02-10-2012 at 3:32 PM

Option 2 isn't much better, it means we need to spend way more time on Ala to generate the needed trials and keep feeding/energy companion the high level trialers. Which basically means those not able to afford all the food and energy companions are out in the cold. <br /> <br /> And what is, really, the difference to just letting a dog run its 4-5 trials (with feeding) and then forget about it for the rest of the day? <br /> <br /> It cost me a lot to get a high TP dog to Otis, and by then they usually have barely won back the money they cost in magical items. To make the dogs profitable means to sit there every hour and keep feeding and entering them so they can still make their 5-6 trials a day. I'm too compulsive not to do that, because I need my expenses covered and then some. <br /> <br /> If you do this, there should at least be fixed trial entry fees so we stop losing money when our dogs don't win a thing, which happens often enough in the higher levels. <br /> <br /> OK so someone not usually getting their dogs to Otis and above will probably not see that much of a difference. But just imagine you'd have to use up so much energy for your own dog. <br /> <br /> Sure, it is better than no teams but... I rather enter all the dogs for their trials once and be done with than having to spend all day to get the same number of trials in. <br /> <br />

02-10-2012 at 3:32 PM

I think everyone makes some good points. Especially Crev with the realistic aspect of the game. If we make it "realistic" there are things that need to change which Crev stated better than I could. Otherwise, I think the energy cost seems to be the best of the choices.

02-10-2012 at 3:29 PM

Yeah, the fact that the lower levels are so short is why i dont' like the energy increase too. Dogbert has 5 levels.<br /> You could trial a dog 5 times and then you're looking at 25% energy taken away each time.

02-10-2012 at 3:22 PM

I agree, Clay. And it isn't a very gradual energy cost... 55 energy to enter a trial? I don't care what level it is that is way too high. Maybe more along the lines of 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, for the energy increments. Even then it would still hurt the higher levels a lot which is where the majority of dogs are since the lower levels are done and over with really fast.<br /> <br /> But, it -can- be adjusted afterward if it's too much of a problem. I just think maybe, if this option is picked, starting out with a more mellow energy cost adjustment and working up as necessary?

02-10-2012 at 3:18 PM

I guess it works out then? The high TP dogs will be able to trial a little more often than they currently do when starting out at Dogbert, but then it slows down very slightly over time...<br /> <br /> I don't know if that's enough of an energy curb to really slow down the cash cow dogs. But then the question is how do you slow those ones down without slowing down the entire trial system? :P

02-10-2012 at 3:18 PM

I feel like such a whiner by saying this but.. the energy cost selection will not only cripple the capped dog owners [which I believe is the target of all this] but the people with customs/foundies just trying to make a couple bucks.<br /> <br /> EDIT: I like what Crevan said about the realism aspect to it. I've always wondered what weight and height were for.. and there could be something to look into.<br /> However, I'm not a fan of the energy increase because it just wouldn't be worth it to max my dogs for trialing when they get -50 energy every time [most of my trial dogs are in Otis]<br /> I take about 1 month to max one of my trial dog and it would just be a big waste of time for me if we were to implement the increased energy limit.

02-10-2012 at 3:17 PM

I agree number 2 is the best and the fairest out of the choices, many of us have put a lot of time and money into their teams and dogs.... and it would be very unfair not to let people play the game how they want too play.....

02-10-2012 at 3:09 PM

Also another note on option two... it pretty much is the limiting trials per day option, only it makes entering trials way more of a pain since you'll have to wait to enter again instead of just getting it all done and over with.<br /> <br /> For someone like me who has a lot of other things to do in the day it is much easier to sit down, enter my 4 trials per dog, and not have to mess with it again all day.

02-10-2012 at 3:06 PM

Option two seems less objectionable than the others. <br /> <br /> I hope that trial teams continue as players do not enjoy entering a competition to have a high TP dog entered against them - some complain. <br /> <br /> Trial teams reduce that possibility as no other player's dog is defeated.

02-10-2012 at 3:05 PM

Prize payouts are already coded to increase by trial tier. Dogbert, for instance, makes 1.5x the trial score, where Odie makes 2x the trial score. It goes up in steps, much like the energy cost would go up.

02-10-2012 at 2:58 PM

"Keep in mind that as you go up trial levels, prize payouts also increase."<br /> <br /> In the other thread it was said that prize payouts are mainly based on a dog's final score. Won't all dogs still be making roughly the same amount at the lower levels as they do in the higher ones? Or does that mean that prize payouts are going to be adjusted to accommodate energy requirements being changed?

02-10-2012 at 2:57 PM

I'm definitely voting option 2. I think this is a fair way to help dogs with lesser TP still make some money for less rich players. Great idea ^_^

02-10-2012 at 2:53 PM

Well, I'd have to say first option out of the ones given. I do have to question if monthly shop prices will drop, though, along with these changes? Because honestly it's hard for most players to afford the stuff now as it is. I don't speak for myself when I say this stuff, I just don't think it's fair to newer players to make it even harder yet to make money. *shrugs* But that's just me maybe.<br /> <br /> As far as the agility here being realistic I could go on for days on ways in which you would have to change it to make it realistic since right now it isn't in the least anyway xD No offense or anything since I know it would be hard to completely mimic RL agility.<br /> <br /> You <i>could </i> implement height categories since, as far as I'm aware there would never be a time a pap would run against a GSD (plus, this would make height on Ala an important part of the game). In which case, you could leave trial teams in since it would be much harder to -make- a trial team if their dogs have to be certain heights to be in the same trial. <br /> <br /> People entering 10 dogs in an agility trial in the same category is not uncommon in RL. I've seen a cocker breeder and a chi breeder run tons and tons of dogs. <br /> <br /> Injuries are another thing that could make people not get quite as much money quite so fast and add a realistic edge to the game. Injuries that the towel cannot fix - such as torn ligaments, torn pads, etc. that are common in dog sports and can take quite some time to heal. This sort of thing could put dogs out of commission for a little while. I would say just don't implement items that could help, at least not for all of them. A torn dewclaw could be stopped by having a leg wrap item or something, but as for a torn ligament those types of things just happen (granted there are preventative measures but they don't work 100% and for the sake of a game, well, I wouldn't bother adding those). <br /> <br /> Energy cost, unless the dog is older, isn't very realistic in itself. You can advance a young dog from a low class to high class in a short amount of time in RL and they are not going to run out of energy any sooner than before until they start to age and slow down a little.<br /> <br /> Also, in a RL agility trial day, there would be 4-5 trials. That is all. Which is why I personally would have rather had the option of limiting a person's trialing to 4 times a day or something. It would be realistic and help the problem. <br /> <br /> <br /> Make weight more important too - a dog that is underweight or overweight should have its scores significantly diminished, so even if they have a super high TP they will not be getting as much out of it if the dog isn't properly cared for (granted this would involve working out bugs and making feeding a little different than it is... I have 30 lb papillons right now XD)<br /> <br /> <br /> I know you guys have this narrowed and might not want more input on other options, but, just throwing out some ideas that might help make the game more realistic, while also helping adjust to the economy problem.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Also a small note on why I think option two is not a good idea...<br /> People without energy companions = way disadvantaged. Plus people who worked hard on dogs = dogs not nearly as useful once they hit Odie pretty much :(

02-10-2012 at 2:53 PM

Same here Kaeli.... I spent a lot of time and money with my teams and a few of the options before just made me upset. But option #2 seems to be a perfect solution for me :D

02-10-2012 at 2:51 PM

Yay! Everyone vote for option two! *dances* lol <br /> <br /> But seriously, I'm so glad that Alacrity takes its members opinions into consideration when making decisions. :)

02-10-2012 at 2:46 PM

i see three's suggestion made it to the poll.<br /> <br /> I rather like option 2, right now i think that's the least objectionable and most fair, seeing as the payouts as you go higher are more, so the energy spent on those trials should match also ^^<br /> <br /> i'm also glad you guys decided to hide what all the users have voted for ^^

02-10-2012 at 2:46 PM

I believe it was Three Whispers that came up with the idea, Wiz. I completely agree - it's an incredible idea!<br /> <br /> The idea of putting a hard cap on trials per day per dog actually was pretty upsetting to me. A lot of people spent a lot of money on energy companions for trialing, so it didn't feel fair to just stop a dog from competing where it had the energy. <br /> <br /> I, personally, am having a hard time figuring out which way I want to cast my vote x.x

02-10-2012 at 2:42 PM

Whoever came up with #2 deserves credit, that is an amazing idea!