Zerg wrote: Thu Dec 02, 2021 2:34 pm
Dont feel like you need to make a return set for me. You can of course if you want to but if everyone makes return sets each time the game could quickly turn into the same people just making sets for each others, and others could be left out.
Yeah, I feel like that’s mostly true. And sometimes people drop out for weeks at a time. So, if you make a set expecting a return set from that player, you might not get one back for a long time. (Like PoetBird waiting 6 weeks to get a return set from me that STILL hasn’t come …

[Hopefully by the end of this weekend!

And *hopefully* worth the wait!?

])
I think the convention of making a return set for a set you receive is good, but maybe that should mostly apply to the first set … otherwise then yeah, you might just get two people trading sets back and forth … of course, if they both like writing sets for each other than that’s fine …
I think one of the important “features” of this thread is the update. That does a LOT to prevent what you’re talking about, Zerg. If one person gets busy writing sets, then they don’t get return sets, other players looking to craft a set can look at the update and say, “Oh, wow! so-in-so has a set imbalance … I better make one for him!”
I keep track of all sets I create and receive in a spreadsheet. I’m 1-1 on sets with BBBeanie and Helequin right now. I think that’s good. I think if I send either of them a set or they send one to me, they should NOT “label” it a “return set” because we’re back to parity. That would be like starting a “new transaction.” IMO, a “return set” should just be a response to a set exchange that someone initiated on you.
Now, the set I made for BBBeanie took a REALLY long time to make. I went SUPER OVERBOARD with it. Expecting him to dedicate the same amount of time to a return set that I put into my initial set would just be unreasonable. But, BBBeanie did a GREAT job with his return set. Even though it was shorter than the one I sent him, I didn’t mind. And then ALSO he did something SUPER clever … he gave his return set two endings.
By adding one extra scene, he doubled the replay value. So, in terms of playtime, the sets we made were comparable, because he got clever in his writing. And like you were saying Zerg, I wouldn’t want to lock BBBeanie down into feeling obligated to ONLY writing sets for me, so … I’m glad for how all of that turned out.
Now with Ecik and I, I just went CRAZY writing him sets … I got SUPER into the basement series and just REALLY enjoyed writing for that … So, our parity isn’t even yet, but that’s fine. I just like writing sets for Ecik. He REALLY gets into the story elements and really appreciates that I try to connect sets and do crossovers … then, he ALSO works to weave his sets into the plot lines for things I’ve written … I’m REALLY looking forward to the series he started for me, but there’s no rush on that, and since we’ve written a good number of sets for each other, at this point, the “return set” convention really doesn’t apply anymore. I’m sure I’ll get busy IRL and slow down writing sets giving him a chance to catch up … or maybe I just enjoy writing him sets and we never “go even” … but I understand that is a possibility the moment I start inundating him with sets!

But, I’m done with long series for a WHILE …
lmind just wrote me a great set. I sent him a “mini set” in response. I plan to “finish” the return set (build out 4-5 more scenes), but … after that, if he “initiates another set transaction” I probably won’t write him a return set—unless I want to and have a really cool idea—because I’d like to try writing sets for some other people. Bjorn and Chabo have been writing and receiving some great sets lately. The sets have been short, which I like, so, I have been playing along with some of those sets using my own rules. I’ll probably want to write sets for both of them at some point …
Anyway, that was long, but … I decided to NOT hide it in a spoiler because I think it is something people should read. Communication is important. I think it’s good we have conversations about these things in the thread just so we can work out an understanding with realistic expectations. It’s good to get everyone on the same page! Those are my thoughts about it. If anyone agrees or disagrees or has a different perspective, I’d be glad to read it!