2012-10-30 - Halloween Update

[HollyTheColliegirl]

I think some of you are taking the storm and running with it. Most of the eastern states got high winds and tons of rain but only the very eastern coastlines like New York or New Jersey were hit bad enough to talk about it the way some of you are. Living in Pennsylvania, I was too hit by Sandy, so I'm not just speaking from a cold, statistical point of view. I don't believe that pushing back the drop was a good idea, simply because this is an international game. There are about 7 million people without power (and how many of them actually play DC?), but there are billions of people in the world. Besides, there are also a lot of people who were affected by the storm who still have power (like myself). Reading through the topic, it seems like I'm with the majority when I say I'd like to see two drop dates with a filter so you could only get eggs from one day or the other.

 

I can see both opinions, but this storm doesn't seem to have one perfect answer. Sometimes you just have to cut your losses and help out as many people as you can.

 

That being said, thank you everyone for your moral support for those of us hit by the storm, and I hope the worst areas can be cleaned up as soon as possible.

Edited October 30, 2012 by HollyTheColliegirl

[brairtrainer]

Thank you TJ!

[aurora344]

Living in NY myself, there are many many people in my area who were affected by this storm. I think it is extremely considerate of TJ to do this for people who are without power and internet. I am sorry to hear many people made plans to be off from work or whatever plans they had, but as many people have said, consider yourselves lucky that all you have to deal with is waiting a couple of days to catch your eggs. I know many people who would trade places with you in a heartbeat. Flooded homes, roads, power lines down, transportation at a standstill in some places.... yeah they would trade places and deal with you inconvenience instead of dealing with that. I am sure at some point on the 3rd people can take a few minutes and grab an egg or two, get up a bit earlier for work, or stay up a bit later before bed, if you really want it, you can find a way.

 

Thank you TJ...your a very thoughtful and considerate person!

[MedievalMystic]

This could have been handled differently. The release gone as planned, those that grabbed the eggs the first day being unable to grab more the second, and the second day for the sandy victims. Everyone happy, nobody pissed off. Now the majority is pissed off, especially those that had to wrangle schedules around, and the minority probably won't even be here for the 3rd. >_< Yeah, 'mess' indeed.

 

I am sure at some point on the 3rd people can take a few minutes and grab an egg or two, get up a bit earlier for work, or stay up a bit later before bed, if you really want it, you can find a way.

 

Easier said than done, especially for those working double shifts.

Edited October 30, 2012 by MedievalMystic

[FCOL]

There is also something else to consider. As the hurricane moves, it's going to continue affecting the areas it hits (most probably with more power outages). So how exactly is it fair for the people who will be without power THEN, when the majority of those now without power have theirs restored and DC does the egg drop? Is DC going to wait until the hurricane is completely finished moving through both the US and Canada? And going to wait until everyone has power back? Because the more comments I read, and the more I consider it, it's actually quite unfair to have the drop once a chunk of the East coast has power restored, while others parts of the US and Canada might just be losing power.

 

Wouldn't the most fair decision be to simply change the Halloween drop's rules this year and actually have a limit of a certain number of eggs and just have the regular drop tomorrow, and then another drop again in say two-three weeks time for those who did not have the chance to catch their eggs?

 

Because while it really IS a nice gesture to move the drop date for those NOW affected by Sandy, it's also rather inconsiderate to the possibly thousands that will be losing power at later dates as Sandy continues moving through the US and Canada.

 

There's no easy answer, of course, and TJ will do whatever he chooses, but it's rather frustrating to know that DC will be put on hold for only a select number affected by this hurricane. If you're not going to hold the same rules for ALL affected by it, you shouldn't change the rules for just a relative few (considering the number of players from all over the world, those affected on the East coast really are just a "few").

[Rosedamai]

Some thoughts from a non-US based player-

1. This is a very kind gesture. It really is, and I appreciate the sentiment behind it, because people are losing homes and lives and possessions, and it is nice to see someone try to make up for it. Even though there are threads in the trading forum set up specially for the victims from the hurricane, I feel that people would be happier to get the eggs by themselves. I know I do.

 

2. However-the only problems I have with this is, as someone earlier pointed out, there are people who live in areas that get power outages more frequently. For me it doesn't seem fair at all to go about unnoticed when it's a minority of people being inconvenienced only to change dates at the last moment when it's a large group of people being inconvenienced. I live in an area that gets regularly flooded every single July and August. The Japanese tsunami coincided almost exactly with the March 11 eggs, as someone else mentioned. There are people who regularly experience storms because of their geographical location-Southeast Asia, Southeast part of the U.S, and so on-and there are people who have snowstorms, which may make it hard for them to get eggs on Christmas. They don't get any special benefits.

 

3. The thing I'm really worried about here is, as someone else mentioned, people who are without an internet connection in the afflicted areas may not get their power back for weeks. So they may end up, in the end regardless of the kind gesture, not getting the new eggs. At the same time, people who've moved their schedule specially to get ready for the Halloween release may not be able to get their eggs because the date has been moved. So....it's a lose lose situation. That's what I'm really concerned about here. I wouldn't really be fussing about this except for the possibility of everyone not being happy at the end.

 

4.

There is also something else to consider. As the hurricane moves, it's going to continue affecting the areas it hits (most probably with more power outages). So how exactly is it fair for the people who will be without power THEN, when the majority of those now without power have theirs restored and DC does the egg drop? Is DC going to wait until the hurricane is completely finished moving through both the US and Canada? And going to wait until everyone has power back? Because the more comments I read, and the more I consider it, it's actually quite unfair to have the drop once a chunk of the East coast has power restored, while others parts of the US and Canada might just be losing power.

EXACTLY! It may end up in a lose-lose situation for everyone. I personally won't be affected either way, but there certainly will be people who would be affected by this decision. Edited October 30, 2012 by ylangylang

[tjekan]

I'm not really sure why it's unfair to move the event to the weekend. Sure, there are some people who work on weekends, but there are even more who work on weekdays, and we were planning on just dealing with it (and still catching eggs.)

 

But if someone is really and truly unable to log on over the weekend, let's just change the "Hurricane Sandy gifting" thread to include people who won't be able to log in for work reasons as well as people whose power is still out. I think that's fair.

[Varekis]

Well, guess I'll go work on some assignments instead of just refreshing this thread.

 

To those affected by the hurricanes: stay safe and I hope everything returns to normal soon. Please don't feel terrible about the posts here - as many of us have mentioned, it's more the inconvenience of having to rearrange schedules only to have them turned on their heads that makes the change bitter. I'm sure I speak on behalf of all of us when I say that we don't empathise with what you guys are dealing with.

 

I'll be off now. Will check in occasionally in case anything changes (drops on the 31st and the 3rd, maybe, please? Not really sure why this option wouldn't be viable) but until then, laters.

[HollyTheColliegirl]

It's actually quite unfair to have the drop once a chunk of the East coast has power restored, while others parts of the US and Canada might just be losing power.

This is an angle that I don't think anyone has considered yet...

[daftpunk12]

I'm bummed that it's delayed, but it's what's fair.

Halloween in real life got delayed for me too, so this is only fitting

I actually just got power back. I was a bit worried I'd miss the drop.

 

[smurfettedoesnotshare]

Honestly, if you were going to get that cranky about the hurricane not being international enough to be worth accomodating, then Halloween isn't really an international enough holiday to be worth celebrating in the first place. *shrugs* I'm just happy to get the special dragons every year, really!

omigosh, exactly. Halloween is a predominantly American holiday. There are 800,000 Americans without power in New York City alone. Factor in the other people in New York state, New Jersey, Maryland, Washington D.C., Virginia, Indiana, Pennsylvania and all the other states that don't have power and that's a crap load of people.

 

To people calling TJ a supremist: Seriously?!?! People died, lost everything, lost something, lost money because their work closed for the hurricane.. and there are people calling people who want to do some little thing to show they care, xenophobes?!?! Really?! You really think right now is the time to call Americans supremest? You really think a pixellated dragon site is the place to air anti-American sentiment. People come here to raise pixellated dragons, nothing more.

 

TJ codes the site and the eggs, so he can code them however he darn well pleases. You don't like it, don't participate. Simples!!

Edited October 30, 2012 by smurfettedoesnotshare

[twofists]

Ask your friends to catch and send you the eggs.

 

I know I've got a bunch of people who have ask me to

send eggs their way, if I can catch enough.

If I could, I would, but for as far as I know, I'm the only one playing DC when it comes to my relatives and friends

[sunsteps88]

I think some of you are taking the storm and running with it. Most of the eastern states got high winds and tons of rain but only the very eastern coastlines like New York or New Jersey were hit bad enough to talk about it the way some of you are. Living in Pennsylvania, I was too hit by Sandy, so I'm not just speaking from a cold, statistical point of view. I don't believe that pushing back the drop was a good idea, simply because this is an international game. There are about 7 million people without power (and how many of them actually play DC?), but there are billions of people in the world. Besides, there are also a lot of people who were affected by the storm who still have power (like myself). Reading through the topic, it seems like I'm with the majority when I say I'd like to see two drop dates with a filter so you could only get eggs from one day or the other.

 

I can see both opinions, but this storm doesn't seem to have one perfect answer. Sometimes you just have to cut your losses and help out as many people as you can.

 

That being said, thank you everyone for your moral support for those of us hit by the storm, and I hope the worst areas can be cleaned up as soon as possible.

I agree with this, though the more it sinks in the more I accept it (as probably some others feel).

 

 

Thank you TJ for trying to resolve this issue - though some people will be out of power for weeks.

 

Below brought up a good point - out of those 7 billion people, how many ~actually~ play DC? Though I also agree with an earlier post, that the little things and little distractions actually do make a difference; I know from experience.

 

Either way, depending on how many people are still out by the dropping day, I might catch some eggs just to hold on to for any other stragglers. There is always gifting threads, IOUs and the Hurricane thread (if it's still working).

 

 

I feel sorry for those who took time out of work or school or other event rescheduling, like myself. Though I feel even more for Hurricane victims.

 

Thank you TJ for doing this... I hope it all goes for-the-most-part well, with DC, power, homes, victims futures and lives, and whatever other things relating to this.

[Starscream]

This actually works out for me in the end.

 

The hurricane did not do much in my area, but it could have and I was stuck in a different city. I am glad TJ is considering that other users may have got swatted by mother nature.

[TJ09]

There is also something else to consider. As the hurricane moves, it's going to continue affecting the areas it hits (most probably with more power outages). So how exactly is it fair for the people who will be without power THEN, when the majority of those now without power have theirs restored and DC does the egg drop? Is DC going to wait until the hurricane is completely finished moving through both the US and Canada? And going to wait until everyone has power back? Because the more comments I read, and the more I consider it, it's actually quite unfair to have the drop once a chunk of the East coast has power restored, while others parts of the US and Canada might just be losing power.

It's not a hurricane anymore, and its winds are significantly weaker than those that hit the coast.

[teresadurfin]

If you don't like what TJ has done, then go play another game. I think TJ is being fair to everyone.

you do realize that it is impossible to achieve right? and you can tell by the pour of posts, negative posts, a lot of ppl feel like they're not being treated fairly.

 

i agree he TRIED to be fair but unfortunately, no matter what he does, there will always be ppl not 'treated fairly'. is it fair for ppl in n.y to be flooded because of sandy? no. is it fair for us who planned ahead and now can't make sat? no. i say he tried too hard.

[Rosedamai]

omigosh, exactly. Halloween is a predominantly American holiday. There are 800,000 Americans without power in New York City alone. Factor in the other people in New York state, New Jersey, Maryland, Washington D.C., Virginia, Indiana, Pennsylvania and all the other states that don't have power and that's a crap load of people.

Lol at "Halloween is a predominantly American holiday". It originated from Ireland for heaven's sake.

 

And

think some of you are taking the storm and running with it. Most of the eastern states got high winds and tons of rain but only the very eastern coastlines like New York or New Jersey were hit bad enough to talk about it the way some of you are. Living in Pennsylvania, I was too hit by Sandy, so I'm not just speaking from a cold, statistical point of view. I don't believe that pushing back the drop was a good idea, simply because this is an international game. There are about 7 million people without power (and how many of them actually play DC?), but there are billions of people in the world.

 

There is also something else to consider. As the hurricane moves, it's going to continue affecting the areas it hits (most probably with more power outages). So how exactly is it fair for the people who will be without power THEN, when the majority of those now without power have theirs restored and DC does the egg drop? Is DC going to wait until the hurricane is completely finished moving through both the US and Canada? And going to wait until everyone has power back? Because the more comments I read, and the more I consider it, it's actually quite unfair to have the drop once a chunk of the East coast has power restored, while others parts of the US and Canada might just be losing power.

 

So actually, this may end up affecting a lot more people, resulting in a lot more people not getting eggs than it would have if we just had the eggs drop on the 31st. That's what I'm worried about. Personally it doesn't matter for me, but for some people, it might.

[_Z_]

(Just my opinion)

I would think most members would be Happy, TJ is not completely canceling the Halloween release.

[Siliskor]

I'll be here this weekend, able & willing to help out anyone wanting some new eggs, I have teleports enough to help out several people.

 

I don't really understand all the fuss & accusations of geographical favoritism because of Sandy... as my memory recalls, last year a portion of the US northeast got slammed with a freak October snowstorm that knocked power out for anywhere from 3 days - 3 weeks. I personally had no power/no heat for 8 days during that time... my pets had to be left in my apartment while my kids & I were forced to stay at the shelter set up at our local high school, & all of the food in my fridge/freezer spoiled. Guess what? I totally missed the Halloween release. My plans for zombies went to heck. I came back when power was restored, fully prepared to accept the reality of not getting any new pixels.

 

And you wanna know something? Out of nowhere, I got PMs, many from members I had never interacted with before, all with offers of SW hatchies... I was floored. People here made sure I had something on my scroll commemorating the Halloween release last year.

 

My point, in my rambling manner, is that no matter what the drop, no matter the disaster, we have hundreds of people here, ready & willing to help out anyone that will need it. I will be here with my teleports, ready to pay back the generosity done to me last year. I don't understand the bitterness over pushing the event back, not when there are so many who can & will help others.

 

Want a couple of the new eggs? Shoot me a PM when the time comes, & I'll make sure to send them on over once cooldown ends.

 

Learn to accept help once in a while, even if you'd rather catch them yourself. It won't kill you.

[girlgamerjen]

What about... making these halloween eggs (just for this year, or hell, even turn off incubation for a week) NOT incubatable... and then doing the two days? It isnt like we could just incubate them and pick up a second batch, but then you can do two drop days?

 

Just a thought.

 

 

edit in: and we deduced zombies are still timed as planned, yes?

Edited October 30, 2012 by girlgamerjen

[GreenDragonMama]

You know, if people don't stop complaining, TJ might just cancel the entire Halloween drop for 2012.

[kin_sedren]

awwww, it sucks that its delayed but I understand and I hope the Hurricane lets up soon!!!

[FCOL]

It's not a hurricane anymore, and its winds are significantly weaker than those that hit the coast.

But that doesn't actually mean it's not going to affect power. I live on the East Coast of Canada, right by the water. It doesn't actually take a hurricane to knock out our power, just as I'm sure it doesn't take a hurricane to knock out the power in other states & provinces.

 

The point is that there is still a very real possibility that more people will be losing power as the storm moves along. The damage, of course, won't be as severe as it initially was, but if they lose power at the time you decide to have the drop...how is that fair?

[Banuk]

You know, if people don't stop complaining, TJ might just cancel the entire Halloween drop for 2012.

Yeah. Because that would totally solve the issue and make everyone feel like they're being treated fairly.

 

/sarcasm

[Rosedamai]

You know, if people don't stop complaining, TJ might just cancel the entire Halloween drop for 2012.

*Shrug* I understand people are upset, and it's not okay to silence them just because.

 

Anyways, I will be gifting as many eggs as possible, although I only have 6 slots, and the fact that I collect sprites mean that at most, I have to catch five eggs for me and at least 3. Send me a PM if you're in the afflicted areas-I'll try to help as much as possible.

 

Ok, sorry. My bad. I did know this, however how widely is it still celebrated in Ireland? I was saying "predominantly American" to refer to the number of people/countries who actively celebrate it.

I'm not from Europe per se, but judging from conversations I've had with people that were from that area, I'd imagine that most of them do celebrate it in most parts of Western and Northern Europe. I'm not knowledgeable about other parts of Europe, however. Perhaps Australia and New Zealand has people celebrating it as well. I wouldn't know.

 

Some Asian countries do celebrate it, and South America has their version of Halloween called "Dia de los Muertos" I believe. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Edited October 30, 2012 by ylangylang