[S] Low-luck Owner category in breeding?

[Cajmera]

Continuing the spirit of Suggestion Time:

So, it's great the shop is getting more active, and that the colorists are able to do more things again. That said, breedings are still few and far between, and the last 'normal' breeding slots were back in October 2013 (discounting a raffle for low-luck pairs only in December, which had 19 entries). The shop's previous breeding openings in Feb 2014 were exclusively a mixer, which is fun from a grab-bag perspective but doesn't do anything for people who have existing couples, particularly if the existing couples are plot based.

Right now, there is a category for "low luck" pairs who have tried in 20+ raffles. But with the limited amount of breedings currently offered, it is challenging to build up the requisite amount of raffle entries to get to low luck. This becomes beyond frustrating when you get a couple halfway or more to low luck, then have your Soquili's partner's owner decide they don't want to pursue the breeding any more, meaning you never got a slot, you no longer have a couple, and you no longer have any 'low luck' attempts to show for it because that couple is gone.

~~~

What I'd like to propose is an optional category in breedings for low luck owners; that is, where the owner themself is either a total breeding newbie or has not gotten a traditional breeding for ANY of their Soquili for an established period of time. This includes breedings obtained via normal breeding raffles, mixers, bribes, MCCL, staff customs, etc; if a breeding was obtained for ANY of the owner's Soquili, the owner would not be low luck. I do not count Wishing Stars, since they are technically semi-customs/first gens and have their own rules. The low-luck owner would need to state when they last obtained a breeding and provide proof they haven't had a breeding, perhaps by linking their teepee (showing the birthdates of the Soquili in question).

Using myself as an example, the last breeding slot I've gotten was in March 2011 (and that pair was actually LL, on their 35th raffle). I have a couple who has been trying since 2011 but only has 10 attempts; I was on hiatus for part of 2011 and 2012 due to rl reasons, but I entered every raffle before and since (including the mixer), in addition to posting in the MCCL. As you may have guessed, the example of the person who was building to low luck only to have the other owner decide not to proceed was me as well, otherwise I'd have two pairs roughly halfway to low luck status. The last breeding slot I've gotten was in March 2011. I apologize for sounding petty, but it's tough seeing Soquili who started trying at the same time as my pairs welcome great grandchildren while my pairs are still coming up empty. I don't know how many people would be affected by a low-luck owner slot, but I can't imagine I'm the only one.

I would also suggest that in the event there is a low-luck owner slot, the owner is only allowed to enter ONE pair for that slot. In order to be eligible you can't have had any breeding for whatever period of time, but it wouldn't be unfairly lopsided to be able to put two pairs in this particular category.  

[Sabin Duvert]

I honestly like this idea more than low-luck couples, even though more than likely it would hurt me personally more than help.

I would propose a few changes to go along with this, or if you're going to change the system like this, it would provide an opportunity to overhaul breeding as a whole as far as times per month available.

Currently, you can win up to two breedings per month. I think ANYONE who won two breedings in the same month would feel exceedingly lucky, and most people would consider themselves super lucky if they won one breeding every few months.

But that's super difficult to pull off for raffles if you're entering two couples and have been entering two couple options for a very long time. You'd have to tell one of your breeding partners, "sorry, but since they changed the rules, we have to stop trying with our couple."

My proposal would be this (And this is something I've chatted with Kamiki about and really have to credit her for the idea):

- Instead of posting two couples into a breeding raffle, you just say something along the lines of "I want to enter". You don't post anything.

- They raffle however many winners they are planning on taking.

- If you win a slot, you say which couple you want to breed.

*** SIDE EFFECTS ***

* Low Luck is done by person entering, not by couple. ((So yeah, if your breeding partner's first choice couple is one with you, and you've won a breeding recently, LL is done by their name, not yours.))
This doesn't penalize someone who may not have ever had a breeding, even if they're partnering with someone who has. But only they get their name on the LL list, even if you are planning on using the same couple.

- Multiple colorists could draw from the same breeding raffle and there would be no issue with someone having a different couple they would have chosen for a different colorist to play to their strengths.

- This way, you could limit people to ONE Breeding win per month. If someone else is drawn who had a couple with you, and you already won that month, they could pick their "alternate" couple ((Ie, the 2nd couple they would have entered into a breeding raffle)).
I think most people would have an alt couple, and in the event of not, this is something the two owners could discuss before moving forward with a breeding raffle attempts - being honest about "if I win, my first priority couple would be..." So they can plan for eventualities if one wins.

- You can still have unedited only breedings, just if you win, you pick either an unedited couple or a couple you don't mind if they have unedited foals. You can even have mix and match slots in the same breeding raffle because you don't pick your winning couple until you've drawn. You can just say if you do or do not want to be entered into unedited slots smile

I****

As a whole, I think this would make raffles simpler to enter, simpler to make lists for, easier for multiple colorists to join in on the same event, and spead the love some more when people can only potentially win one per month. The lists will likewise be smaller since everyone has one entry onto the list rather than two couples.

EDIT: there can still be CC breedings, but that would be a job for the MCCL. It would actually see more more use and reason for being around if colorists would have to go there to CC breeding couples.

EDIT: it would ALSO be easier for newbies to find couples/pairings for their soquili, because it doesn't require the other partner to have that couple be one of the two they're trying for in raffles.  

[ATh e a r t]

I believe this was done before, not 100 percent sure. Slots basically depend on what the colorist wants to do xD  

[LydaLynn]

I like Sabin's (Kamiki's) idea.  

[Phail Ninja]

The owner thing is abusable as if two owners only have one couple with each other and both enter - they effectively have two slots for the same one couple with no way to prove that they were intending to enter different couples :/

 

[CheshireKttty]

Personally I think it's fine the way it is and if it's a slot the colorists want to add then that's up to them. I've seen it done occasionally but don't see any real need to adjust breedings as they are.  

[xo maho]

I agree with Chesh. I think the breeding raffles are fine the way they are, and if a colorist wants to add these sort of slots, that would be great - I know there are a lot of people out there who have not gotten a breeding in years or have simply never gotten one at all, and this would really benefit them and spread the love.

But breedings changing as a whole... I think that would be met with a lot of resistance. =/ The system has been in place for years, and while it does result in Low Luck and long dry spells when the RNGs are being particularly finicky, many have good luck with the way it's being done now. So to changing breedings as a whole, my vote is no, but the addition of a slot for newbies and those who haven't gotten a slot for a long time - that would be neat. n.n  

[Huroggmeten]

Although I like the idea of a low-luck owner slot, I think it would have to be counted and "proven" in the same way that the current low-luck couple slots are: with counted entries.

Otherwise, if we were to suggest the "no breedings for (this period of time)" qualification, someone who was simply inactive for that period of time (meaning they were not trying for or entering slots) could be considered "low luck"... when really they've just been away from Gaia, or abstaining from breeding entries, for a little while...

However, with counted entries, there would be the issue of what counts as an entry for one owner.
Is each couple entered with you as an owner with basket rights into every breeding raffle an entry? If so, then if you entered 2 couples in 1 month that would count as 2 entries... which could be said to be not-fair to owners with fewer Soquili couples.
So, how about we suggest that for each breeding opportunity you enter, you would get 1 "low luck owner count" regardless of how many couples you entered? I think this would be more fair. A "breeding opportunity" would be any true breedings, so the traditional breeding raffles, mixers, and MCCL. (Notice that i'm not including bribes in this list because bribes have never counted towards your normal 2 breeding slots minimum as far as i'm aware and thus changing how they count now would be tricky).

That being said, the only upside to low luck owner slots would be if you've been trying for the required numbers of opportunities for current low luck couple slots but switching up which couple you're entering, or you lost a couple that had X number tries and so switched (thus your actively trying couples wouldn't qualify for low luck slots yet, but you as an owner would).
We've already seen some "low luck owner"-ish slots in the Breeding Newbie slots, which were a great idea- so we're really just asking for that consideration to be extended to those who haven't had a breeding in a really long time, right?
In any case, no matter what the types of slots a colorist offers are up to them, I just had fun brainstorming. I love seeing the creativity in slot creation and am happy for any opportunities offered. heart