Grid Hunt Etiquette Pt 1 – Hunter Etiquette

I know, how boring of me.  More lecturing and hectoring 😉  But for the first time in a couple of years I’ve agreed to be a merchant in a hunt.  I’ve been a hunter a few times since then and the same problems seem to keep raising their head.  Soooo, my hidden agenda is to try to make huntland a better place for all.

Believe it or not, there is a basic hunt etiquette and if everyone follows the rules of engagement then both sides are happy. 

The last few hunts have become almost a standoff sometimes between the hunters and the merchants.  In one of the latest hunts to occur some merchants dropped out because they couldn’t stand the aggravation that some hunters were giving them.  Other merchants, in response to people they consider cheating, hid their eggs so well that people were spending hours trying to find them and as a result some genuine hunters have been less than complimentary about them.

So, here’s what you need to know…

There’s a difference between a hunt gift and a freebie.  If it’s a hunt you’re actually supposed to look for it, not tp in and straight out again.  The idea is to have fun..  Think of it as the same as a real life treasure hunt and you can’t go wrong.

The deal is that merchants spend time and effort in creating something for the hunt, in the hope that people will have a look around the shop and like what they see and hopefully either spend some cash or put them on the list to come back to check out later when the lag and crowds have died down.  In return, hunters get to see some shops in sl that they may never have heard of and get a quality gift that hopefully they’ll use and enjoy and of course may be tempted to part with some dosh.

and of course both sides have some fun participating.  What this isn’t supposed to be is torture for either side.  Sometimes you wouldn’t know it though.

There are two parts to this guide; Part 1: Hunter Etiquette (this post) and Part 2: Merchant Etiquette

So, onto Part 1:  Hunter Etiquette

Dos

Do: Wear low lag attachments and ditch as many of your huds as you can. 

Particularly in the early days/weeks of the hunt there are so many people that the lag can be incredible.  If you can’t tp in somewhere, ditch the huds and try again.  If you can’t walk when you get there, ditch the jewellery and primmy boots etc.  A lot of hunters have a special low lag outfit which gives them the edge.

Do: Try to take your time and take notes.

I know this is a tough one, but pace yourself.  Otherwise you’ll get cranky, will miss the real freebies and actually won’t see the shop itself and you’ll never know what you’ll miss 🙂  Most hunts are long enough that you can take your time and actually enjoy having a nose around.  If you like a place, have an open notecard so you can jot down the name and why you liked it.  Otherwise I can guarantee a couple of shops later you’ll have forgotten the details.

Do: Join the shop group if you like what you see

Most shops have a subscribe-o-matic these days so you don’t lose a group space.  If nothing else it will give you a reminder of the shop after everything is over.  Once you done around 10 shops in a session you won’t even remember the barest of details about them no matter how much you liked the shop.

Do: Take a friend

Two pairs of eyes are always better than one and it’s a lot more fun when you’re sharing an experience.

Do: Keep it in proportion

You have no God given right to a freebie, they’re put out by merchants as both a marketing tool and as a thank you.  Most of the stuff you get you’ll probably either hate or never use – assuming you get around to opening the box that is.  So just enjoy the ride.  If you find you’re getting cranky then have a rest or give up for the day.  Most hunts run for a month and they won’t run out of gifts, I promise 🙂

Do: Join the hunt hint group

If it all gets too much, the group will either give you the LM to the next spot or will give you hints to help you find it.  A good hunt group is not only fun but will help keep you sane as you search.  Giving hints out in the group is always a good way to help others and keep the community groove going when you’re not slogging it around the grid.

Do: Cherry pick your shops

If you know you’ll never make it around to all of them but still want to participate, check out the hunt list and use search to check out the shops.  When you see ones you like the sound of, put them on your list and do the hunt that way.  Yes, it isn’t quite in the spirit of the hunt but you’ll spend more time looking around the shop and the items, will have a much more relaxing time and will possibly find new shops you’ll go back to again and again.

Do: Say thank you

It won’t kill you to say thanks to the merchant if they’re around.  A little niceness makes the world a better place.

Don’ts

Don’t: Open your mouth in chat and look like a fool.

If you don’t like a shop or item then tell your friends in IM.  Saying it in chat just shows how stupid and boorish you are.  It doesn’t make you look smart, cool or funny.  It just makes you look pathetic, particularly since everyone knows you’ll still grab the gift.

Don’t: be rude to the merchant

So what if you’re having problems finding the gift?…  Most people won’t have the problem you’re having, so you taking it out on the merchant is unhelpful at best.   If you want them to give you a hint, you’ve got more chance if you actually ask nicely.  Being rude at them will either earn you a false hint at best or ejection from the shop at worst.  If it’s bothering you that much, just ask for the LM to the next shop and move on.  You can always try again later if you really want the gift.

Don’t: try blackmail

Anytime you use the “I *was* going to come back later and spend some money but…” or “I *was* going to tell my friends about your shop but..” to try and prise the position of the gift out of the merchant will only identify you as a freebie hunter.  Freebie hunters have a reputation for never spending anything so it’s not going to benefit you to tell them that you’re one of the parasites.

Don’t: be greedy

One copy is more than enough.

Don’t: give out the slurl or explicit directions to the hint group or to others.

We all know how cheat sheets are handy but all that happens is the merchant will move the box, so your LM or directions are only valid for a limited period anyway. 

Merchants spend a lot of time and effort getting ready for a hunt and the things that tops their lists of reasons for dropping out or making the box almost too hard to find include people giving them grief and that people just tp in and grab the box and leave before they’ve even had a chance to rez.

It’s cheating.  These are supposed to be hunts not just freebie giveaways. All that happens is merchants will make a lesser quality gift next time (assuming they ever participate in a hunt again) and will hide the current box better which penalises real participants.  Everyone loses.

If you are going to cheat, at least try to go through the motions of pretending you’re hunting and whatever you do, don’t give the merchant any attitude when you discover the box has moved.  Displaying your lack of character like that is not going to make you any friends.

and finally…

Have a good time, get some good stuff and enjoy checking out parts of the grid that you probably didn’t even know existed.