Ideas?

Lyca · April 2014

Hello to all my fellow vpians. I've been playing for ages and I've noticed a lot of people are getting to their wits end with the lack of activity. Well, I personally love this game and would hate to see the few stragglers like myself leave. So, I'm posting this for several reasons 1) I'd like to see who is still out there 2) connect with those of you out there and 3) come up with some possible ideas to help put a little excitement back into the game. If there is a way to bring in new people or bring oldies back great, but my objective is to keep those of you still here interested. Before I throw anything out there, what is everyone currently interested in? I used to think it was eventing but there are so few events up these days. Any feedback you guys can give me is greatly appreciated. I'd hate to make some plans and it not spark anything ^^

Para Darkwater · April 2014

I don't think we've ever really talked on here but I'm still around. I go through spells of being highly active and being dormant but I usually find my way back. I've been changing a few things around with my kennels and slowly am shifting to work with a selection of breeds for particular events and hope to continue working with them and improving the breed through each eventing generation. I've also start offering free event dogs for new and novice players, and am now offering low priced public studs in broods that are 8x4 and up in hopes that novice players will have access to higher stated dogs and therefore breed better pups. Though the risk of lower stated ones and mutts still exist. I would love to see more new players stay and get into the game so I hope a revival or sorts will sweep through VP. I'm also going through a lot of tough things in real life so am kind of back and forth with my activity on VP. More than likely my sponsor kennels will expire before I can renew them so for a time at the end of April I will be limited to what I can do without my kennels and will more than likely only be able to event but plan to get all my kennels sponsored and back up and running shortly there after.

Coverkay · April 2014

Hello i am Kourtney Cov! We've never talked much if at all but I've noticed the lack of activity on VP. I used to play a couple years ago and just recently got back into it. My sister currently left (coverkay or kaycov is what she was known as and we used to share the forum account) because it wasnt quite as fun because not very many people are on at a time. I am in the same boat as Para, I am quite busy with school so I have my active times and then times when i just check in. I am trying to get on and play quite a bit more though. I am currently working on my Golden Retriever line and moving my kennels around with my high statted dogs or eventers. I am not much into eventing because I am not on for long enough to find the events for my pups and enter them all into. I have a lot of eventing dogs though regional and up that could be put to use by someone who would show them. I would be willing to participate in anything to get this place more players and more activity. I have training, and breeding to offer as well as quite a few high statted pups to offer for sale(giveaway) and stud/brood. There are also little jobs that I need done that I would be willing to pay someone (novice maybe) to do. I am definitely interested in helping get this place as busy as it was in the past. Just let me know if there is anything I can do to help! Or if any clubs/novice programs read this just PM me because I am willing to help out.

MrClean · April 2014

Well you know I'm still around because I hit you up for training whenever I notice we're online at the same time lol It has been discouraging how slow it's been around here. At the very least it's good that a lot of people feel the same way about it. Quite a few players are actively working to revitalize VP, and I think if we don't want it to die, it won't. As for what I'm interested in, for the most part now it's eventing even though I feel like I'm the only one hosting events for my dogs sometimes :roll: In this past week or so people seem to be getting back into it though, so hopefully it will pick up again. Before then, for months I've had to put eventing on the back burner. I have a set of dogs for every event type but most events simply weren't filling so a lot of my dogs are just sitting in boarding. I think I may be bringing them all back out now though :-) I have also been working on a few breeding projects. I have a line of high strength APBTs that are my primary focus, then a lot of little side projects that I dabble with on and off. I would probably be more passionate about my breeding projects if I felt there was more competition/interest in the dogs. I know Pride recently broke the record for highest endurance with his Border Collies, when he put up a pup for auction I think he got like one bid if any. It gives a little less incentive to work on things like that.

Dramatic · April 2014

I'm pretty sure we've never talked before, but I'm active on VP. I've been super busy with some real life stuff, but starting Tuesday I'll be back full swing. I don't do a lot of eventing myself, but I've been working (slowly) on my Chippiparai line to get 10x4s. Other than that, I've just been lingering here and there. I'd be interested in some more contests that get people out of their comfort zone, if anyone is up for some weirder contests? I think it's going to be really important to return the social aspect to VP, that way it feels less lonely. I think it'll help bring interest back into the dogs too, because if we're interacting, we're going to get more excited about projects that aren't our own.

lovefrompaige · April 2014

Oh wolfie... You know what I'm here to do. Wobble baby, wobble baby wobble

Nacie · April 2014

I am here hanging on and not giving up yet even though I certainly am not as active as I have been in the past. I love eventing but stopped posting events due to lack of entries. Yesterday I posted four event from each of my kennels to see how/if they fill. I am currently working on getting my PB Addonexus Hound imports trained - a slow project due to their loyalty rising so little each turn. I had intended on getting someone else to train them but the first three they returned to me had loyalty in the 400 and low 500. So I am now doing it myself and LOL my training and interest in doing it is very low/slow! I also started a line of Champion Canines with my veteran rewards. The first set of imports are trained but I have not talked myself into breeding them yet. I had leftover rewards that I was going to use to import more dogs but now, as we all learned yesterday, they are gone and that threw me off. I was also going to use one for a special dye on a higher statted Champion Canine dog but of course I can no longer do that either. And my last project is trying to get higher statted Halloween/fantasy breeds.

Frostbight8 · April 2014

Dramatic wrote:

I think it's going to be really important to return the social aspect to VP, that way it feels less lonely. I think it'll help bring interest back into the dogs too, because if we're interacting, we're going to get more excited about projects that aren't our own.

I'm just going to barge in really quick here, but this gave me an idea! This made me think of when people used to run trivia nights in chat. So many people used to participate, you could win decent prizes, and I remember that it was all around a lot of fun. There have been attempts to revive it in the past, but I feel like so many people are willing now to try and bring VP back to life that it could work.

Aliemac · April 2014

I'm pretty on and off with this game but I just haven't been able to give it up

I think a trivia night would be a great idea to do

SirPopcorn · April 2014

I hover, mainly only reading the general discussion and pet posts. My sponsors are about to expire, won't be upgrading them again probably, maybe just the one. The chat was what really got me right into the game. It was fantastic, staying up all night and racing to see who could train dogs faster and trying to distract each other. Everyone was always willing to lend a hand, there were very few selfish people. I still firmly believe that a revival of the chat atmosphere will make people more active. When you log into chat and see people talking, you stay.

Lyca · April 2014

First off, I'd like to say thank you to everyone for your feedback! I know how real life can get crazy, hence my delay in getting back to you all. Para; I've noticed you around as well. It's a pleasure to finally speak with you!

I totally understand how things come up, I tend to cycle through hiatuses depending on what's going on in my life. I think that's an awesome idea! I know a lot of people have trouble starting out because they don't know what's what or can't afford the dogs and/or training that they need to get a jump start. I've considered ways to try and boost up novice activity. One of the things I've thought about is a competition of sorts for them, or even an adopt-a-novice event. Those pesky expatriation dates always seem to come at the most inopportune times. That, or you sit there thinking "I have time" and then look back and it's a few days away lol Courtney Kov; It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance m'dear. I've noticed you popping in and out during my training bouts or when I've just been checking in. I'm something of a line junky (understatement of the century xD) so I love to see other people making progress! I've been hoarding my own eventers away for ages. The poor things haven't seen events in so long their A/C has doubled since I put them in

Since it seems like there is some interest, I may have to think up a giveaway of some sort. Who knows? Bryson; I'm something of a grooming crazy trainer so I enjoy it! :P The lack of events really is discouraging. I remember when you would see 3-4 pages of one event type running at a time. I recently started posting more events based on what people seem to be asking for. I'm not as diversified as some so a lot of my eventers are rotting away in boarding due to the lack of events. As a fellow line enthusiast, I find it rather disheartening to see/hear about that. The race to be the first to get 10x4s or even getting the first 10x4s out of your own stock has always been a great joy to me. I'm just as happy to learn of others' achievements as I am to hit my own. I can't be positive, but if people became more interested in the game again I feel that interest in pups would probably increase as well. Not everyone is a collector, but I know that getting competitive with eventing always brings out the hunt for "the dog" from that "perfect bloodline". Dramatic; Weirder contests? Sounds like something right up my alley! Do you have any suggestions for such a contest? If so, I'd love to hear about it

Communication really is key! I know most of my social circle has died out. I've been trying to drag my prehistoric tail out from my lair and socialize but it's not always easy. I'm sure a lot of people are wanting to connect, they just aren't sure how. I feel like some contests such as the old trivia games and what have you might be a good way to start. I know I've thought about making not a contest exactly, but an event where there are certain goals/objectives and seeing who can meet them first or just as something for fun. Sort of like a vp achievement list lol Bobblefluff; -dances- Get in there, yeah, yeah! Naice; I completely understand! I'm just now getting back into posting events myself. I wish you all the best with your lines! I can take on grooms for the public and be done in 15-20 tops. I decide to groom for myself and I'm probably going to take 30-45 minutes. Don't ask me why, but it's like my motivation just flies out the window lol It's probably why I still 123 imports to groom, I keep putting it off but I don't want to send them to anyone else xD Frost; You are so right! I stopped even checking chat ages ago. It's just so dead, all the time. I'd definitely love to see about finding ways to revive chat. It's a great way to socialize, because it doesn't matter if you know one another or not. It's the place anyone can come and enjoy themselves. Mac; If I can get some people together, I'll see what I can do about a trivia night. It's been so long since I've participated in something like that I can hardly even remember it. Clozo; It seems that the majority agrees that chat is something we need to bring back. I'll have to brainstorm ways to sucker..er, encourage unsuspecting vpians into getting in there.

PaperWings · April 2014

Not to offend anyone but these threads are rather repetitive. Always one complaining about the radio silence with the game. Don't worry I myself have made a post in the past about it being dead! So really not trying to upset anyone lol. But it's sad that this is the only type of posts that seem to exist these days =( that or fleeting visits from previous players. Hope you guys can get something going, as ideas are always thrown about in regards to boosting eventing etc. Personally I've never really been 100% into the game. I used to train for people, then got a few of my own lines set up. But never interested in eventing. The community was everything for me as I had more enjoyment out of the game by doing personal pictures and custom layouts. Especially taking part in contests on the forum. But there never seems to be any now. Or they are for too low a prize or the wrong prize. Am not a collector of gifties so these didn't catch my attention for example. I used to lurk in chat almost 24/7. Was some good times but I learnt some people didn't approve of my presence >.> guess I'm like marmite =D

MrClean · April 2014

I do the same thing (in reference to Para's post). I've always tried to keep the prices in my Sales Kennel reasonable, but I know that in a lot of rescues the only dogs you can find for free or for cheap are the ones that are essentially worthless. Novices buy them because they're cheap, then end up stuck with them. And they usually breed them lol So I'm constantly putting up dogs for free that are either proven/potential eventers or have generally high stats, hoping to give new players a better alternative. As far as eventing goes...you're probably right Wolfie. As people get more into it again they'll start seeking out those champion bloodlines and hopefully there will be more competition. That's the fun part for me! It's nice to break a record just to say I did it, and it's nice to produce dogs that consistently do well, but what really puts the spark into the game is having someone to "race" against 8) I've noticed another thing that's slowed me down in eventing recently as well is that there are a lot of random events. Instead of four agility events and four tracking events, there will be like, one agility two flyball and one assistance trial. It's just awkward taking a dog out of boarding to enter into one event, so I usually don't. Then I have dogs that are sitting around without being shown and other players have events sitting around without entries

I also LOVE the ideas being thrown around about chat trivia or some different sort of giveaway/competition! I think something that doesn't require a ton of resources is always a good way to draw in newer players, and trivia is something everyone can enjoy. Paper: I'm going to have to respectfully disagree. I understand what you're talking about. There have been quite a few threads where players, mostly older now inactive players, take turns complaining about the current lack of activity and reminiscing about what it was like back when 'suchandsuch' used to play or whatever. I never participated in those threads and found them annoying myself because they seemed whiney to me. But this thread and a couple of the more recent threads like this are less focused on complaining about how things used to be and more about creating a more active community now. We still have to acknowledge that there are problems with the community that are making it seem dull, even though there are obviously still plenty of players here committed to the game. Some of us remember how it used to be, but haven't yet abandoned VP and are trying to work together to find a solution to these problems.

Para Darkwater · April 2014

bryson wrote:

 As far as eventing goes...you're probably right Wolfie. As people get more into it again they'll start seeking out those champion bloodlines and hopefully there will be more competition. That's the fun part for me! It's nice to break a record just to say I did it, and it's nice to produce dogs that consistently do well, but what really puts the spark into the game is having someone to "race" against 8) I've noticed another thing that's slowed me down in eventing recently as well is that there are a lot of random events. Instead of four agility events and four tracking events, there will be like, one agility two flyball and one assistance trial. It's just awkward taking a dog out of boarding to enter into one event, so I usually don't. Then I have dogs that are sitting around without being shown and other players have events sitting around without entries

I second this! I have certain dogs for certain events and keep them in boarding when not in use that way I don't have to scroll through my dogs' names when I'm entering events. So it throws me off when there aren't 4 of an event or some multiple of 4. I wont even take my dogs out of boarding if there aren't at least 4 of one type. It just seems like a waste of a turn and waste of boarding fees.

Aliemac · April 2014

I'm going to start hang around in chat, which I never really did before. Anyone can feel free to join me!

Dramatic · April 2014

I was tossing around some competition ideas with Flash the other day. Thought it might be cool to have a creative contest, maybe like a creature design contest where you draw/describe a monster and whoever's is the most creative wins. So it's not judged on talent, just your ability to come up with something ridiculous with no rules. But it may not get interest from a dog sim, plus there aren't any good prizes for a contest like that. I like to enter contests for fun, not for prize, but I may be one of the only few who do that. Another idea was a contest where the contestants are split into teams, which I think would be a great way to encourage communication and maybe an opportunity to make some new friends. Thought about this being event based or trivia based, but I run into problems with both of those. Anyone else have a thought on this type of contest? I hang around the chat every now and then for an hour or so to see if anyone's in there. Maybe I'll run into some of you!

Howdy, Stranger!

Ideas?

Comments