How does one adopt their first pet?

[Boltgreywing]

I don't know how to use the gameowner tag so I listed a bit of people I thought might help.

@Game Owner: How do you guys decide on how pets get adopted?

I notice that some of you opt for the neopet approach where you choose from a big selection of adoptables, others choose the pokemon approach with limited starters but opens up to more pets later, then there is the questers where you give said npc a specific item and you receive your first pet, then their is the random ones where you get a random pet by moving around the pet map.

What are the advantages of each approach?

What are the disadvantage of each approach?

Is one system better than the other?

How does one choose which one from the other?

I am trying to get a consence first before I start coding my pet layout as this needs to be addressed before I start beta two building.

@Anoua @Digital @Aminirus @Nalkaria @Niabi @Bingo @Cassandra1891 @DerpWolfie @Elfen @Feuerqueen @goatsey @Hare @Hasi @Imperial @InuMimi @jakdacrowe @Jackalune @kami @Kesstryl @Vega @Leef @Lady of Baskerville @Martyn Thoughts?

Edited January 11, 2018 by Boltgreywing

[DerpWolfie]

I play on Khimeros.  And you don't get your first pet handed to you.  If anything, you play games and gain trinkets to get your first pet.  I honestly like that system better than being handed a pet first off.  Makes it more special.

On that, I think it depends on how you want your game set up.

[Kesstryl]

Because my game is more of an RPG than a pet game, I decided to give players a random chance at finding pets while exploring the map during their quests and monster fighting.  If the random chance ticks, then a random pet is pulled from the pet table that is within the player's level requirements for that pet.  Because I wanted to keep the focus simple, a pet is automatically added to the player's pet list if they get one.  If they already have that pet, then they don't need to add another one (you only get one of each because there is no trading of pets, pets help you in battle only).  If it's a pet they didn't have, it gets added to their collection.  Pets are numbered in the collection so you know which ones you haven't collected yet, and there is a list in the game wiki help pages that the players can check.  Pets have stats which help the player, and pets also have points at which they can be leveled up to increase their stats.  So, my system is simple in the context of the game I have created.  A game that is pet centered and not RPG centered will have a different system than mine.  I do have some players that are enjoying the random finding and adding to their collection pokemon style, even if they don't need that pet as a battle pet with their build.

[Anoua]

Honestly just depends what you are going for.

Getting to pick in some way can help form attachment to the first pet, as the player has some choice in the matter. This would be especially important in sites that limit the total pets pretty heavily like neopets does as each space is pretty significant. But even in sites where you can have many it can just make that first pet more significant which can be tie to your game.

You can form attachments to random pets too, but you may also get one you don't like. So this type of scenero would likely be better where the amount of pets you can have is less limited or you can collect them all. 

As for having some type of quest to get a pet that can be a way to immerse the player in the game or make the introduction more meaningful. I think either way can work, it just depends on what type of game you want. 

And then other games you don't really get handed a pet at all, but need to buy it by earning in game money. I've played many like this and enjoy them but it does give the game a steeper learning curve in the beginning. Even ones where many give out free pets plentifully to newbies you'll see others complaining the game is too hard and quitting. This challenge isn't necessarily a bad thing, plenty stick around still, but I thought it worth mentioning since retention seems to be the biggest challenge with these games I've seen.

As for choosing which method to go with it's not really an easy answer. You just have to decide what type of game you want or have and decide based on that which fits in best with that world.

[Boltgreywing]

@Anoua@DerpWolfie@Kesstryl

This certainly has given me a lot to think about. I am hoping to have several different methods to get pets past the initial one so that users have a good chance to find the method they best enjoy.

I used to do the pokemon starters for the older site but I think maybe a quest would be a better option to connect with the users.