There was an error handling your request. make sure you are logged in!
You have not yet verified your email address. This needs to be done before you can continue playing. All you have to do is click on the link emailed to you.
An Email has been resent to you. After clicking the verification link, you can wait and this message should automatically close. but if not you can reload the page.
* this message will disappear after your 10th logged on day on Alacrity
Kaelizilla
#5 • 19309 views
Posted: 2012-02-10 14:26:58
#10297
Fixing the Trial System; Part Deux
Welcome to the Fixing the Trial System, part two!
We had a lot of interesting discussion in the first thread and got to know a lot of your opinions and frustrations. We know what whatever is ultimately chosen is going to upset some people and make others happy. I do want to reassure everyone that changes are reversable. If we discover that whatever is changed isn't working the way it should or having a negative effect, we can always change it back and try something else.
As you can see by the new poll, we've narrowed down the options to three choices. These were the most supported options, but with a bit of a twist.
Option 1: Limit the number of dogs each person can enter into a trial to 2. This will put a stop to "trial teams" which is the main way players create for themselves 3 sure wins in trials that run quickly, and therefore a massive influx of cash. Running trial teams is not realistic in the slightest and isn't very sporting. By forcing players to compete with each other, the game dynamic of trialing becomes more competitive and realigns Alacrity with its original vision.
Option 2: Increase the Energy Cost by trial tier. This option will more effectively limit the number of times a dog can compete each day. The original suggestion put a hard cap on the number of trials dogs could run each day, but a player gave us this much more fair option. This will not render energy companions useless in terms of trialing, but will ultimately slow down how many trials run as dogs progress into higher trial tiers. Below is the suggested energy cost per tier:
Dogbert: 20 Energy Scooby: 25 Energy Odie: 30 Energy Toto: 35 Energy Marley: 40 Energy Otis: 50 Energy Gommit: 55 Energy Snoopy: 60 Energy
Keep in mind that as you go up trial levels, prize payouts also increase.
Option 3: Both Option 1 and Option 2. This option will both put a limit on the number of dogs a play can enter into individual trials, as well as increase energy costs per trial tier.
This will be the final round of voting before changes are implemented. We truly do value your opinions, so please don't be shy about posting them here :) Just remember to keep opinions and responses kind and courteous -- not everyone will agree with you!
Replies
Steaks
#94390 • 2012-03-12 17:34:35
#94390
<i>"Yes, a capped dog team is going to be making a good chunk of money, but that money is most likely still going to be made even if the dogs were spread out in separate trials."</i><br /> <br /> Not likely.<br /> A capped dog team ensures at least three wins. Separating the dogs into trials gives other dogs a chance to knock em down.<br /> I've actually taken to mentally noting down people with capped dog trial teams and when I see their username or image when I enter my dogs in a trial, I don't enter my dogs, because I find this act so lazy and rude.
-ɸ- Ionic2
#94354 • 2012-03-12 06:08:48
#94354
Even if there are capped dog teams, I think the real problem is that dogs on the high end of the TP spectrum are able to make too much money... not that people are able to team their dogs. Yes, a capped dog team is going to be making a good chunk of money, but that money is most likely still going to be made even if the dogs were spread out in separate trials. <br /> <br /> In fact, a person could stand to make more money by spreading out their capped dogs if they do it in a way that makes sure that every dog they enter places. Teaming means that only three of those dogs will place, but if they spread them out, all dogs have a better chance of placing. So, I'm not even sure having a capped dog team is even a smart idea. The only real advantage is that it means the person entering gets to control when the trial fills and runs.<br /> <br /> And yes, all dogs train at different speeds. But you would think that a highly trainable dog (a 'smart' dog) would take less time to train then one with low trainability (a 'dumb' dog) is what I'm getting at. XD
Steaks
#94351 • 2012-03-12 00:31:06
#94351
Ionic, there are capped dog trial teams too lol<br /> <br /> Also, the low-tp vs high-tp is a bit realistic itself. The higher the dog's TP, the longer a dog takes to train in each skill. Dogs in real life progress through training at different rates.
I'm not so sure that trial teams are the reason that are economy is so ridiculously bloated. Unless... there are a ton of people teaming all 1k+ TP dogs? I've been taking a crack at trialing again for a bit, and yes, I have been teaming. But the majority of the dogs I'm teaming are below 1k. I have three dogs that are above 1k TP at this current time.<br /> <br /> If you think about it, is a 5-man team of dogs really raking in that much more cash than say 1 dog with the same equivalent of TP? Think about this- it still takes time and effort to max all 5 dogs (5k TP is 5k TP, whether it is all in one dog or spread out over several), in addition they still have to be fed, vaccinated, and the chance that one of them will have an accident and be out of commission is greater since there are 5 dogs versus one. Additionally, that's 5 entry fees a person is paying, versus just the one for a dog that has a TP equal to all 5 dogs combined. And... if a person wants to have trial-boosting items for each dog... that's even more expense (aviator caps, energy companions, kitsune, etc.). I don't view it as something that is super easy (or cheap) to do.<br /> <br /> Yes, it can be argued that it's not 'realistic', but let's be honest here: how much of this game is really all that realistic? We can force dogs to have babies with items, reverse their age, magically raise their IQ, raise them from the dead, place a magical bandanna on them to make them appear as a puppy or adult... Not to mention that a highly trainable dog (high TP) takes longer to train than a dog with very low trainability (low TP). That doesn't mirror real life in the slightest. The fact of the matter is, you can' mirror real life too closely on this game or it starts to become un-fun. The site already reflects that with all the crazy things we are currently able to do to our dogs.<br /> <br /> What I'm trying to say is, yes, we can bust up teams. Teams may not be "fair" because they are an alternative way to guarantee wins versus maxing out a capped dog. But if teams are not the #1 reason that the economy is inflated, we are still going to be stuck in the same situation -- with the addition of having frustrated more players out of trialing and possibly playing on the site at all.
Steaks
#94142 • 2012-03-11 18:18:08
#94142
As it stands, I only enter two of my dogs in any trial anyways, no more than two at a time. This is because I find it unfair for me to snag all the wins with my capped dogs. I think it's a bit... snobbish for someone to fill a trial with a capped dog team.
Maggots New Side
#93957 • 2012-03-11 11:49:24
#93957
Looks like the first option is going to win from the look of the votes. That was what I chose and voted for out of the options we were given. <br /> <br /> Like Clay had said, I almost view it as a type of cheating to fill a whole trial with your dogs. I have done it before when I was trialing a bunch of low TP dogs simply because I had -so- much quantity to trial. I wasn't aiming to do any sort of teams. I was doing it more for the TP boosts. <br /> <br /> I always thought filling a trial full of your dogs for the purpose of blocking others out so you can win as 'unsporting' which Clay had said. I just can't believe how people get mad if you mess up their teams. I don't pay attention to who is in the trial or their TPs. I just enter. I feel like I'm almost doing something wrong by having any capped dogs which isn't how it should be. <br /> <br /> So yes, I agree with the 1st option if I had to pick one. The energy option just means it takes all day to trial and I don't know if I'd be into that in the slightest and it still means the teams would continue. <br /> <br /> It would be interesting to have trials that did allow teams. Each player would only be able to add 1 team between their two kennels. The teams would be between 2-4 dogs. And the trial would take 4-8 teams to enter. I think this would be sort of cool but eh I'm just lightly suggesting it. Sounds interesting.<br /> <br /> *Sorry guys, I wasn't trying to police you or anything ^^;; just reminding that we had a whole board to it. Didn't mean to come off that way.
Hemp
#93940 • 2012-03-11 05:03:48
#93940
<i>"TP sectioning was alredy turned down, Admins and mods alredy had you create a debate on this and explained there reason for it. No point in bringing it up again and again, after it being turned down again and again by the admins and mods."</i><br /> <br /> Still doesn't mean it wouldn't work. :) I still think it's better than the current options and things were left unanswered in that debate. Either way Kaitie is right, I'll leave it at that.
Jambers
#93938 • 2012-03-11 01:09:53
#93938
Hence why I think TP sectioning should be put into place. <br /> <br /> TP sectioning was alredy turned down, Admins and mods alredy had you create a debate on this and explained there reason for it. No point in bringing it up again and again, after it being turned down again and again by the admins and mods.
Steaks
#93923 • 2012-03-10 22:59:39
#93923
Alright,s orry Kaitie :) I will get back to discussing trial teams
Maggots New Side
#93635 • 2012-03-10 19:18:35
#93635
There is already a post in debate about sectioning ^^;;
