Wednesday, February 25, 2009

A cuppa' hatorade.

Grid-Wide hunts...


E-N-O-U-G-H

No, seriously. One GW hunt is enough, but multiple?
Cut it out -.-

Especially when we all have like 100+ shitty items to delete before the next hunt. This is a tip to GW hunt organizers or participants... your items should represent your best, not your worst, least likely to sell, or old ass freebies, nuffff already!




K, no more hate. We really love, lately things just seem to be hate-worthy? Have a beaut' of a day.

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

I enjoy the Grid-wide hunts...one at a time. It's exciting to me to have the opportunity to find new stores to love.

On the other hand, I get so annoyed when I land in a store that I can tell immediately has nothing I want and I still have to spend 15+ min looking for the prize just to move on. No offense to the designers who participate, but not everyone is going to have what appeals to my taste.

Anyway, a good solution would be to make the next landmark available at the front of the store in case you want to skip the prize and move to the next store.

Anonymous said...

Oh I second this SO much. I really do love doing the hunts... but what I hate is having to delete about 85% of the stuff because someone threw in random junk. What I REALLY hate are the people that actually put in the freebies that you can find on newbie islands and such. How do they expect to get any repeat business if they do that?

The few stores on the hunts that gave out really good gifts, I've kept their LMs and gone back and bought stuff from, because I was impressed with not only their work, but their generosity.

Prudence said...

I love the hunts, love the gifts, love being able to see stores I never knew existed.

HATE sorting through 200+ items to delete the majority of it.

Next month there are going to be multiple GW hunts going on at once, and uh.. pass. >.<

Alexx Usbourne said...

I gree with you...but I guess it's an odds game. Some stuff you'll like, other stuff you won't. But, I do agree that if you're going to put something into it, let it be something that represents you. I returned to Cluster (I actually got that kiss opened!) and LOVED the things that were in the kiss & went back last night & shopped! They are definitely on my MUST RETURN AGAIN list! I wouldn't have known of them if not for the hunt. (I loved the sad Valentine animation & the diary animation!)

Prudence said...

I love Cluster, they have a load of freebies, cheapies, and a LC. Their prices are great for what creative stuff they sell.

okrebecca said...

how about the "stores" that give out freebies that aren't even theirs. i'd love to see the perms on some of these items in their "owners" inventory. *coughs loudly*

Terry Toland said...

As I mentioned on the Striking Poses site, it would be nice if people would do something original or perhaps just give us a damn break. It's one thing if stores have their own freebies, but the thing about gridwide is that they're GRID-WIDE and difficult to escape, so even if you don't want to participate, it's still in your face. And depending on what mood you're it in, it can be a rather mocking thing, even though that's not the original intention.

How about instead of a grid-wide hunt, different stores offer inventory sorting parties on different days? Then the store owners could offer special chair camping prizes and stuff as incentive, and people could talk n' swap.

Dunneh said...

I don't even do grid wide hunts anymore, not after the peace on earth hunt where I deleted half of it.

I haven't got the time to collect crap =X I rely on lovely freebie bloggers like you girls, to sort that crap for me. xD and then I go get what I like. And I am eternally greatful for that. <3~ Sankyuu! :DDDD

Anonymous said...

I agree with so many of the above statements and comments!

You'd really think they would want to advertise by giving something of QUALITY as a hunt prize. And this may sound harsh, but I think some of these hunt coordinators need to have some much better standards and stricter requirements when adding stores to grid wide hunts.

Another grid wide hunt peeve of mine is receiving multiple group invites from a store that's participating after I've gotten their prize. 1 invite would be one thing, but several?!

Man, I could write a novel on my love/hate relationship with grid wide hunts.

Mashimaro Oh said...

well as a ''store owner's view'' (yay! i can say that now :P) for new stores like mine grid wide hunts are the best way to advertize. the day that i got accepted to one of grid wide hunt i was making a prize already. I worked hard on it and hope people like it but then again, since it's a posing tool it'll be as useful as a sack o' shit to those who doesn't take pictures in sl.

i've done previous hunts those i end up deleting 80-90% of prizes. and i do know how frustrating it is when i go to the store to find a prize knowing i won't be using or wont like but to find that item takes AGES! that's why i put mine with a big FAT red arrow pointing at it in the middle of the store.

yes hunters complain about BIAB quality prizes and that's why there are some hunt organizers who goes thru applications and check each stores and accept or reject them, and rejected store owners talk shit about organizers.

so the point i'm trying to make? i forgot >.<

finding the filth said...

as both a hunter & a vendor i totally agree with you ladies on the quality issue.

i spent all day yesterday sorting through hunt stuff, deleted more than 2000 items & am still no where near through sorting :P

it's because of this that i tried my damnedest to make the best gifts i could think of for the hunts - stuff that, as a hunter, i would want to keep. and judging by the boom in subscribership , publicity & business, it's paid off.

as both a hunter & a vendor i have another gripe: grid wide hunt prizes should be really easy to find!

with 200+ locations to hit, i find it arrogant that some vendors hid their gifts in ridiculously impossible locations. as hunter, i would have abandoned the hunts if i didn't have my object scanner HUD. and as a vendor, i'm pissed because many hunters did abandon the hunts before they could get to my shop. it's just not fair to the rest of us & i think it should be discouraged by organizers.

Wrenja said...

I totally appreciate the organizers that screen. With hunts like the Vain hunt, there is air air that seems to me should be maintained. Their magazine is supposed to represent quality and some kind of 'lush' SL living, but then we were going to some of the strangest and most ridiculous places, and I was kind of confused and annoyed.

Its shit like that, that makes me grab a cheat sheet. Not so much to 'cheat' per say, but when I get to a store I want nothing to do with, I can just hop to the next one and be on my way.

Anonymous said...

Hear hear. I'm still not done sorting through the majority of items from the Kiss Hunt, and I've thrown most away because it was all holiday centered. What good is an item if you can only use it 1 day a year?

Though, I must say, I'm eager to participate in the Twisted Hunt set to run in March. Hopefully that one won't disappoint. -_o

Vasha Martinek said...

Being someone who is participating in a hunt currently AND organizing one... in addition to having gone on a few in the past... I have a different perspective on some of these things.

First - let me say that I can't defend people throwing in noob-island freebies. That's just ugh.

But beyond that... some of the attitudes about hunts are a kind of amazing to me. :/

Creators make what they make - what interests them, or what they are good at - but some hunters seem to think that stores in a hunt should only appeal to them personally, and take it as a personal offense when they don't. Never mind the hundreds or thousands of other people on the hunt it DOES appeal to... if it doesn't appeal to them personally, it's offensive.

Many hunters also seem to think that they are entitled to hunt gifts. It isn't a fun game that merchants have created for them to play with prizes whose collective values is tens of thousands of lindens - it's an obstacle to the free merchandise we owe them. This, more than anything, is disheartening; it means our efforts are not at all appreciated.

It is no small amount of work to organize a hunt - and while a vast number of the merchants are as supportive, contributory, and helpful as they can be, there are some who make it harder. Teleporting to hundreds of locations to verify hunt application information, keeping up with changing main store locations, creating hundreds of little 'eggs' named in the way most useful to hunters and hundreds of landmarks to go in them named the same... supporting that many merchants through the vagaries of SL (like it eating their eggs, breaking their eggs for no apparent reason, etc.)... and working to make it as much fun for the hunters as possible is no small amount of work. I probably have over 80 hours of work in organizing the Twisted Hunt so far - and that's just me. It doesn't include my partner's time, or the time I'll spend creating a hunt gift, or the time I'll spend fielding questions from hunters once it actually begins. It doesn't include the hours over one hundred merchants have spent and will spend making hunt gifts and hiding them. And no one working on this hunt is paid a single linden for it - we chose to organize this hunt to create a fun challenge for SL'ers who enjoy them, with some lovely prizes for meeting the challenges. Sure, there's the promise of traffic for merchants - but there are FAR easier ways to get traffic, with far fewer headaches. In the end - most of the merchants I've spoken to are excited to contribute to the game of it, and excited to create a unique prize for hunters. Many of the merchants in the Twisted Hunt have expressed that they will be creating a brand new item that you will either never be able to buy or won't be able to buy until the hunt is over (and most of them are the former, not the latter).

When I put that excitement and purity of purpose (to create something fun and rewarding for others) the merchants express next to the attitudes of hunters - many of whom are annoyed at actually having to look for their free merchandise, offended that people didn't work harder to give them free stuff, and put off
by having to exist alongside such a game even if they don't want to participate - I begin to wonder why the merchants do it, really. And I am impressed and encouraged by those who do continue to make the effort - despite long hours spent in notecards, IMs, and blogs letting them know just how little their generous intentions and hard work are appreciated.

Are there some shady merchants who participate in hunts? Absolutely. Do some 'merchants' rook hunters with freebie junk or substandard work - thereby insulting the hunter? You betcha. And I am right there with you - SUCK. But I can say from experience now that most of the people who create things for a hunt are excited to be involved, happy to give, and eager to create something cool for other people. Because at their core, that is the nature of a designer - they use their talent for creation to enhance the lives of others. Sure, many make a living at it - but I'm guessing that no one here begrudges them being able to eat. Sometimes I wonder if people realize how many people are paying real bills with their SL job - and how many creators' only source of income is SL. Mortgages are paid, children are fed, electricity stays on - just like any other paycheck is used for.

Personally, I suggest that anyone who is not happy with hunts not go on them. If you prefer to show up and get your free merchandise with no 'hassle' - Dunneh has the ideal solution. This blog is an excellent source for learning about great freebies that talented people have created.

But if you do go on them... maybe... realize that a lot of people worked very hard for you to have something interesting to do, and nice prizes to have.

Personally, I believe there ARE appreciative people out there - who are not offended by the idea of having to hunt a little for the loot... who appreciate that creators are giving away something they could easily have sold instead (and in some cases never will sell, just to make the prize that much cooler)... who enjoy the games that others spend hours creating for them... and who are not offended by the idea of someone putting forth their best creative effort (even if that effort isn't up to their personal standards). This isn't the first hunt I've been involved in (though it's the first I've worked to organize) - and every time I get an IM from a hunter just to say thank you... it makes me smile.

That's part of the reason I endeavored to organize a hunt; because I believe that some people will enjoy and appreciate it. And because I believe that a vast segment of the SL population - designers and hunters alike - have been sorely under-served by other hunts, since many creators of... well, twisted... stuff are repeatedly turned away from shinier happier hunts.

I'm not targeting anyone from this comment thread personally or directly; this isn't the first place I've heard these or even less kind attitudes expressed. Indeed, I have seen just awful displays of a complete lack of gratitude or appreciation - things that were just shameful to read; things I was actually embarrassed to witness. I suppose it just seemed responsible to present the other side of this coin - because for every crap human being who insults hunters by suggesting they should be happy with freebie-island crap as a reward... there are many, many, many more who truly are just trying to do something nice for others.

~V

Sileny said...

I don't like most gridwide hunts simply because I am lazy :P But I do appreciate the effort of anyone who doesn't put in biab items, even if I don't keep them.

I am, in other news, EXTREMELY excited about the bunny hop and twisted hunts. Those hunts look like they are going to rock!

Vasha Martinek said...

oooo I hope so. All the twisted merchants were in group chat for a couple hours yesterday chatting, and they're all sooo excited! Setting up flickr groups, helping one other take nice pictures. I can't wait! (Even if I am drowning in egg hell, haha) <3

Anonymous said...

There's Bunny Hop hunt organizer bashing going on at Greatest Love vendor's group. I feel sorry for the bunny hop organizer who is working really hard to have only stores with good quality items, just so people don't waste time deleting crap.

[14:22] RA: 90% of this group be we small or larger vendors were 'not good enough' for the bunny hop one

[14:20] AK: i wonder what sense it makes to offer a grid wide hunt then reject most that want to join

This is exactly why most hunt organizer accept every joe shmoe those with crap shops with crap gifts.

Anonymous said...

While I participate on many hunts and normally appreciate most of the effort. There will always be a lack of effort on everyone's part (hunters, creators, organizers) and that can really bring down a hunt.

While I think everyone is entitled to their opinion, people also don't need to flip out if a couple people don't like an item. For example, there are people out there who don't like hunts for one reason or another. Should you really let it get to you? Probably not.

But I can definitely understand the over saturation going on with these grid wide hunts. It would be nice if more creativity went on besides 'oh lets just do a grid wide hunt'.

I can really respect the hunts that say Sanu or BareRose does because even though some may seem short, you can really tell the thought out creativity either put into the items or the stories they have to go along with it.

Now does everyone need a story or whatever to make their hunt good? No way. But making something your own, or 'jazzing' it up a little bit or 'thinking outside the box' really couldn't hurt. I think that's what a lot of these are lacking.

But meh that's just my two cents. XP

Anonymous said...

I like to think that creators put their all into hunt gifts. Unfortunately, it seems like so many are specialty items (holiday stuff, or in the case of POE, flag themed items no one will wear much). But that's the theme and I can't really complain about it I guess.

I do wholeheartedly agree that 1) hunt itelms should not be tiny or hidden anywhere on an entire sim without clues and 2) there should be some sort of master list of LMs for every hunt so we can bypass those we can't find, those that are missing, or those we just don't have use for *cough*furniture*cough*. I know a lot of people quit Vain/GL early because stores hid the box so well or just didn't even have one out at all. I don't understand why vendors join and then don't participate! A crap prize is better than a gap in the hunt...

Prudence said...

Oi, didn't mean to start something here.

I definitely can appreciate the hard work that goes into hunts on the parts of organizers and creators alike. However, I personally feel that some organizers, and I wont name names, simply sent out NC's saying "Hey do this, let's have a grid wide hunt too" and let it go after that.

I adore seeing new stores and varieties in creations or I wouldn't bother even collecting the vast amount of items on a hunt. I do. I do in pulses, and sort later because I want to be able to see what hidden treasures are on the grid.

At the same time, when over half of the hunt is store owners putting recolored dollarbies or universal freebies in their boxes it makes me kind of frustrated. Sure, I made the choice to go through and gather things on a hunt, as I was optimistic to see what would be out there and see new places, and yet.. the organizer and creators didn't put in the effort to make it be a worthy thing in the end. Mind you, I'm not even talking about personal taste at the moment. In general I think we can all say something like System Shoes is a no-go.. as an example. (If you wear system shoes...... righto.)

If someone is going to put in the effort of organizing something that is so public as a grid wide hunt, it's almost expected that it be something planned out, and worthy of such public attention. Not a whole lot of BIAB resellers tossing about turds. =/

I'm not saying items in such hunts should be the best you have to sell from your store, but if you are putting out an item, or a box of items, in a hunt that every single person on the grid could very well participate in, it should be an innate goal of you to put out something that will dazzle people who never even knew you existed, and draw them in to show them "Hey, I am a good creator, and I have a good store, I hope you come back."

Alas, the majority of what people put out are duds. I know a few creators who have been involved in hunts, and some have expressed nothing but sheer excitement and hard work for what they created, and IT SHOWS. While a few have simply disappointed me with how "I'm too busy, I'm just putting __________ out in another color." or "I don't have time, I have so many things to do so I just made a (insert any basic things here)."


If you didn't have the time to put effort into your product that thousands of people will be obtaining in a short period of time, why did you even sign up? Status isn't shit if you don't have something to back it up..



Vasha, your argument was so well said, thank you for commenting on this post in total honesty. I personally feel your hunt wont fall under my disappointing statements above, because I feel unlike some organizers, you put more passion and thought into what you are doing, where as some of the more recent hunts have been done solely on the basis of "I can" and for a vote of status.

We all look forward to Twisted.