I suggested this idea over three years ago, and though it appeared very well received I feel that Res is in an even better position to make excellent use of this system. I would have bumped my old thread, but it has been locked.
Yes, it was that long ago.
The activity that the majority of users are taking part in these days is Kir's Quest, and the population of creatu has reflected that. Albinos, blondes, and calicos are rarer than they've ever been, while the market continues to be flooded with the lower colors as players try their luck every reset at hatching the color they actually need.
What if these 'cheaper' colors weren't so useless? What if there was a point system implemented wherein one could turn in pets of less desirable colors and receive points towards a 'color change' for the one they want?
This is what I'd like to suggest, a rather simple system of exchanging pets for points, and then using those points for a color change. Of course, the amount of points would have to reflect the color/rarity of the creatu being turned in, and the amount needed for an albino change would have to be great.
For example, a natural color could earn you 1 point, a sepia could be worth maybe 3, cream perhaps, 5, and so on with the rarer colors being worth more points; a blonde could fetch you as much as 50 points perhaps? And last but not least, the albino color change could cost in the range of 200 points? To prevent abuse, the colour change should be worth more than the points one would receive for the same colour. ie, a blonde color change could be worth 100 points, but a blonde pet would be worth 50. One could also exchange for any other color if they need it, earning 50 points for a silver change, or 40 for a ginger. Seasonals of course would have their own exchange, so that an albino narwi wouldn't be as easy to acquire as an albino chimby.
Of course these numbers are not set in stone, and would definitely need some fine tuning and research. I simply used ballpark examples to better get my idea across.
Upon immediate implementation of this system, we could see rancher shops cleared of lower priced and low colored 'fodder'. All hatch colors would become valuable as 'currency' in this new point system. Newer users could make a steady profit off selling these creatu, or exchange them for points themselves if they're ready to tackle Kir. I believe it wouldn't be long before the market stabilized, and players would finally start making tu off of their previously worthless hatches.
The price of Natural Colored Jelly Beans shouldn't fall, as I believe players would still be willing to try their luck with a few beans rather than exchange a hundred or so pets for a color.
I will edit this post to include all relevant feed back/ideas, and welcome any and all criticism. Please let me know what you think!
Edit: Could be implemented within Kir's quest, either with being used directly for the quest or on a pet that won't be turned in (Per: EternalPhoenix and Assassin's suggestions)
Possibility of receiving a colour-changing item rather than a colour change, which could be sold in merchant shops? (Per: Lilith’s suggestion)
Dye Kit colours could also possibly be exchanged for points or a colour changing item, and would obviously have to earn different points depending on the dye colour. These numbers would require further research but I can't see them earning any less points than a black creatu (amber dye) and any more than perhaps a silver creatu (indigo/rose dye). Of course, the Gold and Silver dyed creatu would be exempt from the exchange, as CS pets wouldn't be available for a colour change for obvious reasons. (Per: Chaos's suggestion)
Normal User
Normal User
Normal User
Normal User
Content Manager
Normal User
Normal User
Normal User
Normal User
Normal User
Normal User
Normal User
Administrator
Normal User
Artist
Moderator
Normal User
Normal User