POLL: Release Day Queue Positions

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lothodon replied on 02-04-2010 6:04 PM

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how about a system that automatically enters a game from our watch list into the queue based on our total points?  this would reward sellers that have sold a lot of games, which is how this whole system works anyway.

at least have the system somehow automatically move the watch list to our queue once it's released.

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Firestorm replied on 02-04-2010 9:44 PM

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Keep it as is or switch to a Goozex release date. I will be doing a lot less business on the site if it switches to lottery and I'm really going to regret my $50 spent on 2000 points if that's the case =/

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mietha replied on 02-04-2010 9:51 PM

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Lottery system. There is no choice in my opinion. It is the only way to save the servers on release days. I don't care so much about the new releases and positions, but not being able to use the site (more or less) 1 day a week is just intolerable. Neither of the other options will really fix anything, or even change anything, for that matter. In fact, option 3 would make things WAY worse, whereas option 2 just shifts the problem, doing nothing to solve it. And as suggested by some, the lottery can NOT be loaded. If it is to work at all, it would have to be completely fair. 1000 trades or 1, or 100,000 points or 1000, everyone would have to have an equal shot at being entered.

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TenTonHammer23 replied on 02-04-2010 10:08 PM

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Firestorm:

Keep it as is or switch to a Goozex release date. I will be doing a lot less business on the site if it switches to lottery and I'm really going to regret my $50 spent on 2000 points if that's the case =/

And why would you be butthurt over a lottery?  You have just as horrible of chances on a release date anyway?  At least with a random slot you would have a better chance of being in the top 50 to 100 instead of right now on bigger releases.  I just fail to see your logic, especially since you are basically threatening to leave over it.   This is a used game site too, which a lot of people seem to just want it to be "newer release games for cheap".  You guys worry way too much.

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kuliddar replied on 02-05-2010 9:54 AM

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After reading everyone's comments, I'm not so sure that a lottery is the best thing anymore. Too many, "...but you'll need to do this or that" or "on the condition of" and "yes but what if...". Seeing this makes me think that no one will be happy one way or another.

What is really the issue here that got people pissed recently? SERVERS!

In the end that is what is causing the problem. There needs to be an upgrade on servers. Last Monday, at 4pm EST I started getting slow downs. There needs to be something done about the servers.

With the flow of new members this isn't even an option anymore, it needs to be done. Each time I show this site to friends or friends of friends they are amazed and join. I can only imagine this repeating for many users here.

Fix this first, see how it goes and THEN if the vast majority (sorry guys it needs to be more that a 50+1% vote on a major change like this) wants a change then do it!

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Kameleon replied on 02-05-2010 4:31 PM

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I don't see why anyone thinks making the window to enter the lottery a certain amount of hours will make a difference. Nearly everyone who wants the game already goes through the hassle of trying to request it right when it comes out. Sure, maybe a few people add it to their requests when they wake up, but that really shouldn't be too many more (at least not astronomical numbers like everyone seems to believe).

If people are really scared that people are simply going to place it on their watch list but not actually want it then there should be a choice when you're adding it to your watch list to be added to the lottery on release day. When you're going to add a game/movie to your watch list when it's a future release, the instant match window should pop up giving you three different options: "Add this item to your watch list", "Enter this item into the lottery on release day and place on Active", and "Enter this item into the lottery on release day and place On Hold". By default, it could simply just be "Add this item to my watch list" if people want some type of restriction. That way if someone accidentally only adds it to their watch list then they'd have to go there to manually have it be added to the lottery come release day.

In the end, if Goozex does decide on keeping the current Request Scramble or even if they choose to do a "limited window lottery", they should consider getting some more bandwith for that particular time.

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Mechazawa005 replied on 02-05-2010 5:14 PM

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My 2 cents about what I like about the "limited window lottery" concept:

• It makes people participate that actually want the game.  It would just be lame if I could go into my watch list and select every game for "console X" that comes out in the next 6 months and throw them all into a wish list for a lottery.  Release night still feel like an "event", which keeps things a little fun.
• Those who get up early and can't stay up til 1 AM EST can still put in their requests without losing sleep.
• Distributes the server-load - instead of all of us bum rushing the line at the zero hour, traffic is distributed over the several hours leading up to the game being released into the system for trade.
• No sitting around for 20+ minutes on release nights waiting for a page to refresh.

The only thing I really don't like about this system is that scammers playing multiple accounts would be at a huge advantage.  All it would take is having some jagoff  with one high demand 1000 point game and 10+ accounts playing the lottery 10+ times.  The one account that gets the best position is the one he sends his 1000 point game out through, giving himself enough points for the new release game and no "phantom trades" in their trade history to smell them out.

If someone has a thought on how this can be prevented, i'd love to know.  It's really the biggest concern i'd have in going to a lottery system.  I know the G-team puts some effort into banning people that pull these sorts of stunts, but i'd still worry multiple account scammers would still do their damage before their behavior caught up to them and users wouldn't be able to sniff them out when they match on a trade.

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TenTonHammer23 replied on 02-05-2010 5:30 PM

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Yeah, it makes it where you do have to participate.  Id rather not be in a lottery with someone who added the game 6 months ago and as since went idle or not using the account anymore, you know?  If you had a few hours the day before to request it, it would set up a focus group of people who want the game, and not kill the server like 1 AM EST does now.

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agreedagreed replied on 02-05-2010 10:32 PM

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I would add any game I wanted as soon as I became aware of it, (but not the 1st second I became aware of it) if there were a lottery, whether it was 6 mos out or 6  hrs  -- sounds nice and relaxed to me, and I want the game just as much as anyone.

 "active accounts only" seems like it would be a pretty easy condition to implement in a reasonable fashion.

having said that: seems kind of settled-ish that this is gonna happen - can't wait for the 1st "I won 1st spot in the lottery for Game X, but I didn't really want it, what do I do?" post and corresponding wave of facepalms

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agreedagreed replied on 02-05-2010 10:56 PM

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What's the opposite of a lottery?  It might clarify things a little bit to think in the extreme in the other direction, what if it were entirely effort based, like whoever wanted the first queue position the most had to do the most to get it.  sounds a lot like standing out in the cold for 24 hrs- a week camping to get tickets for something.  doesn't sound like fun, which is what goozex is and should remain.  inclusive, not exclusive.  and hell, I'll say it, socialism isn't a dirty word, it could work, if implemented with the actual higher good of the group held firmly in mind as the goal.  ie not cutting everyone down to the same low level, but raising everyine UP to the same, high level. 

lots of people get their games outside of Goozex already, if they didn't, it would never have existed, this lottery will just more evenly distribute who goes outside to get them each time.  I, for one, have never stayed up on release night, b/c 1. sleep is paramount to me. 2. I have zero patience for refresh madness.  The lottery would make me feel included in the possibility of getting it, so I would partcipate, but only if I wanted the game. If I get a great spot, awesome. If not, I'll get it elsewhere, like I do already.  The lottery really is best for Goozers as a whole.

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kesslerm replied on 03-14-2010 9:29 PM

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I would rather see the ability to request a game as soon as it appears in the Goozex listing.  Those could be added at any random time during the week.  I think the points would have to lock in until after release date to avoid a discrepancy in supply vs demand.

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TheBranca18 replied on 03-14-2010 10:21 PM

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The only way to fix the release date madness is to have the time games go live on the site vary on release day.  And that would piss people off another way :)

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thegreatone18 replied on 03-15-2010 12:59 AM

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I think a lottery would be more fair than it is now.  Last week i couldn't even add a game to my list for like 20 minutes after they were added.  For the most part the experience on release day is an awful experience for me.

And it just isn't fair for other users who aren't around when the games are added. 

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tumbler replied on 05-13-2010 4:05 PM

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I posed this question on another thread and wanted to see how people felt about this particular idea.

Currently when a new game comes out you are allowed to jump into the que after a certain hour on Tuesday Morning around midnight (technically monday night). Or if you don't feel like staying up, you just wake up Tuesday morning and add the games you want. The system works but it's annoying trying to make sure you login at the same time each week.

What if there was a lottery system? Once the que opens up for a new game, everyone can add as they do now and after 24 hours all the names are shuffled randomly and assigned a spot in line. This would take away the need to jam the system at the same time each week and we could just add ourselves to the que and see what we got after those first 24 hours.

Keep in mind this is a suggestion and it's intended to give everyone a fair shot at getting a decent spot in line. I doubt anyone trades a new game on the release day so that seems like the perfect time to gather a list of people who want the game. If someone does want to trade then I guess that guy at the front of the line just gets lucky.

You could also open the que up a day early so that when release day hits the list is already decided if that makes a difference. IE you'd see a que become available on sunday night instead of monday night, but that seems like it would be more trouble than necessary. The current system could be used to gather names and goozex could simply shuffle them on the 2nd day. (This would only happen once)

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kingofoldschool replied on 05-13-2010 4:10 PM

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No. No. No. NO.