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Site Update
We're listening. Always. I watch the forums and silently take note of things that could improve the breeding system, and the complaints and suggestions that many users vocalize regarding it. For weeks have the breeding team has discussed ways to revamp parts of a system that has been pretty much the same for over a year now. We've not made any major changes to things... until now.
As a warning, we've taken many things into consideration and have come up with methods that we feel for now will be good compromises. We can't please everyone, so whereas we know some people will be disappointed in some ways, know that this is all for the best, so that the breeding system can continue to grow.
PLEASE be sure to read this thoroughly!
First up, we have the Predicts system. The queue has exploded since introducing the predicts system so thinking of a way to tame it has been a task. I've spoken to my predict helpers and Graymare and Mauri alike and have taken into consideration what users have said. We've done a few things to remedy the situation and test the stability for future growth.
The biggest change is that we are now dropping extra predict needs. You will only need to submit what is needed for a coin now! No more extraneous predicts required (except for a few coins that will need it just because of the coin possibilities). This is how many you'll need now:
EBC - 2
Eggnog - 1 per side
HLBC - 1
BC - 2
HBC - 2
LBC - 2
MBC - 2
This way there's greater chance of getting what you want... but we're not going to allow just anything. Rules still apply! We have, however, simplified the rules so they're easier to understand and judge. See the updated predict rules below (will soon be on the top menu bar as well when Yasu can get around to it)!
There is also a forum post that will supplement these rules, found here:
https://www.aywas.com/forum/topic/153262/
To speed up predict processing we're going to require users to send in the PSDs of their predicts to an email for the predicts crew to handle. Predicts staff is now going to be fixing minor things on predicts to make them acceptable, and more major things will be rejected as the norm. This way we won't have back-and-forth reject tag going on. When I mean minor things being changed, I mean things such as color fixes, little edit shifts, tiny marking tweaks, etc. Major things that break the rules and are blatantly trying to abuse the system will just be sent back.
We also will be keeping track of major infractions against the predicts system and are going to enforce predict bans for those that continually attempt to break the rules. Note that this is only in drastic measures where a user disregards rules, deceives, or disrespects staff and will be handled on a case-by-case basis.
All PSDs for predicts should go to aywas.predicts@gmail.com, labeled with "ID x ID Breeding Predicts" in the subject line. You may also add your username in the email so we can more easily contact you about predict submissions. Once predicts are accepted it is your responsibility to send the PSDs in to [email protected] to have them on file later. You risk future breeding issues if you don't! If any PSD has to be tweaked a staff member will forward it to you when you receive your eggs.
More about the new rules and predict requirements are found up in that Predict Rules link. Thank Graymare and Mauri for being supertroopers in writing it! All of these rules are NOT retroactive and start as of this newspost -- all predicts added from hereon out are governed under the new rules and any currently in queue follow the older requirement rules. We still highly encourage you to send in PSD files for those babies you're waiting for currently though, as we can process them faster!
Another predict update: from now on we are no longer accepting RBC or Derp predicts. We will process what is in queue currently but from this newspost on users are not allowed to submit predicts for these coins. Predicts for these coins have been removed because its faster and easier to get a site artist to handle these than work them through the predicts system.
The Breeding Tutorial has also gotten an update!
Be sure to read it and if any questions are had, post them in the Help forum.
Whew! Now we do need to address artist positions. I've hired a Mistake fixer and this weekend have been blasting through answering the thread to get them started. Kazna will be your new fixer-upper for all mistake needs, so expect to see a lot of progress there!
We're in need of BC and LBC-grade workers at this time, and I know I've gotten some apps lately for others that I'll address this week. Pay grades have also been tweaked to reflect a better tiered system based on work completed:
BC: 10 GP per offspring
LBC: 7 GP per offspring
MBC: 5 GP per offspring
RBC: 4 GP per mutant, 7 GP per normal
Remember that all applications can be found here under Breeding Chat, and all apps should go to [email protected]!
I hope this encourages people to apply, as we really do need more talent on the team. Cash incentives are still active as well, but at this time we do not have contracts available. If you're interested in GP payments, though, we hope that these changes help spark interest. Predict caps have also been changed to reflect the artist pay scaling, something that can be found in the Tutorial.
But if that's not quite enough...
Artist incentives are now being introduced for breeding staff! This is a system that awards not only tenure on staff but the quality work produced in a timely manner. Every three lists artists receive an extra prize, and the awards get better the longer the artist works. I can't reveal all the secrets about this to you all, but know that the prizes are worth it. All artists currently on staff will be receiving these prizes from now on, beginning with their current lists (not retroactive, but still gonna be neat!).
Lastly, some unfortunate news about the Drinking Game. We all know the crons have been a bit odd and a lot of discussion regarding September through December has gone on trying to figure out how to handle the winners. There have been several batches that 'won' when really only one batch was the true winner. After sorting things out I do have January and February screenshots, but since there's no clear winners captured for those previous four months we will be unable to award prizes for those months. I know that this will highly upset people that worked hard to attain their spots but in order to be fair across the board we had to come to this decision. Now that we're aware of the problem and how to cope with it until the cron is fixed we can properly track those scores. Yes it's a site problem but even so this is the best decision we've come to so that things are fair.
I also was informed that the old Asher drinking game prizes were never sent out... I'll be taking care of those too. I wasn't aware they weren't done! But proper prizes will get distributed.
Two new breeding add-ons will appear in the near-future once they have been coded to work. Keep an eye out for them! You don't want to spill these.
That looks to be it! Thank you for your constant feedback and again, we all do this so that the userbase is able to experience the breeding system in a pleasant and concise manner. Your support and understanding is appreciated.
Posted by Ash
(#90) on Sun Mar 4, 2012 9:43pm
- YuniWolf
(#10599)
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Posted on: Mon Mar 5, 2012 11:40am
Oh great.. That means, if we had predicts for RBC submitted a few days before (and paid the artist for their great work for sure.), they are useless and we throw out GP for nothing we can "work" with..? Great... Very great..
Sorry.. I understand this upgrade, because I bet submitted predicts means many stress for the breeding artists and admins(?).. But I think, it sucks for the people who paid and submitted predicts just one or two days before this update came up, too...(I think i'm not the only one..)
Thanks for your hard work.. You're all awesome and doing a great job anyway..
-Kit
- Graymare
(#14978)
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Posted on: Mon Mar 5, 2012 11:54am
@bd84 - Yes, that is correct, for breedings with a Fertility Potion you submit three babies, and get all three back. @ Mezma - Any breedings that don't have predicts submitted yet will fall under the new rules. @ CHandler - "predict" is just a short form for prediction, they mean the same thing. "cron" is a script that runs that is supposed to tabulate game scores and hand out prizes/notices. @ Carni - temp-banning is going to be exceedingly rare, but yes you can PM anyone on the breeding admin team to discuss circumstances in that case. @ Nye - you submit two, and get two back. No extras! @ Kitten - anything already submitted has been grandfathered in; if you commissioned work and haven't submitted it, PM me and we'll work something out.
- Wolffy
(#21166)
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Posted on: Mon Mar 5, 2012 11:56am
I haven't done predicts, but hopefully this new update can get the queue moving faster.
- ♥blueyesrmine♥
(#11392)
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Posted on: Mon Mar 5, 2012 1:09pm
so, we re sending in the PSD of predicts but not the parents?
- Carni
(#12344)
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Posted on: Mon Mar 5, 2012 1:18pm
Thank you Graymare - as always staff is being very reasonable <3
I'm actually kinda exited to do MBC predicts again for myself, just to see how the new concept works out and how making only half the predicts changes things aswell.
I expect it to be much, much more relaxed for me.
Thanks again for listening to our rants and complaints, I'm looking forward to testing the new system.
- Anastasia
(#35750)
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Posted on: Mon Mar 5, 2012 1:24pm
I hate this new update!!! I loved doing Derp predicts. I was having soooo much fun with them and had 5 more ready to send in just waiting on the coins. Why did you have to take away the fun?? I just don't understand. :(
- bd84
(#2783)
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Posted on: Mon Mar 5, 2012 1:34pm
Thanks, pretty pony for answering my question. :3
This new system sounds like a great deal of win, and more people will get the babies they wanted and not have to re-breed to try again! Also, no more wanting the unused predicts to be made into a custom pet! This solves so many things!
- Anastasia
(#35750)
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Posted on: Mon Mar 5, 2012 1:46pm
Also have to ask
How in the world will not having the predicts for Derp breeding speed up the que??
Now the site artists have to do the work themselves not just 'eeny-meeny' which predict to send back. For the most part I was getting my Derp babies back in very very short time now I have to expect that it will take longer unless the artist is just going to slap something on there, maybe spending 5 minutes or less so they can move on to the next one on the list and thus get paid more. I think having someone else make YOUR babies for you is not as good as making them yourself. Because unlike you they are making "money" off it even if they don't do as good a job as you. And you are then stuck with the results. *I am sorry but I am just extremely upset by this latest slap in the face and have to rant somewhere* I haven't been a member of Aywas for very long but while there are a lot of things about this site that make it more fun than most of the other pet adoption sites, there are so many others that truly are pissing people off not just me. Like with all the money coming into the site from GP sales and such why has there not been a server upgrade so that there is not so many crashes and site down time? And there are lots of other questions that just seem to go unanswered and then this comes up and limits the users input again.
Oh well I guess getting on the soap box doesn't help if nobody listens.
- Belawy
(#6513)
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Posted on: Mon Mar 5, 2012 1:47pm
^_^ thanks for the clarification Graymare. This is awesome, I normally can only manage two predicts, then I was usually starring wide-eyed at the thing wondering what else I could actually do, but with this, I might actually make my own predicts, this is really great, you have no idea how awesome this actually is :D *snuggles you all* I'll miss the derps, but I do understand ^_^
Posted on: Mon Mar 5, 2012 10:02am
I'm kinda confused on the number of predics, so you submit 2 for LBC or MBC does that mean we get both predicts back? Or has it been changed so now all we get is one baby regardless of the fact that it is a common species?