It seems that you're using an outdated browser. Some things may not work as they should (or don't work at all).
We suggest you upgrade newer and better browser like: Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer or Opera

×
avatar
greeklover: I agree with all of this and the situation as it is since the 3 non-daggered games and 5 non-daggered per month and the quick grabbing of good games is maybe the reason that donors are fewer than they used to be.
I do think this is true in terms of buying games specifically for this GA.

Speaking for myself, I think with bundled donations the issue is more that there haven't been many tempting bundles of late, so I'm not acquiring the number of keys I used to. I do still have some backlog of keys from old bundles to sort through, but I think I've maybe bought 1-2 bundles this year total.
avatar
finkleroy: *snip*
As I said, I wanted to settle into a groove before asking for suggestions as to how to improve the giveaway. I think I have now, and I'd like to hear everyone's suggestions, and what everyone thinks of said suggestions.
avatar
Damon18: No one?

I'll start first then --> remember this is just a proposal you can agree with, do not agree, and you are even allowed to insult me (don't worry I've a magic ring that gives me +3 to insults resistance).. we are here for brainstorming, so everything is valid

Seeing how things work here I alwas had this film in my mind:
talking about non-daggered games, my idea is to limit the request of games to just 1 per week, keeping the limit of 3 per month

The advantages I see are:
- reduction of 'jackals' that connects once a month to shoot ther 3 requests and disappear.
- reduction of the impact of Time Zone
- reduction of the impact of 'luck' to be just there when an update is published

and most important:
- to make happy more people as possible, instead of a restricted number of 'selfish' ones

because:
We all kwow the updates always include:
a) AAA game titles
b) AA game titles
c) A game titles
d) ... well, just titles

And that's normal because the donors kindly share what they have and can.

So let's suppose a new update that includes:
12 AAA game titles
18 AA game titles
XX of the rest of games

As it works today the first 10 people that arrive will grab all the best titles, this is a fact.

And this ALWAYS happens!
for example with big updates of June 7th, June 28th and July 22nd (and all the others... this was just to make few examples)
where in less than 2 hours all the best titles disappeared in favor of few users.
And that's "normal", because the hidden rule is: 'grab whatever you can before someone else do it'

Limiting this to 1 per week, the 'happier' people would probably be 30, which is a huge difference (imho)
Not only, but it'll limit the rush to be 'there' and I think, as i previously mentioned, partially the penality of the time zone.

How many times have we read comments or commented in our head things like:
"looks like I'm a bit late for the party?"
"Nevermind, beaten to it."
"damn, too late!"

Disavantages:
- More effort to manage the requests, keep track who and how many request he/she already done and check if he/she's eligible
But I think this can be mitigated with the help of volunteers (I put myself in first place)

That's all.. fire your guns!
I like your proposal, as it gives better chances to a wider group of users, instead of having the games always claimed by the same people.

By the way, has anybody else asked for Zombie Driver HD? I'd like to ask for it if possible, thanks.
avatar
bler144: Just for contemplation, I don't know that it needs to be a full week though - that starts to become work not just for Management to track, but also me as a participant. When did I last make a request? Was it 5 days ago or 8?
Forgot in my previous answer to say about this point.
just for clarification, in my mind the week is as fixed as the month with the current system, so it can be for example from monday - to sunday...
It was not inteded that someone had to count the days for each users - lol
in my example you can paradoxically ask for a game on sunday and another game the very next day, like it happens now if you request a game on the 31st of the month and another one the followwing day (the 1st)
I also think lowering the limit per month back to two would be a good idea.
How about removing the monthly update spreadsheet?

Just add new keys to the main spreadsheet without any notifications in the topic. I think that it will at least complicate the life of those "update stalkers" who are only looking for AAA games. It can also help to avoid some mistakes with available keys that sometimes occured after merging spreadsheets.

As for monthly limit, what about two non-daggered keys at a time or three keys, but one per week?
I would love to ask for The Warlock of Firetop Mountain and Hand of Fate as my second and third non daggered games of the month!
avatar
kmonster: I'm interested in Shutshimi, Skulls of the Shogun and Rollers of the Realm.
Granted.
avatar
gvyop: As you said me on july about daggered and non-daggered you let the donnor a little leeway to choose where goes the game do we have the same flexibility for the retained keys ?
I'm going to leave all the donated keys where they currently are on the lists unless the donor tells me they want me to make their daggered game non-daggered, or vice versa. In the end, I think it should be up to the donor to decide if a game should be daggered or non-daggered. If they don't specify, I'll dagger it if it's a game that's previously been daggered and/or given away in a mass giveaway.
Post edited August 21, 2019 by finkleroy
avatar
Lone_Scout: By the way, has anybody else asked for Zombie Driver HD? I'd like to ask for it if possible, thanks.
Granted.
I'm gonna pull a Sheldon Cooper and say you don't need to change anything.

You're doing a great job, and you're spending overtime on this thread already.

As for some "workarounds" mentioned above concerning some of us missing some titles due to the time difference, yeah, it's disappointing, but none of us here is entitled to anything.

Thank you for doing this.
avatar
OHMYGODJCABOMB: How about removing the monthly update spreadsheet?

Just add new keys to the main spreadsheet without any notifications in the topic. I think that it will at least complicate the life of those "update stalkers" who are only looking for AAA games. It can also help to avoid some mistakes with available keys that sometimes occured after merging spreadsheets.

As for monthly limit, what about two non-daggered keys at a time or three keys, but one per week?
This is a good idea in theory, but Google automatically saves documents on the fly, so everyone would see me adding games as I add them. I'm sure this would lead to someone jumping on a new addition, only to find out that there's another one that's added later that they'd like more, so they edit their post or replace it with a new one for a new game. It would cause a lot of confusion as to whom requested what and when. I just don't think it's feasible.

How's this for an idea? How about I announce ahead of time how many updates there will be per month and on what day at what time they'll be released? That would probably mitigate the time zones issue as much as possible. Also, what should I do if it's time to release an update when I don't have very many donations? Should I wait until I have more? What should I do if I want to release an update when I have tons of donations? Should I save some for later?
avatar
Dogmaus: I would love to ask for The Warlock of Firetop Mountain and Hand of Fate as my second and third non daggered games of the month!
Granted.
Post edited August 21, 2019 by finkleroy
avatar
finkleroy: Should I wait until I have more? What should I do if I want to release an update when I have tons of donations? Should I save some for later?
On the first, I'd say it's entirely a matter of your convenience.

On the latter, you know more than I how well it works on your side of the desk, but I'm inclined to say float them all out, for a few reasons:

1) You don't have to track what's expiring and what isn't
2) Assuming some are desirable titles, at least statistically it should presumably leave some options for people who show up later (moreso if paired with lowering the monthly cap to 2, or implementing some sort of 1-per-weeky system).
3) You don't really have to sort anything, and decide what to put forward or hold back.

On 3), not that it's a major life decision, but surely you have more important ways to spend your time. Just push them out and then you don't have to think about it at all ;)
Thanks a lot finkleroy and RedRabbitRun. You're the best!
avatar
finkleroy: How's this for an idea? How about I announce ahead of time how many updates there will be per month and on what day at what time they'll be released? That would probably mitigate the time zones issue as much as possible. Also, what should I do if it's time to release an update when I don't have very many donations? Should I wait until I have more? What should I do if I want to release an update when I have tons of donations? Should I save some for later?
I for one think that 2-3 updates a month is a good thing. The main reason people are so eager to grab games immediately is that they know that there is usually one update a month so there is no point to leave opportunities for later.

Also, if there are too few donations, you probably better reduce amount of games quota from 3 to 2 or even 1. And if there are very many donations it's probably better to save some for the next month, in case there will be shortage.

Anyways, that's just my opinion as someone who takes a game every now and then. Having heads up, even just a date without precise time, would be splendid indeed.
avatar
finkleroy: How about I announce ahead of time how many updates there will be per month and on what day at what time they'll be released? That would probably mitigate the time zones issue as much as possible.
I think announcing how many games there will be in an update is not necessary

Scheduling the release I think is even more negative:
- You'll have a moral duty to mantain your scheduling to be on time (and as far as I know you don't work for us and you have a life out of here)
- The Hit&Run user will know precisely when to hit
- The timezone issue won't be so much mitagate, if an update is scheduled at 4.00 am in my timezone I won't surely point my alarm clock for that (even if someone will do)

I think the release day should be as random as possibile, and put a limit to 1 request in a defined period is the best solution

avatar
finkleroy: Also, what should I do if it's time to release an update when I don't have very many donations? Should I wait until I have more?
Some months could be poorer than others, nobody will die for this. Publish what you have

avatar
finkleroy: What should I do if I want to release an update when I have tons of donations? Should I save some for later?
I think this is up to you, you could evaluate to retain something and if you receive even more keys you can release another update in the same month (we had in past some months with more than 1 update) and still have some others for the following one.
This is what I would do but evaluate what you think is best
high rated
I was thinking that keeping some keys for later would help more people get the games they really want, but the same could be accomplished by limiting everyone to something like 1 non-daggered game per week.