Community - Message Boards

I'm glad that challenge points have reinvigorated interest in Treasure Hunts. However, this clearing the field so that only one agency is working on a hunt at any one time takes a lot of the fun out of it!

Any ideas on how we could encourage more competitive hunts? I could make hunts start less often and last longer (more steps). I could also reduce the standing price, but getting the right balance might be tough.

Liz Heller May-28-2009 06:37

Another way to encourage competition in THs would be to only award challenge points if two or more agencies competed in the TH. Of course, still reward with money and fame if only one agency does the TH.

@Liz:
This would make players join more showdown and leave treasure hunting aside, because doing showdown does not take 10 points of every favors & TH-starter contributed.

Glad you brought that up Captain Scarlett, uncanny how I was thinking about that today. First this is in no way to bring a conversation up about the tab key, just a thought. If we did away with the tab key, how is one to find evidence hidden under dead victim? Of course I am not a computer wiz as many of you all are so please do share.

Droid has a good point. Isaac you agreed today leave current hunts alone with a few modifications. Why not leave current hunts alone and focus on new ideas offered. Obviously there are people that enjoy current hunts and further more can handle current hunts. Those of us that have the ability and resources to take on higher challenge should really do it against worthy opponents.

My point is that we all wanted new agencies to form so there was more competition for hunts. Well, if we make regular hunts harder, than new agencies are not going to stand much of a chance are they.

I think all the ideas posted were what all of us experienced players would like to see, so why not make part of game for experienced players. Younger players will come up if they want to and we are always there to help. Guess that would play into Josheph's theory of teamwork.

Again just my opinion

I can't see that disabling the tab key would help if there are add-ons which do the same thing, it would just give the more computer literate an advantage.

The add-ons have been disabled Jen, at least the one I was using. I think I'll have to quit playing as my eyesight isn't good enough to see some of the objects.

Maybe you could find a different one that does work, on the hacking thread it specifically says;

" HELPER APS / CASE STATUS TRACKERS / CRIME SCENE SEARCHING AIDS

It is permissible to use programs, scripts or plugins that passively READ data sent from the Sleuth server"

In your cases, and probably for other people, it is only restoring a level playing field.

I don't know of any add ons, i just use the TAB key,
and if every one uses TAB, its also fair, because everyone has the same advantage.

But lets make another topic about this.

It is getting a bit off track isn't it?

OK, how about TH points relate to the number of agencies taking part?
Single agency hunts score the same as now, if two agencies take part the winner gets double points, if three agancies are competing the winner gets triple points etc?

But then we would just jump in and do the one UCOS has been at 11\% at for the last couple of days.

Well yes, but there won't always be an 11\% TH handy.

Well.... i have been thinking a lot about this TH topic.
Its quite a long brainstorm, but here you have it:

In the past there have been some good battles in Treasure Hunts.
But most of the time Agencies finish a TH on their own, correct!

The few times we did start a TH versus some one else was when we had really set our minds on hunting for a specific date.. then there was nothing available.
Rested us to take on another agency and try it.

Annalise's:

A: You can have less TH's available
B: Get more agencies to do TH's, which makes them less available
C: Make hunts easier so more people play them.

In my opinion a combination of B and C can boost the competition.

Agencies start with members, so how to get more?
Adjust rates of starting and maintaining your own agency,
A new advertising campaign for SOM,
Cheaper subscriptions and more options :)

Losing a TH has quite a high penalty, it drops all your standings for nothing!
Currently it is a complete waste for doing the favors and losing standing with all.
A medium award can be rewarded to the second place.
For instance the loser gets $1000 per solved favor, and the winner gets 10K.

Another balancing thing can be discussed for lowering the amount a townie drops when he is used for a favor in the TH. Which lowers the risk for starting a TH that you can not finish.
And it also is not such a big loss when you lose a TH.

Another thing that has been said, awarding challenge points only when TH's are challenges.
After all what is a challenge point without a challenge?
Or it could be that a single hunt gives 1 point and a challenged one 2 points.

There are enough hunts available but not enough agencies with hunt capabilities.
Lowering the favor-ready points makes more agencies capable, but I am afraid the game would be to easy for experienced players. So maybe just a little bit -2 perhaps.