Bristol

We have discussed this before and we have indicated we are all in favor of subsidizing Bristol/
In that we have bought 2 corn from Bristol for 600 pounds each sending Bristol 1200 pounds to keep the city functioning. I hope there are no objections to this.

Once again we need to address this issue and help by getting craftsman interested in moving there and trying to develope trade.

The county has purchased two corn from Bristol at 600 each to subsidize that town. I agree that we need to find a longer term solution to the problems Bristol continues to face. Subsidizing those who move there may be a partial solution, although there need to be constraints on such subsidies so that people don't grab them, and then take off for the next available colony.

Chardonnay wrote:

The county has purchased two corn from Bristol at 600 each to subsidize that town. I agree that we need to find a longer term solution to the problems Bristol continues to face. Subsidizing those who move there may be a partial solution, although there need to be constraints on such subsidies so that people don't grab them, and then take off for the next available colony.

Exactly, I agree on all points

Ok, three of us agreed 2 weeks ago that something must be done to stabilize Bristol. Has anyone a new suggestion as to how we might proceed? Is subsidization of those who move there from other Somerset towns our best, or even only, option?

We cannot let this topic die, for we need a vital capital.

I do not know if this is off topic or not, as it does not deal exactly with subsidies. Should it be required for all councilors to have a Bristol residence? I remember reading that this was going to be required when capitols were first created, but to my knowledge it hasn't happened yet. It seems that the county elected officials should conduct official business in the capitol. If we were all there we would liven up the place and have more "personal" contact with each other (sharing beers in the taverns).

(ooc. The way it works in the USA, as I imagine other countries as well, nationally elected officials spend time in the capitol (Washington, DC) and in the state they represent. I imagine something like this would help Bristol greatly as it would bring in active players)

And, if we do make this a requirement, how would we deal with the financial burden this places on the councilors (I do not have nearly enough money to buy an apartment). Would we be able to get a county loan?



For Somerset!
Rebo

If and when it is fully coded councelors with hands on jobs would need to be physically in Bristol to access their offices, also teachers and students who wish to access the university.
Theoretically councelors will be provided with apartments to live however their trade shops and fields would remain in the town of their residence.
Even without an apartment provided it would be a lot cheaper to pay the daily 1 pound hostel fee then pay 500 pounds for an apartment.
Councelors could provide market and tavern business for Bristol but they would also need to work so unless you are teaching that would leave the mines.

Since there is a limit on fields, and they should go to locals looking to stay in Bristol, if we were to subsidize it would need to be level 2 craftsman who would be willing to commit to staying in Bristol and work their trade and sell their goods on the local market.

Too many level 2's without a sufficiency of level 1's would very quickly find that there were no raw materials on the market and that they'd have a dire lack of customers. The numbers would need to be balanced, my guess is around 4 level 1's to 1 level 2 (for the level one players would become level 2 in short order).

I don't think we would want to subsiize huge numbers of people to move, just enough to make Bristol closer to self-sufficient. Given that there are 200 people there now (and that probably 150 of those will be eradicated at some point in the next few weeks) I think we need only be looking at numbers somewhere around 50 persons.

These numbers are all guesswork, and should be questioned.

I suggest we look at implementing a program that is similar in structure to some of the other counties, having watched how they are handling the challenge and taking from the best of the ideas and giving them a Somerset twist we should consider

A. going for those who are just about to level.

if we get level O's before they level then they can level on arrival and buy the one field they are alloted in the capital of course we need to offer a monetary incentive to move there and forgo life in a town where they can have 2 fields BUT it would be worth the expenditure as new Level ones who are excited and still learning will be faithful tavern goers as a rule and their excitement and thirst for more knowledge will encourage those born there to stick around and increase longevity of newbies

If we get a set amount of level 1 who are close to level 2 and we offer them an allowance to assist in levelling we can place them into the capital where they will then level and build their workshops ( we would need to restrict this to say 2 of each craft) but then we would not have to impose on anyone to suffer financial loss for a rebuild and we would ensure a relatively quick move to self sufficeincy with craftsmen in the capital

B. We could enact a counselors convention 2 or 3 times a term where the counsellors all travel in and they meet and greet in the taverns to build rapport with one another AND the citizens. It could last 2 or 3 days and each counselor could be required to attend one or two of the 3 conventions and it could be staggered so that each one has at least 4 counsellors in Bristol at the time of the convention.

Ellsbeth wrote:

B. We could enact a counselors convention 2 or 3 times a term where the counsellors all travel in and they meet and greet in the taverns to build rapport with one another AND the citizens. It could last 2 or 3 days and each counselor could be required to attend one or two of the 3 conventions and it could be staggered so that each one has at least 4 counsellors in Bristol at the time of the convention.

Excellent idea, Judge Ellsbeth! I fully support this idea, and recommend enacting it immidiately. I would love to buy ya'll a round or seven.

Ellsbeth wrote:

if we get level O's before they level then they can level on arrival and buy the one field they are alloted in the capital of course we need to offer a monetary incentive to move there and forgo life in a town where they can have 2 fields BUT it would be worth the expenditure as new Level ones who are excited and still learning will be faithful tavern goers as a rule and their excitement and thirst for more knowledge will encourage those born there to stick around and increase longevity of newbies

Is it true that level 0s cannot travel? If so, this would not work exactly. But could we, once they get allocated their field for leveling, buy it as the county and resell it at a slight profit (buy at 400, sell at 450)? I am not sure if this would work, just throwing it out there.


For Somerset!

There are many players who would rather advance to level 2 and practice a trade rather then purchase a second field so that might be the way to go.
We could look for those and help them to advance to level 2 and start their trade.

I think the councilor"s convention is a very good idea but why stop with just councilors?
We could invite citizens from all over Somerset to come and support their capital and meet their councilors.

Allikath wrote:

I think the councilor"s convention is a very good idea but why stop with just councilors?
We could invite citizens from all over Somerset to come and support their capital and meet their councilors.

OOOOOO! A meet and greet! (i love those irl...)! We could arrange for the Councilors to show up a day or two earlier and the meet and greet to last two days from there. This would allow us to talk to each other a bit, then meet the People.

If we would want this to happen in the not so distant future I will volunteer to organize this, if that would please the council. If anyone else wants to spearhead it instead, I take no offense.


For Somerset!
Rebo

( I am legitimately excited)

Run with it councilor . We always do the best job when we are excited about it.

Yes, Rebo, go for it, it's your baby if you want it but don't forget about the Chard Woodchuck festival running the 18th to the 25th. Or perhaps the two could coincide jointly?

As one of the planners of the First Annual Woodchuck Festival I am very pleased to hear you mention it. I don't see how the two can be at the same time, as one is in Chard and the other is in Bristol. I am starting a new thread for discussion of the Meet and Greet:

https://somerset.rpg-board.net/The-council-of-Somerset-c11/The-private-council-room-f43/-p14485.htm#14485

I have granted thesnowman with 50 loaves of bread. Suan is in Bristol, though, and reports nothing on the market. I therefore made a more substantial grant to her, including bread, veggies and fruit, milk, fish and meat. I have mailed thesnowman asking him to compile a shopping list, and suggested to him (through Suan) that he put some wood on the County Fair at like 500 each if the town is in need of funds.

I think one of the problems with Bristol is noob retention (ahh, those words amuse me to no end ). Does Bristol have a mentor and/or mentor letter? Perhaps we should take a look at it. Mentor letters should be short and to the point, and (maybe even) make the game sound better than it really is

Also a little thingy that's been floating around in my head which is already kind of happening (with this meet and greet the council thing). Sending people in say groups of 5 (or maybe more) people from around somerset to spend time in bristol for a about a week a time, before sending another group. have them sit in the tavern, welcoming newbies and mentoring. If they were from different timezones, the taverns would have more people in them more often.

....just a thought

TSM has a question in the question forum about the mentor as apparently he is having problems with a game glitch in assigning it.

The SnowMan has appointed a new Mentor for Bristol, Coffe.

So any word on Coffe's mentor letter? Should we take a look at it? DO we have the right to look at it?

Also, feedback on my other idea would be nice :3

Your other idea of encouraging more people to meet in taverns is good. I opened a second tavern there myself, and appointed a bartender from Bristol to encourage more Bristol people to meet in taverns. I wo;; also keep a supply of cheap bread there when I can, in case of temporary food shortages on their market.

I sent a 500 pound subsidy to Bristol today. Thesnowman told me that he was down to 300 pounds in cash.