More often BSA release

[Psycho Cat]

I looked for this, I swear, but was surprised not to find it (unless I didn't search hard enough, in which case pleas and thank you close).

 

It's a regular BSA release. Like dragon requests, but for BSAs! Why? Because I have seen so many neglected BSAs that deserve a spot in DC, but don't get it. Of course, because of how BSAs work, it would not be nearly as often.

 

Release variations suggested so far:

 

1 every few months.

 

1 every year.

2 every year.

 

A clump (5-10) released once a year.

A clump (5-10) released once a year in place of a normal dragon release.

Edited July 8, 2014 by Psycho Cat

[DigitalGarden]

Differently than dragons, BSAs require individual coding and testing (?). So I don't think they would be released that regularly. Besides, BSAs are extras that aren't necessary to add. Back in the old DC times there were none. D:

 

Still partially 'yes' with one BSA per year, more often will be just too much to ask for. /needs hatchie incubate of some sort, srsly

[olympe]

I don't think it's necessary to have a regular BSA release. For one, with the new limits, we have all we really need. We also have many BSA suggestions which are duplicates or near-duplicates, either of each other or of already existing BSAs. Also, many of the remaining BSAs in the subforum are useless on top of that.

[LibbyLishly]

I would really like to see at least 1-2 BSAs released per year, or even one big mass release that would tide us over for a bit (say, 10 BSAs released all at once, maybe even in place of a regular new dragon release). The backlog on the BSAs is kind of sad, and at least making a proper release might eliminate the ones that are more or less duplicates.

 

@olympe: A lot of the BSAs in the suggestions thread would be 'useless' to many players, but others might get a great deal of use out of them. Besides, it's not like the reasoning "This is useless to the majority of players" has stopped certain BSAs *Cough*Expunge*Cough* from being released before.

 

(Also, random stickler note for the OP: I'm not sure TJ ever actually confirmed that he would release 'Heal' for a particular dragon; I think he just implied that he thought it was a good idea. I've searched before for a post where he confirmed that it would be a thing, but I've never been able to find anything.)

[Pokemonfan13]

I agree with at least one useful BSA each year. [ie he can't meet it by releasing another splash]

[Nectaris]

I honestly don't care if they are useful, or even similar to each other(I for one would not mind a second dragon getting incubate, or a similar BSA), I would like more BSAs released. The latter allows for options. Some people might not like X breed or might not want a ton of one dragon, well now Y breed has a similar BSA so now they have a second option. It makes sense really, you want to pull a cart with an animal, well you have some options. You could have it pulled by a horse, a donkey, a mule or an ox. All of those animals are similar, but different, yet all can achieve the same task.

 

Also, when you consider how few useful, non-gamebreaking, breed-fitting believable BSAs are even proposed(the majority fail at one of those criteria), you will have to allow for overlap if you want them to be useful at all.

Edited November 22, 2013 by Nectaris

[HeatherMarie]

I personally wouldn't mind a *few* BSAs a year, but I wouldn't want a "regular" release.

 

And I'm really not even sure how plausible any of this is. We all know that TJ has enough *breeds* ready to release that he's been doing the whole every-month thing (except holidays). But what about BSAs? We don't know that *any* of the proposed BSAs have been 'okayed' by TJ, planned to actually be implemented, or heck even looked at (excluding Heal).

 

I'd honestly rather have some up-front information about how many of these BSAs TJ is actually considering. Or if he is at all.

[edwardelricfreak]

I honestly don't care if they are useful, or even similar to each other(I for one would not mind a second dragon getting incubate, or a similar BSA), I would like more BSAs released. The latter allows for options. Some people might not like X breed or might not want a ton of one dragon, well now Y breed has a similar BSA so now they have a second option. It makes sense really, you want to pull a cart with an animal, well you have some options. You could have it pulled by a horse, a donkey, a mule or an ox. All of those animals are similar, but different, yet all can achieve the same task.

 

Also, when you consider how few useful, non-gamebreaking, breed-fitting believable BSAs are even proposed(the majority fail at one of those criteria), you will have to allow for overlap if you want them to be useful at all.

This this this right here.

 

I mean it doesn't even really say anywhere that Reds are hot. I guess maybe they breathe fire or something to keep the eggs warm, but there are other dragons (like Greenwings, for example) that actually say they're quite warm to the touch, and I'm sure several others can breathe fire. So why not have more dragons with a kind of Incubate?

 

I would LOVE to see a couple BSAs per year. I think at most, I'd say have as many as 3 per year (one every four months) but I would be fine with having just one useful thing. c:

 

It would give me more things to do, too...(especially stuff like Prod or a hatchi version of Incubate.)

[SkylerFarrier]

I'm against a hatchie Incubate, just because people could mass-cycle eggs and hatchlings through.

>.>; As is, I shifted quite a bunch through, by nabbing from the AP as part of an Egg-Wall Clearing Project, then freezing or trading off the hatchies.

 

I did see one I liked, though. Assigned to a Guardian, it had a low chance of the Guardian being able to tell the hatchie's gender before it genders. Since there's barely a 24-hour window between gendering and growing up. That could be insanely useful for gender-swap trades. Aka, the bane of my existence.

 

I'm happy with the once-a-month releases, and even then am missing some [blusangs & FEMALE opals, for one]. If there were some decent BSA ideas [misfits being able to piece together eggshells as a sort of trophy, or being able to 'doodle' on another user's page (an opt-in)], then I'd support it. But I tend to stay out of that part of the forum due to all the useless/redundant/illogical ones, so I don't know the actual tally for possible releases.

[Obscure_Trash]

I would love to see more BSAs introduced! Not sure how feasible a regular release of them would be, though, especially if you wanted them often. Not only due to testing and coding of the features but also because, although the BSA section has grown nicely, there just aren't as many options for BSAs as there are for completed dragons, for example. And many of the BSAs are for the same dragon. While TJ hasn't ruled out a dragon have multiple BSA's, I do think it's less likely.

[Psycho Cat]

*Libby: yeah. I think I just heard that somewhere.

 

I honestly don't care if it's only a couple a year. I have next to no knowledge about coding and if BSAs are hare to make I've got no problem at all. I just didn't want to say "anytime works."

[Natayah]

I would love to have one or two BSAs a year.

 

That being said, I love Expunge. It has added some much story RPish stuff to my dragons. I know you all don't know the "story" of my dragons, but my GoNs, and thus most of my dragons hate Zombies and Vampires. Thats putting it lightly. They consider them defilements of Nature. So they "purge" them. Which means they hunt and kill them. And rip them to pieces and probably other things that are not nice. Why am I telling you this mostly boring info? Because the BSA Expunge was a huge deal to me due to the roleplay/story of my dragons. I currently have 1 vampire and 2 zombies that are "study" subjects and one of those zombies may be expunged. We'll see how it plays out and I can't wait.

 

Splash is full of lulz. Now, I'm not saying that TJ should just make lulz only BSAs and we are ok with that, but they do add something to the game.

 

TJ, just like many of the mods, admins, artists and players, also has a life and a job. And he has to balance the decision to code BSAs against all his other obligations to improving the game.

 

So if nothing else, the players could go thru the BSA list and make a thread where people submit their favorite BSA submissions, vote on it, create a top 10 - 20 list of what seem to be the forum user's favorite BSAs, and at least that would be a place to start. Doesn't mean "those" would be done, but I think its easier to make this sort of proposal and also have the data to say "and amongst the forum players we did a poll and collected data and these are currently the 10 - 20 or whatever most popular/requested BSAs" I think would offer a lot more to work with.

 

It doesn't mean those BSAs will get done, it must might give you a way to at least involve people in something rather than posting variations of ideas we consider good, talking about it for awhile, and then it eventually dying on the vine as other newer ideas take its place.

 

My $6.72

[Cinnamin Draconna]

At this time a regular release of a BSA dragon is pretty much impossible, because we have no idea which, if any, BSA's have been approved for release.

 

So rather than a release, I'd like to see some confirmations about which BSA's will be released in the future. Hopefully soon, but I'd settle for an eventually if we'd just get some firm info.

[Wahya]

I'd love to see at least one BSA every year. Maybe 2 if one of them is going to be a BSA for laughs (or one that will be used by less than 5% of all players).

 

-wishes particularly for a hatchling incubate-

Edited November 24, 2013 by Wahya

[Psycho Cat]

I bump.

[StormWizard212]

I personally wouldn't mind a *few* BSAs a year, but I wouldn't want a "regular" release.

This. There are so many wonderful BSA ideas that I would love to see in the cave. And not necessarily ones that make playing the game easier (like a hatchie incubate for example) but ones that add little tidbits to make the game more fun. Such as the gift wrapping and prank BSAs that have been suggested. Implementing a few such things wouldn't make the game too easy for players, but would add some additional depth, I feel.

[Melisande]

Also, many of the remaining BSAs in the subforum are useless on top of that.

"useless" is an interesting thing... depending on the action some of them (like splash on the shallow water) are just fun and entertaining. This is a game after all.

 

Having a new one now and then would be interesting, but not too often or they would not be as special. One a year or just at random when TJ felt one was ready to be added -nods -

[LibbyLishly]

"useless" is an interesting thing... depending on the action some of them (like splash on the shallow water) are just fun and entertaining. This is a game after all.

 

Having a new one now and then would be interesting, but not too often or they would not be as special. One a year or just at random when TJ felt one was ready to be added -nods -

That is pretty much the system we have right now: it's at random whenever TJ feels like one is ready to be added. An intentional scheduling of one to, say, five a year (either all in a clump, which would be cool, or spread out over the year) would improve the backlog immensely.

 

Agree, though, that 'useless' is definitely subjective. I'm all for joke BSAs and straight-up fun or entertainment value only BSAs mixed in with BSAs that actually affect the game.

[HeatherMarie]

At this time a regular release of a BSA dragon is pretty much impossible, because we have no idea which, if any, BSA's have been approved for release.

 

So rather than a release, I'd like to see some confirmations about which BSA's will be released in the future. Hopefully soon, but I'd settle for an eventually if we'd just get some firm info.

This is still the biggest issue here. How many more BSA-releases we want, how often, etc, doesn't really matter if we don't know what BSAs there actually *are* in the "backlog". Unlike dragon suggestions, there is no "Completed" list/forum (and even those have no guarantee of being released). There are TONS of awesome BSA ideas out there, and tons that I've replied to and totally support, but to my knowledge the only one TJ's actually commented about is "Heal". If there are more, I'd love to hear about it. But until we have more information... This entire suggestion is hinging on the assumption that there are *any* BSAs actually approved.

[jerzeeshadow]

Personally, I think a BSA for "freezing" eggs would be amazing!

 

I mean we can freeze (in reality, save) hatchling sprites on our scrolls. Why not eggs too? There are soooo many beautiful eggs on the Cave.

Just imagine having a bunch of egg sprites on your scroll going from unhatched all the way to maturity!

[Psycho Cat]

Well, I'm glad this isn't being responded to as badly as I thought it would. But anywho, bump.

[Psycho Cat]

Bump

[diaveborn]

I'd like to see a regular release. I'm less concerned about how often as I am about a regular schedule, as I feel like that would help make it a priority to get new BSAs out there once in a while. And while I don't think BSAs need to be released hugely often or anything, I do agree that more often than they are now would be good - am surprised this thread hasn't gotten more support!

 

Edited March 23, 2014 by diaveborn

[Fuzzbucket]

How many BSAs do we NEED, though ? This seems rather OTT to me....

[CNR4806]

There's no such thing as NEEDING BSAs.

 

They are, however, exciting additions to the cave when the said BSAs are useful ones (e.g. incubate, influence, teleport) that enhance the DC experience.

 

I remember when BSAs were announced and all the hype that went along with them. They were the next big thing for DC... and then their release after the intial BSAs were so painfully slow that I don't see people getting excited over the possibility of new BSAs anymore.

 

The only time that I remember anticipating a usful BSA is that I waited a very, very long time for teleport to be implemented so that I don't have to play the risk game called AP trading. After that I stopped anticipating BSAs no matter how promising or useful the BSA suggestions are, because I accepted the reality that their implementation comes at a pace slower than a banana slug.

 

Also worth mentioning is that teleport, alongside with fertility, are the last widely-useful BSAs released, and that was in June 2011. The last BSA release (regardless of usefulness) was Expunge (which usefulness is limited since it's a glorified kill button for zombies) in April last year, which is actually the first BSA since the said June 2011 update.... well, you get the point.

 

At this point I don't think I even care about whether a released BSA is useful anymore. Just something to keep the BSA thing from being in its current miserable state would be GREAT.