Caspian requested screenshots last night. This is what was found in response. There may be more, but I was tired.

At first I was somewhat neutral with this choice due to the phrasing "Note: this does not affect the admission time of other users." However with the way you put it, it seems to be somewhat dangerous.

Malais in discord said: Right but surnames are just names most folks had multiples. DSS is a tad more important but I digress.

I think there's definitely something to that. Names are a lot easier to change if you get stuck with one you do not want. Domains are more important in my mind, and I feel it will be a lot smoother if we are locked before it starts.

With no malice toward SBS and their programming when we’ve had events, or milestones that required a large number of players to log into the system and do well anything we’ve had technical problems.

Surname reservation resulted in some players fighting over names and first come first serve has been the mantra and is the easiest to enforce. With names it was just that a name and many folks had others to choose from. In my case I didn’t have any issue since I used my forum name and I believe those were reserved for the actual person who’s account name it belonged to. Ie I alone could pick Malais since it was my registered account name. But a number of people who chose to share their desired name had it sniped by someone with an earlier slot.

Now a name is important but your starting domain? Most people have made public their chosen path and desired starting location. Within duchies and counties agreements are made between those who will be playing together.

Yet as we’ve seen in the past even with server choice at the monarch level, map voting and really everything else agreements mean nothing and people will play games with others.

To me this is a no brainer. Nothing is gained by unlocking IP and allowing people to move their spot in line except more money for SBS from those whose purpose is to play games. If someone genuinely wants more EP or an item they will buy it before hand and not simply wait till zero hour after DSS has begun.

Unless I missed something it seems all this will do is compound the technical issues we were already going to see, create more unneeded drama, and in general add to the general chaos that already exists surrounding DSS.

The preceding is my opinion alone and is not reflective of my duchy or kingdom

On that Note Alluvial also Surnames were always chosen based on your IP level not at the rate in which you clicked. So If I had higher IP than you, but you managed to click submit before me during surname reservation mine still took priority over yours.

That is not the case for DSS

I hope SBS hasn't changed this. Not that I overall care either way. Just changing it a few weeks before it's suppose to start and only announcing/talking about it on discord..

That aside. It makes the most sense, to me, that the times are just locked. While we still have the mystery of having zero idea how big each window is. So people at any level, will feel somewhat rushed. There is no benefit from making it open. Besides added drama/concern.

Them staying locked also makes sense cause it's been that way from the start. Which not saying things can't change. But don't change them in the 11th hour.

Posted By Nimb at 10:22 AM - Fri Apr 12 2019

On that Note Alluvial also Surnames were always chosen based on your IP level not at the rate in which you clicked. So If I had higher IP than you, but you managed to click submit before me during surname reservation mine still took priority over yours.

That is not the case for DSS

Correct, this is also worrisome. I just feel that domain and settlement selection is on a much larger scale and thus should be treated as such by implementing ways to make it go smoother.

I just want to add my voice to the deep concerns over unlocking IP during selection. I think the studio is toying with a recipe for catastrophe. This is Pandora's Box. Please don't open it.

While i'm in favor of SBS finding ways to increase their revenue stream, open timers based on an escalating arms race of IP seems like more chaos than it may be worth...

Lock the timers. There's no reason to make this more complicated. The risk versus reward here for a little bit of revenue or causing chaos in the supportive community isn't worth it. Go hard at the post D&SS domain/settlement sales for that revenue.

Disappointed in this change.

Open Timers are a no win scenario for all involved.

Posted By Malais at 11:19 AM - Fri Apr 12 2019

To me this is a no brainer. Nothing is gained by unlocking IP and allowing people to move their spot in line except more money for SBS from those whose purpose is to play games. If someone genuinely wants more EP or an item they will buy it before hand and not simply wait till zero hour after DSS has begun.

I'm only going to comment on this part. The reason why I had been sad to hear of the locking when it was first announced is because I do plan to drop a lot of money very soon. Not solely for the purpose of D&SS (I have 21k IP as a Mayor, I think I'm in a good spot). The Kickstartversary is coming next month and will be running alongside D&SS and will be in full swing by the time Mayor's get to pick. I planned to drop a good sum of cash on various items during it and to help boost us towards the goal (this is assuming that it'll be run like last years). The boost to my IP for D&SS selection would just be a bonus. Other people have stated the same intent but also with the desire and need to boost their IP. With the announcement that it was going to be locked, the feeling that they now have to choose to spend money that was slated for the Kickstartversary now to boost the IP but miss out on that event or save the money for the event and miss out on potential IP for D&SS.

I purpose a comprimise. Lock the IP gain a couple of days before the selection period begins.

I think that this change is a mistake. You might get some more money out of people during D&SS, but you run the risk of angering a lot more of your player base. What happens when a person that is scheduled to pick last because of their IP decides to drop a large sum of money to "jump ahead" in the pick order? In addition to any technical issues that might arise, and let's be honest here, we end up seeing a lot of technical issues for just about every event that is run, you increase the chance of bad feelings in the community overall.

We have been told over and over again that our IP would be locked before D&SS. This is one change that should not be adjusted right before this event. Even if someone is happy with their current amount of IP and where they imagine they might end up in the pick order, they are now going to be on edge.

This situation concerns me because it is going to look to a lot of people as if it is a money grab by SBS, even if that is not your intention. And using the excuse of, "It will generate conflict for the game" is not going to fly here. It will generate a lot of ill will towards SBS more than anything.

So, for me, there are two issues here:

1. I do not think unlocking IP during thevemt is a wise move, for all the reasons already presented by people far nicer than I am. This is just begging for additional complication.

2. Why was this changed without public discourse? We had a post that instructed us that 4/22 would be the IP lock in date, and that it would not change during DSS. Suddenly, they di a complete reversal. Where was the discussion on that?

People have made several threads about DSS, and testing, and questions, but when we finally get something solid, they do a 180 in less than a day with no insight or discussion.

What was the driving force behind this change? What's the logic?

If we saw that, we might be able to get our answers. However, as is often the case, the communication with this has been...lacking.

Yes, if you are extending the promo again, extend the deadline or whatever. But no matter what, IP needs to be locked by the time those timers start.

Posted By Tilarium at 09:16 AM - Fri Apr 12 2019

I purpose a comprimise. Lock the IP gain a couple of days before the selection period begins.

^ Solid compromise here imho. Lock by tier some number of days before the beginning of that tier picking for D&SS - heck a week even - keeping April 22nd for Monarchs.

mumbles about his dogs something something

Either way knowing the kickstarterversary plans ahead of time could help ;)

Posted By Xarkfleur at 11:34 AM - Fri Apr 12 2019

Posted By Tilarium at 09:16 AM - Fri Apr 12 2019

I purpose a comprimise. Lock the IP gain a couple of days before the selection period begins.

^ Solid compromise here imho. Lock by tier some number of days before the beginning of that tier picking for D&SS - heck a week even - keeping April 22nd for Monarchs.

No dog in this hunt really, but appreciate everyone speaking up!

Either way knowing the kickstarterversary plans ahead of time could help ;)

As long as this method means a spaced out timers and not squished timers sounds great. This would mean though that you couldn't have your exact time given to you until they lock it. I'm ok with this, but others may want a more advanced notice to ask off for work.