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Just a thought.
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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 02:29

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

Bryola
Bryola
Well-Connected

Nov-19-2004 17:29

It took ERF less than four months to shatter all records, TAFKADD was able to reach 6th with two treasures in hand, and it took my agency, Starsky & Hutch, about 3 months to hit 5th. My point is, if you're a new team, you don't need "easier" hunts to break the top ten. All it takes is hard work and a good team to make it happen. If you choose to maintain a "smaller" agency, that's your choice and you shouldn't expect to play with the big dogs. If you really wanted to break the top ten, you'd move to a bigger agency and do some recruiting. There are plenty of good detectives that could use a home. Find them in your local humane society or sleuth shelter. And help control the sleuth population: have you sleuth spayed or neutered.

cfmdec
cfmdec

Nov-19-2004 19:24

I agree, we do not need easier hunts to break the top ten. I just do not see the harm in adding a feature that allows those who are not interested in breaking into the top ten at the moment to do small jobs. Again, no fame, no fortune, PERHAPS, a SMALL monetary reward. And if it is possible, basing it on the GROWTH of fame points would keep those who are SERIOUS about this game from being taken advantage of by those who are looking for a short cut. There doesn't have to be just one function of forming an agency.

Enough, I have said my peace and will leave be as it may become.

Jojo, no wonder everyone loves you so much. You are a doll!

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