Deadline for birthday requests announcement question

[Jubaris]

Deadline for requests is 9th of April, but there is almost a week left after 9th April until the birthday. Does the deadline cover asking for official quest sponsorship too? If so, it makes pressure on the existing ideas to be wrapped up fast and eliminates a solid important period for brainstorming of new ideas.

[(Zl-eye-f)-nea]

Might be to put a fire under people's butts, right now the calendar and the forum is not exactly an apparent hive of activity despite the event being 10 days from starting?

 

I'm also finding personally that getting the rewards isn't simple. No guidelines have been laid out for requests and the day hosts don't seem to have been given any either. I'm sometimes having to wait for people to come back to me, and I'm finding with some people, this is taking a very long time, and sometimes involves a three-way back and forth discussion.

 

I don't quite know what's wrong, but the organisation isn't making things easy.

 

Z

[Chewett]

Day hosts make requests, we approve them.

 

Anyone have problems with day hosts, contact me and BFH.

 

As for the deadline, give me it on the day, or after if you need be, if im around I will work as hard as I can to get you stuff.

[Sasha Lilias]

Day hosts make requests, we approve a minority of them.

 

Usually takes 2/3/4/5/6/...attempts to get things approved - especially items.

 

Perhaps it would be easier for you to make a comprehensive list of what can be awarded and the sort of numbers they can be provided in.

 

Also, surely this should be something for the Treasure Keepers to be doing? So that it's a load off of your back? Where are they and why aren't they doing what they're actually designed to do?

 

Sorry if I seem "stressed" or "snappy" but this is becoming beyond a joke...

Edited April 5, 2015 by Sasha Lilias

[Pipstickz]

 

Also, surely this should be something for the Treasure Keepers to be doing? So that it's a load off of your back? Where are they and why aren't they doing what they're actually designed to do?

If provided with instructions (birthday sponsorships are different from regular sponsorships) and stock (Annivs and any other special rewards), we could take on birthday sponsorship requests. I have, in fact, wondered the same thing, but assumed my wonder away, thinking that Chew and Mur know where we can be contacted.

[Chewett]

If provided with instructions (birthday sponsorships are different from regular sponsorships) and stock (Annivs and any other special rewards), we could take on birthday sponsorship requests. I have, in fact, wondered the same thing, but assumed my wonder away, thinking that Chew and Mur know where we can be contacted.

 

We are trying to balance the rewards cross people, some people are rewarding massive rewards for their quests and some are rewarding essentially nothing. 

[(Zl-eye-f)-nea]

There is no structure as to what is and isn't acceptable for what, nor what is and isn't available to be requested as far as I can tell.

 

Some people may be too nervous to ask for a rare creature for example, yet it may be totally appropriate for them to. Some things might need too much work to implement, but how can a non-coder know that. Some things might be considered totally overblown in your eyes and not in the eyes of the designer. Some people might think you can't ask/its rude to ask for big things, so never will.

 

Z

[Chewett]

Which is why we are advising things one way or another :)

Next year we will just do what council did, everyone gets told their quests will be sponsored, we work out it all once the quests have run.

Edited April 5, 2015 by Chewett

[(Zl-eye-f)-nea]

...but that's the problem. It is increasing workload for you, and increasing frustration for us quest makers. I end up in a 3 way conversation back and forth because Ive asked for something specific that you don't accept, then I offer options and get told to be specific. I can't win in that game, nor can you, we end up in an annoying loop.

 

I'll just forge ahead and stick TBC on rewards for now but my concern with TBC on birthday stuff is that some quests require a big reward to fuel activity and if it isn't stated outright in some way, many probably wouldn't be bothered to put the effort in - is that a flaw with the quest design, the community, or the rewards? Not sure right now, but motivation to carry out a task is certainly a factor fueled by rewards.

 

Z

[Chewett]

Then why dont we just say everyone's rewards are decided later and even the playing field?

[DARK DEMON]

Then why dont we just say everyone's rewards are decided later and even the playing field?

 

Possibly because of what Z said in the end: rewards are fuel for participation/motivation to win.

[Chewett]

Some questmakers ask for way too much, some ask for way too little. We dont want to flood the market with morphs so cant just say yes to all sadly.

[Jubaris]

Uniqueness, amount of effort, competition (how many other players were beaten), achievement, those are the traits on which to calculate winner's reward, to name some, no?

 

If the competition was lacking, but the work was good in other traits anyway, reward it highly either way.

 

If you add up the willingness of the author whether or not he considers his specific quest should have high rewards, or something reasonably solid, or just something symbolic for the fun, you would be able to make a decision after the event what reward to give (in communication with the author).

 

Things to consider about the author are his activity days, credibility, experience with such matters, etc.

 

Following those principles you can state the rewards afterwards. (and making authors state on "TBC" descriptions an addon saying they hope for high/medium/symbolic rewards, ro something like that)

This is a tricky ground though and can leave space for abuse accussations, deciding people must be proven trustworthy.

[Chewett]

Rhaegars point is why council always did them after and made them all TBC.

 

If people are unhappy Z/Sasha, then just write TBC.

[Sasha Lilias]

Some questmakers ask for way too much, some ask for way too little. We dont want to flood the market with morphs so cant just say yes to all sadly.

 

Surely this then levels the playing field? If you talking about giving out "too much" of one thing? If 5 people ask for 1 Morph, it'll have the same impact on the market as 1 person asking for 5 and the others not.

 

"TBC" gives very little (if any) motivation for people to participate...

[Chewett]

words

Edited April 5, 2015 by Chewett

[(Zl-eye-f)-nea]

I'm sure I don't speak for myself here when I say that management of things like this is put under massive value, and there is by no means any discredit due to you nor BFH in terms of the value assigned for your unceasing work and dedication. The problem is that the system right now isn't working, so we are raising it, to try to fix it. You should be happy about that. Nobody at any point has said hey Chew you suck or anything even close.

 

Having day hosts works - only if the day hosts are involved and active. We are 9 days away, the calendar doesn't make it look like a party. It makes it look like a bunch of day hosts doing their own thing and not telling anyone, so who knows if anything is even being done? That isn't your fault, day hosts, as such, and day concepts, as such, are great. Its just...not working - and part of why its not working from my experience is because its not easy. The reward situation is not easy. It should be easy.

 

I gave you a suggestion. I suggested a structure. I didn't go in to how or why, but it was inherently suggested.

 

You can delegate to the TKs, that's a whole alliance designed to take on the burden of reward management, or you can come up with a structure, or...you do it like this and people get frustrated because of time restrictions on the individuals concerned - but you're not giving us any direction, you just keep saying it is how it is and the rewards will be TBC now.

 

If the rewards are TBC that's fine, I'll accept it and I'm sure everyone else will too - but it raises the issues mentioned and has potential to lessen the effect of any work done.

 

I'm happy to start a discussion on structure if you don't have a theoretical structure already, but I don't know how fast the turn around will be at this point, I'm not sure it will be fast enough - I can get it done in a few hours but that doesn't give a lot of people a lot of time to input. Pip has already said he is happy to pick things up. If time is an issue, delegate? guide us? We are looking for your leadership, we are respecting you and looking for your guidance. If it's TBC and that's your final say then stand by it and that's that.

 

Z

[Chewett]

Next year, we will host it like the council did. Day hosts inject too much delay into it.

The discussion and back of forth of rewards worked well last year and previous years. We will keep to that structure, we have trusted and relied on day hosts too much and so I will form another group to manage it this year.

If anyone wants rewards come to us directly now, ASAP.

Im trying to do as much as I can atm.

[DARK DEMON]

I don't think its right to blame day hosts for not meeting your expectations. Remember that they too are willing to sacrifice time and effort.

 

IMO ten was too huge a number in the first place. Too many things to manage.

 

Take this as a learning experience. Let it run as it is for the moment. Next year just make a group of a few old trusted volunteers to co-organize it with you, eg: person X manages for the first 3 days with all the questmakers within, person Y manages for the next 3 days with all the questmakers within, etc.

 

Convey everything to these 3-4 people, I mean everything. What sort of tools, what sort of rewards, etc. And these 3-4 people will forward the info to the questmakers and answer any questions where necessary. Personally I think this will save a lot of time for you AND solve the rewards problem.

 

Note: This is just a suggestion, but I believe it can work.

__________________________

 

Yeah sure you can "just write TBC" but the point is that it shouldn't be happening. We've had quests for years now and it should be obvious how much each is worth.

 

 

Edit: and yeah, what Z said: we're only suggesting and trying to help. Don't take it as bad criticism... 

Edited April 6, 2015 by DARK DEMON