauble: Something like shiny pokemon, expect these would sort of be rewards?

 

I think having new dragons, like Pokemonfan13 (and maybe 1 or 2 others) said, would be safer since we would need the permission of spriters to do something like creating new alts.

I think of it more as a player getting better at finding/breeding dragons over time, so they can obtain new versions. And I don't think we need to create a lot of new alts or do re-colors. If artists with dragons in the cave want to add a recolor/alt, then they could. And I know that there have been some dragons where different colors or poses were tried, if they wanted to offer those. But I think that if people working on common porjects now had the option of creating alts for possible future release in cunjunction with their dragons, then a lot of them would take it.

 

Cave changes often take a bit of time to be implemented (even if it were to be given a green light relatively soon), so I think that there would be time.

 

Of course, I'm not against having new dragons, either.

[KageSora]

That wouldn't really give people a goal to work towards, though. Sitting around waiting for time to pass isn't much of a goal.

Perhaps it could be a thing like you get the reward if you get X number of dragons or Y amount of months pass, whichever comes first, where the Y number of months is a bit longer than it would take to raise X number of dragons? That way raising the dragons is the ideal goal that you can work towards, but you don't get cut out if you don't want that number of dragons because of your scroll goals.

[Dolphinsong]

I seriouslly dislike rewards for high amounts of dragons for one main reason. There are those of us who don't want more than 2 of each adult (one of each gender) 2 of each of the gendered sprites and 1 non gendered. Rather not be forced to raise more than I want just to get some 'free' dragon.

[DeathCry]

Perhaps it could be coded in such a way that it's handled like "Users with a dragon laid/stolen on a date X months prior to the current date are automatically granted access"?  With a little message at the top of your scroll until you visit the biome to let you know you got a new place to visit?

That sounds pretty interesting. Even members who do not have a forum account would know of the addition too.

 

I think of it more as a player getting better at finding/breeding dragons over time, so they can obtain new versions.  And I don't think we need to create a lot of new alts or do re-colors.  If artists with dragons in the cave want to add a recolor/alt, then they could.  And I know that there have been some dragons where different colors or poses were tried, if they wanted to offer those.  But I think that if people working on common porjects now had the option of creating alts for possible future release in cunjunction with their dragons, then a lot of them would take it.

 

I didn't think of that one.

 

If spriters did decide this on their own terms, this would probably have to be done away from the public forums. I know some people would love to bombard spriters with the request to have their art edited and alted.

 

 

~[Not quoting anyone]

I don't know if it's me, but how would a player have a better percentage of obtaining any* new/rare version of anything? Unless a secluded biome was created, doesn't everyone naturally see the biomes in exactly the same way?

~[/Not quoting anyone]

 

I seriouslly dislike rewards for high amounts of dragons for one main reason. There are those of us who don't want more than 2 of each adult (one of each gender) 2 of each of the gendered sprites and 1 non gendered. Rather not be forced to raise more than I want just to get some 'free' dragon.

A specific date would probably be best for the different types of collectors out there.

Edited May 21, 2012 by DeathCry

[Pokemonfan13]

Perhaps it could be coded in such a way that it's handled like "Users with a dragon laid/stolen on a date X months prior to the current date are automatically granted access"?  With a little message at the top of your scroll until you visit the biome to let you know you got a new place to visit?

I do like the idea of age of eldest or age of scroll being used instead of dragons. That way people who only, say, get one or two of each dragon don't have to load up their scroll with unwanted dragons to qualify. And the time or number way makes it totally fair, since some people do have their quota for each breed set very low.

 

What's amusing is that my eldest is a zombie hatchling that is gendered but ungendered (gendered sprite but not gendered gender mark) I was so new that I couldn't get my dragons to adulthood and I tried a revive on one of the dead ones and it made a zombeh. x3

http://dragcave.net/lineage/q689

 

 

And I wish people would quit calling it a reward. It is something to keep the interest for all the users who have their quota of every breed and just sit around waiting for the next release.

Edited May 21, 2012 by Pokemonfan13

[Obscure_Trash]

Just a quick note of those who may have been hoping for higher scroll limits:

 

In the Badge Suggestion Thread TJ said he wasn't against more badges for more dragons (such as a platinum trophy), but they would not come with increased limits:

 

Any trophies past gold will not increase a user's limits any further.

 

~

 

I'd personally just like more regular releases. I don't really see myself getting bored of this game. Even when I had my almost year long absence it wasn't because I got bored of the game. I think anybody leaving because of that isn't going to be kept interested by many of the things here. x3

But I don't see why some level/s past a gold trophy might not be fun, anyway. Or if we want to go the 'age' direction. Whichever.

 

I do also like the idea of being able to request a random common with a specific code.

 

I'm...really not sure on a new biome. Unless ratios are changed for it, this would mean a specific allotment of eggs being hidden/denied from other players. That doesn't really make the game more interesting for me. x3 Note that the cave works by generating eggs and then allocating them to a specific biome, not by generating x number of eggs for each biome.

I also don't like changing chances of us seeing things for this reason.

 

I think upping freezing or killing limits just a little for a platinum trophy, if that happened, would be okay, even if scroll limits won't change. (Or perhaps a platinum trophy could grab one more egg, but overall scroll limits wouldn't change?)

 

Um... I probably forgot a suggestion somewhere. x3

I have some ideas for this banging around in my head, but I need to think them out first.

Edited May 21, 2012 by SockPuppet Strangler

[DeathCry]

I think upping freezing or killing limits just a little for a platinum trophy, if that happened, would be okay, even if scroll limits won't change. (Or perhaps a platinum trophy could grab one more egg, but overall scroll limits wouldn't change?)

The freezing/killing limit change may be lost on a few people in the same way that some collect only to have a few of every breed.

 

If this was implemented, something else may need to come along with it at a later "achievement point" to make up for players who tend not to freeze or kill.

 

 

Edit: And thanks for pointing that quote out from TJ, I have never seen that post.

Edited May 21, 2012 by DeathCry

[Obscure_Trash]

I suggested that as a player who doesn't kill much and the only frozens I own are a tree and two zombie hatchlings, because I'm that desperate for zombies. I think almost any reward isn't going to be used by absolutely everyone and that doesn't bother me and I don't see why I should be a reason that those who do kill or freeze shouldn't get that reward. But I'm just one person. ^^;;

[DeathCry]

I understand what you mean ^^

I'm not saying that it shouldn't occur, it's just that some other small incentive could also be included. At least make as much of the majority happy.

 

Last sentence sounds contradictory 6.o

[skauble]

I think that there are two ideas going here - reward and incentive. A reward gives you something for doing X, but an incentive gives you something to get you to continue doing X. These two things can be the same, but they often aren't. IMO, if we're talking about helping people stay interested in the game, then we're probably going to have to do something that, in some way, takes the incentive route.

 

But I'm just one person. ^^;;

One person + one Sock so we'll let you have 2 votes.

[Tawanda001]

I suggested that as a player who doesn't kill much and the only frozens I own are a tree and two zombie hatchlings, because I'm that desperate for zombies. I think almost any reward isn't going to be used by absolutely everyone and that doesn't bother me and I don't see why I should be a reason that those who do kill or freeze shouldn't get that reward. But I'm just one person. ^^;;

Some rewards would have a very limited appeal. I don't freeze or kill much so that would not be any sort of incentive at all for me.

OTOH I do like to breed so a reward that would let me 'fix' childless dragons that had gendered wrong, or undo a certain number of refusals would float my boat, but I can certainly see how a lot of people wouldn't find my incentives very inspiring either.

 

Maybe a laundry list of rewards to choose from once you hit the magic number (dragons or days)?

"Congratulations, you've hit your milestone, please choose one of the following options for your scroll"

[KageSora]

Maybe a laundry list of rewards to choose from once you hit the magic number (dragons or days)?

"Congratulations, you've hit your milestone, please choose one of the following options for your scroll"

That could be nice, and then after you hit the next milestone you could get another one, perhaps?

[skauble]

Some rewards would have a very limited appeal. I don't freeze or kill much so that would not be any sort of incentive at all for me.

OTOH I do like to breed so a reward that would let me 'fix' childless dragons that had gendered wrong, or undo a certain number of refusals would float my boat, but I can certainly see how a lot of people wouldn't find my incentives very inspiring either.

 

Maybe a laundry list of rewards to choose from once you hit the magic number (dragons or days)?

"Congratulations, you've hit your milestone, please choose one of the following options for your scroll"

I could see something like this working. I think it would be cute if the list of things was arranged like spells in a book and we could learn one and then it says we have to practise that one before we can learn another.

[DeathCry]

I could see something like this working. I think it would be cute if the list of things was arranged like spells in a book and we could learn one and then it says we have to practise that one before we can learn another.

Wow. That would seriously change the dynamics of the cave.

*Thinking of leveling up with experience points to be traded in*

 

 

Is something like that even possible? To choose what "reward" you'd like to have?

 

 

A reward system like that sounds a little extreme, but I'm sure people thought having 21 growing dragons at one time was extreme too... really mixed on this...

[Obscure_Trash]

I could see something like this working. I think it would be cute if the list of things was arranged like spells in a book and we could learn one and then it says we have to practise that one before we can learn another.

Me likey this idea and agree about rewards vs. incentives.

 

One person + one Sock so we'll let you have 2 votes.

 

Thanks. x3

[skauble]

Wow. That would seriously change the dynamics of the cave.

*Thinking of leveling up with experience points to be traded in*

 

 

Is something like that even possible? To choose what "reward" you'd like to have?

 

 

A reward system like that sounds a little extreme, but I'm sure people thought having 21 growing dragons at one time was extreme too... really mixed on this...

I think it could work like this -

 

You raise dragons and get the bronze, then silver, then gold trophies. Then, when you get to 1,000 or 1,500, a message shows up that says something like:

 

Your time spent working with dragon magic has enabled you to open a locked book of spells.

 

Then there's a page with all of the options available. You read the description for each and when you choose one it says:

 

You've chosen ____ spell. When you have mastered this magic, a new spell will become available to you.

 

That way we can be given smaller incentives that people can prioritize for their own gaming style. In fact, I think it would be cool to have some that were grayed out so that you would get a peek at things to strive for and give you a reason to learn all of the first set of spells.

 

After all, we do work with magic ourselves in things like freezing and zombie making.

Edited May 21, 2012 by skauble

[Pokemonfan13]

The magic book idea is really cool, but it doesn't give anything that would give people something to do apart from raising commons to increase scroll size. It's more in the reward category.

 

Perhaps there could be something from each. One reward such as the spell book and one more ongoing activity such as new dragons to collect.

Edited May 21, 2012 by Pokemonfan13

[DeathCry]

@ skauble: I agree with your reasoning ~

 

*Just had an identity crisis over how we could possibly freeze hatchlings* ^^;

 

Assuming it can happen, we would have to be really creative about even more incentives Allowing a limit on something to increase can only do so much.

 

Why I so slow in forum

Edited May 21, 2012 by DeathCry

[PrincessLucy]

I wouldn't mind some sort of reward for higher levels. I hit the gold trophy over 500 dragons ago, and I know there are other people who are much farther ahead than myself! A platinum scroll at 1000 would be coo', and if it wouldn't allow us to hold more dragons than some other type of prize would be very appreciated.

 

A few things to keep in mind, though--Old Pinks were permanently discontinued, to the point where they couldn't even be won as prizes in the Christmas contests, so they're out of the question. I'm also not sure new tinsels would make a good gift, as while it would be totally awesome for the recievers, having more would kind of devalue the worth of those who won them. The only way I could see it working was if they were at a reward at a crazy high level of dragons, as that should severely restrict the amount of people who get them. I'd tentatively say 1000 dragons = bronze, 2500 = silver, 5000 = gold, but I might be a bit biased there as I already have a thousand dragons, haha. GIVE ME SHINIES *A*

 

Of course, it should be noted that while I know a few people with 1000+ dragons, the DC Book of Records list the player with the most known dragons as having less then 2500. So even if this system was implemented CB tinsels truly would still be very, very rare things, especially golds.

I would love to see something for a higher amount of dragons. Even if it was a platinum badge.

 

Not all of the people with a ton of dragons are in the DC Book of Records.

 

I have over 3500.

[skauble]

The magic book idea is really cool, but it doesn't give anything that would give people something to do apart from raising commons to increase scroll size.  It's more in the reward category.

 

Perhaps there could be something from each.  One reward such as the spell book and one more ongoing activity such as new dragons to collect.

I certainly wouldn't mind a combination of the two...Frankly, I think I like everyone's ideas too much to be helpful in making any kind of final decision. Maybe a mixture is the best way to go.

 

If it ended up that we went with just the new biome/dragons, I think it would be neat if players got the spell book at the beginning and there would be a little book in the trophy area and when they clicked it the page would say: This book is magically sealed. Perhaps practicing your magic with more dragons will help you grow strong enough to open it.. And there could also be a piece of a map. And then every new trophy gave you new spells and another piece of the map. Then, when you reach 1,000 dragons you would get the entire map and be able to go to the new biome.

 

Assuming it can happen, we would have to be really creative about even more incentives Allowing a limit on something to increase can only do so much.

It might be a way to work in some of the great BSA ideas folks have that don't really go with any of the dragons.

[DeathCry]

If it ended up that we went with just the new biome/dragons, I think it would be neat if players got the spell book at the beginning and there would be a little book in the trophy area and when they clicked it the page would say: This book is magically sealed. Perhaps practicing your magic with more dragons will help you grow strong enough to open it.. And there could also be a piece of a map. And then every new trophy gave you new spells and another piece of the map. Then, when you reach 1,000 dragons you would get the entire map and be able to go to the new biome.

I honestly really like the idea of a map that we must gradually unlock over time. I don't know how much the number of dragons we have should really tie into it, but we already have a map of biomes, so why not this too? =)

 

 

~

Perhaps goals could also include having X amount of a certain breed (most likely common)?

[Snailbait]

I have to say that I have lost nearly all interest in DC after I got my Gold trophy. I'm missing just a couple of dragons I want (ie. Holly), and I only log in now and then to breed my rares when I can remember to or catch a new release (after the release is long done with, that is).

 

My point is that I just feel as though there's nothing left for me to do here. It's actually boring now. I'd love for something else to work towards, even if it were as simple as just more trophies or badges. Anything would be appreciated!

[sanderj]

I would love a new biomere after a certain high number of raised dragons or maybe a special abandoned place where eggs of wild dragons could be found.

I am quite sure we won't get the ablillity to tame wild dragons but it would be a shame not to use them for anything since they are there.

 

I also would love some scroll features unlogging for those with 1000+ Dragons - like a welcome message or the abbility to set markers at your scroll and the ability to set headlines for projects and an Index so the Scroll would be easier to manage - sure one has frozen Hatchlings for that but I think it would be nicer and there are those who dislike freezing.

 

And I really love the Idea with the little spellbook. Maybe we could have a page for all our bages and obtaining certain badges would unlook spell pages and or a map.

 

[RWyvern]

I would like to see more frequent releases. I'm about halfway there already with my 'one of every adult sprite' goal, and in an attempt to lengthen the time, I've started to get every S2 hatchie. Undoubtedly I'll reach that, so then it's the 'Male and female of every dragon' goal. And after that...what else? I'll be like many of the older players; no new dragons to collect except the very occasional release of new ones. So I would just like to see more releases. And for those who are still hunting for a Gold Wyvern: If you were able to get them all just like that, what else would there be to hunt for? I probably don't make much sense >.> but there's my suggestion.

[olympe]

Personally, I brought up the "get rare dragons for high scroll numbers" like 1000 dragons in a private setting, so I definitely like that idea. Especially if this dragon is not available through any other means. True, they would be like tinsels, but I don't see a problem with that. (Besides, isn't reaching 1000 or 2000 dragons more worthy of reward than winning a darn lottery?)

 

I can also see some other rewards working, like...

If you've bred X dragons and kept them on your scroll, you'll get a lower rate of refusals/a slight chance of multi-clutches/you can keep one bred egg that does not count towards your scroll limit...

(The "kept them on your scroll" part is meant to avoid the problem of AP-blocking.)

 

Or (if Lyth can be persuaded to agree): If you create a 6th gen even gen dragon from only green (or mostly green) breeds (with all CB ancestors on your scroll), you will be rewarded with a CB frill egg.

 

Plus, more new releases would be awesome.

Edited May 21, 2012 by olympe