This has been a topic for awhile and personally I'm glad to see some attempts to fix it come about. However, I could not help but wish when I saw the two choices for a third one. I have a third proposal, one that could possibly have a greater positive effect on the economy.

What I am proposing is to limit the upgraded accounts breeding. Now I have two upgraded accounts, that means I can breed as many times a month as I want. What I am suggesting it to limit it to a reasonably high number for upgrades. Say 10. That's more than two litters a week, most people do not breed that much, so it's probably fair. And it's still a huge benefit to upgrades.

Now before you don't support this, I ask that you hear out the problems with the other two, and why this one will work better.

There's been voice opposition for #2, the limited litter amount for bitches. There's the fact this would have a hugely negative impact on any custom dog or any dog you give a lifelong locket to. It also means your prized bitch will only be worth x number of litters, and the bitch you have just because she's cute and never plan to breed will have unused litter possibilities because she's low TP or inbred or whatever. Now I am assuming it's limiting to a fairly low number, like 10 per bitch, versus something like 35+ litters. 35 litters is a lot for a non-immortal dog. 10 is not a lot for a dog who will live several months.

The major problem with the alacrity economy, one that affects both suggested fixes, is people who overbreed. There are a few of them on Alacrity currently and personally limiting their breeding will ultimately curb most of the issues. They have 50 or more pups being sold at any given moment and they're selling them dirt cheap because of this fact. This undersells people who breed three or four times a month only and causes the problems we've seen. Even if we limit the breeding number for bitches, if you've got 20+ bitches at any given moment, it's still many, many litters. I'm not saying it isn't their choice to have that many dogs being bred at any one time, but I am pointing out that having unlimited breedings can cause this situation we're in with the economy. If they had a limit of 10 breedings per month, there would be less puppies being sold.

And carrying on to #1 offered by the quiz, if you have 20+ bitches, even if you have to wait 12 months ala time, you can still do a lot of damage to the alacrity economy. I have 34 bitches between my two accounts. Given 12 days between breedings, that means every month I could have 68 breedings. Since I breed large dogs, that could be anywhere from 204 to 272 pups born. I am not doing this. I breed, if I averaged it out, once every week or two. But I'm showing the potential damage of people who can and will do this.

Now even if there is only 5 people doing this essential overbreeding situation on Alacrity, that's about 1000 pups flooded into the market monthly that could have been prevented. 1000 pups that are sold dirt cheap by 5 people. That would be 1000 pups from other breeders that could be bought.

Limiting upgraded accounts breeding to 10 per month would mean any one person could only have tops of 40 puppies a month per account if they bred large dogs and got litters for 4. That's still a lot, but it's much less damage they could do any other way. The majority of breeders out there who are breeding selectively, are not breeding 10 times a month. They're breeding once week. This therefore seems reasonable to me right now.

Doing this will also limit overbreeding situations, or breeding purely as a means to make money. Everyone wants to make some money from their litters. But overbreeding means ways to make a ton of easy cash, even if you just put down half your pups.

So that is my two cents. I'm curious to opinions, especially from upgraded players. Do you feel limiting yourself to 10 breedings a month, for the good of the economy, hurt you? Or would you prefer the other options put out?

Edit: I'm not here to debate the benefits or negatives of low tp and breeding unmaxed dogs. Or that we should cull the lot below x tp. If you'd like to discuss that, perhaps another thread needs to be created. I'm curious as to what people think of my idea, if they're for or against it or if they think other options beyond the two Rob offered and what I offered ought to be put out there.

Edit2: I should clarify, 10 breedings between your bitches a month. Stud out your dogs to your hearts desire.