What some people described in the comments on the last post is pretty much how I planned it anyhow. Not sure why it did not come out in the text above, but let me describe the process here in more detail (this is a draft):
- You can reserve (or call dibs) on a currently occupied lot – no matter which world.
- You will get the lot if the previous owner abandons it (then it will be reset in any case) or when the user expires (then it’s up to you if you want to reset it).
- If several people want to have the same lot, the first who reserved it will get it. The others stay in the queue until they either withdraw the reservation or until they are in line to get the lot.
- It does not matter if you are next door or not.
- You need to have the right to get that lot (i.e. you will not increase your overall maximum lot count when you get that lot) or the money to afford it.
- You should have the option to reset the lot if you want to. (That’s a good idea I got from the comments).
- Several people can reserve a lot. If someone reserves first, they get it when it’s free.
The big question that I have now is this: Either we make it super-strict or very opportunistic.
- Super strict: You can only reserve a lot if you can afford it or have a free slot. Once you reserved one lot, and you have only one free slot, you cannot even get a free lot unless you revoke your reservation. You total lots would always be your lots + your reservations. No reservations and not lots unless you you give up a lot or a reservation. If a lot costs money, it’s gone until you withdraw your reservation.
- Opportunistic: You can reserve anything you like. 20 people could try to reserve the same lot. One person can reserve 20 lots in empire. First come first serve once it becomes free. It would show how desirable a lot is and also build some reputation for the builder. However, once it becomes free, the person first person in line who has the money and available free lots can actually get it.
Both have advantages and disadvantages, mostly psychological though. The end result would be pretty much the same except that the strict option would force people to think about it more often and switch around their reservations as lots are given to someone else further up the queue. The opportunistic option would favor older players and create a kind of rating for the user. I think there is not a lot of bad in the opportunistic way. People have to be careful that their account is not drained once they get a lot they are not prepared to pay for, and empire lots are not easy to get rid of once you have one.
So I am more on the opportunistic path which is also much easier to implement since I do not have to add all the checks in many places. I would like to hear from all of you if you see a fundamental flaw in the system however.
In the opportunistic version, what happens when a lot expires and the #1 on the wait list doesn’t have a free slot or can’t afford it? Moves on to #2?
The strict version in Kingdom would really favor people with lots of money, while in the Empire I feel like the opportunistic version will end up causing people to own lots they didn’t truly want (hey I’ll just waitlist these 3 lots — oops hmm I didn’t really want _that_ one to pop, but now I’m stuck with it).
The only thing I don’t see in this post is what you mentioned before about the lots having to be within 10 days of resetting. I’m not sure how I’d feel with a big list of names waiting to take over my lot as an active user if this is no longer the plan, haha.
That being said, they are both interesting ideas. I think the best course of action might be to enable the opportunistic version in the Kingdom where there is much more collaboration and time investment from multiple parties, and allow Empire lots to reset and become unoccupied as they always have?
Yes, it goes to the next in line.
You are right, people with money could take over many lots, but those are normally the oldest and most regular users, and in the past I have taken over the lots, which does not make sense either. I rather have someone do it who actually does something with them.
In empire, people simply have to be careful so you don’t get stuck with it. Same as in Kingdom, if you reserve all lots of another user, you might lose all your cash in case that user expires – and be stuck with 30 lots. People have to take responsibilities for their actions, the system should not play nanny for them.
If many people would like to have your lot it’s like a sign of respect for what you have done there. You can see it of course as vultures circling over you, but as long as you are around, nothing happens. If you don’t show up for a while, it’s reset anyhow, so what’s the difference.
I have an option of course to enable the system only for the kingdom. I just don’t think it would be that harmful in the empire, either.
Yeah the more I think about it the more I like the idea of the opportunistic version, even if it’s enabled everywhere.
On afterthought, this system also provides for the succession think.. you just give the money for your “successor” to pose an option on your kingdom lot and that’s it. I like the idea of something simple to set up so that Unc still has time to work on other stuff (who said “MinecartMania”??).
The opportunistic approach makes sense to me. A large part of that choice is that there isn’t a huge difference in the end result and one takes a lot less customization work on the part of Unc.
Kingdom – Yes, people could start to take over many lots, but they could do that even without this option. The people who can afford lots can purchase them at any time now.
Empire – This does not seem to have as large of an impact. The number of lots in this world are restricted and that would seem to govern it well enough.
I like the opportunistic approach more. In kingdom, grabbing a large amount of lots is not really a problem, as many projects require multiple lots and the people working on such projects are more responsible with their actions.
I’m not entirely certain how well it would work in empire, however I can definitely see benefits to having such a system. (can someone say railway?) I still think there should be an lower limit on claims instead of the 20 lots suggested though. Say 3-5ish
(5 minutes later) I’ve been thinking and I can’t really find a downside to the opportunistic approach. As long as the lot cap is kept, you can’t really complain that someone got the lot before you. It’s just a more organized way to snatch lots now. :3
I’m all for the system as described and I think the opportunistic approach is fine.
I like the idea for the plan over all and think i would prefer the opportunistic idea, but I can’t see a problem with either of them. definitely do the one that takes less work for you!
would people be able to reserve your lot long before you ever reset or would your lot have to be in danger of resetting before it becomes available on the market?
And would you be able to take your name off of a list for a lot if you changed your mind or would you be stuck with it once you put your name in it?
right now I plan that people can resere it whenever.
You would be able to take your reservarion off a lot whenever you want.