The Holly Contest 2016 Dragon Poll

[Hawkster]

During the 5 to 10 minutes while I was coming up with my starter list of ones to possibly include, I seen at least one of each in the cave at the time. It was the best I could do as I had only been semi-active prior, along with going by ones listed as common or very common.

 

Since some of the posts here, I have looked in cave for various periods of time. It really has depended on when I was checking, but I have seen all of these in cave at some point. For example one time I seen several grays but no Greater Spotted Drake. Couple hours later when checking it was complete opposite. One time I was so busy going through the biomes looking for all these that I missed a Xeno in Coast. By time it dawned on me that, OH yea I should really be grabbing that, it was gone ofc lol. I have noticed that several of these are not hanging around long, which implies to me that several are already collecting for this

 

As to grays or drakes being in AP, yea I have not really seen them much in AP either. Occasionally when someone goes through all their breeding, I have seen some, but otherwise not so much. More so with the grays.

 

If you have not done so, I encourage everyone to cast their vote.

[Wiz]

I also think it depends on when you check the cave. I suffer badly from insomnia so I'm online at all hours and I do notice patterns. In the AP too. Though some of that has to do with mass breeding.

Also whatever TJ did to help with caveblocking certainly does seem to have helped, it's a lot better than it used to be.

IMHO it seems worse when a common or very common is restricted to just one cave. Maybe because they can't spread out to make their quota. Of course you could just go and hunt in another cave but as someone else said, if you want something from that cave it's frustrating.

[Firedda]

I chose Storms. They are almost always in the AP, whereas I've noticed that the Greater Spotted Drakes aren't nearly as common.

 

There's my two cents.

[Riannon]

I chose the Duotones because I thought they needed some love, but yall have me wishing I had chosen the GSDs instead. They do need some love, too. I actually casually hoard the Storms/Greys because I love the sprite so much, and I know I'm not the only one. If they get chosen for this, I might actually have to participate. *wheels turning in her head* I have a couple of questions about how this whole thing works since I have never participated before, so I suppose I'll have to wait until the poll closes and I can ask them before I set anything in stone. At any rate, I really am hoping either the Duotones or GSDs are chosen; out of the list, those are the only ones I've never heard of anyone hoarding. They could use some love.

[Lurhstaap]

I voted for storm because they're one of my favorite species and have been since I joined so an excuse to hoard them as a high priority would, for me, be amazing. BUT I do want to say that I agree with the other options as being logical selections and do not object to any of them, so to me it doesn't matter too much. Whatever the group decides!

[The_Bucket]

I chose Storms. They are almost always in the AP, whereas I've noticed that the Greater Spotted Drakes aren't nearly as common.

 

There's my two cents.

This is the problem, though. Greys are in the AP because they are reasonably popular and people breed them a lot. GSDs are almost never seen in the AP because no one picks them up or breeds them. If you look in the Forest, it almost always has at least one, often three, GSDs.

 

Personally, I am not too fond of the breed selection. It is missing several dragons far more problematic than the likes of Greys. If there was a 2012 or earlier Holly contest that targeted one of these breeds, I am not aware of it:

 

Brimstone

Imperial Fleshcrowne

Hooktalon

Purple Ridgewing

Olive

Deep Sea/Water/Waterhorse/Waverunner?

 

More that I am probably forgetting.

Edited January 6, 2016 by The_Bucket

[Gusearth]

I'm going for Striped River since it's my favorite breed out of all of the choices so I"ll have no trouble locking myself with them

[LadyC]

I actually do like the Great Spotted Drakes; however, I have always loved the Storm Dragons, so I voted for them. Also, they are more compatible with other dragons.

 

 

[PixelShark]

Definitely voted for Storms. I don't have very many of them, but I do like them a decent amount. I never loved GSDs...Afraid they're one of, if not the most, disliked breed of mine. And they have breeding limits. Storms aren't restricted nearly as much. I've never joined in with a hording contest, so this would be interesting to become involved with...

[atheistcanuck]

I went for Nocturnes because I like 'em. Also they seem to be in the AP a lot.

[Dracaena]

A little bit of thread history for you folks. The Holly contest started in 2012 by ArynChris who was much exasperated by a certain bronze tinsel and bright breasted wyvern pair. You can take a look at the first post here to see the pair in question. Of 33 offspring only 4 are tinsel. It wasn't what was clogging the biomes or overflowing the AP that was chosen, it was the unbalanced breeding.

 

I mostly work with holiday checkers so I am not in touch with what commons it is impossible to get the mates breed from but those are the ones to look for. Just something to think about.

[Natayah]

Just as something to also speak on, the in-game spriters/artists have been aware of certain dragon types having breeding limitations and not a lot of choice and sometimes people not always liking the sprite choices they have. They have brought this up in other threads. So please be aware the spriters have already been vocal and working on this issue for awhile now. I mean, it takes a bit before you see stuff finished and released, but at least there is already a big rally and in the works progression for this for a good amount of time it sounds like. Not to say "Vote for a Drake" or "vote for a two head", but I think a lot of people will have more breeding choices after some release throughout the year if that is the biggest concern for you.

 

However, it still should be something you choose and want to choose. What you guys do does have a huge impact and I think its a great project!

Edited January 7, 2016 by natayah

[Clya]

So when does this start up? It seems like grey's are winning

[Zerhai]

Last year was the first year i took part (didn't collect my holly due to real life drama....) I enjoyed it, i have so many flamingos, and i just enjoy collecting something that gives me a goal. but nothing with a specific lineage, i'll collect on whatever is chosen, i have a decent number of all those mentioned in the poll

[Predat0rs]

I'm in support of Greater Spotted Drakes for the Holly Contest. I absolutely love the little guys and would hoard the crap outta them <3

[Hawkster]

This is the problem, though. Greys are in the AP because they are reasonably popular and people breed them a lot. GSDs are almost never seen in the AP because no one picks them up or breeds them. If you look in the Forest, it almost always has at least one, often three, GSDs.

 

Personally, I am not too fond of the breed selection. It is missing several dragons far more problematic than the likes of Greys. If there was a 2012 or earlier Holly contest that targeted one of these breeds, I am not aware of it:

 

Brimstone

Imperial Fleshcrowne

Hooktalon

Purple Ridgewing

Olive

Deep Sea/Water/Waterhorse/Waverunner?

 

More that I am probably forgetting.

I agree with most of your choices. It was not easy coming up with list as every year their is just more choices to come up with and choose from lol. But since we chose to put up poll this year, we tried to give fair sample of all different types, which made it even harder for me anyway. Some older, some newer, some limited biomes, some all biomes, just as quick idea off top of my head.

 

For example my original list did have Hooktalon on it this year, however in end Duotone was chosen instead, and we didnt want to have too many 2-headed limited breed choices in our poll.

 

I believe Imperial Fleshcrowne has been one discussed in past but was not chosen in the end.

 

Several of the Deep Sea/Water/Waterhorse/Waverunner have also been mentioned in past as well, couple prolly even more than once.

 

Anyway, yea I know we most definitely missed some, but overall I am happy with our final list. Not to say it couldnt have been improved, but I feel like we did accomplish our goal of trying to get a decent selection of various types to choose from. Or at least my goal.

[Lurhstaap]

I dunno, a lot of the storms I see in AP are dumped CBs. They do get bred fairly often but they also suffer from 'blocker dump'.

 

In truth a lot of breeds on the site would be valid choices. Maybe it's worth it to consider trying to start other similar contests? If I were a prize owner, I would do a "Win A G2 Prize" thread. Another one that would likely work is G2 Altkin or G2 HMKin (offspring of a CB alt black, CB hellhorse, or somesuch, from the HM prizes in earlier raffles.) Sadly I don't have any of those things. But I'd be willing to help staff that sort of thing if people could be found to donate the prizes.

 

For now I am satisfied with the list for this year. We can always do GSD or Hooktalon or one of the others next year.

Edited January 8, 2016 by Lurhstaap

[VixenDra]

The Drakes are the most of a cave blocker currently so I'd highly reccomend them.

[Predat0rs]

The Drakes are the most of a cave blocker currently so I'd highly reccomend them.

Spotted Drakes are blockers, that's for sure. Every DC refresh there's more of them.

[Clya]

I'm still going to go with storm being the best choice as they can be found in every biome (correct me if I'm wrong), and I often see them just sit in the AP. Personally I would just rather collect Storms, but I could go either way.

[VixenDra]

I've been wondering... why not choosing 2 breeds? And a sum of those 2 could count but e.g. there must be at least 1 dragon of breed X for every 2 dragons of breed Y in the end (to avoid a situation when the given common ends up almost not picked at all)?

E.g. user got 244 of breed Y but only 100 of breed X, meaning that his score is not 344 but 300 (for 100X and 200Y; 44Y is dropped from the score because there were too few of X)

Just some idea to help incorporate more commons getting interest in the given year. Maybe an idea to consider in the future?

 

Drakes are a pain, too many of them always stuck in there and 'never' picked up(fewer lineage possibilities most of all I guess, they are potenially much less useful), while Storms are more likely to be bred due to wider lineage possibilities and therefoore found in AP. Both have a potential.

 

[AppleMango]

I've been wondering... why not choosing 2 breeds? And a sum of those 2 could count but e.g. there must be at least 1 dragon of breed X for every 2 dragons of breed Y in the end (to avoid a situation when the given common ends up almost not picked at all)?

E.g. user got 244 of breed Y but only 100 of breed X, meaning that his score is not 344 but 300 (for 100X and 200Y; 44Y is dropped from the score because there were too few of X)

Just some idea to help incorporate more commons getting interest in the given year. Maybe an idea to consider in the future?

 

Drakes are a pain, too many of them always stuck in there and 'never' picked up(fewer lineage possibilities most of all I guess, they are potenially much less useful), while Storms are more likely to be bred due to wider lineage possibilities and therefoore found in AP. Both have a potential.

2 breeds would be good.

Having to collect at least half as many as the other one though? No thankyou. That would be so annoying. >_<

Besides the different people would collect different ratios so even if you have 100:0, and 3 other people had 25:75, then they would be pretty even.

[Predat0rs]

I like the idea of 2 breeds; variety is nice. But the ratio thing I don't really care for.

[VixenDra]

Just a loose idea:) I also wouldn't really mind hundreds:0 ratios^^ Would be just cool if there were 2 blocker breeds counting to the score, not just 1^^ I simply assumed it fits the idea of that contest^^ (and added the ratio thing just in case:P)

[stagazer_7]

Voted for the Great Spotted Drakes, because they're the only ones I'd need an incentive to actually pick up from the Cave. All others suggested breeds are hoard-worthy on their own and don't really need all that much help, while these poor drakes sure do.