Lot Selection Sequence Process

What you are describing is actually far worse under the system as it currently is, because Valentine's Day only lasts 10 hours, and people before you already have the dibs on all the dates at every stage before you're allowed into the hall. And it's extremely easy to miss the time the dance is open for you; even if you make it in, they will already be forced into the less attractive slots by the nature of the staggered entrance timer, only now you have to run about trying to locate which corner the less attractive dates are hiding in. By the time it reaches Ancestor level, you'll be looking for the wallflowers in the kitchen because, with 2 tiers with 3 time slots each above them that can only place in Row Lots before you, the dance floor is already going to have been swept clean.

The current system therefore guarantees huge amounts of miffed players; because they have no input, nor information on the choices left until they can get into the hall and pick up the scraps. What's worse, it forces an arms race of extra donating in real cash terms, with no other benefit to the player to them than trying to secure an earlier position in the queue. To use my own example again, to have a chance of placing any of the row house locations I might desperately want, I have to consider improving my pledge another $175 to get to Developer Tier, in order to get into the top 3 waves of Row Lot placement, and then spend further still to get into the first tier... and if it's set by percentile terms (that is, t0p 5% of extra spend above Developer), I might not know how much that is, depending on how much everyone else is spending to do the same. And I still might not get across the server fast enough to place anywhere that may still be there that I may like in the 10 hours I'm in game. If I'm not through the door the instant the server opens, all of my spending was in vain.

The point about opening the timers out, and allowing people to bid is that it will make the process more transparent, and gives people time to at least compete for the spots.
It will be somewhat more work to code it's true... however you will also have to do extra work with the accounts database to set up the entrance tiers and prevent people from logging outside of their turn under the current system for that matter. The advantage of an open bidding process is that the game sorts out the actual winners (and calls upon the same database you're going to have to code it to see, to stop them getting in anyway) in a way which at least shows the players the process, and doesn't require them to set alarm clocks and spend themselves silly to use it. You will not remove, but you will be minimizing the no-date angst.

The individual players also won't need to be making 1000s of bids in turn, because they don't have 1000s of deeds. Remember, you're only placing, or winning one, and we still have the prior tiers placed before we get in which is filtering out where you can go. Anyone who prefers a ship/lighthouse to their Lord of the Manor spot will be in one by the time you arrive. Likewise, under my proposals you get to the location you might like, which is still open, and clicking the sign see a gump which says the following:

"Current Highest Bidder: Bob > Royal Founder > Donation Level > Blah Blah"

Well you're not a Royal Founder so you know you can't beat Bob. But you also know it wouldn't have mattered when you logged in, Bob would still have wanted it and would still have got it. You weren't too slow, and you can't spend any more. So you move on. You've got 4 days (or however long) to put in some bids around the places where you can compete. The players basically sort it out between them this way.

If you can't find a spot you like and will win in 4 days, you would never have been able to do it in just 10 hours either... Yes the system is still flawed, but it's better. And at least you had a fair crack at the whip now, and more importantly, you can come back in later placements and keep trying, only now you're the priority and your odds increase. As it currently stands, miss or just be unable to decide within 10 hours, and you're out entirely until the game goes live.

Or to put it in your dating terms again; instead of hiding all the ghastly materialistic, judgemental reasons that go into breaking someone's heart, why not give people a fair chance and than an open letter saying "I'm sorry, I just like Bob better than you"...?

 

I like the lottery approach and allowing players to trade lots for free for a week.

 

Has this occurred yet? Did I miss out on something important?

 

This has not occurred yet.

We have many months to wait before this can be scheduled, so no worries.

 

I'm sorry but I'm not interested in the argument. If you insist on proposing it 'as is' without listening to feedback then I will simply let you do that.
But if it really is change you want,then go back to your drawing board and come up with something that will not piss of a majority of players /and/ that still works with kick starter promises given /and/ can be done with minimum dev work. If your suggestion doesn't meet those criteria there is no chance of them being considered.

This one went through the community grinder before it was proposed.

 

Where is the DEAD HORSE EMOTICON Beaten to dust by now

 

Im with Captain Jacks evil plan.

In all seriousness though the system proposed seems quite fair. It recognizes both dollar value and early supporters in a balanced way and I dont think you are going to get much more of a fairer system than this. However, I feel that offering lake side perks for RF without being able to offer the goods is a bit too disingenuous for my taste even if you toss these **** disclaimers all over the place. I think the smarter thing perhaps would have been to offer something differently altogether then a gambled promise that may not go fulfilled in any way (rather than just having a crappy location but still have all your goods on display). Its one thing to want to generate funds but to needlessly pressure your core support base for every last dime they can offer does not sit very well with me.

In the end though I think we are over hyping the importance of placement in many ways as I know that people flock to hubs and areas that do not always seem rational. Prime locaitons now may be total ghost towns later down the line due to unforseen events. I simply am looking for a nice view with some hopefully friendly neighbours at this point.

 

Awesome topic here.it has been very helpful for me to get a better understanding of the pecking order around here

One thing that struck me after reading almost all the post is that once this launch day comes and goes. We will be in game buying , selling,trading lots all over the place. Given a little patience and perseverance one would think that it would not be to difficult to find a waterfront lot or what ever else floats your boat. I can see a pretty brisk market for housing after the launch. Also for me it helps to keep it in perspective.

Cheers
Temujin Kahn

 

Yes, with a little patience, willing to keep trying at it and work hard at it, and potentially even sweeten the trades, it should not be very hard to group some houses you own in NPC based towns. That is my current plan at this time. Might take a year or two..or I may decide i prefer to spread out my housing! But im currently leaning more towards trying to get my primary choice with my main residence, and then other housing when i place, place as close as possible.. over time try to get my neighbors to swap with me if they aren't in need of that spot badly, and maybe I can offer incentives in terms of gold or rare items, resources, things like that. It's what I used to do in UO.

 

I did the the same in UO. My first house was as small as they came. I was in the middle of the desert! Over time I worked my way up to a keep! Also had a ton of fun all along the way. So to all who are fretting this prelaunch build up, remember half the fun is working towards something. The other half is making friends and discovering all the other fun things to do.

I am not a founder or kick my stater what' my jiggly jiggle. Would love to go higher in the draft but am not going to sweat it. When time comes Company will do their best. Then it's up to us. These games can teach us a lot about ourselves and others. A business often ain't perfect in how they do things and we don' t always get things 100% our way. I got a couple beefs going myself that could cause me to feel slighted by SotA! But I don't want to bring all that real world drama into my fun time! So I am gonna do what is I came here to do and that is make friends and have fun. This has been a great thread,. Hope it keeps going but with a bit more love for each other. After all it' only pixel crack!

 

And then they open a new continent & all bets are off

 

Captain Jack got in on the Ultimas very late. He went back to try and play all of them including UO. Captain Jack could not find any place to drop a house on the server he signed up on. Shroud of the Avatar's POT system is the only thing preventing that from happening. This selection process is only going to serve those who paid more get a better spot. Still going to run out of stuff inside NPC places.

Captain Jack bets that when they do, the Lords and Dukes and such of the realm will be given a chance to relocate and a process very similar to this one will guide that change too.

 

So quick question that I'm not sure has been asked yet.

Are player owned town lots an exception to the lot selection order rule? I own a POT and it seems a little silly that I or my friends would have to wait given that no one in the time slots before me could take a lot there without my permission, so there is no advantage to arriving early in POTs. It's not a huge inconvenience for me to wait but I feel that it is an unnecessary one.

 

The lot selection sequence is only for npc towns, you can place in your town as soon as it's live or after a year, up to you.

 

Question..as Ancestor I'm next to last in the selection process, after placing that Row house, is it also possible to place an add-on village lot from the addon store during the last selection process and not lose your row house? Meaning you'd be able to place them both during the process before it goes live to the general public. Thanks much.

 

Edit : ice queen pointed out a mistake-changing post accordingly:

Ancestors is the last row lot tier, after developers and navigators.

Re extra lots check out the opening post again;
"Add On Lots + Secondary Lots (Lord & above): These will not have any sub groups and would all go at once (but still before general public)"
So after all tiers are done and everyone had the chance to place 1 lot deed, then opens the last rush when everyone gets to place extra lots, either from pledges with more than one or from addon store.
After that is done the release goes public.
So if you are ancestor + have extra addon lots you have two lot rushes.

 

Gotcha, aye, I see Developer and Navigators will have row lots as well and go before us, thanks. Just wanted to make sure before buying an extra village lot I'd have a chance to place it too after Ancestor process was over. I see from the original post that extra lots from addons and lords could place after Ancestors placement times. Just wanted make sure I'd be able to place them both. Thanks again.

 

Actually there may be a great reason - if 10k people have lots to place in a specific order and during that time you are having issues with your PoT you are going to get frustrated and it's going to cause more chaos for Portalarium. Placing PoTs after or before the land rush is ideal in my opinion in that it removes some variables.

 

I have a simple suggestion so we can end this endless debate, once and for all:

1) I pick first because I thought of this system.
2) Everyone after me, free-for-all.

 

Is there anything stopping a POT owner from making all lots keep or castle size as a way to intice people to come live in the metropolis?