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What do coop leaders look for in an applicant?
As a guild leader, I am mainly looking for someone who is friendly and likes to have fun. I look for people who play as often as they can for as long as they can, but at least once a week for a 2-hour period. I look for people who answer the letters I send to them when they apply to MRA. It is only polite. Basically I ask 3 or 4 very important questions...where do you live? Why...because I know in our guild we are mainly from one part of the US and thus play in the same time zone. This is important if you are in a small guild, otherwise there is no one to talk to or play with when you want to play. You must remember, small cooperative may only have 5 members...or in our case, 9. So, yes we want playmates
If you do really want to join a cooperative and not get kicked out (at least by me), before you apply, PLEASE learn how to chat and have to receive, read, reply and send email messages. If you don't know how to do any of these, PLEASE ask me or someone like Kat or Latten! Kat and Latten really know the game...I'm just a beginner like you! But I've learned alot in the short time I've been playing.
I hope you do want to join a cooperative, whether it be mine or someone else's because it will greatly add to your enjoyment of the game!
Love,
Hayseed Lil
Comments
Love,
Hayseed Lil
I really don't know, Jess. I just thought this was a good spot for it.
Love,
Hayseed Lil
Post edited by Kat Nip: Merged posts, please use the edit button
Kat.
Communication. I do also send a list of 5 or 6 questions (I want to know where they live, since I am on the International server and we get people from all around the world, so it would be nice to know when I can expect them online. I would also like to know gender and age, not because I reject you when you have a certain gender or age, but it is nice to know how to address you! For elderly people, when they seem to be a bit slower understanding, I take some more time and I know why it may take a bit longer. For children I would use easier language and avoid jargon. And referring to someone it is nice to know whether I need to say he or she
Originality: If you write an application, do not leave the standard message there (nor something like it - yes, you took the time to change the message, but it is not really original is it
Activity: Be online at least every day. I do not like to see orange dots (longer than 2 days offline). If you have served the co-op well and land on an orange dot, I may wait until it turns red - unless I know the reason of your absence. If you have just joined and land on an orange dot fast after joining, again unless I know the reason, that may mean an instant kick. Logging in daily is important to not miss any researches and to get your daily log-in bonus which makes it a bit easier to keep running your farm.
Those are the main points I think are very important for an applicant to join our co-op
I hope that other cooperative leaders will continue to post what they look for in applicants here. Great discussion everyone! Thank you!
Love,
Hayseed Lil
Did you really mean Latten or Larino? Because that is a huge different
Love,
Hayseed Lil
Hahaha, well thank you ^^ Appreciate it.
adjective
1. working or acting together willingly for a common purpose or benefit.
noun
2. a jointly owned enterprise engaging in the production or distribution of goods or the supplying of services, operated by its members for their mutual benefit, typically organized by consumers or farmers.
I assume that in other languages, the word used for cooperative, has the same meaning as above, so whomever, on whatever server, plays this game, should realize that something is required on their part if they join a cooperative. Am I wrong to assume this?
Love,
Hayseed Lil
Though many people do not realize what a co-op is or do not want to realize that. The task to join a co-op comes in way too early (level 6) and offers a huge price (gold). No wonder newbies try to join a co-op asap to be able to blow that gold on skipping production times or other things not to spend your first gold on. (I see Montuos thought the same :P)
Main cause? Ignorance. They simply try something out, find out it does not work or find out later they better had not done that back then. How did I learn how this game works? Trial and error. Did I blow gold on things I shouldn't have? Yes I did. Did I start up a co-op not knowing what I was getting into? Yes I did.
I even started my own co-op because I was shy and did not want to have anything to do with cooperating - but hey, I wanted that task to complete and I wanted that gold. It was only when I got applications that I started leaning in a bit and decided to allow them in. My first deputy (automatically set because he was my first member) started the corn project and disappeared, leaving me to finish it on my own (which caused me to complain to my friend a lot and be quite unhappy because I also had homework to do). First lesson learned. One of my next members only spoke Portuguese, but he begged me if he could join and so I allowed him, to find out not much later that the language barrier was a real problem and he quit playing the game soon after as well (which also caused me to complain to my friend). Second lesson learned. Then my friend stepped into the game, willing to help me out (being a true gamer and having much more experience than I). He told me we needed major changes if we wanted that co-op to work out, so we removed orange dots and set up a system to have more success recruiting.
That cooperation (there is that word again :P ) between the two of us was what makes co-op Larino the co-op it is today. And how do I know so much about it? Through experience and reading. I read many threads on the forums and the answers other people gave and all stored it on the hard drive called 'my brain' for later use. So what is important to learn how this game works and not make the same mistakes we did? Make use of the knowledge of all the experienced farmers on these forums, read up upon subjects you do not understand yet and most of all, be pro-active. If you are not, a co-op is not for you. Non-communication and non-participation together are the recipe for being kicked out time after time.
Montuos, as you say, one of my biggest challenges with newer players is that a farmer doesn't have to immediately complete all tasks that pop up. I have carried tasks for a long time before and still do. I will do an upgrade when it best suits my farm. So, when I get that application from a newer farmer that says "I need to join a coop", it is almost always immediately rejected.
Someone must "want" to join a cooperative. I had someone join who said that they didn't know if they would like it or not and just wanted to see what being in a cooperative was about. They were honest, so, I let them in.
So, back to topic, I think what I look for is more openness and honesty. I take that into consideration above the farmer's level even.
Well, you realizing that already indicates that you are a serious member and I do not know which kind of message you sent in your application which got you into the co-op, but it seems like you're a good one for the co-op you are in.
Right now it may seem like you cannot do much, but every little bit helps. Some tips I can give: sign up as a researcher for the research they ask you to before donating to the co-op accounts. The higher levels can donate a bit more if you do not have enough money, but they cannot sign up in your place (unless they use gold). And try to help in projects as well as you can by trying to produce as much of the needed product as possible.
Newbies can be a great asset to a co-op - if you spend time learning and helping out where you can, they will spend time guiding you and advising to build up your farm well. The researches that were already finished will give you a dollar boost, so that will help you to gain the dollars needed to build on your farm much faster.
Have fun in the co-op and if you have any questions or need any advice you feel the co-op cannot provide, just ask me or any other awesome forum person - everybody is very willing to help ^^
Love,
Hayseed Lil
My question, after reading your post is this...do you think it would help the game if they didn't have the coop task until level 16 or perhaps even level 20? Do you think the powers that be would be agreeable to this or would it be a waste of time approaching them? Perhaps, what should happen first is a general chat system to get people used to chatting? I know that would be a pain to revamp into two different types of chat...a general chat and a guild chat, but I also know it can and has been done. Not being computer savvy, I don't know what would be involved. Or perhaps leave well-enough alone
Love,
Hayseed Lil
Love,
Hayseed Lil
1. Chat in the coop chat. If you don't know how...let me know and I'd be more than happy to help you learn!
2. Respond to in-game emails that your fellow coop members send to you, especially if it is from the coop leader.
3. Don't be afraid to help when the coop has projects or research scheduled. Email your leader and ask how he/she let's people know when such things happen and if there is a set day or time.
4. Cheer people on in chat.
5. Do your tasks to keep your own levels up and play as often as possible.
6. Ask you leader if there are things you are expected to do? How often are you expected to play? How much money are you expected to donate to the coop and how often?
7. Ask what you can do to help
If I miss my guess, in no time you will be on the "A List" of your guild. Also, ask if there is a website you need to check out from day-to-day or from time-to-time
Keep in touch with me to let me know how you are doing! I'd love to hear your progress and hear how much fun you are having in the game!!!
Love,
Hayseed Lil
Can I do anything to help your coop let people know that they are looking for newbies?
Love,
Hayseed Lil
Researcher costs are calibrated to player level, so any player can contribute that part to any cooperative. If you were lucky enough to join a coop like rie22's, don't worry — purchasing researchers is valuable to the coop! The problem comes in when new players seek out the benefits of high-level coops that have already done tons of research, but at those levels the cost to start new researches and the number of collectibles needed for projects and the amounts that must be produced to complete projects are simply impossible for a small farm.
One facet we haven't touched on yet in this discussion is level-appropriate cooperative. Low-level players and low-level coops can grow up together just fine. The cost to start researches is lower, and the production amounts and collectibles for low-level projects are well within reach for low-level players too. You don't start with all the great benefits, but you are perfectly able to earn them as you go along.
I don't actually follow the Suggestions, praise and criticism section of the forum, so I don't know whether it has ever been formally suggested as something to change, but it has been brought up in discussions numerous times.
It would, and it wouldn't. This is something that I tend not to think about very often, being an introvert, but the coop is absolutely the only thing Big Farm has for people who want to interact with others. The vast majority of gamers don't inhabit forums; they're just there to play, so anything that's not actually in the game doesn't matter. One of the things that attracted me to Big Farm as I ran in horror from some of the forced interactions of [dang it; I think we're not supposed to name other games here] was the perfect self-sufficiency, but for gregarious people, that's actually a down side. So for that reason, having coops early on is a Good Thing.
As you say, the capability exists. However, I don't know yet whether GGS has actually finally completely fixed a longstanding bug where not everyone received chats, and until I had some assurance of that, I would not care to suggest it...
Let me guess: 3 level 3 houses? It's a catalog. It's a wishlist. It's not a To-Do list! And if you built a cherry orchard at level 16 without enough fertilizer to run it at least once a day, demolish that sucker! ;D
Oh, that's not actually a problem; you still get some farm dollars even if you come in dead last. Some people even enter missions they expect to sleep through on purpose for exactly that reason! In fact, if you're lucky enough to get in a mission where all the players are sleepers, you all tie for first! Everybody wins! ;D
Please, montuos, go now to read the Criticism/Praise thread....look for the one I just began a little while ago...you are mentioned
Love,
Hayseed Lil
And as long as you are actually running that cherry orchard, it's fine; it's it's just idle ones that are a complete waste of space. And I won't tell you how long I kept my cherries while just barely managing to run them only overnight...but as you say, they're pretty, and I adore cherries...besides, now they're necessary for a couple of the events...and yes, it totally makes sense to have them once you can finally buy the gourmet farm 9 levels later on, at which point if you still don't have enough fertilizer to run them, you've got far worse problems to worry about!
I think it is important to be upfront with the co-op on what kind of player you are. There are some that expect you to be on a lot and if can't do this then be honest and find a co-op that is more laid back on the time put in. There are some that expect you to contribute gold, if you can't, be upfront about it. Again there are co-ops out there that don't expect gold.
I find the big thing is not contributing to research. This is a biggie in most co-ops. Even if you aren't a player that is on a lot there is no reason you can't check in daily to see if you are needed for this, or when the current one is ending and how much dollars you are going to need for the next one. Our leader posts the next research in our news so that you can see what one we are doing next. There really is no excuse for not contributing to this unless you are on vacation.
Tell the co-op honestly what kind of co-op you are looking for and if you are a extreme, middle or slower player. In fact they can probably even point you in the direction of a co-op that might fit your needs.
It is all about communication.
I like your comment that your leader posts in the news about upcoming projects and research. I try to do that also. In addition, we have a website where I post the projects, etc. on a monthly calendar, which I will be doing more as we are still in our infancy. I do wish they would allow us to have longer news posts. That way I could give more information in one spot. I know my members would appreciate that
Love,
Hayseed Lil
Yes it does help to have the research posted, we kind of just start projects whenever and go with the flow. We always seem to get them done on time.
Each co-op is unique it is just a matter of finding one that works for the way you play.
Mjup, exactly that
About the suggestion of starting the co-op task in a later level, yes I definitely think that would help. It has been mentioned here and there, but as Montuos said, I have no clue whether it has ever been a real serious suggestion and then again, I also have no clue whether GGS has ever even though about changing that.
But why do I think it would help? Well, you can get to level 6 in one day. Even higher in level - about level 16 is easily made within a day. Next day? I have no proof, but it feels like 80% of the new accounts have already forgotten about the game. Why do I think that? Well, about 80% that joins my training co-op gets kicked 2 days later because they haven't logged in ever since they sent that application. 18% does log in but does not say a word - are they shy, are they indifferent, are they ignorant, I do not know - they usually get kicked after 5 days or a bit longer if the co-op does not fill up in the meantime with the message to look for the co-ops mentioned in the on the news page and please leave or get kicked. And yes, 2% is left, or maybe it is rather 19% against 1% and those are real treasures. They chat, they like the game, they have the intention of growing, learning and staying and they are usually successfully placed in a co-op or look a good one up themselves.
Because I run the training co-ops on a help yourself basis, I simply let people in and only come to action when I get questions. I send them the tutorial, which should explain everything they need, I got the feeling that most of them do not read it. Why wouldn't they? Partly because they are not interested and partly because they cannot select the text in the message and copy paste it in a new tab! Yes, really, I do think that is one real problem. What did I do to fix that? I posted the initial link - bigfarmtips.wordpress.com - and added they should go to FAQ and then Training co-op basics tutorial (2nd link). That instead of giving the full direct link to the tutorial. Why? Because the initial link is easier to type over. But I guess the world is too lazy to even do something simple as that :P *sigh* Having typed all this, I am happy I implemented the help yourself mode instead of the I will run after you and probably never catch you mode. I do wish the training co-ops would have better results, but I guess pro-activity is not human nature and I also know that I have kept several co-ops from having some of these one day flies in their co-op and feeling the frustration from kicking them after 2 days again.