This page is dedicated to helping organizers run really great hunts that make everyone happy–hunters and vendors alike.
When I discovered scavenger hunts in SL there weren’t that many. In fact, one person managed to do the hunts AND post hints for most of them. All of a sudden they seemed to be sprouting like mushrooms after a long rainy season. Now of course, some are better run than others–both from the vendors and the hunters perspectives.
Hunts are a great tool for shop owners to get exposure and bring in traffic, but if they are badly managed they can have a detrimental effect on everyone. And mostly they are just not fun if you can’t find the hunt object or get left in the middle of the hunt with no place to go, which also means that the rest of the merchants lose out.
Please feel free to offer your ideas comments, suggestions and even criticisms. They will be incorporated into a list of useful tools for those contemplating the creation of a new hunt.
1 – Be organized!
Create a timeline right off and stick to it. Be sure to allow enough time to get everything done that you need to get done both for yourself and for your vendors.
2 – Be clear in your communications.
My own shops are usually involved in 2 or 3 hunts at any given time, and lots of stores participate in many many more. When you are contacting them, identify your hunt plainly–initials will not do it, nor will group names as they are often not related to the hunt title, and many groups are running more than one hunt. If there is an issue to be resolved, be sure to clearly identify the problem, the solution, and the hunt!
3 - Let applicants know if they are not in your hunt and why.
You can create bad feelings if you consistently ignore an applicant without explanation. They have taken the time to fill out your app, and the least you can do is have the courtesy to send an acknowledgement/reply. If you don’t have time for this, then consider if you are taking on a task that is too big to manage successfully. (Not all hunts are successful btw.) Most people appreciate the opportunity to know why they might not be a good fit for your particular event; then they can try to correct the problem or not waste their time and yours in the future. Be sure to let everyone know if your hunt is closed to PG or Adult sims.
4 - Don’t abandon your project.
Stay with your hunt even after it is underway. Regular “walk throughs” will keep glitches to a minimum and hunters on track to the very last merchant.
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Hints are essential. I hate lazy stores that don’t post hints. Or its like so vague you can’t relate it to anything in their shop. Specify where the items can be hid. I prefer a hunt where the object is within the walls of the store. One year, Tellaq hid their item in a dumpster behind their shop. Hunt items should be the best possible gift, a chance to showcase your creative talents. An awesome item, will bring me back to a store more likely, then an old project or something that was already a freebie in your shop. If the store has any notion that it cannot pay the rent or is getting ready to do a store move or redesign …then they shouldn’t be joining a hunt! If the store is in the sky, set a clear landing point, that is far from the edge, and won’t be moved. I’m tired of landing on nothing and falling to the ground! Be creative when hiding the item. If you sell clothes, and there’s suddenly a couch in your shop, I know to look there first. Also potted plants! If you need help hiding things or writing a clever hint, ask the Hunt Managers. Create a friendly forum where hunters can post stores that have broken the rules, moved or closed in the middle of the hunt. I think that’s a good start…
A Very Helpful Article this is, but adding up, to Fitch’s Comment as a Courtesy to the Organizers, Shops should let the organizers know if their hunt prize are out and not leave the organizers rely on the actual hunt or regular walk through or worst rely with the hunters, such infos can help fixes glitches like unablity to buy the prims, the prim is empty etc