Alternate option for rp 'site shop'?

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Alternate option for rp 'site shop'? written Mar 29, 2021 19:19:14 GMT
coffee break...
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So I've been making huge progress on my current project and have run into a slight problem. 

So its pretty common that any roleplay forum has a shop/store where members can spent the site currency they earn through posting and activity on neat perks like more character slots or important 'canon' roles and the sorts. But the monetary system plugin that is popular has been taking down for what seems like good reasons and on top of that the current proboards skin I have decided on doesn't seem to support the monetary system in general (and I don't want to be a pain in pharos butt).

Sooo.... Im stumped on where to move forward when it comes to some kind of alternate option for my forums shop. Because there are at least a handful of things I would like to restrict (such as popular gods/goddesses) but im lacking the ideas and tools to make that possible. So im asking for help on other ideas and options that could work. I've had an idea that im iffy about already, but im not wanting to use post counts as a form of payment for these shop items. 
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Alternate option for rp 'site shop'? written Mar 29, 2021 20:13:10 GMT
phantom of the black parade
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what do you want to know? my height, hobbies, quirks, the color of my underwear?
personal opinion here? i honestly think the monetary shop plugin not working for you actually might be a blessing in disguise.

assuming that your site is the one you mentioned in the interest check.... honestly, if i were you, i wouldn't even go for a site shop at all.

i've never really been a fan of having character slots be purchasable items (since imo there's nothing stopping someone from pulling all the currency from one account and not posting on any of the others) and putting important canons or limited character slots behind a currency wall is a bit of a yikes (both from a "you shouldn't have to make a character you don't care about just to play the one you do" standpoint and a "i don't want to feel obligated to accept someone's super broken character just because they purchased a shop item for them" standpoint). not to mention that your site doesn't really seem like one that would hard require a points + shop system in the first place (like one with a leveling system or a combat focus), so it's not as if it's a huge ordeal to just. retool the systems to not use one.

if it were me, i'd just. set it up so you can't make additional characters without having x amount of posts on your previous ones (and maybe scale it out so you don't see someone doing, idk, 5 posts on char #1 and then abandoning them forever afterwards). put the important canon roles to where you can only apply for one if you're an established member of the community. make limited character types be something you can apply for freely but they're held to a higher standard than your average character who wouldn't really matter. most of the other stuff is, well, decoration so their absence isn't really a huge loss in the grand scheme of things (means less to moderate on your end as well tbeh, plus i personally find a lot of those things tend not to actually get bought + used by the general community tbeh).

but that's just my two cents so. yeah.
last edit on Mar 29, 2021 20:14:25 GMT by Kuroya

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Alternate option for rp 'site shop'? written Mar 30, 2021 13:30:24 GMT
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similar thought to what kuroya suggested. i'm personally a big fan of "need X posts to unlock canon character." canons are important to the plot/lore, and should be available for a heavier amount of RP/plotting. it's very hard from an admin standpoint to see that character be taken by someone who ends up never posting with them, even though they have some importance to the plot, and it's ultimately locked up until you do an activity check (or whatever you do to clear out dead accounts).

needing x amount of posts guarantees that the member has some amount of commitment, is able to plot, and will actually use the character. all of which you want for your canon characters.

i would maybe add a note that it should be IC posts, and not just things like communications or games or mod requests, depending on what you have going on (i'm more familiar with jcink, which allowed admins to turn counters on and off for certain boards, idk how it works for proboards). alternatively, you could make it a completed thread requirement instead.

you could also have different levels for activity requirements. on our site, we have "starred" roles that we've unlocked as the site as a whole has hit posting milestones. anything 2 stars and above has a posting requirement to claim, and cannot be a first character.

just some ideas! not sure if any of them made any sense lol
last edit on Mar 30, 2021 13:30:46 GMT by Deleted