Vary the time of day releases are dropped

[kerrikins]

Just like the title says

 

There's another thread in this area that basically touched on people saying that they're frustrated that the 'flood' of eggs didn't last as long, because they didn't get a chance when the release first started. So I was thinking that the biggest problem for releases seems to be that certain people are favoured all the time due to their time zone.

 

For example, I am on PST and new releases usually hit at 9pm my time. I am always up and awake and usually on DC when new releases roll out, so I am able to jump on the first few drops and snag them.

 

Others are hours ahead or behind of me, though, either at work or at school or asleep, depending on where they live!

 

The time of day makes sense for holiday releases because they have to last a certain length of time - midnight to midnight is the only fair way to do it, and it makes sense to do that according to cave time.

 

For permanent releases, though, I can't really think of a reason not to have a varying time. Of course TJ might have a very good reason for doing it the way that he does, but I just thought I'd put it out there as a question/suggestion, since people find it frustrating to always come on hours after a new release starts.

 

I can think of a few different ways:

 

1. Totally random release times

 

2. Alternating noon and cave time

 

3. Cycle through Midnight, 6am, Noon and 6pm to hit all time zones.

 

Open to suggestions/cricitism, of course! Thoughts?

[sparkle10184]

TJ's time zone is EST, so the time of releases is just what works for him, I think.

[kerrikins]

Oh, I know. It might just be that that's what's convenient for him, but I don't know how much is automatic and how much is him pushing a button manually (so to speak), you know? So I thought I'd at least put it out there to see what people think.

[sparkle10184]

Oh, I know. It might just be that that's what's convenient for him, but I don't know how much is automatic and how much is him pushing a button manually (so to speak), you know? So I thought I'd at least put it out there to see what people think.

Well, he has to make the forum post....

[ZzelaBusya]

Ahhah, I understand that so well! My timezone is GMT+4, so all releases are at 8-9 am my time (when I used to be on my way to school and am on my way to university nowadays), so before I manage to get back home and check out the cave, around 10-12 hours pass

 

It's not too important to me since I usually manage to get new releases anyway, but it may cheer up those people who don't live in the US and actually hope to catch that first "wave" instead of struggling to get the new eggies when there are not so many of them anymore.

[Nectaris]

I seem to remember that there have been releases that have happened at times other than midnight EST, though I can't remember specifics. I think the trios MIGHT have been one that wasn't at midnight, because I was up at the time that they were released, and I am rarely up till then(I am on central time, which makes midnight at the cave 11pm here).

 

It's not too important to me since I usually manage to get new releases anyway, but it may cheer up those people who don't live in the US and actually hope to catch that first "wave" instead of struggling to get the new eggies when there are not so many of them anymore

 

I kind of resent the implication that US timezones are favored by this, as I said, I live in the US and due to normal sleep patterns I am not up at 11pm very often(and not on the computer the rare times I am). I highly doubt I am the only one who chooses not to stay up so late. If anything, midnight EST favors timezones where it is late afternoon/early evening when Midnight EST hits.

Edited March 5, 2013 by Nectaris

[Momo]

Well, he has to make the forum post....

That's very true. I think people would otherwise be like.. upset that there were new releases that didn't even have a news post to them, complaining about how they're on the forum more than the cave and need a punctual news post in order to hunt instantly. So unfortunately I can't see much a way around how it currently is. He's the one who releases the dragons and posts the news about it. The release might be doable as "automatic," as a calendar event sort of thing, but the news post.. I think not. o.o;

 

12:00am is a very neutral time for me. I'm neither wide awake or the least bit tired. I'm always awake at that time; whether on DC or not. I was there for the very first drop and those afterwards, actually. Imagine my surprise, lmaoo.

[WraithZephyr]

I seem to remember that there have been releases that have happened at times other than midnight EST, though I can't remember specifics. I think the trios MIGHT have been one that wasn't at midnight, because I was up at the time that they were released, and I am rarely up till then(I am on central time, which makes midnight at the cave 11pm here).

all releases have been midnight EST/EDT. What you might be thinking of is a release that started but then had to temp. stop for a very brief time due to server hiccups.

[ZzelaBusya]

I kind of resent the implication that US timezones are favored by this.

Sorry, did not mean to offend anyone! I am simply an evening kind of person and usually do not go to bed before midnight/1 am, so I said that

 

As I have mentioned, the time releases happen is not important to me, so I am more or less neutral on the whole thing. :3

[Nectaris]

all releases have been midnight EST/EDT. What you might be thinking of is a release that started but then had to temp. stop for a very brief time due to server hiccups.

I could have sworn there were some that started earlier than that and I am not convinced yet that I am wrong, but I will drop the point at least.

 

I will point out that this one was posted well before midnight EST:

 

http://forums.dragcave.net/index.php?showtopic=87222

http://forums.dragcave.net/index.php?showtopic=101181

http://forums.dragcave.net/index.php?showtopic=101010 This one may have been a hiccup, but it was posted early in the morning

http://forums.dragcave.net/index.php?showtopic=113434

 

And that is just one we have record of, don't forget, the news forum got wiped in a glitch and we have no record past a certain period of time. Yes, most of these were close to midnight, but not exact.

Edited March 5, 2013 by Nectaris

[Starbit]

As someone in the UK I find it very difficult to be on for releases because DC midnight is 4am my time. Even people in the DC timezone cannot always be on at midnight, for many different reasons. People have work, school, children, they need to sleep. I'm sure there must be some way for TJ to automate releases, or at least have multiple mass drops throughout the day. I understand DC is an American site, but it feels very unfair and as I said, is not even fair on the American users.

[egwenna]

I'm in the DC timezone, I would be all for having a new release start sometime other than midnight!

 

I'm sometimes up and on, but more often than not I've been asleep for an hour or more. I think having it vary would be good. Noon on a Sunday works for me.

[Phenri]

I don't see this as a huge problem actually. I live in Denmark (timezone: CET). I don't personally see it as a huge thing to be online during a new release, but since the dragons often drops for a few days before their rarity is more set, I still have time to grab a pretty. Sometimes I even see it as a positive thing since less users are stalking the cave when I'm home from work and at mu computer which makes it that much easier to grab CB pretties :3

 

I'm not against the random release-idea, because it would be awesome to actually be online in the first few hours of a new release, but I personally doesn't see it as hyper-necessary.

[TheGrox]

I'd prefer it if for the first day, they dropped at a constant rate. Because most people, whatever timezone, can get on at sometime in that day. There shouldn't really be an advantage to those in certain Timezones who can get on straight away for the release.

 

For us people in the UK, it is quite difficult to get on at the start of a release.

Edited March 5, 2013 by TheGrox

[_Charky]

I'd prefer it if for the first day, they dropped at a constant rate. Because most people, whatever timezone, can get on at sometime in that day. There shouldn't really be an advantage to those in certain Timezones who can get on straight away for the release.

 

For us people in the UK, it is quite difficult to get on at the start of a release.

I think this idea was suggested BECAUSE there's really nothing that can be done about the rate fo dropping, other than people not grabbing them <.<

 

The UK point is good though, because I'm pretty sure none of us are awake at 4/5am. I know that I for one get up at half 7, and I'm not awake until about 9, by which time I'm in lessons.

[Fuzzbucket]

Apparently they are NOT always at midnight cave time. Who knew....?

 

And also - as has been pointed out to me - the BEST placed people are NOT those on cave time but those in places like Australia and Japan.... Not so US centric then... Oops.

[Reidragon]

I personally have no problem with the way the releases are. They have been this way for FIVE YEARS. Why suddenly change them now? I don't get the huge movement to change near about everything on this site now :/ I've put up with the release time for ages and will continue to put up with it because I believe that time is what is most convenient for TJ and this is his site. He could release dragons at whatever time he chose and he chose around the time they are all released now. I don't see why it can't stay the same as it has been for years. Sure it's annoying. But it makes the game more of a challenge.

 

Personally I like hunting for mixed eggs when I miss the initial release. My connection is crap and I still always manage to grab a few at least and then it gives me something else to do for the rest of the weeks in between new releases. My opinion is it should stay the way it is so no support from me.

[Draco Knight]

Changing the times doesn't really bother me, I'm in the DC timezone but I'm rarely ever here for the initial eggs of a new dragon release. Changing times wouldn't change that, especially since TJ said he'd like to do releases on Sundays, and I work the weekends.

 

For those wondering, my (new) current aim is for a release of two breeds on the first Monday of every month.

Thinking about it just now, I should probably move this to first Sunday, so that it doesn't interfere with work or school.

 

[WraithZephyr]

I could have sworn there were some that started earlier than that and I am not convinced yet that I am wrong, but I will drop the point at least.

 

I will point out that this one was posted well before midnight EST:

 

http://forums.dragcave.net/index.php?showtopic=87222

http://forums.dragcave.net/index.php?showtopic=101181

http://forums.dragcave.net/index.php?showtopic=101010 This one may have been a hiccup, but it was posted early in the morning

http://forums.dragcave.net/index.php?showtopic=113434

 

And that is just one we have record of, don't forget, the news forum got wiped in a glitch and we have no record past a certain period of time. Yes, most of these were close to midnight, but not exact.

All of those releases you posted about (except one) happened at midnight. Don't forget that there is daylight savings in the USA.. clocks go forward or backward one hour depending on the time of the year. Those posts were made at midnight - in another week when the clocks change and go forwards 1 hour and you will see that the times on the forum posts will change to reflect that.

 

The only exception was the 10-10-10 release. The release time was done only as a delayed joke due to the nature of the release... eggs showing up on the 10th day of the 10th month of the 2010 year of the first 10:10:10 (time) of the day... otherwise they would have been released hours earlier at the normal midnight hour.

 

 

[Obscure_Trash]

I guess I don't mind if the time of release is changed, but I wouldn't really like a varied time. Even if we don't know what date a release may happen, we do know the time it will happen. (Although I guess if TJ starts doing schedule releases, then we would know the day and it would be more okay with me to vary times.)

[rubyshoes]

I'd rather have a set time for releases than a varied time. I don't mind one way or another if TJ changed the time but I'd like the releases to have a set time to begin.