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Announcements & Plans - Feedback Please
Hey guys, this is Tari here.
So, the activity level in Tones bears no mentioning. We've been thinking on how we can boost activity here, and we have some really big changes planned. To everyone who's still hanging around, I hope you can take some time out to read this post, leave a comment or two...this would really help the game out and I appreciate all feedback I can get.
First off, WE HAVE A NEW SITE LAYOUT, featuring μ's from Love Live. We couldn't get Nico-nico-nii and Kotori-chan to fit inside the header, but we love them all the same.
Next up.
Fore...note?
None of these are set in stone. If you dislike any of these changes, please tell us so we can discuss about how we can meet midway, or whether the change needs to be dropped completely.
1. Site - Automated services
Taking a leaf from Himitsu TCG's book, we'd like to rely on the website more.
This is the biggest and most important change we want to bring to Tones. We currently use MyTCG to manage the site, and we’re going to make it do even more work for us so we have time to focus on other fun stuff. We plan to have the following automated:
You will obtain your rewards instantly on the site, and receive an auto-generated email with a copy of your rewards. There's also a temporary card log on the site in case you need to retrieve the prizes for your own card log. Your info will also be instantly updated on the website. Sounds pretty good, right?
That said, a big number of services (member cards, donations, record store, bargain bin) will remain on DW. Most games and events will stay here too. So don't worry about Tones becoming a completely site-based game - it's a mainly DW game and will stay that way. ( '-')b
There IS a catch to this though, and that is you need to make a game account on the website. More on this in Point 4.
2. Site - Automated games
We got a suggestion requesting more games and activity. While fiddling with the site service pages, I decided to add in a bunch of games. We have these games ready for your enjoyment!
Planned Weeklies
-Tic Tac Toe
-Mini Lotto
-Spin the Wheel
Planned Biweeklies
-Music Mix Up - This game is now run on DW.
On hold - if I can’t get them to work with the new layout, I’ll have to ditch them
-Card Puzzle
-Jigsaw Puzzle
-Memory
These are really simple (so simple we technically don't need a mod to man the weekly games :'D), but hopefully these will be a good bolster to the number of cards you can get each week since I understand card income is pretty low at the moment.
The games won't give email notifications. BUT the prizes will be recorded in the temporary log in your game account if you missed them the first time round. The con is that you will need a game account on the site, which I will talk about soon.
With Chrome ditching Java support, finding site games have been crazy hard... please feel free to toss more suggestions my way!
3. Site - Temporary Log
So, temporary log! All service and game rewards you get on the site will be recorded here. Newest activity is near the bottom of the page. Here's a screenshot from my test account:
One thing to stress: this is not meant to replace the card log you keep. For one, it can't record your DW activity or your trades! It's only meant for players to retrieve rewards in case they closed a game page on accident, their own card log got rollbacked...etc. The temp log with MyTCG is rather wonky, so don't rely on it 100%. Please continue to keep your personal card logs.
4. Site - Creating a Game Account...
Credits to Himitsu TCG - I'm following their lead.
Here comes an important point I want to raise!!
For the services to record your masteries and levels, for the temporary card log to record your games etc, all new and existing players will need to join and create an account on the website.
What will you need to make a game account? Besides the info we've gotten from you on the original DW join form, we also need an email address and a password. You'll need the info for the login page, which tentatively looks like this. I promise that joining on the website will be quick and painless (as painless as filling out info on a registration form can get)!
The join form will give you a starter pack again, which we would love for you to keep. And once you are approved (you will get an email notification on this), you're free to start using the services and playing games. Sweet!
Gmail account owners! Gmail doesn't seem to like MyTCG much - I've done a good amount of testing to make sure the email notifs will reach your inbox, but it seems that from time to time, MyTCG email notifs still get eaten, and no one really knows why. :/ Just something to bear in mind.
A note about your password: Important!! MyTCG is a really old script. While there're a couple still under development, it's still the only online TCG management script to date, sigh. Please use a unique password, one that you don't use for other important stuff. It sounds silly of me to say something so obvious, but better safe than sorry.
Now, in case we go through with all this and because MyTCG doesn't allow duplicate names, this is what I plan to do:
Let me know if you have any concerns, yeah?
5. Site/DW - Housekeeping and Being Prepared
Before the move, all interview, masteries and levels apps will be replied to and updated on the site.
And after the move, the links on the site and in the DW comm profile will be updated to point to the site forms. The old DW forms will still be kept though in case players have problems on the site.
6. DW - A new activity!
UPDATE: Superstar! is now open for business!
Commencing Idol project! Are you excited? I am!
I got inspired by the idol theme we had going during prejoin, and all the smartphone idol-centric games, so here we are. Superstar! Idol Project allows players to play the part of a manager or producer or anything you want to be. They pick a character to be their idol, complete tasks in-game and level up their idol as they play.
You are welcomed to apply for any character, as long as they have official art. Mascots are okay, Vocaloids are okay, duplicates are okay. No mecha, though. No real-life singers, like chelly and ClariS, either.
In this activity, you level up your character just by doing things you already do in Tones - play games, master decks, trade with people. Your character starts out at Rank N, and slowly climb up the ranks (R, SR, UR) until you reach the max rank of EX. Every month, your character will also bring in a little bonus, stuff like special deck donations, choice cards and so on.
I'll go into further detail when the activity officially kicks off, in the meantime have a look at this sweet template designed by Chuu!
I also have a few test idol pages up here, if you want to see the full range of card templates. There's a slight error on the SR card template though, and don't worry about all the card templates looking the same. I won't be so lazy with your pretty idol cards. |D
Until I get a feel of the kind of activity level to expect, Superstar! Idol Project will be 100% DW-based. It’s expected to be up before mid-August, most likely as soon as this coming weekend.
7. Tones - Promoting the Game and Better Referral rewards
We want more people to join our game, so we’re thinking of boosting referral goodies for a couple of months. Maybe 2 extra cards and a random music note on top of what we’re currently offering. But each new player can only list up to two names under their referrals. For referrals with more than 2 names, the first two names listed will get referral rewards. Boosted referral rewards will take effect for September and October’s deck releases.
And then I’ll be putting Tones’ link in those TCG exchanges and becoming affiliates with more games, so more curious visitors can drop by!
7. When to expect these changes?
Now, as I've mentioned before, if you don't like any of these changes, please let us know! Then we'll discuss workarounds or if we should just drop the idea completely. There are a couple of changes we feel strongly about, but we also want to hear your thoughts.
That said, here's our proposed timeline for the changes:
Basically, expect some shakeup between mid-August to early-October! Superstar! Idol Project will go up before mid-August regardless.
8. Mayday Mayday We Need Mods
Edit: Thank you to everyone who sent in PMs offering to help! We've hired a pretty good number of people to help out, but there's still a service seeking a mod, so feel free to PM us. :)
We're in need of moderators to help out with games. No application forms to fuss over! Just drop Aletha, Chuu or myself a PM, telling us what you want to help out with, letting us know how your schedule is like, and we'll hopefully get back to you soon. Do note I most likely work when you sleep and sleep when you're up lol so it'll take a while for me to reply you. :') Final decision to hire will rest with Aletha and Chuu.
It's an idea that needs a loooot of work, but my idea is to move away from a fixed roster that only a select few can join. If you can help out, WE WANT YOU. If you have an idea for a game or activity, WE WANT YOU TOO. You'll get modpay every month for helping out.
For now, the following games and services are looking for mods:
Games
-Tipping the Scales (permanent)
-Painting with Beryl (temporary - covering for Noxie)
-Pick a Vocaloid (temporary - covering for Noxie)
Services
-Record Store (permanent)
Auditions (and eventually Private Auditions, permanent)
I plan to put up a Job Opening page on the site or the main comm. Either way, don't forget we're always hiring, and you're free to go if you need time for other priorities as long as you let us know well in advance.
9. Site - Testers?
I'm looking for volunteers to help test out the site and see if the services are giving out correct prizes, if emails are getting received, weird formatting, updates not being reflected, and so on. I’d also like to hear your ideas on how to make it more user-friendly.
Hoping to have 2~3 testers, preferably using Chrome and/or Gmail. Feel free to sign up if you'd just like to see how the new site stuff is going to work. I'm sad to say I can't offer any nice rewards in return, and there's a chance we might not even go through with all these change, depending on the feedback we get... But Tones and I are very grateful for your help in smoothening the transition!
I need to get the puzzles and memory games working first before testing can start. But feel free to PM me if interested and I'll give you the links and stuff.
10. Help help where's the deck release
It's coming up this weekend, 08/09 August. Both June and July’s donated decks will be combined together in one release. Very sorry for the delay, and thanks so much for being so patient with us!
11. Thoughts and Feedback
FIRE AWAY. This is a lot to read and comment on, so you'll get 3 random cards and 1 random music note as my appreciation for your time.
Because this is so freaking long.
TL;DR version (important points in bold):
This post will be kept up till end-August. I'm estimating that mid-Aug to end-Aug will be the time when we can make a firm decision on the changes.
Thanks, everyone!
So, the activity level in Tones bears no mentioning. We've been thinking on how we can boost activity here, and we have some really big changes planned. To everyone who's still hanging around, I hope you can take some time out to read this post, leave a comment or two...this would really help the game out and I appreciate all feedback I can get.
First off, WE HAVE A NEW SITE LAYOUT, featuring μ's from Love Live. We couldn't get Nico-nico-nii and Kotori-chan to fit inside the header, but we love them all the same.
Next up.
Fore...note?
None of these are set in stone. If you dislike any of these changes, please tell us so we can discuss about how we can meet midway, or whether the change needs to be dropped completely.
1. Site - Automated services
Taking a leaf from Himitsu TCG's book, we'd like to rely on the website more.
This is the biggest and most important change we want to bring to Tones. We currently use MyTCG to manage the site, and we’re going to make it do even more work for us so we have time to focus on other fun stuff. We plan to have the following automated:
- Join form
- Masteries - both regular and special
- Levels - all rankings
- Members’ Info Change/Quit Forms
You will obtain your rewards instantly on the site, and receive an auto-generated email with a copy of your rewards. There's also a temporary card log on the site in case you need to retrieve the prizes for your own card log. Your info will also be instantly updated on the website. Sounds pretty good, right?
That said, a big number of services (member cards, donations, record store, bargain bin) will remain on DW. Most games and events will stay here too. So don't worry about Tones becoming a completely site-based game - it's a mainly DW game and will stay that way. ( '-')b
There IS a catch to this though, and that is you need to make a game account on the website. More on this in Point 4.
2. Site - Automated games
We got a suggestion requesting more games and activity. While fiddling with the site service pages, I decided to add in a bunch of games. We have these games ready for your enjoyment!
Planned Weeklies
-Tic Tac Toe
-Mini Lotto
-Spin the Wheel
-Music Mix Up
On hold - if I can’t get them to work with the new layout, I’ll have to ditch them
-Card Puzzle
-Jigsaw Puzzle
-Memory
These are really simple (so simple we technically don't need a mod to man the weekly games :'D), but hopefully these will be a good bolster to the number of cards you can get each week since I understand card income is pretty low at the moment.
The games won't give email notifications. BUT the prizes will be recorded in the temporary log in your game account if you missed them the first time round. The con is that you will need a game account on the site, which I will talk about soon.
With Chrome ditching Java support, finding site games have been crazy hard... please feel free to toss more suggestions my way!
3. Site - Temporary Log
So, temporary log! All service and game rewards you get on the site will be recorded here. Newest activity is near the bottom of the page. Here's a screenshot from my test account:
One thing to stress: this is not meant to replace the card log you keep. For one, it can't record your DW activity or your trades! It's only meant for players to retrieve rewards in case they closed a game page on accident, their own card log got rollbacked...etc. The temp log with MyTCG is rather wonky, so don't rely on it 100%. Please continue to keep your personal card logs.
4. Site - Creating a Game Account...
Credits to Himitsu TCG - I'm following their lead.
Here comes an important point I want to raise!!
For the services to record your masteries and levels, for the temporary card log to record your games etc, all new and existing players will need to join and create an account on the website.
What will you need to make a game account? Besides the info we've gotten from you on the original DW join form, we also need an email address and a password. You'll need the info for the login page, which tentatively looks like this. I promise that joining on the website will be quick and painless (as painless as filling out info on a registration form can get)!
The join form will give you a starter pack again, which we would love for you to keep. And once you are approved (you will get an email notification on this), you're free to start using the services and playing games. Sweet!
Gmail account owners! Gmail doesn't seem to like MyTCG much - I've done a good amount of testing to make sure the email notifs will reach your inbox, but it seems that from time to time, MyTCG email notifs still get eaten, and no one really knows why. :/ Just something to bear in mind.
A note about your password: Important!! MyTCG is a really old script. While there're a couple still under development, it's still the only online TCG management script to date, sigh. Please use a unique password, one that you don't use for other important stuff. It sounds silly of me to say something so obvious, but better safe than sorry.
Now, in case we go through with all this and because MyTCG doesn't allow duplicate names, this is what I plan to do:
- I'll let everyone know some time (a week or two) in advance when the site join form goes live.
- Before the day itself, I'll move all players to the inactive section, with edits to the names and DW usernames. Meaning to say I'll add a number to the names and usernames already on the member list, so that you can rejoin back with your name and info with no issue hopefully.
- Once ready, I'll post the link to the interview form on the main comm, and you can all get ready to rejoin. I'll approve you asap.
- And when you're approved, I'll remove your old (and now duplicate) name from the list. People on hiatus and inactive people will still remain on the list.
Let me know if you have any concerns, yeah?
5. Site/DW - Housekeeping and Being Prepared
Before the move, all interview, masteries and levels apps will be replied to and updated on the site.
And after the move, the links on the site and in the DW comm profile will be updated to point to the site forms. The old DW forms will still be kept though in case players have problems on the site.
6. DW - A new activity!
UPDATE: Superstar! is now open for business!
Commencing Idol project! Are you excited? I am!
I got inspired by the idol theme we had going during prejoin, and all the smartphone idol-centric games, so here we are. Superstar! Idol Project allows players to play the part of a manager or producer or anything you want to be. They pick a character to be their idol, complete tasks in-game and level up their idol as they play.
You are welcomed to apply for any character, as long as they have official art. Mascots are okay, Vocaloids are okay, duplicates are okay. No mecha, though. No real-life singers, like chelly and ClariS, either.
In this activity, you level up your character just by doing things you already do in Tones - play games, master decks, trade with people. Your character starts out at Rank N, and slowly climb up the ranks (R, SR, UR) until you reach the max rank of EX. Every month, your character will also bring in a little bonus, stuff like special deck donations, choice cards and so on.
I'll go into further detail when the activity officially kicks off, in the meantime have a look at this sweet template designed by Chuu!
I also have a few test idol pages up here, if you want to see the full range of card templates. There's a slight error on the SR card template though, and don't worry about all the card templates looking the same. I won't be so lazy with your pretty idol cards. |D
Until I get a feel of the kind of activity level to expect, Superstar! Idol Project will be 100% DW-based. It’s expected to be up before mid-August, most likely as soon as this coming weekend.
7. Tones - Promoting the Game and Better Referral rewards
We want more people to join our game, so we’re thinking of boosting referral goodies for a couple of months. Maybe 2 extra cards and a random music note on top of what we’re currently offering. But each new player can only list up to two names under their referrals. For referrals with more than 2 names, the first two names listed will get referral rewards. Boosted referral rewards will take effect for September and October’s deck releases.
And then I’ll be putting Tones’ link in those TCG exchanges and becoming affiliates with more games, so more curious visitors can drop by!
7. When to expect these changes?
Now, as I've mentioned before, if you don't like any of these changes, please let us know! Then we'll discuss workarounds or if we should just drop the idea completely. There are a couple of changes we feel strongly about, but we also want to hear your thoughts.
That said, here's our proposed timeline for the changes:
- Ideally, and if everyone is okay with these updates, I want to have the services, games, join forms and Superstar! ready in mid-August because that's when I actually have time, hah.
- But it'll probably take a while before we get a good number of feedback from all of you still here. So realistically, end-August or early-September?
- I would like to have everything ready before end-September/early-October, latest.
Basically, expect some shakeup between mid-August to early-October! Superstar! Idol Project will go up before mid-August regardless.
8. Mayday Mayday We Need Mods
Edit: Thank you to everyone who sent in PMs offering to help! We've hired a pretty good number of people to help out, but there's still a service seeking a mod, so feel free to PM us. :)
It's an idea that needs a loooot of work, but my idea is to move away from a fixed roster that only a select few can join. If you can help out, WE WANT YOU. If you have an idea for a game or activity, WE WANT YOU TOO. You'll get modpay every month for helping out.
For now, the following games and services are looking for mods:
Games
-Tipping the Scales (permanent)
-Painting with Beryl (temporary - covering for Noxie)
-Pick a Vocaloid (temporary - covering for Noxie)
Services
-Record Store (permanent)
Auditions (and eventually Private Auditions, permanent)
I plan to put up a Job Opening page on the site or the main comm. Either way, don't forget we're always hiring, and you're free to go if you need time for other priorities as long as you let us know well in advance.
9. Site - Testers?
I'm looking for volunteers to help test out the site and see if the services are giving out correct prizes, if emails are getting received, weird formatting, updates not being reflected, and so on. I’d also like to hear your ideas on how to make it more user-friendly.
Hoping to have 2~3 testers, preferably using Chrome and/or Gmail. Feel free to sign up if you'd just like to see how the new site stuff is going to work. I'm sad to say I can't offer any nice rewards in return, and there's a chance we might not even go through with all these change, depending on the feedback we get... But Tones and I are very grateful for your help in smoothening the transition!
I need to get the puzzles and memory games working first before testing can start. But feel free to PM me if interested and I'll give you the links and stuff.
10. Help help where's the deck release
It's coming up this weekend, 08/09 August. Both June and July’s donated decks will be combined together in one release. Very sorry for the delay, and thanks so much for being so patient with us!
11. Thoughts and Feedback
FIRE AWAY. This is a lot to read and comment on, so you'll get 3 random cards and 1 random music note as my appreciation for your time.
Because this is so freaking long.
TL;DR version (important points in bold):
- We need your feedback, please. You’ll get 3 random cards and 1 random music note as our thanks for your time.
We want to automate some services (Join, Masteries, Levels, Member Info Change and Quit) on the site, and add site games! But for the services and games to work, we'll need you to make a game account on the website. You'll need to provide the info you gave in the original DW form, an email address and a unique password (one that you don't use for other important things).Game account creation is now open and site services active! Read this post for more info.Game account creation will not be up so soon. I will inform everyone about 1 or 2 weeks before the page is up and ready and we make the move to automated services.- Most heavy services will still remain on DW. That's Member Cards, deck/graphics donations, Record Store, Bargain Bin and others not listed above. Same thing with most games and events. Tones TCG is a DW-based game and will stay that way.
Commencing Superstar! Idol Project! Look forward to a brand new activity on DW, where you can claim characters and level them up by playing in Tones. Superstar! will be up before mid-August.UPDATE: Superstar! is now open for business!If most players are generally okay with the new plans, I hope to have them ready in mid-August earliest, early-October latest.- We're hoping to get more new members! For September and October’s deck releases, we're bumping referral rewards up by an additional 2 cards and a random music note. New players may refer a max of 2 existing players.
- We’re always hiring mods. Always. PM Aletha, Chuu or me with your schedule and the things you want to help out with. If you would like to bring on board a brand new game/activity, we welcome you! Final decision to hire rests with Aletha and Chuu. No more long-ass forms to fill out, yay!
I’m looking for 2~3 volunteers as site service/game testers. Preferably using Chrome and/or Gmail. PM me for more details.- Don’t like any of these ideas? Feel that we should focus on other areas? Voice your thoughts and let us know so we can discuss further.
- July/August Combined Deck Release: 08/09 August.
This post will be kept up till end-August. I'm estimating that mid-Aug to end-Aug will be the time when we can make a firm decision on the changes.
Thanks, everyone!
SLAMS IN HERE SO HARD
HONESTLY I think this is a GREAT IDEA from what I've seen a lot of the modwork is from rewards handing out so if we can have a script to do it for us it'll be a lot more convenient for mods so they can focus on what the script doesn't handle, so A++ o/
Site log helping to write rewards is also SUPER COOL bc the most difficulty I've had with logging is typing out the card names - I haven't had this problem with tones YET (since I'm new) but for colours I needed to squint on multiple occasions to discern card names, so if the script can help with that it saves on headscratching + eye strain.
While on the topic of eye strain, I do have one request though - could you use colours that differentiate the bold/italic text and the background more? It's kinda difficult to read the text on my phone (no issues on desktop) so if you could tweak it a liiiiiittle that would be fabulous. <3
idol project
HELL TO THE YES I really like this concept, and it ties in with the music theme as well. GO FOR IT I'm so excited! o/
I'm curious, if we finish leveling up one idol, do we get to pick a next one to continue chaining the process, or does the level stop at EX and that's it?
promoting the game
boosted referral awards are a+. I'll work on getting publicity out too!
lastly a huge THANK YOU to the three of you, modly types, for doing all this for us. <3 I love you guys.
Re: SLAMS IN HERE SO HARD
Site: Yay, I'm glad to have your support on this. And no problem, I'll make the font colors a bit darker so they can be seen clearer, I had a feeling this might be a problem!
Idol: My idea for this is that you have a choice. You can choose to stick to your EX idol, or you can retire your EX idol to work on a new one. :) The retirement thing is to keep the rewards balanced. When you see the rewards for having an idol, I believe you'll understand why there's a need to retire the old idol.
Promotion: Thank you again for your help too!
We love you too, have these rewards on us: