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Fixing the Trial System; Part Deux

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Welcome to the Fixing the Trial System, part two!

We had a lot of interesting discussion in the first thread and got to know a lot of your opinions and frustrations. We know what whatever is ultimately chosen is going to upset some people and make others happy. I do want to reassure everyone that changes are reversable. If we discover that whatever is changed isn't working the way it should or having a negative effect, we can always change it back and try something else.

As you can see by the new poll, we've narrowed down the options to three choices. These were the most supported options, but with a bit of a twist.

Option 1: Limit the number of dogs each person can enter into a trial to 2.
This will put a stop to "trial teams" which is the main way players create for themselves 3 sure wins in trials that run quickly, and therefore a massive influx of cash. Running trial teams is not realistic in the slightest and isn't very sporting. By forcing players to compete with each other, the game dynamic of trialing becomes more competitive and realigns Alacrity with its original vision.

Option 2: Increase the Energy Cost by trial tier.
This option will more effectively limit the number of times a dog can compete each day. The original suggestion put a hard cap on the number of trials dogs could run each day, but a player gave us this much more fair option. This will not render energy companions useless in terms of trialing, but will ultimately slow down how many trials run as dogs progress into higher trial tiers. Below is the suggested energy cost per tier:

Dogbert: 20 Energy
Scooby: 25 Energy
Odie: 30 Energy
Toto: 35 Energy
Marley: 40 Energy
Otis: 50 Energy
Gommit: 55 Energy
Snoopy: 60 Energy

Keep in mind that as you go up trial levels, prize payouts also increase.

Option 3: Both Option 1 and Option 2.
This option will both put a limit on the number of dogs a play can enter into individual trials, as well as increase energy costs per trial tier.

This will be the final round of voting before changes are implemented. We truly do value your opinions, so please don't be shy about posting them here :) Just remember to keep opinions and responses kind and courteous -- not everyone will agree with you!

03-10-2012 at 6:05 PM

People have already said that if this is implemented then they will no longer try to reach the cap and that a lot of them would quit trialing completely. If it makes it too hard people just don't want to do it. I want to breed new lines from foundies up, but if I can never win a penny with them in any trial, what's the point? Making it unfair and impossible for new/lower tp players isn't the way to go. Making it so you get a much better reward for working hard is.

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2012-03-10 15:13:23 by #5641

2012-03-10 15:12:19 by #5641

03-10-2012 at 5:45 PM

"No but that much of a difference isn't as bad as a 1000tp dog and a 9000tp dog." Trialing isn't fair, that's what makes people strive for higher TP dogs.

03-10-2012 at 5:17 PM

No but that much of a difference isn't as bad as a 1000tp dog and a 9000tp dog. It's nice to make the game as fun as possible for as many people as possible. That gets more people playing and gets the site more money.

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2012-03-10 14:26:28 by #5641

03-10-2012 at 5:15 PM

"Lower level dogs are easier to acquire and therefore people can still compete on a fairly level field." Lower level dogs will never have a fair fight in trialing. It's just a fact

03-10-2012 at 4:51 PM

It isn't perfect but it's a step in the right direction. Lower level dogs are easier to acquire and therefore people can still compete on a fairly level field. If they really want their dogs to be at the top then they'll keep breeding better and better dogs.

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2012-03-10 13:52:19 by #5641

03-10-2012 at 4:36 PM

Lower TP dogs would still get wrecked. Say we had 0 - 100, 101 - 200, 201 - 300, etc.. any dogs one point over would get wrecked by the higher tp dogs in the higher levels.

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2012-03-10 13:37:07 by #5484

03-10-2012 at 4:07 PM

Wouldn't it make more sense to elimate the reason for the trial teams in the first place? Hence why I think TP sectioning should be put into place. Yes you worked hard to get your dog capped and yes you most certainly should be rewarded for that. Sectioning the trials would still give capped owners the high rewards but it wouldn't stomp out the little guy completely. It's just like real life this way too. Grand champions don't compete against rookies, they have levels to get to being grand champion. Some dogs only make it so far, low level tp dogs are them.

03-10-2012 at 3:57 PM

"I dont see why capped dog owners are worried about trial teams lowering the value of their dogs" I can only speak for myself but... the reason why I don't like trial teams is because it's cheating. Not to mention, they get super mad when you enter a dog in a trial that they wanted to fill with their dogs. It's unrealistic and not sporting at all. That's why I, personally, don't like trial teams.

03-10-2012 at 3:24 PM

They'll never be worth as much as capped dogs, so I dont see why capped dog owners are worried about trial teams lowering the value of their dogs. It isn't the trial teams inflating the economy. They just don't rake in that kind of cash. If we are wanting to go "real life," then there needs to be categories for each level/type of dog.

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2012-03-10 12:28:17 by #5641

03-10-2012 at 2:53 PM

Exactly, and isn't that the way it should be? Compare like... a Lab to a Greyhound Which one is faster and which one is worth more for races? If I wanna make tons of $$ off of a race and the Lab (cheaper, slower dog) would do as well as the Greyhound (the expensive, fast dog), which one would I buy? The Lab, obviously. I don't have to put as much time or $$ into winning money with it. It's a bit backwards for people to think about it that way when in reality, it's exactly like racing a Lab against a Greyhound. The Ferrari will win, that's what it was made to do. People will not spend thousands (literally, thousands, it's so expensive to get a good race dog and train it and condition it) on a dog that won't hold it's own in a race, they want to buy a dog that will run the race and win it and in those types of races, a Lab just won't hold up, and it's a bit unfair for a Lab owner to yell at a Greyhound owner for winning races when they're the ones who entered their Lab in a Greyhound race lol It's the people with trial teams that I see complaining about this. It's cheating to get their Lab in the same race level as their Greyhounds.. and then they complain when other people don't cheat and mow their dogs down.

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2012-03-10 11:59:31 by #5484

2012-03-10 11:58:37 by #5484

03-10-2012 at 11:05 AM

Low TP dogs aren't worth as much as capped ones, even if they are competing in the same levels.

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2012-03-10 09:38:01 by #5641

03-9-2012 at 10:14 PM

Agreeing 100% with Kaitie. If capped dogs were worth the same/trialed as well as lower-TP dogs, I would NOT put the time and money into training capped dogs.

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2012-03-09 19:14:46 by #5484

03-9-2012 at 9:35 PM

Marley is really high up there on the trial categories though. Your lower TP dogs are -not- worth capped dogs trial wise. That is how it is. I don't really know if you think lower TP dogs should be worth the same trial wise.. or what to be honest :/. Capped dogs are more expensive to train and lots of money goes into making dogs reach that cap. Why should those dogs lose against lower dogs? I am really curious as to your thought process Shroom because I really can't follow you ^^;;. So can you please explain?

03-9-2012 at 9:06 PM

People enter their dogs where they will make money, so logically you enter your dogs where there are lower dogs. Which means if you enter 2 non-capped dogs, you lose. You more or less always lose if you enter first. With the energy difference, there is at least some money to be made, even if it still screws the trials badly.

03-9-2012 at 6:18 PM

"as you will almost always get 3 capped dogs to just screw you over" Are you implying people enter dogs in trials to "screw people over" for fun? The team-trialers are screwed if either option is chosen.

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2012-03-09 15:18:25 by #5484

03-9-2012 at 6:09 PM

I hope everyone realizes that latest at Marley, all dogs not capped or close to are worthless if you cannot fill your own trials. as you will almost always get 3 capped dogs to just screw you over. Thus, it is about impossible for those dogs to bring back in what the cost.

03-8-2012 at 2:14 PM

just canceling them after a week isn't really fair if you limit the number of entrants and they arn't filled that can make for a lot of canceled tirals and lost energy on dogs however the energy teir is a good idea i am in support of it

03-7-2012 at 12:02 PM

"why not maby charge like 10-20% to add or remove from money bank?" No support, users should not be punished for being able to save money.

03-7-2012 at 6:46 AM

Currently, trials which do not fill up to run are cancelled after one week and your entry fee returned.

03-7-2012 at 2:09 AM

why not maby charge like 10-20% to add or remove from money bank? i've seen other games that do this. it might help. but if you limit trial entries the some trials will never run will ala set them to auto run after some time? or do i enter a dog in a trial and a month later it's still there?

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