FVSC Loyalty Gain Change
Dec 31, 2021 5:24:38 GMT -6
Post by Darky on Dec 31, 2021 5:24:38 GMT -6
So, came to realize recently (Back in Sept, I think?) that there was a change to the way FVSC gain loyalty, in that they were aligned to that of customs rather then VSC. However, that doesn't.. quite line up with the purpose or the model that FVSC have been released as. From the beginning Custom Specials were intended to be the 'Fleamarket' version of VSC, being unofficial in terms of not being Spirit-made, but otherwise aligned with the same system, and it has operated as such up until this update. The terminology of "custom specials" was even updated to FVSC with the explicit purpose that it would make easier for people to keep track of things, and align things for better understanding.
Now, there were some causes shared in the Discord channel as to the reason for this change, saying that the FVSC are more like customs since Fleamarket people can't make 'official' VSC. While I can see why that impression has been left, then the origin of the 'custom specials' is rather the opposite to that, so this reason isn't necessarily taking into account all possible points of information regarding these products. Essentially, they're custom "specials" because they can't be customs themselves, as all customs are unique. As such, they shouldn't follow a custom's loyalty gain, as that should be unique to customs themselves.
The reasons for why they can't follow VSC loyalty gain were a little unclear to me, since we were already using that gain for some years without issue. In addition, it seems we're also using "WELP specials" to denote their forms of VSC (Which I assume to have derived from the term "custom specials" before the change to FVSC), so there's already grounds that users are able to make the distinction between what's an "official" VSC and what's Fleamarket and/or WELP.
However, if the staff remain concerned that this puts FVSC too close to the official VSC, and would rather not go back to the old gain, then I would recommend creating a new loyalty gain specific to them, since in that case they wouldn't fall into neither VSC nor customs - something like +5 or +10 loyalty to begin with, but with regular gain rate (Depending on how badly people want them to keep having a higher loyalty than other gain types).
EDIT: Even in the FVSC thread itself the old rule is still in place: "FVSCs gain the 'Special Critter' +7 loyalty, but otherwise grow in loyalty as normal for their species. (Not at the custom double rate.)". So I still feel the change should have been more of a "if it aint broken, don't fix it" type situation, since there wasn't any player call to make a change nor inherent gameplay reason to.