Should the Miners Lottery Be started up again now?

Before you vote please read/think about it. We can either open it now, or wait a month, or some other compromise as needed.

For the miners lotto to work I think we need around 10 people to play every week, at least the way its set up now with 4 prizes, if only 4 people play, then they all win, and we're just giving money away to the active people, which isn't really the point of the miners lottery

The point is *supposed* to be to attract new players who otherwise wouldn't work the mines with an attractive bonus, this would be to help keep the mines full, to the benefit of the county (not specifically Chard you see)

As has been shown in other towns and Chard itself, there are generally very few people active on the forums and able to do the screenshots properly, and they tend to be people further along in the game themselves that already work the mines anyway or have more money and want more.

Also, setting up the miners lotto is a fair bit of work, and takes some setting up with the trade minister, and the internal affairs person spends a fair bit of time getting it going, this would take away from the setting up of the Chard lottery (the anyone can join no screenshot one).

Anyway theres the opening, please post your thoughts about it in your post after you vote

Personally I'll vote no at this time, perhaps later once the town lottery is working then we can get this going again, but I think we should try the other one out first. Also, I never got the feeling the miners lottery was fulfilling its purpose and really helping anyone, it spread some of the counties wealth to people who were already active in the mines anyway.

Its possible if we had a 1 or 2 person prize system, I'd be more agreeable to it, that way if only 4 people played it wasn't a sure shot.

But regardless of that, for now Mikey votes No

I am going to abstain for the moment.


I do agree with all that Mike said though. The miner's lotto never really had the participation level it needed, and people do seem to have a bit of a problem with the screenshots portion.

IF it would be able to fulfill its purpose [encouraging more poeple to work the mines] I would be all for it. But i dont think it actually does that. What is does do, is put a little bit of county money into the pockets of chard citizens, and thats a good thing at least.

For the record, our current county mine staff levels are way down. Around 50% for all mines. The number 3 gold mine is down to 40% and we are actually having to import stone and iron from other counties for the maintenence of our mines. But I think this has more to do with mass defections to new colonies and fewer level zeros coming in.

I dont have a strong opinion either way on the issue.

Atri

Our mines really need more workers. Part of the problem is that its the "slow season" for RK (summer), but that is coming to an end. People are going to start going back to school, and joining, and needing to work in the mines. I think that, as Atri said, if the only thing it does in put more money into the hard working Chardians' pockets who work in the mines that is a fine thing.

I vote yes. I am very willing to adapt the number/amount of prizes though. I actually always thought it was a bit much.

For Chard!
Rebo

Fair arguments for both sides..i just think most level 0's dont read very much of the new lvl 0 letter mentors give them and they miss the miners lotto part..Maybe we need a new way to advertise the lotto.

Perhaps reducing it to 3 prizes (gold, silver, bronze as it were) & if Crepitus would be willing to write an instruction letter on how to create & post screen shots to send on request. I would like to see the miner's lotto started again as it does not require a purchase by our citizens while the other one does. That makes the miner's lotto better for new level 0's.
Regarding running both lottos at the same time Atri has said she would be willing to run the town lotto for now since she has been working on it. This would allow Crepitus to just deal with the miner's lotto for now.

Aeryn_Sun wrote:

Perhaps reducing it to 3 prizes (gold, silver, bronze as it were) & if Crepitus would be willing to write an instruction letter on how to create & post screen shots to send on request. I would like to see the miner's lotto started again as it does not require a purchase by our citizens while the other one does. That makes the miner's lotto better for new level 0's.
Regarding running both lottos at the same time Atri has said she would be willing to run the town lotto for now since she has been working on it. This would allow Crepitus to just deal with the miner's lotto for now.

For screenshot help, I already did a "how to" type guide for it that you may find useful. You can link to it, rather than reinvent the wheel. Its here: http://forum.renaissancekingdoms.com/viewtopic.php?t=45984

See if that's what you had in mind Ma'am.

If the miner's lotto IS restarted, I suggest a new thread, not the old one whcih is confusing. AND some new, more clear rules for entering. There is no point in anyone posting every single days pay, I would suggest that those who work the mines post only the weekly county payout. that will make it much simpler.

As for payouts, I agree with reducing the number of prizes, but suggest making the prize payout even bigger [pay the same amount total, but divided three ways in stead of four.] Bigger potential rewards will attract more participation than lots of smaller prizes. Its just how people's minds work. They dont figure the odds, they look at the jackpot.

I do like the idea of putting a bit of the county mine money back into the pockets of our townsfolk. Maybe they will spend it on meat. :-)

I will be happy to help however Im needed.

As for getting the word out. I promoted the miner's lotto more than once in the Pulp, but not sure it made much difference

Atri

I will vote yes for the simple fact that it allows people who DO work in mines (and as Atri said there aren't many at the moment anyway) to be encouraged to keep working. It also helps people get some extra money basically. I had some other thoughts as well but I just forgot them so I'll be back when I remember

Also I think Atri's idea is a good one in terms of keeping it to 3 prizes and increasing the jackpot.

Thorpe

Fair enough, looks like people want to do it, I just wish we could get something going that actually makes a difference... But if Crep is the new affairs minister I guess its up to him to get er done, I mailed Chardy and she said the miners lotto is still available so we're set to go mostly, Crep can decide the new format/prizes (I recommend just the 1 weekly post for tickets, not daily screenshots) prizes whatever you guys want

Sounds good to me, how about you Crepitus?

I think we can start it from next monday.
What do you think Mike about weekly post? Only one "ticket"/player/week or the Sunday's screenshot?

I meant just the sunday screenshot, that way we don't have to worry about so many posts, and it should be a little less confusing if the rules just say that one post per week

Just a little thing to consider: I'm *pretty* sure there's some kind of law/decree for the miners lottery, with 4 prizes to the value of 50 pounds etc etc.... we may need to talk to the *groans* county council about it.

But yeah, at the start of the lotto I think we had like 17 participants, with 35+ tickets . but then hen people realized there wasn't a chance of them winning, they dropped out.

I have one more question. Who will give the prize? Town or county?

County through Town.

Thorpe

Crepitus wrote:

I have one more question. Who will give the prize? Town or county?

The county reimburses us, sir. But the town, in this case you I believe, will actually make the payouts using wood bushels to transfer the funds.

At least, I think that's the way it works.

minister of internal affairs gets a grant consisting of say 200 pounds and 20 wood bushels, then uses that supply for about a months worth of prizes