Posted by Rosette on 08/14
I am rather frustrated by the current crop of prize strings: fear, the
abyss, a bloody carving knife, and this rusty nail I just "won." They all
seem geared for evil and psychotic people--which don't make up the majorit
of characters. I heard that the strings are by suggestion, but I don't
understand when or how we can do this. I only wish that there were either
more variety in the strings, or more strings that fit a greater variety of
people. Just my two cents.
Rosette Milano
From: LadyAce
Monday, August 09, 10:11AM
The prize machine operates largely on suggestions given to me by
players, and acts in response to comments. The "evil" strings you
list were an attempt to address the legions of complaints I was
getting that the items are all too "nice" -- in reality, I think
that the current set of items has simply been in there for too
long. Unfortunately, I haven't had time to cycle in new items, but
when I do, I look forward to your comments. If the current set is
not to your liking, I hope you'll hold on to your tokens until
I have a chance to put in a new variety.
-LA
From: Skar
Monday, August 09, 02:34PM
Perhaps the prize machine could be duplicated and each different
machine specialize in a particular type of string allowing players to
broadly select what kind of string they would be getting?
From: Chimera
Monday, August 09, 03:15PM
I know that a big part of the prize machine is the 'mystery factor'
of not knowing what you get til you put your token in, but why not
put up a list of all the current prizes that are in there? That way
instead of putting in a token and taking a gamble on 10 things you
don't want, you can save your token for when you see something on the
list that you do want?
From: LadyAce
Monday, August 09, 05:23PM
Part of the reason that there's no list is that the machine isn't
really a 'string vending machine' -- you are supposed to, sometimes,
get things you don't want, that no one you know wants, that you just hate
and want to get rid of. That possibility of it being an unwanted item is
what lets me give out tokens a bit more freely than I do coupons, etc.
Another angle is the fact that I consider it a high virtue of the
machine that tokens are used fairly soon after they're won. I like
having them in circulation, whether they end up being used by the
player who won them, or someone else, rather than hoarded. It increases
the chances that the sorts of people who never win tokens (due to
any of a number of factors) will have a chance to buy the token or
use the string. If everyone is holding tokens until they really like
a particular item, and then try to win it, that particular virtue of
the tokens is lost.
On the other hand, if you've won a bunch of prizes you didn't like,
and you don't fill with envy at the sight of what other people are
winning, if I were you, I'd hang on to my token a while. I do try
to keep the prizes cycling, but sometimes they do stay a bit too
long.
-LA
From: Brew
Saturday, August 14, 11:57PM
I vote for Chim's idea of seeing the prizes.
In real life, I almost never play those silly claw games
but there comes a time when I see and item I'd really like to get
like a stuffed tiger for my girl, or something that's obviously going
to be grabbed by those things that never seem to grasp anything
and so I waste a couple bucks trying to get something I can't get anyway
and of course, it still doesn't work, but I tried cuz I saw something
worth trying for.
As a side note, usually when I get a prize that doesn't quite fit my chara
(atleast from the whole 2 tokens I've gotten in my career) I tend to give
them to others that -can- use them, for instance a tie-dye shirt to
a hippish or college type character.
It's more fun to give than sell, in my opinion.
Besides, a friendship is worth more than 150k or whatever the
going rate for tokens are these days....
Speaking of....
how about an option to be able to buy tokens?
like for 200k or 500k or something
or maybe you can get a token every 5 levels or so.
I'm not familiar with the going circulation of tokens, but it would promot
level advancement (like it needs promoting) but it would allow for an easi
easier or absolute way for the average person who can't get to the games
to atleast get a few nifty strings.
-Brew
| 