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Delvin
Delvin
Well-Connected

Oct-25-2004 11:41

Everyday, the treasure hunts seems to be a "top 10 agencys" contest. Both in terms of participation and winning. It is always the same agencys competiting. A few smaller and newer ones may compete but they always had this partern: they are newly formed, are eager to try the hunt but after awhile when they realised they can't win, they all just give up. The hunt may be based a large part on luck but a 12 members agency with more favors surely had a better chance than a 4 members agency. For these agencys, paying for the information is as good as a donation. I was told that only winner get the fame points. So i had a suggestion: how about awarding fame points to those who had gain percentage towards the hunt too. Eg. in a 500 fame pts hunt. winner gets the full points while agency that is 20%, gain 20% of 500 divided by 4. This way, the winner still win much more pts then agency who got 80%, they win only 0.8*500/4= 100 pts. I felt this could encourage the smaller agency to play the hunt as there is a reward for it. They may not win the hunt but with the potential fame pts gain, they will want to gain pts to compete against other smaller agency. Thanks.

Replies

jstkdn
jstkdn
Well-Connected

Nov-19-2004 02:18

Why are you guys so against building an agency that is able to win treasure hunts, like everybody else who does, did?

People are talking about some kind of an unfair advantage.

1. Every agency, including most of the top 10 had to compete with just as many agencies to get in to the top 10. With exception of Chicago and Kitten.
2. There seems to be an impression that it is easier for established agencies to recruit. This is not the case, statistics show that over the past months most new agents built their own agency (with someone else need be), or joined a new agency.
3. That it is easier to win treasure hunts with more experience points. No, absolutely not. It is about the amount of favours you get.
4. That larger agencies get more favours. True, but realistically the size of an agency says nothing about active players. Most treasure hunt winners those in and outside of the top 10 will say not all members were online were the won it. Sometimes going as low as 1 or 2 people playing, when they did. Most of the time with no more then 4-5 people playing.

Now here are the reasons why agencies win treasure hunts:
1. Tactics are used, in order to get them. Frankly without tactics, and just playing at random chance, you will not win treasure hunts. And, I think everybody should put their OWN thinking cap on as to what those tactics would be.
2. Agencies with people whom have two characters, to which they can switch back and forth to.
3. Agencies with a couple of people whom are absolutely die hard players, and absolutely relentless.
4. Agencies that manage their agency in terms of A) Who is allowed to stay and get hired, B) what goes in the equipment locker, C) what is done with finaces, D) real management is done of the agency AND the treasure hunt, E) recruit aggessively if required.

jstkdn
jstkdn
Well-Connected

Nov-19-2004 02:22

And I think we have a clear answer here why agencies win treasure hunts. Those that do will find out they do and have done all of the above, those that don't stand a chance find out that they don't.

I think we can see enough proof on the score board, that also newer agencies have a shot at winning a hunt. Ever since the beginning of Sleuth up until today.

If you want to have an easy ride, then join an agency with a director whom does the work for you. If you want to be a director, then work your agency like the directors do that do win treasure hunts.

Frankly, pride would have stood in my way as a newbie to get easy treasure hunts, not everybody was able to compete in. There is much more pride, building your own character, your own agency. Put the work and the patience in. Instead of expecting a free or cheap ride, as a new agent or agency. Then when you do get in to the top 10, you know it is labour?

Keep in mind most agencies in the top 10, have done so in 3 months or so. By doing a LOT of work.

jstkdn
jstkdn
Well-Connected

Nov-19-2004 02:29

It boils down to the same question.

What have you done, to deserve to win a treasure hunt, over the agency that did? Trust me, to win a treasure hunt is a LOT of work.

Bella Luna
Bella Luna

Nov-19-2004 04:22

Every thing jstkdn has written is on the mark running an agency and winning hunts is work, work , work. That may seem unattractive but that is a decision each one must make.I have great admiration for many of the people running and in agencies and have witnessed their struggles and rejoiced in their success knowing full well the work involved.

Faeryshan
Faeryshan
Old Shoe

Nov-19-2004 06:37

Delvin- no need to hide, this is actually a very lively discussion that I don't feel has gotten mean or out of hand at all. We obviously needed to have this discussion, and no one at all (must be a first for us, hmmm guys?) is at each other's throats really. I think it's just everyone trying to make everyone else understand where they are coming from.
There is a GREAT deal of work involved with moving an agency, new or old, up the points ladder. It doesn't happen overnight, and it's not flashy.
But it DOES happen. Bottom lining it for anyone interested- if you like the game, PLAY the game. Get frustrated, pay off shady, and deal with crappy rookies. Get excited when you see your name in a top score list, or when you're 25% away from winning a treasure hunt. Know when to start your own agency, or join another one to learn your ways a little more. I have made SUCH wonderful friends from this site and also have loved to play something that is so challenging every day. I do have to comment on the remark that the argument of "that's not fair, we didn't get to do that" is weak. Of course there's room for growth. But we certainly don't want to feel that we handed you the keys to our agencies and that's where we are coming from. We certainly are not saying that the game and treasure hunts are perfect and should never be changed.
I would like to hear Ben's opinion on where this is going. Kinda worries me when he's so quiet for so long!

cfmdec
cfmdec

Nov-19-2004 07:34

Those of you in the larger agencies seem to be quite protective, and rightfully so. You have worked hard, you have earned everything you have. I think we would all agree that it would not be right to give out welfare to any angency. Yet, there are agencies that are not yet ready, or do not have the desire, to win the big hunts. They are not active enough, nor are they interested in putting in the time, or as Reapers, are just not designed to be used for the big hunts. Why are you so against adding a feature that would allow them to enjoy the same feeling of a job well done, without the fame and fortune, as you have recieved from building your large angency? Just as not every retail store in World can be a Wal-Mart, why do you require each agency to be a "Big Ten"? They pay there subscriber fee, their rent, etc, and choose not to, least for now, spend their time and money they have earned on a large hunt. They put there time toward other efforts and needs.

I understand, you didn't get to do that. OK. But as long as it does not result in Fame points, what is the problem, other than "it's just not fair." I think you should be allowed to protect what you have built. I also believe you should allow for growth and expansion of such a new game.

jstkdn
jstkdn
Well-Connected

Nov-19-2004 08:14

But, you can take it from me. Building an agency, and FINALLY winning a treasure hunt, is very rewarding experience all by itself. OK some days it is not. Because it is work in which you deal with people.

And you have to admit, even when there is a special game for less then 2 month old agencies. Then when the two months are over, what then? Another different hunt, another different hunt, and another different hunt.

And here is a secret for you guys. If you guys start combining agencies, and with that come up with 12 good agents....you will whipe us ALL off the board. Frankly, this is what I would do.

Because here is the thing, if everybody keeps creating new agencies, because in a short time of being alive you can participate in special hunts, the recruit pool gets thinner and thinner and thinner. And for old and new agencies, where hard to recruit, and compete.

Those that are dead set on having their own agency. Should be aware it is not a fun and games thing, which you can push off in 2 months, let alone 2 weeks or 2 days. But it is long haul, work work work work work.

Another issue you will have, that the difference between a 2 day old agency and 2 week old agency is MUCH bigger, then a 2 month old agency and a 4th month agency....it is the hardest working most toughest agency that will win. In a newbie game, it will simply be the oldest agency that will win. Leaving similar frustrations.

TAFKADD is is double the age of Starsky and Hutch. And the reason why Starsky wins a lot of hunts is because we have been bigger slackers, too tollerant, more playing for fun without paying attention to hunts, and months at end barely had any real active players.

jstkdn
jstkdn
Well-Connected

Nov-19-2004 08:19

We even have one Starsky re-ject! :) The very lenient policy we have, reflects in our treasure hunt scores. As you can see we are pitiful compared to the other top 10 agencies. :)

But we are so excited when we win something. And the cool thing is, up on winning our first hunt. I got a message from Bella (whom we were neck to neck with).....you guys finally made it, she was happy, we had finally grown up, done the work, were in it for the laung haul. Well....and then we didn't win a treasure hunt for months, cause we were just lucky. And Bella over-estimated us.




Jojo
Jojo
Old Shoe

Nov-19-2004 15:21

*Thinks posts need to get shorter*

*Has too short of an attention spa...

Oh! Look! A bird!*

Skyler Michaels
Skyler Michaels
Well-Connected

Nov-19-2004 17:15

What the newer and smaller agencies have to do is devise a stratagy to win hunts. in our first 6 weeks we only won like one treasure. We developed a plan that enabled us to add 27 more at this point. So what i'm saying is we have basically added 27 treasures in 2 and a half months. Every agency has their own ways of doing things that work for them. You need to find what works best for your agency. Once we developed ours We win multiple treasure hunts a week. We had to replace people who i liked because they all of a sudden just stopped playing for weeks and never showed up. Its not easy letting people go. Its a lot of work and making sure people understand the way you do things. Our agency likes to have a lot of fun but we also work work work. I think our agency is very relaxed and has a lot of fun, and tries to come up with a way to win more treasure hunts which we did and it has worked. the new agencies need to do the same thing. There is nothing like the feeling of winning your first trophy because you EARNED IT. There is nothing like coming up with a stratagy that works for your tea to win more hunts. Sometimes you just get plain stuck like us today on the bartender none of us can get a bar favor for the life of us. Its not going to be handed to you on a silver platter you have to EARN IT. You might be saying how can you develope a stratagy when the favors are random. Well trust me there are ways it can be done

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