How do You handle Unwanted Donations?

[DeletedUser31540]

The more my city grows the more i get random neighbors / friends contributing to a building that i have no interest in leveling

It is quite frustrating because i always feel compelled to start leveling it and help them get their BPs but at the same time i am irritated that random people have some control over the order in which i level my gbs.

It first happened to me a couple months ago and now its happening all the time .... ]

i've got 1 working on my Obs, another working towards lv 11 on my CDM (my zeus and coa are 7 and 6), and yet another working on my LoA when i only have 1 witch doctor as my only production building that i produce supplies with

Ive been tempted to message them and tell them to stop cause i dont want to level it but i do want free fps so i dont say anything lol ...

is the best way to be cold and just let them level and never help them out?

How do you guys and gals handled this situation when it comes up?

 

[DeletedUser31592]

I don't worry about it for the most part.
I had a newbie add to my DT a few weeks back. It was half-leveled due to a private swap. My DT was only a level 5 or so at the time, so not too expensive to level up. I just started throwing stray FPs on it (you know, the 1 or 2 left in the bar when you are going to bed or know you will be busy). After a week or so, when it was close enough, I got a guildmate to lock 2nd as a break-even with their Arc. Then I got someone to take 3rd. Someone sniped 4th on me. I was going to let the neighbor have it. She ended up with 5th. No FPs back, but she did get a BP. It would have been more cost efficient for me to have wiped her off the board, but I didn't. She has thanked me for help on her GBs, even though she doesn't realize I'm profiting with my Arc.

 

[wolfhoundtoo]

The more my city grows the more i get random neighbors / friends contributing to a building that i have no interest in leveling

It is quite frustrating because i always feel compelled to start leveling it and help them get their BPs but at the same time i am irritated that random people have some control over the order in which i level my gbs.

It first happened to me a couple months ago and now its happening all the time .... ]

i've got 1 working on my Obs, another working towards lv 11 on my CDM (my zeus and coa are 7 and 6), and yet another working on my LoA when i only have 1 witch doctor as my only production building that i produce supplies with

Ive been tempted to message them and tell them to stop cause i dont want to level it but i do want free fps so i dont say anything lol ...

is the best way to be cold and just let them level and never help them out?

How do you guys and gals handled this situation when it comes up?

If you have no interest in leveling that GB you should simply send a message indicating that you aren't working on that GB at this time and you aren't sure when you intend to level it any further. If they want the blueprint badly enough they can choose to level it.

 

[DeletedUser31540]

If you have no interest in leveling that GB you should simply send a message indicating that you aren't working on that GB at this time and you aren't sure when you intend to level it any further. If they want the blueprint badly enough they can choose to level it.

Yea i think thats the gentleman way to do things... but i am greedy and want their points lol

But i am not a complete ass and so instart to feel bad and end up helping them out.

I think i would be better served by being max greedy or super nice... i am taking the middle road and it is frustrating

 

[DeletedUser31540]

I don't worry about it for the most part.
I had a newbie add to my DT a few weeks back. It was half-leveled due to a private swap. My DT was only a level 5 or so at the time, so not too expensive to level up. I just started throwing stray FPs on it (you know, the 1 or 2 left in the bar when you are going to bed or know you will be busy). After a week or so, when it was close enough, I got a guildmate to lock 2nd as a break-even with their Arc. Then I got someone to take 3rd. Someone sniped 4th on me. I was going to let the neighbor have it. She ended up with 5th. No FPs back, but she did get a BP. It would have been more cost efficient for me to have wiped her off the board, but I didn't. She has thanked me for help on her GBs, even though she doesn't realize I'm profiting with my Arc.

Yea i love when i snipe for profit and then they feel like they owe me hahaha

 

[*Arturis*]

If the Gb is close enough and all the prize is taken, I just level it.

 

[DeletedUser]

It is quite frustrating because i always feel compelled to start leveling it and help them get their BPs but at the same time i am irritated that random people have some control over the order in which i level my gbs.

If it's a neighbor, why do you feel you have to help them out? Even if it's a friend, unless it's someone you've actually got some kind of previous relationship with, why would you feel that way? It's not like you asked them to do it. You are under no ethical obligation to help them.

is the best way to be cold and just let them level and never help them out?

Yes. Unless, like I said, it's a friend that you have a standing relationship with. For example, someone you've had a swap with, been in a guild with, something like that.

If you have no interest in leveling that GB you should simply send a message indicating that you aren't working on that GB at this time and you aren't sure when you intend to level it any further. If they want the blueprint badly enough they can choose to level it.

I don't even know why you would bother to message them about it if it's a neighbor or just some random person on your friends list. Nobody asked them to start. They could not reasonably expect you to change your plans to help them.

But i am not a complete ass and so instart to feel bad and end up helping them out.

It's not being an ass. In fact, if they started donating and then messaged you asking why you weren't helping them, they would be the ass. (Not saying that anyone did, just as an example.)

 

[Freshmeboy]

If its a noob I point out my sniper GB so they can get at least some reward over time...if its a vet, I say nothing...just a silent thanks

 

[DeletedUser32389]

@Stephen Longshanks nailed it: Don't feel bad. If people just start dropping points on you, without messaging first, AND expecting returns, they have a hard lesson coming in the future. Work on the buildings you're working on, don't let them sway you. I had a hoodie PM me after adding to my CF without asking. He put 10 points on an empty level 5 (putting him in first obviously) and then later asked me if I could level it so he could get his "rewards". I told him I'd get to it when I get to it and he became incensed, claiming he'd "take the points back if he'd only known how selfish I was" I'm sorry, I don't feel bad for you buddy. When I did flip the building through the swaps do you think his 10fp yielded him anything? Do you really think this is a horrible thing I did?
No.
You do you.

 

[DeletedUser29623]

The only time I can imagine objecting to this is when someone is leveling up a population building like the Inno Tower and I’m not sure I can cover the happiness. Almost the only way I could ever get blueprints for buildings above my age was by running around donating to strangers because my guildies have not gone past my level and not all of my friends are leveling the ones I want. (Plus, I still have only a few friends in the advanced ages.) I *wish* people would come along and put as many fps on my Chateau as I put on some other people’s! I also have donations hanging out there from when I was hunting for bps and thought someone was working on a building when they weren’t. Them’s the breaks. I would never expect those players to level up for my sake.

 

[Falconwing]

For the most part I ignore it unless it's on my soon to be upgraded list. If it isn't on my list but they donate a substantial amount, I'll bump it to the top of my list. That way maybe when they see it start to rise, they will continue to donate. It's worked a few times. It's not like I have any GB's I don't want leveled so I don't have too much of a problem shifting my priorities around a little if I'm raking in free FP's.

 

[DeletedUser33058]

Almost the only way I could ever get blueprints for buildings above my age was by running around donating to strangers because my guildies have not gone past my level and not all of my friends are leveling the ones I want. I would never expect those players to level up for my sake.

This^
Also Newish and in HMA.
I had read a post somewhere here describing how to start getting BP's for GB's that I want from Higher ages. So now when I slow down to regroup, I search around friends first, then neighbors and drop 3 to 8 KP here and there on GB's that I want BP's for.
If they are Leveling it at that time then Great, if they're not then also Great as I'm in noo hurry as I also have to accumulate the goods to build it with.

 

[qaccy]

Just accept the free donations. Even if they're not where you want them, you're still getting free progress on GB levels. If it's something you don't want levelled and actually get kind of upset by having free donations on it, unless it's a Habitat or Inno it's probably something you could have lived without building in the first place. Otherwise, what's wrong with having it get upgraded at no cost to you?

 

[DeletedUser31498]

@qaccy his point is he feels bad about it, as do I. A more extreme example is a former guildy dropped 100 FPs on my capitol before I noticed she was doing it. I have tons of happiness, but felt bad and by the time she got to 200 I switched from Arc to capitol leveling, even though I really want to focus on getting Arc to power stage. I don't have the heart to tell her no thanks, and I guess I'll need the pop eventually (only in Iron Age, so even level 2 is enough).

 

[DeletedUser]

@qaccy his point is he feels bad about it, as do I. A more extreme example is a former guildy dropped 100 FPs on my capitol before I noticed she was doing it. I have tons of happiness, but felt bad and by the time she got to 200 I switched from Arc to capitol leveling, even though I really want to focus on getting Arc to power stage. I don't have the heart to tell her no thanks, and I guess I'll need the pop eventually (only in Iron Age, so even level 2 is enough).

And our point is that there is no reason at all to feel bad about it. I might understand if someone put FP on a GB of mine, and then asked nicely about it, or if they had messaged asking which GB I was working on before donating. But totally unsolicited donations without any indication that they expect help from you, or even worse a message demanding that you help or complaining that you aren't helping them? No logical or ethical reason at all to feel bad about that.

Edited: Of course, I remember when you first got on the Forum and were looking for goods. I tried to basically give you the goods you wanted for free and you wouldn't take them because you said you would "feel bad" about it. Despite the fact that I explained that I wasn't actively playing that world, and the goods would do nothing but sit there (they're still there) if you didn't take them. So, at least you're consistent in having illogical emotional reactions to game occurrences.

 

[DeletedUser32389]

To new players seeking out prints, talking to people is a great way to sort the wheat from the chaff. Until you get a GB of your own for people to trade points with you it's impossible to get your FP back, so working it out with whomever your donating to is essential in getting the rewards you need. I find a small city in my guild that has the building I want on the swaps, and make a deal with that person. Donate enough points to hold and lock a place and let them finish the building on the swaps.

 

[DeletedUser33003]

Ahhh, if you have a problem with unwanted FP, just send them my way pal. I'll take all the FP donations I can get, and I'll shut up about it too.

 

[DeletedUser30312]

Every FP put on my GBs is one step closer for them to level. It's only something to be concerned with when it's a population building and you need to take happiness into account too, but that's a slightly different issue. People who put unsolicited FPs on my GBs have a responsibility to themselves to keep an eye on it or lock whatever spot they want, although there's a few people who I'll warn such as friends I know fairly well or who've asked to be on my friend list for GB investing. I have a priority list for leveling my GBs, for now I am leveling whichever of my attack GBs or Arc requires the least amount of FP, but if there's another GB that requires less than half of the priority GBs, then it's next. After I hit level 10 on the attack buildings, I'm going to switch to other critical GBs like the Traz. I'm not going to disrupt my long term plans for anyone, but other players are certainly free to lock up a spot on one of my GBs if they want it. A locked GB is likely to take priority in my leveling anyway.

 

[DeletedUser31882]

Yea i think thats the gentleman way to do things... but i am greedy and want their points lol

But i am not a complete ass and so instart to feel bad and end up helping them out.

I think i would be better served by being max greedy or super nice... i am taking the middle road and it is frustrating

Nothing wrong with the middle road, the fault is in the emotions and unresolved frustration. Figure out what brings you to homeostasis and execute the plan.

Let me twist your words a bit: What is a gentleman to do when they benefit from a greedy sniper? Should you be upset by their leveling of your GB because of their malicious/greedy intent? Donate to charity to absolve yourself of the 'dirty blood' FPs donated by the neighborhood plunderer. Guilt absolved.

Wouldn't the super nice always donate to the poorest GB in the neighborhood and ignore their own? Wouldn't the Max greedy person work on developing ways to 'trick' people into donating to their GBs? Are you greedy for having wants? Can you only be 'nice' when you are purely altruistic?

For me, I feel the best course is to ignore donations to my GBs unless someone contacts me directly with a message. Other than swap threads, the only messages involving FPs have been one hoodie bragging about 'robbing' me of a double-dip. I lost ~12.33 goods (based on 'timer lost' at level up) due to their flip. They bragged about donating 6 FP for the flip. The pillages that precipitated their retaliation amounted to 4-6FP from their bazaar. In pure business terms, They gave me 6FP to rob me of less than 13 goods(EMA). If I was a bleeding heart gentleman, I could have donated 6FP to one of their GBs to be super nice. Instead, I ignored them.

I think it is obvious I am the more greedy person in this scenario (plunderer and chief benefactor of the exchange of goods), but who was more malicious? If we want to be purely nice, we can argue the need to reward that maliciousness actor with kindness. Sometimes, the middle path requires ignoring other people. Not out of maliciousness or greed, but because not everybody is worth your time.

I don't subscribe to the 'obligate return of good deeds' mentality. Just because someone did something nice for you, doesn't require you to return the favor. A 'obligated return of a favor' is not a really a good deed, it's a plot point in the Godfather. It's an exchange. As others have described, if someone does a good deed and then expects a return, they are not a nice person. They are using the 'obligate return of good deeds' to manipulate others for their benefit. That's malicious greed, regardless of if they are cognizant of what they demand. At best, they are a misguided/ignorant nice person, at worst, they know exactly what they are doing and do not have your interests in mind.

I think the easiest solution is to communicate intent, as others have suggested. You request that they put FP on your desired GB and then they decide if that fits into their objectives or not. You put in extra work to be nice and it is up to the contributors to fulfill your 'greedy' desires. You can then feel good about achieving both of your seemingly conflicting objectives.

 

[DeletedUser31498]

I don't subscribe to the 'obligate return of good deeds' mentality. Just because someone did something nice for you, doesn't require you to return the favor. A 'obligated return of a favor' is not a really a good deed, it's a plot point in the Godfather. It's an exchange. As others have described, if someone does a good deed and then expects a return, they are not a nice person. They are using the 'obligate return of good deeds' to manipulate others for their benefit. That's malicious greed, regardless of if they are cognizant of what they demand. At best, they are a misguided/ignorant nice person, at worst, they know exactly what they are doing and do not have your interests in mind.

I think you miss the point. often times people do put FPs on with no expectation of you paying them back. no "obligated return of favor," as in my example where a former guildie put 200 FPS on my Capitol without messaging. She just wanted BPs, and I noticed after she half-filled it so I used swap threads for the rest.

I certainly didn't have to, but I felt bad and appreciated she was trying to help. After the next level I messaged saying I couldn't handle more pop, but thanks so much for the FPs, and I'd be happy to sell her the goods when she acquires her BPs. But she never even asked to use her FPs and payment for goods. I think your malicious characterization is pretty hugely off the mark.