Are rare eggs too rare.

[Gruff]

Specifically gold and silver eggs.

This is my second go with Dragon Cave. My first time around we didn't have the biomes that we have now. It was just three egg slots. It was much simpler. Life happened. Had to move, grow some ... was off on some site and saw a dragon egg. It brought back memories and I re-joined in May of 2015.

I think since my return, I have seen one gold egg, didn't get it. I have seen a few silvers here and there. Never got those either. I do have two silvers now ... both were gifts ( and thank you very much for them ). But now, when I see each release, it makes me wonder if I will ever manage to get my own CB eggs by clicking on them. I try to get to the hourly drops ... nada. I can spend time and time again refreshing on the 5 minute marks ... nothing. I sometimes feel like I am in a vacuum chamber on DC. I look at the trade threads and am amazed how some people are lucky enough to be trading two or three silver eggs and sit in admire many a linage that people have for trade and realize that nothing I have is what they want for a trade.

A part of me doesn't care. I am enjoying Dragon Cave, making my own lineages that I like, the common everyday Stone is one of my all time favorite breeds still. If I abandon one or two for the AP, I hope others might like the lines I am making ... but I can't lie either. I get a little bit ... jealous ... maybe when looking at threads and seeing thanks for breeding all these beautiful lineages and see that I can't make anything like it.

I don't really want the ratios to change, and I don't have a solution. But it does feel good to just get it off my chest.

 

 

 

[Sundew]

I do think that Golds and Silvers are too hard to get right now. To be honest, I don't think the current biome system we have is at all sustainable in the long run. It worked well when it was released, it worked well for a few years after, but now we're nearing 200 breeds, and with only 5 biomes displaying 3 eggs apiece, even finding commons can be a pain.

But about lineages -- there are plenty of beautiful things you can make with commons and uncommons. Lines with alts, for example, show a lot of hard work and require an incredible amount of patience, but can still be done without needing a super fast connection or spending hours a day hunting. Using hybrids and holidays are also good ways to breed less common patterns in a way that can be very special. Rares are not the only way to make a lineage stand out.

As far as advice:
Trading can be a great way to get rares. A batch of BSA (or Olive, or whatever the year's Holly Contest breed is) hatchlings might not be able to get you a CB gold/silver, but you might have luck with a 2g offer--which is enough to make lineages. Just check the last page of the Metallic Trading Center; there are tons of people with CBs and 2gs who are looking for very obtainable un/common hatchlings in return. New releases (especially big ones) are usually a fantastic time to trade if you can get the new eggs.
I know there are plenty of people who are willing to breed their rares for free, so that might be of use, too--if someone says they're willing to breed in their signature, there's absolutely no harm in sending a polite PM request. People are generous!
If there is a specific lineage you want to tackle, it's worth signing up for a gifting thread or two. You might not get what you want quickly, but they are available as options, and are definitely worth checking out. Slow progress is still progress.
It's not impossible to make a good lineage with rares even if you can't hunt them yourself. It can be frustrating, and I would be totally open to seeing a change in how rares drop. But until then, there are always ways around it, and of course other options.

[Ruby Eyes]

3 hours ago, Dew said:

and with only 5 biomes displaying 3 eggs apiece

6 biomes, last I counted.

I agree on the lineages composed of commons - I'm a big fan of the Lovely Commons project as it puts an emphasis on creating beautiful things from dragons that aren't usually considered desirable.
Sadly, that still doesn't make them good trading material.

Overall, I do agree with the OP, too: The rares (not only Golds and Silvers, though) feel a tad too rare.

[Luxrayx]

Yeah, I'd say they are. Everything doesn't have to be easy to get, but golds and silvers are nearly impossible. Even if making lineages with commons is just as fun, being able to do it with rares without trading an arm and a leg would be nice.

[Mizashi]

Yep, I do agree with you there. As someone who's seen the earlier days of DC (before biomes or trading functions existed and back when dragons used to breed up to 4 eggs at a time ), I kind of miss the simplicity of the old days. Not that it's bad now or anything, but back then it was very much an "adoptables" type of site where you could just be proud of owning a special dragon and showing off your egg on other websites. Now everything is trading and lineage oriented, and it feels like it's not enough to just catch or breed a dragon you like anymore. You have to weigh its value, see how much it's worth, and see if you can trade it in for something better or something you don't have (at least for me, anyway).

I think partially it's gotten harder to catch CB rares because the user base has grown over the years, increasing demand. And of course, in relation to all the other dragon types that have been released since the beginning, the original rares have gone up to ultra rare status. I currently own 1 CB gold and 6 CB silvers all from 2008, and lemme tell ya I'm not going to catch any more. As a now casual user it's really difficult to do so, so I try to hop onto the trading wagon too and hope that I can find a good trade. 

[Ruby Eyes]

If you own old CB holidays (which are technically even rarer than Golds and Silvers) you might have better chances at trades.

[Mizashi]

Unfortunately I've been on and off for years so I don't have any CB holiday limited dragons, with the exception of the original '09 Valentine. And I haven't seen many requests for dragons bred from those lately.

Fortunately on the other hand, I was one of the winners for the prize raffle drawing last month so here's to hoping I'll have a better chance now! Although I still can't help but feel envious like OP - so many nice lineages out there that are really hard to acquire (or flat out impossible). I guess that's part of what makes it fun though, so I can't say I hate that.

[scratcher_cat]

I only go to the cave during drops anymore. it's always the same 3 eggs, they don't circulate .

 

You might be able to trade 2nd gen valentines in february. also grats on winning the drawing

Edited July 7, 2017 by scratcher_cat

[SheridanCharon]

I have been here 3 years in October, nowhere near as long as some people but long enough to firmly agree with the OP. In those three years, I have seen 2 golds and less than a dozen silvers, yet there are people who have been here far longer and have seen maybe 1 gold. While I get that eggs are affected by ratios and thus more desirable = more bred = less produced (I think), but really, to only see 1 gold in several years is...well, a bit ridiculous.

Yes, they're meant to be the rarest dragon available, but the fact that they're impossible to even SEE, let alone catch, just makes hunting for them frustrating.

[lilysally]

I traded for almost all of my CB Metals, except maybe a Copper here and there...
It turns out that special codes and special lineage breeding can help a lot. 

Of course I am lucky to have Alt Sweetlings, as those 2nd Gens were requested quite often some years ago.

Now you can often trade for CB Metals if you catch and hatch a lot of new release dragons and are ready to part with several of them in one go.

 

[Paradisiske]

i think a simple solution to this would be to add more biomes so that theres a more diverse showing of eggs at any given time

[The Dragoness]

I've seen a total of 2 Silvers (both this month) and 0 Golds in the cave since I joined 2 years ago. I spend a decent amount of time in the cave too. I wish the people who catch them by the dozens would share their big secret 

That being said, I have 4 CB Golds and 3 CB Silvers. I traded for all of them except one of the Silvers, which was a very generous Secret Santa gift, so it is possible. CB Halloween hatchlings, CB new release hatchlings, Alt hatchlings, and Neglecteds seem to be the "easiest" way to go, although many people looking to trade CB rares only want 2G Prizes in return.

However, having no option other than trading an arm and a leg for rares takes the fun out of having them, I think. A change in ratios or even the way the biomes are set up would be wonderful. I'm not asking for Golds and Silvers to become commons. I'm asking to be able to actually see a rare once in a while.

That's just my unnecessary rant two cents.

[Cottoncat]

3 minutes ago, The Dragoness said:

I wish the people who catch them by the dozens would share their big secret 

Me too, they must have some kind of rare senses! 

I've been on Dragon Cave for almost 6 years but I have never seen a CB Silver or a CB Gold pass by on the biomes nor owned any. Sometimes it's strange to hear about people seeing CB rares so often - maybe it's just me not being on the biomes at the right times though. But in my personal opinion both Silvers and Golds might be a bit too rare. It's neat that there's some challenge to the gameplay and some dragons are hard to find, but the challenge does feel a tad too hard with those two breeds especially.

[ewi]

I was able to catch three Golds and a reasonable amount of Silver eggs in 3 years, they are extremely elusive, seing them is an experience on its own  But there are people catching them all the time, so it is possible, right? I'd just want them to be more evenly distributed, so anyone could have a chance.

[Sundew]

1 hour ago, CellyBean said:

i think a simple solution to this would be to add more biomes so that theres a more diverse showing of eggs at any given time

That would look pretty cluttered and would eventually just land us in the same situation we are now as new breeds are added. 

[Carmelita-Fox]

Nine years of playing this game and I have only ever seen one CB gold. Granted I hate hunting in the cave lol, but still. That seems crazy to me. I own five silvers, and four golds. The silvers were all caught by me ( I somehow managed to catch two on the same five minute drop, that still amazes me) and I've caught a few more that I traded away. The golds, however, were all traded for or gifts. I do have rare and beautiful things, but most were received by the kindness of others, or pure dumb luck. (as is the case with my special yulebuck) I've learned it's all about the right place at the right time. I do wish they were a bit easier to come by. But what's a game without challenge? I will eventually be able to say I caught my first CB gold. Right?

[andromedae]

This really, really depends on a lot of things, often beyond our own control. Bad internet can affect the success rate of catching rares as well as many other elements. Spending time in the biomes, how good your reflexes are, or even if you're tired can really affect your chances of obtaining the dragon(s) you want. I believe that's the objective: to have a certain degree of exclusivity and inequality within DC's gameplay. Is it tough? Yes. Would I have it any other way? No. I'm aware it can be unfair, but I do enjoy the element of extra difficulty and the need to work towards what you want. I would honestly find this game very boring if there was no such thing as very rare dragons. I own multiple rares, to be honest, but this is thanks to the hard work I place into the game. I caught my CB silvers, many times camping out for ages in the cave. Various CB Golds of mine were all traded for, and only one was a lucky (read: accidental) catch. A good tip is that you can always find the right person who will trade you CB Metals and other such beauties for something reasonable, like many common hatchlings or something else they're looking for. It just takes a little time to look around the forums as there are very kind people who can be pretty flexible too. There's always a way, even if it's tough. I do admit I'd enjoy Golds being a *little* more common, but otherwise I'm happy with the state of dragon rarities at this time.

Edited July 7, 2017 by andromedae
Grammar

[Dancingprawn89]

I actually just saw another silver in the alpine, but of course I missed it 

That's the 5th one I've seen this week and I have missed every one 

*sighh*

;__;

[SheridanCharon]

4 hours ago, Dew said:

That would look pretty cluttered and would eventually just land us in the same situation we are now as new breeds are added. 

TBH, the other options I can think of aren't much better.

New Biomes
Pros - New areas to hunt, less congestion in areas during releases or events, spreads out the breeds a bit so biomes are less blocked.
Cons - As you said, adding biomes might make it a bit cluttered, it would only be a temporary reprieve and we'd end up in the same situation, which eggs to put where, stress on the servers and users' computers.

Increasing Number of Eggs in Biomes - In other words, instead of seeing 3 eggs, we see...say 6.
Pros - More to choose from, might encourage more CB blockers being grabbed, easier to find what you want.
Cons - Stress on servers and users' computers (Some of us have potato internet or use mobiles which aren't good at loading images), wouldn't really solve the problem of blockers it'd just mean extra blockers which in turn would make finding what you want stay difficult.

Get rid of the biomes - And go back to olden times of The Cave and only three slots.
Pros - ....It would be simpler, I guess.
Cons - Imagine 3 slots and the better part of 1000 people fighting over those slots during releases and holidays. Noooooo, thank you.

No new dragons - Pretty self-explanatory.
Pros - Uhhhh......well, I guess there'd be no stress of release-grabbing  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Cons - You mean aside from the site risking death because there's nothing new to catch?

These are just the ones that immediately come to mind, so other people might think of others, and these are my personal thoughts, so others will most likely disagree.

Really, none of these would be an effective way of dealing with Golds/Silvers being so hard to catch. The only way to do that would be for TJ to skew the ratios in order to make them drop more, and even I can't support that idea. And to be brutally honest, talking about overhauling the Biome system is risking going off-topic in this thread, so it might be better to make another thread for something like that.

Edited July 7, 2017 by SheridanCharon

[Ruby Eyes]

I don't think more biomes would actually cause more stress on anyone's computer, since one is usually only in 1 biome at a time anyway (unless auto-refreshers and bots are used, which is forbidden and leads to burnt scrolls). The server still has to send 1 page with x amount of data to the same several hundred people at once. What flavour text that page has doesn't really matter.

I don't think it would solve the initial issue though ... adding 6 more biomes would increase my chances from seeing like 1 Gold a year to seeing 2 Gold a year? Hooray. (That was an optimistic estimate, mind you ...)

Edited July 7, 2017 by Ruby Eyes

[Sundew]

1 hour ago, SheridanCharon said:

TBH, the other options I can think of aren't much better.

[snip]

Yeah, I can't think of anything off the top of my head that would actually work. It would need to be something quite drastic, I think, and would require a lot of polishing before being formally suggested. Still, the fact that there isn't an obvious workable alternative doesn't mean the current setup will be sustainable forever.

[Diame]

Joined in 2009. The rate for rares (especially golds) has dropped so much since then because of the frequent new dragons being added all the time. I once in a while can grab a silver, but I don't like the sprites as much, so I end up either trading them or giving to a friend. Golds are impossible to grab and I haven't even seen one in the bomes for over a year now. It's just too congested with all the other eggs that they rarely ever see the light of day.

(Also, I can breed some things for you for free if you're interested.)

[Ruby Eyes]

50 minutes ago, Dew said:

Yeah, I can't think of anything off the top of my head that would actually work. It would need to be something quite drastic, I think, and would require a lot of polishing before being formally suggested.

Like the Trader's Canyon? https://forums.dragcave.net/topic/165916-trader39s-canyon/

[Fuzzbucket]

8 hours ago, CellyBean said:

i think a simple solution to this would be to add more biomes so that theres a more diverse showing of eggs at any given time

 

6 hours ago, Dew said:

That would look pretty cluttered and would eventually just land us in the same situation we are now as new breeds are added. 

I agree. And I don't think it would make more rares appear anyway.

16 minutes ago, Ruby Eyes said:

Like the Trader's Canyon? https://forums.dragcave.net/topic/165916-trader39s-canyon/

I think this one IS the way to go.

Edited July 7, 2017 by fuzzbucket
typo

[Obscure_Trash]

Not to point out the obvious, but wouldn't the simplest way to have rares easier to find be... to make them a little less rare/give them a slightly higher drop rate? xP

I do agree that adding more biomes is really not going to help or improve the issue of finding rares.

~

I do think it's a tad ridiculous that those who are consistently catching rares are sitting in the cave for at least six solid hours at a time. It shouldn't be a mere dream for the casual player to occasionally be able to catch rares, much less see them. This is part of the reason I mainly AP hunt (the other being, I love the look of lineages and lower time eggs), but even in the half a year I've been cave hunting more, I've still only seen... like two silvers or one silver and one gold or something? Two rares in six months is... Something.

I know a lot of it comes down to luck and timing, but we shouldn't expect people to need to dedicate a good half of their day to doing nothing but cave hunting in order to even see rares. o_O That does seem off.