[A] More paid raffles.

[StarieMichie]

Free raffles are awesome, but sometimes you see a Soq and go all asowjekondfjofsijbjaOMG and really want it. Having 1 in 200some odds makes it a little rough sometimes. That's why paid raffles are great; you see a horse you really like, and you buy a ton of tickets to try to tip the odds a bit better in your favor.

From what I understand, staff have to use credits to be able to run a paid raffle, correct? I know that raffles bring in a lot of gold, so they benefit that way. I feel that instead of making them use credits, the shop should run them at a greater frequency as another way to service the customer. Right now, it seems like we only have them when there is an event going on. Maybe run one every two to three months, and have all the colorists add in a Soq and split the gold. It doesn't have to be massive, maybe just 5 to 7 Soq in the prize pot?

Of course we are running up on event!season here, so hopefully they'll be some paid raffles along with those. emotion_brofist  

[Ktns]

As always there should be a paid raffle or two with the upcoming big event c:

One thing to keep in mind tho, colorists are very busy even just meeting their monthly quotas of breedings/customs/freebies, and thats on top of the new releases this year of all the new breeds! It's quite possible that they really just dont have the time to take on another side project c:  

[ProphetOfProfit]

I love love love this suggestion.

1 in 200 to 300 odds with absolutely no way to tip the scales is to say the least a tad off putting. Especially if you see one you would nearly give your cybernetic arm for. 
For example I came to soquilli during the wow event. I had a lot on my plate in RL on top of  really slow Internet so most games were out of my bounds and auctions were way out of my price range.

However when I saw Blake (the magic carpet soquilli) looking at me from the mass of over 50 ponies with that short yellow hair and dashing little blanket scarf. I saw a realistic goal (not to mention the coolest thing on Gaia) and I knew I had to have her I worked my butt off every spare 100 gold I had went into that raffle with her as my top pick. 
I won. it's over a year later and I have never regreted any of the prolly 4 million or the months afterward i had to have a very newbie esc avi because i dumped it all into that raffle. 

So paid raffles = 20% cooler

Now for an addition to this suggestion.

 After watching a live stream yesterday that Jules was doing I have a better grasp of how much time it takes y'all to make these wonderful works of art. So I propose that perhaps not instead of but maybe in addition to that you sell " breeding" and maybe "custom" raffle tickets as well. 

So like for example.
 5 soquilli, two breeding slots (you can specify thats these slots are edited, non or even RP qualified or LL!) and a custom slot ( you can specify this as well ) made into one paid raffle. Say every three months or so.

Proposed rule changes when involving breeding and customs in a raffle. 

~ I would say you still have to pay for your breeding or custom after you win raffle because they are more involved yada yada yada, But I really dont think anyone will mind that because it's worth it to have a chance to tip the odds in your favor. 
~ if you don't have the gold for your custom you loose they slot. 
~ all payments need to be received within 24 hours of the raffle ending or you loose it. 

Maybe colorists can even make the breedings and customs they raffle off earn them back the credits they spent on the raffle in the first place somehow?
*is a tad unsure of how that all works*

Example of the raffle preference list with a breeding and custom being raffled.

Name: DemonWingedPoetGirl
Preference: LL breeding slot, Unedited breeding slot, pony 4, custom usida, pony 2, re roll after that 
Are you qualified?: *insert URL link to your breeding tries to show you are indeed LL with the name of the couple you want the slot for.*
and 
* insert URL to unedited couple* 
ect ect ect

You get the idea I think.   

[Scaramouche Fandango]

Paid breeding raffles sound like a pretty brilliant idea. It might really help cut down on some of the low luck tension- if you're really sick of your low luck, just buy a lot of tickets and cross your fingers. In turn, it might also help knock some names off the low luck list. (Note: I am NOT saying to replacing the regular monthly breeding raffles. These would be additional raffles whenever a colorist has time to take on another breeding.)  

[StarieMichie]

I like the idea of having customs and breedings being part of the raffle "prize pot". I think that'd be great! Plus then the colorists could hold a paid raffle without having the prizes ready right at that moment.  

[ProphetOfProfit]

^_^

Yay I'm not crazy!

That's the rule ya know right. If at least 2 people see it your way your perfectly sane.
Now excuse me I have to go teach elephants to somba and make cheese simotainusly.  

[In Good Faith]

This is a great suggestion for those who have the funds to out beat everyone else. There are SEVERAL (especially newbies) who simply don't, and don't have a means of making the gold needed to really put themselves in a raffle like that, at least when it comes to a place a large as soq. (and by put themselves in the raffle, I mean buy enough tickets to honestly compete with others. Admittedly the chances of winning are still possible, but severely lacking.)
I like the way soq runs their events the way they are, really.  

[Scaramouche Fandango]

Roman Foi

This is a great suggestion for those who have the funds to out beat everyone else.

I think that's the point. It's not really about fair like a free raffle is. It's about running an event where you could give yourself a competitive edge. There's already plenty of stuff with perfectly even odds, or odds that give, like, three people and NOBODY else a chance (Auctions. People empty their inventories for those.).

And if it was fairness you were really worried about, you could always put a cap on the number of tickets ordered or something. Wouldn't make it perfect, but this isn't communist ponytopia. It'll never be perfectly fair. I myself would probably never participate in a paid raffle because I don't really have a steady source of gold, but I can see the appeal of the thing.  

[In Good Faith]

-nods- Yeah, I can see the appeal, too. And you're very right. xP I would maybe buy a tiny amount if I saw a soq that I just adored but since I don't have a steady income, anymore, I'd be saving as well.  

[Jynk]

If having paid breeding and/or custom raffles made there be more than just one of each kind per month (when there is one during the month), then I'd be all for that. It seems like there used to be at least 2-3 of each per month.. and now there only seems to be one of each during the month. I'd like better odds at getting some of my pairs bred to further their plots.. and better odds at a few customs I'd like to get. :3

So, recap.. yes.. paid breeding and custom raffles.. I like this idea.

EDIT: Also, if they do decide to do some paid custom/breeding raffles, i would think that the funds from the ticket sales would cover at least the breedings. The staff would have to decide the custom costs figured into it.  

[Renegade Athena]

But... But... I is broke...  

[USS_Galactica]

Renegade Athena

But... But... I is broke...

Same here. Though not quite broke, just slowly struggling to gain funds for future customs (ultimate goal a Kalona, or possibly one of the new species).

I am not really a fan of paid raffles.  

[Kirowyn Love]

YES YES YES,

I haven't seen a paid raffle since... I think the WoW event?

I also love the idea of adding breeding spots and custom spots to the prize pot!  

[ProphetOfProfit]

Kirowyn Love

YES YES YES,

I haven't seen a paid raffle since... I think the WoW event?

I also love the idea of adding breeding spots and custom spots to the prize pot!

See that's what I Thought.
because thats the last one I remmber seeing too.  

[Nyx Queen of Darkness]

I'd really rather customs and breedings not be part of a paid raffle--simply because they're so infrequent now. IF the frequency was greater, cool nice way to up your odds. But right now the actual event of customs or breedings in itself is cause to wet yourself with excitement XD

Yes, I know people are busy and they have lives, and I'm NOT complaining about it because the soq staff has been working on ALOT for us. But I think before we find out ways to up our odds in breedings or customs, that we should be in a position that we're having more than one a month.

But as for pre-made raffles, YESSS! I wish they had a few more than they do ^_^