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IDEALY it's a completed rp. Meaning whenever the rp comes to an end between you and another person (or persons). The word count idea is purely for instances of rps that go unfinished because of real life. A safety net if you will. The only true word count I've been trying to suggest is purely for Solos. Because PRPs really shouldn't be dictated by word counts in my opinion.

By doing it this way it makes it gives a clear goal toards ascension but also makes you work for that ascension. It's simple and easy. Just finish 20 PRPs and 8 solos.

I do also agree that there should be a limit to alicorn acquisitions? Maybe opening slots to a handful every month or two? Something implimented even if pegacorns are a thing. It really would help in keeping alicorns rare.

At the same time, RLC is literally putting money into the pockets of the shop owner. This is a common thing in shops- skip the roleplay and use money instead. I can't imagine the RLC cost for this would be anything less than prohibitive– but possibly instead of guaranteed growths for all children it's a set price per child that then ascends onto the lines and can only be done after... say, three months?

Meaning that those who do RP instead could feasibly attain it in a shorter timespan, while still giving people a reward for financially supporting Yushi/whichever members of staff Yushi allows to profit off of RLC in the future.

I for one would agree that 20rps and 8 solos is a lot, I'm not on Gaia as much as I used to be. So that is going to be a daunting task for anyone who has a life out of the net.

Okay, this is my proposal after reading over thoughts. While I can't get everyone within the proposal, as there's so many thoughts being given, I am trying to make the best I can for the most I can. Please be patient with me. Also - my partner works graveyard shift. I am not around during late morning or early evening, and I won't be for awhile. Please do not send me Discord messages or PM's to try and get me to respond here faster, that is very stressful to wake up to.

First, lowering RP requirements. My proposal is:

• Instead of working on a set number of RPs, we do an ascension RP system, similar to our current standard RP system. You will need 20 points. PRPs/Solo's give you 1 point per every 1,000 words you typed. Meta's give you 1 point per every 500 (this is to encourage entering Meta's when we do them, as they'll be shop influential and good periods to grow your characters). Other events that allow RP in them and are labeled (you can include these for RP/Ascension RPs) will count for 500 words as well (to encourage participation). You will see us note this within the rules of a game if this is allowed!


Secondly, limiting ascension slots:

• Ideally, once a month we'll open ascension slots. People who have completed their RPs will enter a form with their points posted and links to the RPs they used to get them. You will have the same amount of raffle tickets as your points. Yes, you can get MORE points than 20 if you decide to continue working on your Alicorn, making you have higher standing in the raffle. I want to reward RP when I can. If we skip a month or two, we will open more slots when we DO open ascension raffles. Ideally, there will be one/two ascensions a month.
  
• Making it that when you win an ascension, you cannot enter the raffle for 2 months.
  
• Allowing ascensions to Meta RPers who used a Pegicorn in a significant way that altered the direction of the Meta. Meta's will have unique prizes given out depending on the activity level of some players.


RLC:

• As Ishda mentioned, this does fund me. This shop is my only means of income, and sometimes RLC has saved my ability to feed my cats or even feed my partner and I, as all HIS money goes to rent. I would like to keep the option open for RLC to allow ascensions for one main reason; For those who cannot RP, it's nice to have an option they might be able to actually afford. Owning another shop has made me hear a lot of 'you need options for all kinds of people', and I've heard a lot of people say RP isn't something they can, but RLC can, and how they wish they could do RLC options in that other shop. As a result, I'd like to keep an option open for MFS, with limitations.
  
• You can only purchase ONE ascension through RLC means (either a Pegicorn growing or an already fully ascended Alicorn). Once you do, you're on a 2 month cooldown here, too.
  
• Breedings that automatically go onto ascension lines will not be allowed, to prevent people from using RLC as a method to get several ascended lines immediately.


How does this feel for people?

To be honest, I don't know how I feel about it. Because I understand that this is a means of making money for you and honestly, that isn't a problem for me. The issue I kind of struggle with is the fact you want to keep Alicorns rare but you don't want to limit the RLC slots for them? And then you aren't going to remove the ability to RLC ascension?

There is no way that doesn't end up with still MORE alicorns.

Like I feel like if you open only a couple slots for alicorns a month it wouldn't be that much of an issue? Not to mention you can always do emergency alicorn slots when it comes up. Beyond that your RLC slots for other breeds could remain open all the time.

I just. Almost feel like, unless you have the means to buy an Alicorn, or some how end up gifted one in some way, then there's no real means to obtain one for those who don't have the funds.

And in the end this is really my biggest issue with what feels like a final decision.

I'll start with what I like. I like the use of the preexisting rp system as the system that is used for ascension points.

Now onto my reasons for why I don't agree with the other things being proposed, and a counter proposal to them.

Alicorns even if they are meant to be rare will eventually no longer be rare no matter the kinds of limits we put towards it. Eventually there will be a large number of them made, and the people who can afford them even if there are limits to how many they can purchase in so many months are the ones Alicorns counts will still end up favoring. I'm okay with that because the more availability people to purchase Alicorns each month more likely those people will be spending money to gift an Alicorn away to those who might have few to none. If they only have one slot every two months to commission one why would they spend that slot on anyone but themselves? I think by putting limits on Alicorns we are keeping them away from the people who already have the least opportunities to obtain them in the first place while still putting those who have the cash to afford one every couple months ahead of everyone else.

I see pegicorns as a way to make things more fair for non RLC customers. They are more likely to be gifted, they can more easily be given away in raffles, and events to keep Alicorn special because it takes time and effort to ascend Pegicorns into an Alicorn regardless. Pegicorns I think are the superior solution as opposed to limiting the amount of Alicorns we can commission because it's the fun and exciting option. Decisions should not limit the amount of fun, fulfillment, or joy customers are having in the shop and it should definitely not be taking away from your possible income that you would receive through Alicorn purchases. To even make up for the loss of income you would have to complete 5 semi customs, and that's if buyers are willing to instead purchase anything else because they can no longer purchase the thing they actually wanted to buy.

Furthermore if I'm going to put the effort into the roleplay to ascend my Pegicorn into an Alicorn the most frustrating thing would be to have to wait on and hope on a raffle. That would increase my frustrations tenfold and frankly I think I wouldn't have any interests in ascending Pegicorns at all if there was a chance that I couldn't ascend them after I put in all that hard effort. Pegicorns are an exciting idea because of the roleplay involved with them. It's not just about recieving the Alicorn lines, but about the build up towards it. The journey our character's take on their path. So if Alicorns are going to become less rare as is lets go with the options that will leave people with the most positive feelings, motivations, and the less frustration.

The vast majority of ponies being made are not Alicorns and even though there is over 200 hundred ponies already made and about thirty of those are Alicorns I think with time Alicorns will become an even lesser percentage of the pony population than they already are. People are buying a large amount of them now to start with because of the initial excitement from the shop opening. Give it time and I think the number of Alicorn commissions by the same people will drop significantly.

Alicorns are meant to be rare, but no matter what there numbers will increase, in comparison to the amounts of other races of ponies in the shop I don't know how rare they will stay, but I predict the percentage will continue to lower in time. Part of what keeps them special is how we view them, and how ponies treat them in a roleplay setting. No matter how many Alicorns are prancing around in the roleplay world they canonically will still be considered rare.

We should put limits in place. Pegicorns in and of themselves are a limit, and raffles to see who's Pegicorns will be made into Alicorns after customers already put in all the work to have them ascend is not fair, promotes disinters, and creates frustration and only serves to put a limit on a limit. Along with limiting the number of Alicorn purchases to one every couple to few months will also hinder people's generosity and takes away from funds that would otherwise be in Yushi's pockets.

I proposed this before but I think there should be a limit to how many Pegicorns you can ascend a month either 1 or 2 if Pegicorn commissions are open, and that Pegicorns have to wait a least a month upon drop date to ascend, and maybe that they can't breed even after they've ascended for another month. Alicorns themselves should continue to only be able to breed once a month, but only after they've waited a month after their drop date as well.

How about just having Pegicorn ascensions be open every once in a while and everyone who's completed their ascension roleplays can put up to two Pegicorns in for ascension at a time and that everyone who's completed those roleplays will have those Pegicorns ascended. That's a manual way of limiting Pegicorn ascensions by only having them be open at your discretion. If you still wanted to do raffle slots have those as a luck base option as you've already described to cater to those who don't have time to roleplay, and don't have the money to RLC them, but don't make that the main way for ascension to occur it's not fair for the people who put in the time to roleplay.

It didn't even occur to me that the number of Alicorns was a problem until this discussion came up, and the only problem I saw in relation to Alicorns beforehand is that people who can't afford them don't have a way to access them. I think Pegicorns are the major solution to that as well. It's a way of giving people Alicorns that aren't really Alicorns until they put the effort into it.

Everyone calls me that and I think it's great. Don't worry about it.