Birthday surprise rare?

[TerraAnne]

    I'm not sure if this would work with coding, but I feel like birthdays should be a happy day where everyone feels like a prince or princess and given awesome gifts. -ignore the fact that mine is coming up soon- I actually had this idea a while back when another suggestion was, and may still be, up in the forum for new prizes.

 

I'm not suggesting giving someone a tinsel or shimmer for their birthday, as they are raffle prizes and prizes given after contests. However a new prize/or gift rare dragon could be made specifically for birthdays, maybe one of each kind so like a western, eastern, pygmy, drake, two headed, and wyrm/wurm breed (changed to a single type). If a person comes onto the dc site during their birthday perhaps the page gives them a happy message and within that message some wild dragon or someone gives them an egg of their choice, or they can find it somehow. The egg would be of this new rare birthday dragon breed that can only be obtained once a year (so if anyone tries changing their birthdate to get a second one another day it won't work). Considering that everyone has their own preferences on what color scheme they like the most there could be a larger selection of colors for this breed even though it is only one kind of dragon, but you'd only get to pick your favorite color for that year (next year you could pick a different color if you want). Crossed off because this would be way too many colors to collect spanning years lol

So you'd log in, probably already had your birthday date set (year doesn't matter to keep things more private but month and day is needed), and then that page would pop up giving you the choice of your new dragon egg. -OR use your join date as your birthdate to keep things more private, though when you first join DC you'll have to wait a year to get this dragon. can also use a false birthdate for privacy reasons or if you have a birthday near a major holiday and want to avoid the stress of birthday and holiday egg collecting.

 

Your cave born birthdays would NOT be able to be traded. So like GON's I think they can't be traded.

 

It can be obtainable through breeding, but that obviously wouldn't be a cave born, and their breeding rates would be similar to the cave born golds where it can be a pain to breed making them harder to breed and thus a little more rare. Though different color pairings (of the same birthday breed, so like a green and blue crossed) would have to be like 50/50 chance of being either the green or blue parents colors. If one of these would be paired with a other species dragon it would be dependent more on elemental aspects of the non birthday dragon. so like 50% chance of that birthday dragon baby being the birthday dragon parents color or the color associated with whatever element the other parent is. Other idea, maybe it can only be bred on your birthday (this would be heck for breeders I feel. ). That was my original idea on breeding but I'm starting to favor the idea that a birthday paired with anything else just makes an egg of the other parent. So they aren't going to breed more birthdays, but they can still be used in making nice lineages.

 

This kind of birthday dragon kind of gives back to players who are active and have been on the site for years as each year if they hop on during their birthday it would let them get another cave born of one.

 

Now I'm going to brace myself for the incoming wrath of people who don't like this idea. If anyone has any suggestions or ideas of making this suggestion/idea better please feel free to add it. If every likes the new idea I'll add it up here as part of the suggestion.

Edited April 16, 2018 by TerraAnne

[HeatherMarie]

My first thought was the long-ago 'rule' in Suggestions that there would never be 'spontaneous creation' or somesuch, ie random dragons just showing up on your scroll with no effort on your part. However, now that we have monthly raffles I have no clue if that 'rule' would still apply. 

 

I'm not too keen on the idea, though... DC does special things for some holidays, and for DC's own birthday, but just giving every single user a special dragon with no effort on their part at all just because it's their birthday? That seems.... A little much. I mean, everyone has a birthday, it's not something unique or special, why should people just be handed a special dragon for it? I wouldn't mind some sort of 'it's your birthday' type of note/badge/whatever, but an actual dragon? Imo getting dragons in this game is something you work for... You even work for the raffles, in a way, in that you have to raise a certain number of adults to be eligible. This seems to completely go against all that.

[The Dragoness]

I like this idea. In my opinion, birthdays are special, and logging onto DC to find a special birthday dragon might even make someone's day. Not everyone has someone to celebrate with. I don't think it would work to just give them any random dragon though due to differing scroll goals. But a new birthday dragon reserved for this? Neat. Personally, I don't think anyone actually puts real work into entering the raffles if they're active players, so this isn't much different. I would much rather see something like this featured in-cave than "have this super exclusive dragon just because you got lucky." But oh well, that ship has sailed.

Edited April 14, 2018 by The Dragoness

[Sesshomaru]

I agree with this on the whole. For people who genuinely care about their birthdays, I think a little something extra would be nice, even if it's not completely identical to this suggestion.

[Luxrayx]

I like it, it's a cute idea. I think it would be best to only have one dragon in one color, so as not to make too big of a deal out of it, and because collecting each individual variety would take way too long otherwise.

I don't really agree with the notion that you should have to work to get dragons, because... you really don't? Getting dragons, with the exception of in-cave rares, is the easiest part of the game.

Edited April 14, 2018 by Luxrayx

[TerraAnne]

I feel like even only somewhat active players, basically people who might be on like once a month, can get their three dragon eggs raised to enter a raffle and then not be on for the rest of the month. An active player can be defined differently by whatever someone thinks of is active. In my opinion, if you can randomly grab three eggs from the ap or cave and hatch them with only like two days effort out of the entire month and then enter a raffle... well that's not really active in my opinion, or putting any work into anything to achieve that prize dragon should you win it.

 

Just my take on that bit HeatherMarie.

 

...and with how many people forget about holidays thus forgetting to grab a holiday dragon I honestly don't see activity or the amount someone works for the eggs as part of a problem here. Also considering that by the rules I kinda-ish suggested in the first post, if you didn't go online on dc the day of your birthday then you would miss the chance entirely to get a cave born birthday rare for an entire year. Honestly I can see a lot of people forgetting to come on their birthday cause of parties thrown or a busy day and thus not getting the dragon.

 

I for one was the fat art indian kid in a higher class school whom had nobody come to any of my birthdays. So I would have enjoyed this pick me up if I hopped on DC. Nowadays I actually dread my birthday cause aging.  O-o'

[HeatherMarie]

1 hour ago, Luxrayx said:

I like it, it's a cute idea. I think it would be best to only have one dragon in one color, so as not to make too big of a deal out of it, and because collecting each individual variety would take way too long otherwise.

I don't really agree with the notion that you should have to work to get dragons, because... you really don't? Getting dragons, with the exception of in-cave rares, is the easiest part of the game.

 

What I mean by 'work for' the dragons is that you *do* things... You have to search for the eggs you want, which can actually be very very challenging for anything that isn't super-common. Or, if you are breeding, you had to search for and raise those dragons you are about to breed... I'm not sure what dragons you are collecting that make getting them 'the easiest' part of the game, but that's certainly not most people's experience. Many people breed for months before getting the right type of egg, for example, and I often refresh in the biomes and AP for hours at a time without even seeing the breed I'm looking for. 

 

I'm simply saying that *every* other dragon in this entire game, you have to actually do something specific to get it, whether raising other dragons in order to breed it, or spend time hunting for it, or hunting something else in order to trade for it, or raising three dragons in order to enter the raffle... Simply being handed a dragon just because it's your birthday would be something totally different then what the game has ever been. I'm not passionately against it, I just think it's a huge step away from what the game normally is.

[olympe]

There's a downside: We'd have to put our birthdays into DC. Considering privacy is a thing, I'm not sure this is a good idea. Especially since dragons will show their catcg/hatch/grow up dates for eternity.

 

If this becomes a thing, I'd prefer it if it didn't apply to our actual birthday, but to our anniversary on DC, celebrating the day we joined. (Or, if that isn't possible, the day we acquired the egg of our oldest surviving dragon that isn't a Sinomorph. Because, apparently, all Sino eggs are from 1969.)

[The Dragoness]

Well, you aren't just handed the dragon. You have to log in on your birthday to receive it. Not the day before or the day after. It also has to be hatched like every other dragon, so the only true difference between an exclusive birthday dragon and a Waterhorse (or any other common) from the cave is clicking into a biome..

 

Edit to reply to the above post: if we have to enter a date for our birthday, it's possible to just use the anniversary date or some fake date instead. But an anniversary gift could be nice also.

Edited April 14, 2018 by The Dragoness

[StormWizard212]

I like this idea. I think it's quite cute. I don't see the effort/work as being any less than clicking into the AP and grabbing a random dragon or picking up a blocker from the cave. Not everyone goes hunting for specific eggs which can take a long time. Some people just grab the first thing they see which takes exactly the same effort as clicking into a birthday message, in my opinion.

 

In other discussions, such as the prize discussions, I've seen people expressing frustration over the fact that it's impossible to achieve their individual scroll goals with things like CB tinsels. Personally, this doesn't bother me, as there are certain breeds that I exclude from my scroll goals for this reason (Guardians of Nature come to mind, for example). But there might be some people who would find a once a year birthday dragon frustrating for that reason.

 

One thing I think is worth considering is the fact that this feature would inevitably lead to a lot of disappointment when people log on just after midnight the day after their birthday and realise they've missed out. I know that's already the case for the major holidays, but there's now an opportunity to catch dragons that have been missed in the future. If a dragon is missed on a particular birthday, would it be reasonable to say that it can be collected the following birthday in addition to that year's dragon? There's still a consequence since people would need to wait another year, but they'd have a chance to make it up. I don't think that would be unreasonable. For me, I've had 7 birthdays in the time I've been on DC, so even if you could collect it the following year, it's still a very small number. 

 

So for example, I was thinking it could work like this. I've been active since 2011. I miss my birthday on DC in 2011 and 2012. When I log on in 2013 for my birthday, I have my three eggs waiting there for me. I might decide to just take two, since I don't have space for the third. The following year in 2014, I pick up that year's egg and the remaining one from the year before. I still only have 4 eggs overall, but I spent a couple of years unable to breed and enjoy them. (To clarify, I'm not suggesting birthday dragons should be backdated. I'm just using these dates as an example to demonstrate the idea.)

 

Also, I haven't seen this raised yet, but I'd suggest these eggs are not tradable. This is the case for CB prizes and I think it makes sense in this situation to avoid multiscrolling and to ensure that these dragons are still special other users don't end up hoarding them when it isn't even their birthday.   

Edited April 15, 2018 by StormWizard212

[deleted_account]

On 15.04.2018 at 12:06 AM, olympe said:

apparently, all Sino eggs are from 1969.)

If Sino eggs are obtainable I know certain someone who'd kill to know how to make them come with growth stages.... so HOW do you get Sino EGGS?

 

(apparently nobody understood what I meant...)

Edited April 21, 2018 by MhKhu

[Whirlaway]

4 minutes ago, MhKhu said:

If Sino eggs are obtainable I know certain someone who'd kill to know how to make them come with growth stages.... so HOW do you get Sino EGGS?

 

You can't. Sinos come only as the adult form. 

[Sazandora]

I could only agree with this suggestion if the "birthday dragons" were both untradeable and unbreedable. They are birthday presents, special gifts for your special day, basically just dragon-shaped trophies that are meant for you -- and only you. I do not support the idea of them breeding true, I don't want a repeat of that god-awful CB Tinsel/Shimmer fiasco before the monthly raffles. I do not want these things to become the new trade market dominators.

[StormWizard212]

Just now, Sazandora said:

I could only agree with this suggestion if the "birthday dragons" were both untradeable and unbreedable. They are birthday presents, special gifts for your special day, basically just dragon-shaped trophies that are meant for you -- and only you. I do not support the idea of them breeding true, I don't want a repeat of that god-awful CB Tinsel/Shimmer fiasco before the monthly raffles. I do not want these things to become the new trade market dominators.

 

How would you feel about them being breedable, but only producing the offspring of the other parent in the same way that out of season holidays breed? That way they could still be available to breed interesting lineages, but wouldn't affect the trade market in such an extreme way. 

[Fuzzbucket]

9 hours ago, olympe said:

There's a downside: We'd have to put our birthdays into DC. Considering privacy is a thing, I'm not sure this is a good idea. Especially since dragons will show their catcg/hatch/grow up dates for eternity.

 

If this becomes a thing, I'd prefer it if it didn't apply to our actual birthday, but to our anniversary on DC, celebrating the day we joined. (Or, if that isn't possible, the day we acquired the egg of our oldest surviving dragon that isn't a Sinomorph. Because, apparently, all Sino eggs are from 1969.)

 

This, very much. I am not putting my birthday out all over the internet

 

7 hours ago, StormWizard212 said:

So for example, I was thinking it could work like this. I've been active since 2011. I miss my birthday on DC in 2011 and 2012. When I log on in 2013 for my birthday, I have my three eggs waiting there for me. I might decide to just take two, since I don't have space for the third. The following year in 2014, I pick up that year's egg and the remaining one from the year before. I still only have 4 eggs overall, but I spent a couple of years unable to breed and enjoy them. (To clarify, I'm not suggesting birthday dragons should be backdated. I'm just using these dates as an example to demonstrate the idea.)

 

I absolutely do not support this bit. Firstly because if this were to happen, it should be like any other one day thing - you miss it, you miss it, the end. Also - there are people posting a lot lately that they have come back to the game after WAY more than 3 years. Where do you cut it off ? Come back after 10 years; there are 10 eggs waiting ? Whatever cut off you set someone will want just that one more year allowed....

 

Quote

 

 

Also, I haven't seen this raised yet, but I'd suggest these eggs are not tradable. This is the case for CB prizes and I think it makes sense in this situation to avoid multiscrolling and to ensure that these dragons are still special other users don't end up hoarding them when it isn't even their birthday.   

 

 

This too. And unbreedable.

But actually I don't support this idea anyway. I think it's both unnecessary and a recipe for drama.

 

[Whirlaway]

Eh, I see this as unnecessary, really. Why should the game generate a special egg just because of a birthday/scroll anniversary? I honestly can’t see a reason for this. I wouldn’t want a special, rare breed for something as silly as a birthday, honestly.

 

That’s just my opinion, though.

[StormWizard212]

53 minutes ago, Fuzzbucket said:

I absolutely do not support this bit. Firstly because if this were to happen, it should be like any other one day thing - you miss it, you miss it, the end.

 

The reason I made that suggestion was because this isn't necessarily the case anymore. In the past, if you missed CB holiday eggs, then yes, you missed out and that was the end. With the reintroduction of CB holidays, however, I was trying to think of a way that this suggestion could be consistent with the way holidays work. You could be absent for eight years and still get the CB holidays you missed, which is why I suggested being able to get the birthday eggs you missed. Otherwise, I can see this suggestion leading to a lot of disappointment and upset. 

 

I still quite like the idea in theory - I think it's sweet and could be exciting - but I'd like to see some more suggestions that address the potential frustration/disappointment of missing out. If my suggestion doesn't work, other people might have better ones.

[Fuzzbucket]

You have to make the effort to catch past holidays, though. Coming back after 8 years to find 8 free special eggs on your birthday is WAY OTT. And what if you have (as you suggest as a possibility) only two slots available - do the other eggs just sit there till your next birthday or do you miss them for ever after your first birthday return - for another lot of disappointment and upset, as you put it.

[olympe]

9 hours ago, MhKhu said:

If Sino eggs are obtainable I know certain someone who'd kill to know how to make them come with growth stages.... so HOW do you get Sino EGGS?

You don't. But I used the scroll statistics tool on AoND, and apparently, my oldest dragon is one of my Sinos, as it's supposed to be from Dec 31, 1969. 

 

And, uh, sorry for derailing.

 

On another note, instead of a birthday gift dragon - why not allow us entry to a special anniversary/birthday biome on the respective day, where there's a number of special birthday breeds only? (Eggs and hatchlings would have to be locked to your scroll and, ideally, unviewbombable.) Of course, at least in theory, this particular birthday biome could also include some of the rarer breeds of dragons, holiday breeds and/or prize breeds, but that would need to be discussed.

 

And, another possible twist for those of us who might be busy on our anniversary/birthday: Instead of instant 24-hour access to a special biome, we could get a "mysterious key" (or whatever) that grants us said access once activated.

Edited April 15, 2018 by olympe

[Sazandora]

11 hours ago, StormWizard212 said:

 

How would you feel about them being breedable, but only producing the offspring of the other parent in the same way that out of season holidays breed? That way they could still be available to breed interesting lineages, but wouldn't affect the trade market in such an extreme way. 

Hmm. I suppose that could actually work. I'm fine with that.

[TerraAnne]

14 hours ago, HeatherMarie said:

 

What I mean by 'work for' the dragons is that you *do* things... You have to search for the eggs you want, which can actually be very very challenging for anything that isn't super-common. Or, if you are breeding, you had to search for and raise those dragons you are about to breed... I'm not sure what dragons you are collecting that make getting them 'the easiest' part of the game, but that's certainly not most people's experience. Many people breed for months before getting the right type of egg, for example, and I often refresh in the biomes and AP for hours at a time without even seeing the breed I'm looking for. 

 

I'm simply saying that *every* other dragon in this entire game, you have to actually do something specific to get it, whether raising other dragons in order to breed it, or spend time hunting for it, or hunting something else in order to trade for it, or raising three dragons in order to enter the raffle... Simply being handed a dragon just because it's your birthday would be something totally different then what the game has ever been. I'm not passionately against it, I just think it's a huge step away from what the game normally is.

Maybe to make it somewhat of an effort you have to have the bronze trophy in order to participate in the birthday thing at all? idk or perhaps you have to do some festivities in a sort of mini game to get your egg.

and Olympe I was a bit worried about privacy which is why I was suggested not needing the year of your birth but just needing the month and day. Perhaps our join date instead could be our DC characters birth date or something I kinda like that idea, though I think you'd have to play a year before getting a birthday dragon in that case. You shouldn't be able to join and then get one immediately.

Storm Wizard yeah I forgot about trading at all. These definitely would not be trade-able, the cave born ones anyway. Any bred could be traded though. I'll add that to the top!

I personally don't like the idea of getting eggs from past birthdays. If you miss your birthday then you miss it unfortunately. That just goes with activity. Like what's been said above if you haven't played for three years then came back I wouldn't want someone getting all their birthday eggs from those previous years.

I kinda like the idea of them only breeding the opposite parents dragon type. However would that mean that if you tried pairing birthday x birthday together you would get nothing? I would be okay with that personally. (might add this to top as a good idea)

[JavaTigress]

A birthday gift dragon.... or a DC-niversery dragon, if you prefer.... sounds like it could be fun.

 

For reasons mentioned I think we ought to have the option of choosing what date to use ( NOT necessarily our actual birthday if we don't want...) BUT other than that small caveat, I think it is a fun idea!

[StormWizard212]

10 minutes ago, TerraAnne said:

kinda like the idea of them only breeding the opposite parents dragon type. However would that mean that if you tried pairing birthday x birthday together you would get nothing? I would be okay with that personally.

 

Holidays that are bred together out of season automatically refuse each other, so imagine it would be the same for birthday x birthday. 

[JavaTigress]

20 minutes ago, StormWizard212 said:

 

Holidays that are bred together out of season automatically refuse each other, so imagine it would be the same for birthday x birthday. 

Agreed. Simply because that makes sense?

 

I wonder tho... like with holidays... if you bred them on your 'birthday'  ( Or DC-niversery) would they breed more 'birthday' dragons?

 

Read the OP and they figure not... I'd be OK with that too.

Edited April 15, 2018 by JavaTigress

[angelicdragonpuppy]

Eh, I’m not really interested in another dragon that can’t breed true. Might as well just give out a birthday badge or something.

 

That being said, neutral turns to no if there’s going to be multiple forms / colors. I realize the lack of these things means people might not get a birthday “present” that suits their wants, but I’d vastly prefer that over introducing a ton of new dragons in forms / colors that you can only get at a rate of one per year. For most collectors (and collectors are what DC is, unsurprisingly, centered around!), that’s not a gift, that’s a nightmare.