I'm wondering if there's any sort of effort being put towards re-opening the system in some form or fashion. I've been desperately looking for an Illistim playershop for some time now, with zero luck. As more and more players phase out, their shops go inactive, and it's one more lost opportunity.
I realize that the system was formerly open to vast exploitation, and that's why the freeze went into place, but it would seem like a fairly straightforward fix, in any number of ways.
My favorite idea:
1) Real Estate Auctions! Have a GM-run merchant show up once every few months and raffle/auction/spin for X number of shop permits. Done and done.
1A) As a rider to the previous comment, go all Storage Wars on it. When a shop goes "inactive", don't put the stuff in a box that'll never get claimed and close the shop down... put it up for auction, goods intact (and without a name on the box or shop, to prevent people using the playershops website to know what the contents of the box already were).
Other quick-shot ideas:
a) Requiring X number of existing shop owners in your town to approve you (using the mechanics of a Guild master from one of the profession guilds) before you're eligible for a permit
b) Having the NPC set to randomly have permits available, a few a month, and inquiring means you can't inquire again for 48 hours
c) Release X number of shop permits into the treasure hopper per month
d) Put shop permits in the AG rewards system, for 300k BPs, non-transferrable.
e) Use the "X item just fell out of the sky" system at odd hours on-node. First person to grab it gets the chance at a playershop.
These are literally off the top of my head. There has to be an easy way to get the system working again, instead of letting it die a long, slow, painful death. Is there any movement or effort being put towards getting the system up and running in some fashion?
New shops? Purging of old shops? on 08/13/2012 01:12 PM CDT
Re: New shops? Purging of old shops? on 08/13/2012 01:50 PM CDT
<<I'm wondering if there's any sort of effort being put towards re-opening the system in some form or fashion. I've been desperately looking for an Illistim playershop for some time now, with zero luck. As more and more players phase out, their shops go inactive, and it's one more lost opportunity.
I realize that the system was formerly open to vast exploitation, and that's why the freeze went into place, but it would seem like a fairly straightforward fix, in any number of ways.>>
Yes, there is. I don't want to give a time frame but it is a priority of the current system owner.
And no, that's not the reason we froze rent. And nothing has been straightforward. ;)
SGM Sleken
I realize that the system was formerly open to vast exploitation, and that's why the freeze went into place, but it would seem like a fairly straightforward fix, in any number of ways.>>
Yes, there is. I don't want to give a time frame but it is a priority of the current system owner.
And no, that's not the reason we froze rent. And nothing has been straightforward. ;)
SGM Sleken
Re: New shops? Purging of old shops? on 08/13/2012 02:16 PM CDT
As a side-question, Twilight Hall owns a shop on Spinewood Way (noun is a "fortress"). At the time we acquired the shop a GM came as we had a question about shop transfers. The GM was surprised, but not for the reason we requested their help. Apparently the fortress is the "sixth" shop in the room and had the seller converted the shop into a "deed", we as the buyers would not have been able to have a shop. Something about a 5 shop per room max and this fortress wasn't supposed to actually be there.
I suppose my question is, can you alleviate my mind as an Officer that we won't lose our shop in any upcoming changes?
Rolfmon
I suppose my question is, can you alleviate my mind as an Officer that we won't lose our shop in any upcoming changes?
Rolfmon
Re: New shops? Purging of old shops? on 08/13/2012 02:20 PM CDT
Re: New shops? Purging of old shops? on 08/13/2012 07:21 PM CDT
Re: New shops? Purging of old shops? on 08/13/2012 07:50 PM CDT
Re: New shops? Purging of old shops? on 08/14/2012 06:44 AM CDT
Re: New shops? Purging of old shops? on 08/14/2012 11:09 PM CDT
Re: New shops? Purging of old shops? on 08/15/2012 06:40 AM CDT
Re: New shops? Purging of old shops? on 08/15/2012 10:28 AM CDT
> These are literally off the top of my head. There has to be an easy way to get the system working again, instead of letting it die a long, slow, painful death. Is there any movement or effort being put towards getting the system up and running in some fashion?
I can tell you it's not easy - I'm basically reworking the entire backend for rent collection, reclamation, and deed distribution.
The new system will allow town gurus to distribute shop permits via RP events, raffles, auctions, or any other method they like. The NPC will have permits for reclaimed shops available at random times. Dropping permits in the treasure hopper is an interesting idea - I'll have to look at that. No plans to add them as an AG reward right now.
> So is the update going to come soon?
RSN. :)
Seriously, the backend updates will come as soon as I (and the QC team) are absolutely positive that the reclamation process is not going to eat anyone's stuff. There will be plenty of notice to make sure you have funds in your shop account before rent collection resumes. Shops right now are my number 3 project after finishing one other system and getting everything ready for Ebon Gate.
~V
I can tell you it's not easy - I'm basically reworking the entire backend for rent collection, reclamation, and deed distribution.
The new system will allow town gurus to distribute shop permits via RP events, raffles, auctions, or any other method they like. The NPC will have permits for reclaimed shops available at random times. Dropping permits in the treasure hopper is an interesting idea - I'll have to look at that. No plans to add them as an AG reward right now.
> So is the update going to come soon?
RSN. :)
Seriously, the backend updates will come as soon as I (and the QC team) are absolutely positive that the reclamation process is not going to eat anyone's stuff. There will be plenty of notice to make sure you have funds in your shop account before rent collection resumes. Shops right now are my number 3 project after finishing one other system and getting everything ready for Ebon Gate.
~V