Has this been suggested before? I haven't seen a thread mention it anywhere. I propose a stud system, to permit dragons to leave one's lair with 100% absolute guarantee of their safe return.
This system can be used both to rent dragons and to rent nests
Next to "Auction" and "Exalt", a third button would appear: "Stud/Vacation". Pressing this button results in the question "Direct or Listing?"
For Direct, a crossroads-esque interface which takes the following input:
For Listing, an auction house-esque interface that takes the same input minus recipient.
Addressing those one at a time:
Recipient
The recipient would see a stud/vacation notification, which looks different from a normal crossroads trade and clarifies that this is not a permanent transaction. I suggest something really clear like a clock icon in the corner and a red frame so that stud offers are immediately distinguishable from permanent trade requests.
Once the recipient has the dragon, its spot in the owner's lair is not empty. Its placeholder remains, greyed-out/faded with a timer icon. Clicking on the placeholder takes you to the dragon, in whatever lair it currently occupies.
In the recipient's lair, the dragon displays correctly, but with the same icon indicating it's on stud.
Duration
Stud/vacation timers are an automatic feature: When the time expires, the dragon will be automatically returned to the owner, and a notification will be sent to both parties.
At any time, the renter can return it early by clicking a button (with a confirmation message like exalting).
Stud timers always run out during rollover, which is when the dragons automatically go home.
Breeding
If breeding is permitted, a studded dragon can be bred as normal.
If the dragon is on stud for less thanfive six* days, they cannot be bred. Because it is my dragon, I can also incubate the nest if the renter does not, so I can reclaim my dragon if they rent and breed a dragon and then vanish. If a dragon is on a nest and the stud timer runs out, the eggs are discarded and the dragon is returned to the owner.
*i now realise the minimum must be six to account for rollover/timezones and actually hatching the nest
Coliseum
If coli is permitted, a studded dragon can be used in the coli as normal, except that the renter cannot edit the stats and stones.
Price
The price system would be split into two halves, like the auction house's price per stack/price per unit split. However, the owner can only type into the per day column. This is to ensure the price per day is always a full number (no decimal places). The total column only exists for mathematical convenience, so the owner knows how much they're charging for the full duration.
The renter pays the full amount at once upon accepting the transaction.
This is because, should a dragon be returned early, the price/day for the remaining days is refunded to the renter. (Note: I consider this a nice-to-have feature. Paying a single, absolute price for the full rental is also fine.)
Players would be able to list their dragons as "Available for stud" (or, if the site wants to go with the "vacation" flavour, "Ready for vacation").
The simplest way to display these would be in a new auction house tab, Dragon Rentals:
The confirmation dialogue asks for how many days the renter wants the dragon, and displays the cost of such a rental.
Once rented, the dragon immediately leaves its placeholder behind and moves into the renter's lair, without any interaction from the owner – just like sale auctions (why is that a term? why is the sale house called the auction house?)
The whole system is applied in reverse for renting nests: Instead of advertising a dragon, you advertise space and a user buys that space in order to send you dragons.
When someone lists a nest for rental, two spaces in their lair are reserved for the parents that will take that nest
Just like dragon rental, the parents will leave placeholders behind in the renter's lair. In addition, hatchling spaces are reserved for the offspring – one reserved space per egg in the nest. Because eggs aren't generated until the parents have actually bred, the renter must have at least 5 open spaces to rent any nest, to ensure they can accommodate the hatchlings.
Both the renter and the owner of the nest can incubate the eggs, though they can still only be incubated once per day.
edit: i've learned pictures are very helpful in suggestions, so, mockups
edit2: fixed images
This system can be used both to rent dragons and to rent nests
Dragon Rental
Next to "Auction" and "Exalt", a third button would appear: "Stud/Vacation". Pressing this button results in the question "Direct or Listing?"
For Direct, a crossroads-esque interface which takes the following input:
- Recipient of dragon
- Duration of stay in days (minimum 1 maximum 30?)
- Breeding yes/no (required, must tick one or the other)
- Coliseum yes/no (required, must tick one or the other)
- Price in either currency
For Listing, an auction house-esque interface that takes the same input minus recipient.
Addressing those one at a time:
Recipient
The recipient would see a stud/vacation notification, which looks different from a normal crossroads trade and clarifies that this is not a permanent transaction. I suggest something really clear like a clock icon in the corner and a red frame so that stud offers are immediately distinguishable from permanent trade requests.
Once the recipient has the dragon, its spot in the owner's lair is not empty. Its placeholder remains, greyed-out/faded with a timer icon. Clicking on the placeholder takes you to the dragon, in whatever lair it currently occupies.
In the recipient's lair, the dragon displays correctly, but with the same icon indicating it's on stud.
Duration
Stud/vacation timers are an automatic feature: When the time expires, the dragon will be automatically returned to the owner, and a notification will be sent to both parties.
At any time, the renter can return it early by clicking a button (with a confirmation message like exalting).
Stud timers always run out during rollover, which is when the dragons automatically go home.
Breeding
If breeding is permitted, a studded dragon can be bred as normal.
If the dragon is on stud for less than
*i now realise the minimum must be six to account for rollover/timezones and actually hatching the nest
Coliseum
If coli is permitted, a studded dragon can be used in the coli as normal, except that the renter cannot edit the stats and stones.
Price
The price system would be split into two halves, like the auction house's price per stack/price per unit split. However, the owner can only type into the per day column. This is to ensure the price per day is always a full number (no decimal places). The total column only exists for mathematical convenience, so the owner knows how much they're charging for the full duration.
The renter pays the full amount at once upon accepting the transaction.
This is because, should a dragon be returned early, the price/day for the remaining days is refunded to the renter. (Note: I consider this a nice-to-have feature. Paying a single, absolute price for the full rental is also fine.)
Players would be able to list their dragons as "Available for stud" (or, if the site wants to go with the "vacation" flavour, "Ready for vacation").
The simplest way to display these would be in a new auction house tab, Dragon Rentals:
The confirmation dialogue asks for how many days the renter wants the dragon, and displays the cost of such a rental.
Once rented, the dragon immediately leaves its placeholder behind and moves into the renter's lair, without any interaction from the owner – just like sale auctions (why is that a term? why is the sale house called the auction house?)
Nest Rental
The whole system is applied in reverse for renting nests: Instead of advertising a dragon, you advertise space and a user buys that space in order to send you dragons.
When someone lists a nest for rental, two spaces in their lair are reserved for the parents that will take that nest
Just like dragon rental, the parents will leave placeholders behind in the renter's lair. In addition, hatchling spaces are reserved for the offspring – one reserved space per egg in the nest. Because eggs aren't generated until the parents have actually bred, the renter must have at least 5 open spaces to rent any nest, to ensure they can accommodate the hatchlings.
Both the renter and the owner of the nest can incubate the eggs, though they can still only be incubated once per day.
edit: i've learned pictures are very helpful in suggestions, so, mockups
edit2: fixed images