Post by Stormslegacy on May 7, 2015 20:48:09 GMT -5
Please don't confuse these for rules, for those see the advertising rules. This is a general etiquette guide for what to expect for breeding.
TLDR: Have a plan in writing for who is paying what, who picks in what order, and whether you will pick by egg or revealed gryph. That plan will be as individual as the breeders involved. Picks don't have to be fair if everyone is on the same page.
So you want to breed a gryph. Here are some tips to take you step by step through any difficulties you encounter. Remember, this is a social game, so politeness is key! We also encourage treating breeding like a business transaction, you would be surprised how strong the emotions get when clutches are revealed. Having guidelines like this helps establish general expectations so that feathers don't get ruffled in the process. We are here to have fun first and foremost!
Finding a Mate and Negotiation
The person who proposes the breeding and submits it to Stormslegacy when the season opens is the "Breeding Representative." There is one other person allowed to be involved who can send payment and receive eggs, this is the "breeding partner." All other eggs are considered "third party" and are the responsibility of the breeders involved to sort out. I will cover that below.
Remember, a breeding is often a contract between two (or more!) parties. The person proposing and repping is the one that theoretically has the most control but in real life things are often not black and white. This is where having a written plan is ESSENTIAL, even between friends.
When someone asks for a stud fee, what they are saying is that for a fee someone else can use their gryph for a pairing. See the advertising forum for more info on how to price, etc. They can reject potential pairings. While they can certainly require rights to an egg as part of the fee, those rights are not automatic. It's not rude to propose a pairing in which one handler does not get an egg if they are compensated for the breeding. They can always say no.
Ideally, the person proposing suggests a pair, and may have stipulations about pick order etc. The other person negotiates what they feel is fair/necessary for them to go through with it and eventually everyone reaches an agreement. When stud fees are involved, that is part of the negotiation, some folks will wave them for a better pick, or even for a chance to pick at all!
The best place to find a mate is by checking the advertising section, or by posting a want ad. Remember, when you post a want ad, it's YOU who controls the breeding, but when you advertise a stud or dam, you are offering your gryph for others' projects. It's an important distinction. It is up to the representative to keep everyone on the same page, and has the ultimate say.
If using the registry, make sure that the owner of the gryph you are interested in wishes to be contacted about the gryph. There is a section on the gryph's profile that will say so. If the person isn't interested in contact then consider that gryph off limits.
If someone proposes a breeding between two gryphs they do not own, and they set it up and pay the fees *THEY* are the ones in control of the breeding. It *is* possible to be a third party of a breeding where your gryph is involved. The person repping the breeding gets to choose the second party. This can be open to negotiation of course! Make sure everyone is on the same page, otherwise the person repping the breeding is the one that gets to decide.
Just as with the real world NO means NO. People do not have to offer explanations for why they reject the pairing you propose or don't want to breed at all. Just move on to the next potential mate. Do not post complaints publicly, even if they are vague and don't contain names. No one likes whining.
Stud fees vary, but I recommend they be paid when the breeding has been accepted. Collect third party egg money at this time, as this is when Stormslegacy will accept payment.
Hatching Time! Handling Picks
Pick order should always be established at the time of the breeding, in writing. It is NEVER a good idea to wait until you see the eggs, because most people find they get attached to one or the other.
The absolute fairest way to establish pick order between two players is one gets first and last, and the other gets two and three. First pick is so important that it outweighs getting to pick the second egg. That said, there are many many variations, such as so-and-so gets first pick of dominant black but second otherwise, one gets first and third, etc. There is no wrong way to establish pick order, as long as everyone is on the same page in writing. Which brings us to the next point:
BREEDINGS DO NOT HAVE TO BE EQUAL OR FAIR.
In fact, it's the person that sets up the pair that has the rights to dictate the breeding. This is why we have stud fees and other means of compensating those involved. This can be hard to remember when you see those cute little hatchlings, so be forewarned! Whatever agreement you had before seeing them STILL STANDS.
If you are buying an "extra" egg from a breeding, make sure you understand where you are in the pick order. If you cannot handle having last pick then never join a breeding where your pick is last.
It's entirely personal preference whether to pick by eggs or by sight. If you are only looking for color, or you are trying to be fair as possible, eggs are an excellent way to go because both players have equal chance at getting most of the fun genes. Remember, sometimes surprises can pop up that you didn't expect.
I hope no one would need me saying this, but you cannot back out of a breeding because you do not like the result, or that things suddenly feel unfair.
Receiving your Gryph and "third parties"
Sometimes you are aiming for a recessive gene and would like as many in the clutch as possible to increase your chance of the gene popping up. In this case, you may offer the "extra" eggs before the breeding as "third party" eggs. Sometimes you might do it to help a newbie get a gryph or what have you. Any reason is fine.
Third parties are essentially buying eggs from other players. The rules for sales apply. The cost of a third party egg does not have to be the actual cost of the breeding, a breeding representative can charge however much they want for third-party eggs for whatever reason. Maybe it's to cover stud fees, or to keep the breeding hard to get. This fee MUST be known up front when the third party joins the breeding. Third party eggs are just like any sale or trade on the forum, once you commit you must go through with the transaction. Feedback can be left on the feedback boards.
Those arranging eggs for outsiders should ship the babies as soon as possible after their arrival.
TLDR: Have a plan in writing for who is paying what, who picks in what order, and whether you will pick by egg or revealed gryph. That plan will be as individual as the breeders involved. Picks don't have to be fair if everyone is on the same page.
So you want to breed a gryph. Here are some tips to take you step by step through any difficulties you encounter. Remember, this is a social game, so politeness is key! We also encourage treating breeding like a business transaction, you would be surprised how strong the emotions get when clutches are revealed. Having guidelines like this helps establish general expectations so that feathers don't get ruffled in the process. We are here to have fun first and foremost!
Finding a Mate and Negotiation
The person who proposes the breeding and submits it to Stormslegacy when the season opens is the "Breeding Representative." There is one other person allowed to be involved who can send payment and receive eggs, this is the "breeding partner." All other eggs are considered "third party" and are the responsibility of the breeders involved to sort out. I will cover that below.
Remember, a breeding is often a contract between two (or more!) parties. The person proposing and repping is the one that theoretically has the most control but in real life things are often not black and white. This is where having a written plan is ESSENTIAL, even between friends.
When someone asks for a stud fee, what they are saying is that for a fee someone else can use their gryph for a pairing. See the advertising forum for more info on how to price, etc. They can reject potential pairings. While they can certainly require rights to an egg as part of the fee, those rights are not automatic. It's not rude to propose a pairing in which one handler does not get an egg if they are compensated for the breeding. They can always say no.
Ideally, the person proposing suggests a pair, and may have stipulations about pick order etc. The other person negotiates what they feel is fair/necessary for them to go through with it and eventually everyone reaches an agreement. When stud fees are involved, that is part of the negotiation, some folks will wave them for a better pick, or even for a chance to pick at all!
The best place to find a mate is by checking the advertising section, or by posting a want ad. Remember, when you post a want ad, it's YOU who controls the breeding, but when you advertise a stud or dam, you are offering your gryph for others' projects. It's an important distinction. It is up to the representative to keep everyone on the same page, and has the ultimate say.
If using the registry, make sure that the owner of the gryph you are interested in wishes to be contacted about the gryph. There is a section on the gryph's profile that will say so. If the person isn't interested in contact then consider that gryph off limits.
If someone proposes a breeding between two gryphs they do not own, and they set it up and pay the fees *THEY* are the ones in control of the breeding. It *is* possible to be a third party of a breeding where your gryph is involved. The person repping the breeding gets to choose the second party. This can be open to negotiation of course! Make sure everyone is on the same page, otherwise the person repping the breeding is the one that gets to decide.
Just as with the real world NO means NO. People do not have to offer explanations for why they reject the pairing you propose or don't want to breed at all. Just move on to the next potential mate. Do not post complaints publicly, even if they are vague and don't contain names. No one likes whining.
Stud fees vary, but I recommend they be paid when the breeding has been accepted. Collect third party egg money at this time, as this is when Stormslegacy will accept payment.
Hatching Time! Handling Picks
Pick order should always be established at the time of the breeding, in writing. It is NEVER a good idea to wait until you see the eggs, because most people find they get attached to one or the other.
The absolute fairest way to establish pick order between two players is one gets first and last, and the other gets two and three. First pick is so important that it outweighs getting to pick the second egg. That said, there are many many variations, such as so-and-so gets first pick of dominant black but second otherwise, one gets first and third, etc. There is no wrong way to establish pick order, as long as everyone is on the same page in writing. Which brings us to the next point:
BREEDINGS DO NOT HAVE TO BE EQUAL OR FAIR.
In fact, it's the person that sets up the pair that has the rights to dictate the breeding. This is why we have stud fees and other means of compensating those involved. This can be hard to remember when you see those cute little hatchlings, so be forewarned! Whatever agreement you had before seeing them STILL STANDS.
If you are buying an "extra" egg from a breeding, make sure you understand where you are in the pick order. If you cannot handle having last pick then never join a breeding where your pick is last.
It's entirely personal preference whether to pick by eggs or by sight. If you are only looking for color, or you are trying to be fair as possible, eggs are an excellent way to go because both players have equal chance at getting most of the fun genes. Remember, sometimes surprises can pop up that you didn't expect.
I hope no one would need me saying this, but you cannot back out of a breeding because you do not like the result, or that things suddenly feel unfair.
Receiving your Gryph and "third parties"
Sometimes you are aiming for a recessive gene and would like as many in the clutch as possible to increase your chance of the gene popping up. In this case, you may offer the "extra" eggs before the breeding as "third party" eggs. Sometimes you might do it to help a newbie get a gryph or what have you. Any reason is fine.
Third parties are essentially buying eggs from other players. The rules for sales apply. The cost of a third party egg does not have to be the actual cost of the breeding, a breeding representative can charge however much they want for third-party eggs for whatever reason. Maybe it's to cover stud fees, or to keep the breeding hard to get. This fee MUST be known up front when the third party joins the breeding. Third party eggs are just like any sale or trade on the forum, once you commit you must go through with the transaction. Feedback can be left on the feedback boards.
Those arranging eggs for outsiders should ship the babies as soon as possible after their arrival.