- Unless you are certain you can get all of the tasks done at our current league level, and an extra (10 diamonds) if needed, please opt out. At the level of competition we are playing, even one or two missing tasks by a single player can be the difference between a gold trophy and no trophy! The neighborhoods we are playing against play almost as perfectly as we do - any little mess up can cost us the win. Every single person playing in a week is very important - and any one of us can mess up our chances to win. The awesome part here is that people have been doing great with this - which is why we win - but it's important to mention!
- Please, please, please never let a task expire! If there's even a tiny little chance you won't be able to get to it - pick an "until derby ends" task. If the board doesn't have a good "until derby ends" task, then please just don't pick one. There's plenty of time! Don't waste one of your precious tasks on something you might not be able to get done! If it comes down to the wire, the neighbors will help you!
- Please only select tasks at or above the point target (ask a leader). I know you feel like you need to get busy so you have a task to work on (we all do!) but if there is not one, then please save your tasks for later. Just run your farm the way you did before there was such a thing as the derby for a little while! There will be good tasks - but maybe not every time you are on - and maybe not until Thursday or Friday. If you are pressed for time, then pick tasks that neighbors can help with: mining, trucks, trains and "help" tasks can all be done quickly. Most of these can be done IN A FEW MINUTES with help. You have time! Unless it's Sunday afternoon and you have done absolutely nothing - don't panic! Have patience!
- Please let us know if you mess up - meaning you either accidentally selected a smaller task, accidentally let one expire, or accidentally deleted a good task from the board. We need to know so we can compensate, and so we know the difference between an accident and intentional sabotage. (Unfortunately this has happened before.) Accidents can be forgiven - sabotage is something we have to take action against.
- It will be necessary to spend the 10 diamonds to do the extra task - this used to be optional, but in the Champion League it's not an option. The good news is that active players easily pick up 10 diamonds in a week. Most of us actually don't buy diamonds. However, when we get backed into a corner, we will buy them to get out of a tight spot if necessary.
OMG! THERE AREN'T ANY TASKS AND I AM FREAKING OUT!!!11!!
Take a deeeeeep breath! It's okay! There will be tasks. I promise. Here is how it goes down every week:
If you are not on "all the time", you will not find good tasks on Tuesday or Wednesday unless you are lucky. The board will look empty every time you check. You will break into a cold sweat. Take another deep breath.
It might be hard on Thursday as well. But I want you to think about something:
Q: Why do we do Derby tasks? [A: Because they are fun!]
Q: What makes them fun? [A: I dunno, they are just fun I guess]
No! The correct answer is that they are fun because the derby is a team event where we can help each other out! Yes! Sometimes the help is racking up points, sometimes it is helping others rack up points.
Notice how both of those involve racking up points? That's so that we can WIN the Derby! Otherwise we might as well just send our boats, our trucks and our trains and do what we always did - helping each other while ignoring the darn derby. Why play if not to win?
Q: Do you want to complete tasks that wreck our chances of winning? [A: Heck no! that sucks!]
Q: Can you wait patiently until there is a high enough task on the board? [A: Um... But what if they don't happen?]
They will happen - here's what the board ALWAYS looks like by Friday - notice there are 2 and a half days left:
Outside The Asylum Derby
As of October 2015, we have placed in the top 3 of every single derby - and we've been in the champion league since the first derby it was possible!
How do we do it? Simple! We're awesome!
No seriously - we just have a great bunch of neighbors who "get it done."
The leaders diligently track the tasks that the neighborhood is doing and keep an eye on the competition so we know what needs to happen to win.
For this reason, we have a few simple rules for those opting into the Derby:
These tasks have been sitting there for hours... And there are 15 people also working on high tasks! See? Plenty!
But what if I run out of time?? What then huh? Then you'll be sorry you made us wait! And we'll lose! And it'll all be your fault Wonko! We HAVE TO GET BUSY NOW!
You have to trust me - wait patiently. If you do a small task early, you can't ever get those points back. You've burned that task, and your ability to log points. Boo. Instead, wait for a good one - if we get to the end and need to panic - we'll panic at the end, not the beginning.
Also, think about this: By the last day, most people are DONE - and all they can do is help others. So if you are in bad shape near the end of the week - your neighbors will save you and help you get all your tasks done QUICKLY! (Just be sure to pick stuff they can help with!)
But seriously though. Don't do little tasks. So if that's a bummer for you then maybe you need to ask...
Is Derby Stress Ruining your life?!
Is worrying about getting all your tasks done sucking the joy our of the game? Not everyone enjoys competition 6 days a week. Sometimes real life makes it hard to get everything done. If this sounds like you - then opt out for a week or two. The other option you have is to join our vacation Neighborhood "Outside The Asylum II" on a Monday (after the derby is over, but before the next one starts!)
If you go to the vacation hood, We'll make every effort to save a spot for you to return - but it's possible you might have to wait a bit.
Flunista runs this second neighborhood from her second farm account - so she'll be there and can help facilitate your return to the big leagues when you are ready to come back!
Special instructions for elders (task clearing)
Unfortunately we've had some incidents that make it necessary for strictly controlling task clearing. In order to receive a promotion to elder, and the ability to clear tasks, please read this section carefully and follow the instructions at the end.
- First of all - thank you for your help in keeping the board free for high-point tasks. This is an important job, and the more people we have doing this, the better our chances to win each week! Apologies in advance for being so strict on this, but unfortunately we've had a few issues and need to make this very clear.
- Immediately clear any tasks below the weekly minimum (ask a leader) on the task board. Please double check and click carefully. If you accidentally delete a high-point task - immediately say that you did this in farm chat so we know what happened. Accidents do happen - so please speak up. We will not punish honest mistakes!
- Never, ever, under any circumstances clear a task above the weekly minimum. Ever. Never ever. Only leaders and co-leaders are allowed to clear these. If you do it by mistake - tell us. If we do it, we will say so in chat and explain why. Toward the end of the week, there will be tasks that are "impossible" to finish before the end of the derby. Only 3 people are allowed to delete these: Flu, Wonko or Amy. That's it. In some cases we have plans to use these with diamonds as a backup strategy and are communicating about this behind the scenes. During the week there will be cases where there are several duplicate tasks that nobody appears to be taking. Do not clear these. You may not want them - but odds are, someone else does. Again, only leaders and co-leaders are allowed to clear tasks above the minimum. Period. Feel free to ask that these be cleared - there are a number of elders who know how to get hold of one of us if they are clogging up the board and we're not on.
- If we see high point tasks being cleared without permission, and without explanation (oops, sorry! Accidentally deleted a good task! Ugh!) we will unfortunately have to demote most of the elders and force everyone to read this page again. We really, really don't want to do that!
If you have read and agree to all of these task clearing rules, and want to be promoted to elder, please go to the feedback page, and fill out the form with an email address where we can reach you, your in-game name, and the subject: "I read the task clearing rules!" A leader will confirm using email, and then we will consider granting you elder for the purpose of clearing tasks. If we can't reach you at the email address you entered, unfortunately we will not be able to promote you - but thanks anyway for your interest in helping!
Please email info@outsidez.com or click on the feedback tab above if you have questions or suggestions!
-Wonko