Here are some options:

Option 1:
You could have your own score. Where you get randomized on a different team every day and the team's score for that day gets put towards your total score. Since it's random and switches frequently, everyone should have roughly the same amount of "bad" teammates. (There can be a way to filter out inactive players; opt to not participate)

I'm sure they could construct the teams so say 4 old members + 2 newer members get put together each day. So random, but not entirely random.


Option 2:
Have different methods of creating a team for newbies and for long time players. Additionally, create a handicap for newbie teams. Players older than 2 months form their own teams. Newbies get a choice of joining randomized newbie teams. (Newbies can still join older-member teams)


Option 3:
Combine 1 and 2. All players have the option to get randomized each day. Where these teams get a "bonus." Teams formed on one's own do not have the bonus.


Can always create a handicap for newbies in general.

Personally I like the idea of teams, though I am enough of a loner that I probably would have trouble finding a team to be on, and likely wouldn't be asked to be on one either, lol. But I do like the concept.

The trouble to me is the whole concept of a leader board competition. It is going to be cut throat and skewed no matter HOW it is set up. Mostly the same people are on the top of the leaderboards this time around as last. It is almost IMPOSSIBLE to make this work for newbies to get the better prizes, just by the nature of the competition. Unless there is a separate category for newbs... and that has it's own pitfalls.

You know, I really don't like the idea of teams swapping constantly because the only reason I made this suggestion was the sense of working together with someone would distract the sense of everyone is upset everytime you do well basically. But if the teams constantly swapped around you wouldn't get to feel like you worked with anybody because it would be new people each day so you'd just end up ignoring them and working by yourself.

But actually the idea of a Newbie Handicap gives me an idea.. if newbies 2 months and younger (account wise) were put into newbie teams you could actually allow them their own Newbie Boards, possibly even with a couple of the runner up prizes on the board pertaining to things newbies may desperately need that older members wouldn't find quite as exciting because they are more established than the newbies.

I do agree with your Greenmann, that it'll always be cutthroat no matter how you slice it. My idea for teams was mostly just the idea that being able to feel like you're helping other people instead of just yourself might give a nice sense to combat the not so nice sense that comes from one person being a bit unhappy at you for 'bumping them' so to speak. With teams, also the team becomes the thing that has that slot.. it's less personal feeling to be 'bumped' by a team.

I honestly wouldn't mind if the team leaderboards goaled towards something like raffle tickets even that were chances of prizes for how well your team did. Just something that would have a different *feel* than everything is cutthroat and so and so took my prize from me and all that kind of stuff that happens. I just like the idea of let's try something different here and there to break it up. :)

I remember participating in the local rose and camellia competitions before and they did have a prize that could be won just for new people just getting started. So this is something that's at least done in some sort of actual competition.

Yes, I definitely agree that swapping teams means losing the "team is in this together" kind of atmosphere. I'm not sure how people would react, but I was thinking people would encourage and help their temporary team members to reach a greater score while at the same time meeting and talking with people they perhaps have not met before. Kind of like an icebreaker to meet new people. And bring about a greater sense of community c: It would basically accomplish a different goal, not bad, but I guess doesn't really fit with what you were looking for.

I love the idea of a newbie winners board! I think that fixes the problem quite well in terms of newbies having hope for items. c:

I enjoy competition as well, but this "so and so took my prize from me" shows that something different is happening with these leader boards. Rather than everyone competing, it is more like 1-5 people competing. Unfortunately I don't know how to make it more encompassing of the community without creating teams -- but as we have seen in this thread, some other problems come out of that route.