Time for a fair "Lot Lotto" when multiple people want to claim

A major Soltwon lot came up for grabs today. I wasn't in the running because I had to go do some stuff in the RL, and due to my distance from the US wouldn't have even tried.

But I did swing in ahead of time to check it out. Some red flags raised for me on the lot selection process. One person said that another has somehow gotten 4 of the last 4 major lot drops. That's not good. There was also a Wyvern blocking the lot marker, that is not good.

Time for some fairness:

• Avatars can click and register in a lottery for the location a few hours (or full day?) beforehand
  • Make it a gold sink, why not?
• Avatar must be logged in an in zone at the time
  • Debatable: Reason I see against this, odd timezones. Reason for, one person can't register 20 alts
• Avatars must have the appropriate deed in inventory when they register, and at the time of drawing to win
  • Lot is automatically claimed with the deed of the winner, if they no longer have it in inventory they lose their spot and lotto is rerolled

 

Yeah I have heard of situations like this where a particular person keeps getting the lots always at the PINPOINT right moment each time. Even the one time I hear that this person somehow beat 4 other players, which smelt a bit fishy to me. This is not fun to hear, especially when these lots can be RMT'ed. I believe in competition but with stuff like this, an even playing field would be nicer too. Maybe a gold sink bid system over a 12 hour period or something would be nice.

 

Someone else just suggested that to me in a PM. I think that's a better idea than the lotto actually. No bids? Free. Lots of bids for a popular lot? Great big gold sink!

And if you just intend to RMT it instead of use it then you have to work the price of all that gold in, and maybe it'll go to someone who will use it instead.

 

I remember during the original land rush that I could get the selection process down to 2 seconds. The trick was to go a few screens into the selection, use Time.is website to account for computer time differences, and then only two fast clicks to finish the process. If you did not click on the sign till the lot was available you were toast.
It worked back then, and even though I was in a private instance I knew there were 4 others competing. Forcing multi in towns adds to this silliness of people playing games like parking wyverns on the sign.

 

So now I know the reason, I saw you in Soltown today
Wanted to say hello, but couldn't find you.

Well, there are a lot situations where "fairness" is missing.
Thinking about the lot deed raffle in the past: 'fair'?
If every player could buy only one ticket - yes.
If a player could win only one deed (and later only an upgrade) - yes.
The reality was another one, as we know and could read in the winner listing.

Even the very rare drop of a lot deed is connected to high tier enemies (like Coto drops as they happened in the past).
Fair? If a drop is really rare - it shouldn't depend on how difficult an enemy is ...
May be connected to a special kind of enemy ... May be a thief could have stolen it just before we encountered him

COTOs: Why is there no fix course at coto merchants or bank (1Coto = 5.000 Gold, for example), so -also new- players can buy and use them without losing hard earned gold to ingame COTO 'broker'?

Well, seems there is no place for 'fairness', where our human business system is around - even in a game about courage, truth and love ...

However, yes, Vladamir: a fair lot lotto would be fine - not depending on how rich someone is ... (no gold, only one ticket each person)

May be a new loot could help:
a claim ticket for lot deeds with a number on it (8, 2, 99, 4, 23 ...)
And if noone with a lower number will claim a free lot after an earth day, the person with the lowest number will get it

Would be a great new market for 'Claim Tickets' I assume

 

I think after the lot is abandoned there should be 24 hour period for people to bid on it or register for lottery, so no matter their time-zone they can get it. Sniping the lots is not fun and someone with slower connection or PC stands no chance.

 

ahem.....

I assure you all that you have the same chance as I to get the lots....nothing fishy about it.

As for what happened today in Soltown. My observation was everyone stood or sat on the lot marker, trying to block the "green clickable" marker. Maybe that seems fair to most of you, but when several members of a guild do it....that is either some very fine tactics or just pure "griefing". I then brought a Wyvern to sit on top of the marker to make a point and found it strange that those sitting on the marker were requesting for me to remove the Wyvern because they couldn't click on the marker.

What most of you don't know is that I sent this exact scenario to two Portalarium employees describing how putting towns in Multiplayer mode would cause "griefing" and suggested that they need to program some code that allows us to click through the players or pets. The other thing I suggested was that the ground markers need to be replaced with post markers. Maybe that would eliminate what happened today. Well, I'm still waiting on any acknowledgment from those Port employees.

I then asked List Rostov to come over to the lot to address all the people crowding the marker and pointed out I could place a pet on it to block most everyone. I asked if what we were all doing would be considered "griefing", but it was not her department and they were trying to ask someone else. I never saw an answer provided.

....but back to claiming lots. I assure you that all of you have the capability to claim that lot as fast as I do. It takes speed. I don't always get them. I'm really surprised I got the lot today, since all I did was keep on clicking open the marker and closing it in the final minute until I saw the CLAIM button. I couldnt see the marker change and I couldnt see the house drop, due to being packed in the group of players and looking down at marker. I even hesitated a fraction of a second because my fingers were shaking.

 

By the way..... bidding on a property is a horrible idea. It would always go to those who have tons of money. You would effectively eliminate a majority of players who don't have much money.

 

Ya, asking for fairness then doing a bid war on it is not fair at all.

 

If there's a lot lottery system, then there has to also be a system in place for lot transfer between two players.

I definitely would also have the concern that @Candor Atlantica has; not only could you expect wealthy players to win if there's gold bidding, but you could expect big guilds to always win lots if its just by player-count. I would definitely want a smaller lottery window to avoid this.

 

tough problem that deserves dev attention.

 

@Candor Atlantica obviously if you don't feel like answering, it's your right, but I'm curious if you live (and don't mind answering) somewhere near Portalarim.

Not that I know if that would matter as I'm not sure how instancing works now (on their server, first person in the scene, what?), so I'm just curious. I've heard you've gotten four (this makes five?) of the recent high value lots when others were trying, so I'm wondering if it's got something to do with location.

Nothing personal. I wasn't in the running and don't honestly think I would have had a chance if I was (internet speed + location, just a guess).

 

DEFINITELY need to address this. Especially as our population increases and the better lots become compelling for more people.

 

Well, it would be healthy gold sink and there is plenty of unclaimed lots in the game in less lucrative areas.
Having more people to bid or having more money always helps. It is how economy work.

Even if someone gets lucky and is the first to claim the lot can be bought with enough gold or USD. The wealthier people are at advantage one way or the other and the game does not have that many gold sinks.

 

It would interest me to know how so many players even become aware of expiring lots. Is it by manually examining all the lot markers in every town or is the information available through some api? In any case, the chaotic scenario described here is really bad.

 

It only takes one to notice and mention it in discord.

 

Haha I remember when they opened Blood Bay for land grabs which was run by a Dev. Want to talk about unfair!

 

Now you're being unfair, piquing my curiosity without explaining what happened!

 

Best way - Roll the dice .

 

everyone plays Rock Paper Scissors in-game...