TOPIC: Golden Tickets...your thoughts?

Long-term strategy versus short-term tactics aside, let me ask a question first: does it benefit TD more (or do you prefer) to have more concentrated income upfront (before the various conventions you go to) or have a more evenly distributed income?  Because people thought GT would only be available for the first batch, some people purchased much more tokens earlier rather than waiting to match spending with income (go into debt now and pay off credit card later rather than wait for a few more paychecks to make another purchase).  If people come to accept that, at any time, you could simply print more GTs, you are much more likely to have a smoother distribution of income - not less at the end of the day, but certainly not as much in the first two months.  Would that make a difference to you?

As I said above, I vote for making more GTs but to really check how cool or uncool the idea is I would say (assuming you haven't already) send email to the people that have clamed GT thus far and see what they think.  <br /><br />They are really the only ones with anything to loose by more GTs being added to the game (and I expect they would be the loudest critics if they didn't like it). I wouldn't be surprised if most of them would be cool with the idea (though I could imagine that gamingetc could be somewhat upset at the timing of talking about this idea right now)

I'm willing to vote yes if I can get one of them. If that's a no go, I'd also be willing to sell my vote for a dozen cupcakes.

Just an off the wall thought, if you do a second "chance run", and I like the idea of the last run on Saturday, what about making it a random draw instead.<br /><br />Instead of one chance for every dollar spent, what about once chance for every $100, past orders included.  That way if people spent their entire budget in the first round to try and get a GT, they would not be left out for a chance later on.<br /><br />Dave<br /><br />

=D<br /><br />I really like Dave's idea!  <br /><br />I am split between the following ideas, and would be happy at any chance at a seond shot!<br /><br />[-A-] The possibility that someone could win multiple times.  This could lead to big token buyers having Golden Tickets, and Second Chance Golden Tickets to auction off on eBay.  <br /><br />[-B-] A maximum of one Golden Ticket, or Second Chance Golden Ticket per person who placed one order, or more than one order.  If this is a precedent it could lead to shenanigans with folks having friends and relatives place orders for multiple shots at winning.  <br /><br />[-C-] As [-B-], but with the option to split ones tickets so that a spouse, or child has an shot.  This could lead to shenanigans with households of made up folks.<br /><br />Disclaimer: I would like the shot to run with my wife.  If she won, and I did not, then she would give me the ticket.

While I am usually in support of anything that gives TD more revenue I have to admit that adding more Golden Tickets seems to take away some of the grandeur that it initially represented.  And though it has already been said, it seems like a similar situation to the Medallion of Greyhawk.  It was stated for several months that there would be this limited number of the GT's and many people made their buying decisions based on the information that was given to them at the time.<br /><br />In the end the suggestion to produce more GT's means that you are changing the rarity of a limited edition token that is coveted because of its rarity.  <br /><br />So if we go ahead with this new GT run why not just start a new discussion on how many GT's we can produce to generate the most amount of revenue for TD without having them lose their appeal as a rare item.  You would probably make even more money if you produced about 400 of them but then the loss of rarity would be much more obvious.<br /><br />Getting my Golden Ticket felt like winning the lotto.  But while I want other people to be happy as well, I don't want it to feel like winning on a scratch ticket.

I'm with magic god. lets make 400 of them and I get one.

As long as the ratio of GT in the new mix was not greater (or maybe even less) than in the first batch, then I think it is probably OK to mix Golden Tickets into the new batch to help keep sales high, which helps TD.  <br /><br />I do understand what some people have said though, that TD did make it clear there would only be 16 made, and that you don't want people to start thinking that all TD announcements are subject to change.  While I would be cool with adding more Golden Tickets, I do like the idea of doing 8 or 16 Silver Tickets (at a ratio no greater than the Golden Ticket Ratio was), for the 2nd run on Thursday or the final run on Saturday.  Those could be slightly less cool than the Golden Tickets were (maybe the token trade-in for the Golden Tickets would be better than for the Silver Tickets or something), which would help the Golden Tickets retain their uniqueness but still be a big draw for token sales to get a Silver Ticket (which would still have extra token draws, the extra room, etc).  <br /><br />

Give the first batch of Golden Ticket holders an Ultra Rare, and make a second batch without the bonus Ultra Rare (perhaps out of print ones).  Take out one of each Ultra Rare, and let them roll off for who gets to pick first [1 per]!  Golly it is a Golden Ticket, give each first run ticket holders 5,000 GP in stay of the Ultra Rare idea!

<br />Jeff,<br /><br />  I am going to suggest that you should not print more tickets. I agree with the others that it does not undervalue the present tickets. The problem I see with it is that you said you were only going to print 16. People made choices about purchasing based on that what you said. It can create hard feelings if you change things mid-stream, and sets an unhappy precedent for true dungeon.<br /><br />  It was the same with the 4C combo item. There was an announcement that you needed all the 2006 and 2007 tokens to make it. There was some talk about making it available with other recipes, but this is not fair to those who made decisions to make sure they had a set to turn in. I was happy to see the decision was made to respect the original announcement.<br /><br />  I understand that this generates income for the show. What I would suggest is that you make a different promo for the next set of tokens that are being made. Here's a totally random idea: what about making 8, or 16 for that matter, silver tickets that would run after the first group, not have the extra token draws, but be otherwise identical to the first set of runs? As a silly example to differentiate them, maybe the golden 16 could be given the otherwise unique promo "Scroll of Summon Killer Rabbit" and the silver 8 or 16 could be given the otherwise unique promo "Holy Hand grenade".<br />

<br /><br />I think something along these lines are a good compromise. Something else to find while keeping the golden tickets special level the same. However, I have spent my budgetted money on tokens for the year and will not be able to buy more no matter what the special token offered is.<br />David

<br />The silver ticket idea is awesome!  It could mean something totally different - last run like someone suggested, or maybe the code on it indicates a specific prop from this year's dungeon that you get to keep.  The code/prop name would become a clue for the dungeon that the recipient could choose to share or not share - it would be funny if it was "Lich Knuckle".  It doesn't have to be a bonzo prop, just something little.  I would definitely make the silver ticket reward smaller/less valuable than the golden ticket one.  <br /><br />Darkrose's idea about getting a token named after you is fun, but I think most people would say that's on a par with a GT run.  Maybe you could make it a unique 'artisan' type token... hmm... an anagram server tells me that darkrose conventiently anagrams to 'dork ears', so there we go!  =D  Sorry, darkrose, I couldn't resist!

I don't have one and would like one but, I don't beleive that another batch, 8 or 16, golden tickets should be done. <br /><br />I think that ones word, i.e. integrity, is the most important thing to have. If it was officially announced that only 16 were to be produced, then go with only 16. It is the same issue as was the 4c combo this year. <br /><br />Now a silver ticket with less importance would be fine and is a good idea.