Reserving pups?

How do I make sure my wolf will be able to actually have pups next year? Since apparently there are limmited slots and I have to ask for bloody permission, and I'm sure half a dozen other people will be as well, how do I make sure I actually get the chance? This whole thing is extremely frustrating.

Many PMs see pups as a privilege, not a right. They tend to give slots to characters with immersion in the game and long-running plots, as well as characters already mated to others. Additionally, continuing to bond OOC with other players can help your standing on the site and boost your chances of having pups.

Sorry you missed your chance this season -- best of luck with the next!

I would talk to your pack leader and see what they say, every pack is different. I would be as active as possible, do things with your pack and do plotting. It’s not even guaranteed that all current packs will be around next breeding season and a whole new bunch will be in place instead. 

When breeding season comes around again I would look further into it by checking in with your PMs or if you are dead set on puppies - might want to find somewhere that will let you that year

How do I make sure my wolf will be able to actually have pups next year?

There are no guarantees but staying consistently active and engaged until then will likely be your best bet! :)

. I would be as active as possible, do things with your pack and do plotting

Yeah that would be great if people were actually active and responded.

you can always try starting your own pack! that would probably be the only way to "guarantee" pup slots for your character. :)

Unfortunately getting frustrated and looking for a shortcut is never the answer. If your RP partners aren’t responsive you should always reach out to other players with an open mind and either plot with them, or go with the flow IC. 

Take my character Rosencrantz right now, NOTHING I plotted ooc worked out, and IC Hes been doing his own thing. 

If you need some help, my discord is always open to help you get settled into something! I’m very open to plotting or even purely IC development

you can always try starting your own pack! that would probably be the only way to "guarantee" pup slots for your character. :)

This is a great suggestion!

The majority of players have lives outside of the game, so you can't expect people to be around 24/7 to be active or to engage with you. It takes time and work to build up IC relationships just like it takes time and effort to befriend players, concoct ideas, and work on plots. If breeding is that important to you as a player I would suggest trying to form a pack yourself, which would redirect your focus for a while and give you lots of chances to build those relationships, plus offer a guaranteed opportunity to have pups next season (as you would control the slots in your pack). Or, if you don't want to make these kinds of commitments to this particular game, maybe there's something else out there that's better suited to your play style.

Because I think this is a topic that comes up every year and is something worth discussing further since there are always a few members who have questions, I wanted to add some things for everyone, not just the players involved in this thread:

First, I want to remind everyone of our FAQ, which covers a lot of the questions people have during breeding season. The FAQ is located here: https://wolf-rpg.com/showthread.php?tid=34259

Second, I want to remind players that these rules were rules instituted after player feedback (this may not be something newer players know) - these were rules that our members, in that time's climate, felt were necessary measures and represent the values of our community. WOLF has always been a community that is flexible, and rules are often revised or removed based on majority feedback. If players are feeling discontent about our current rule-set, open up a discussion!! As our member base grows, it will change -- and as it changes, the needs of our players and the environment of our Guidebook will also change to reflect that.

To jump back to the discussion here, players do need permission to impregnate and/or get pregnant and have litters, period. Both parties in conception need permission - the male AND the female. They need it from whoever the leader of their Group is - LWs need CM permission, and pack wolves need the permission of their PMs within their pack. (Pledged wolves count as LWs and must get CM permission)

This permission must be granted prior to the start-date of their conception thread. If they have a conception thread before permission is granted, both parties will need a new thread conceiving. Conception threads cannot predate the date permission[s] were granted - this goes for BOTH parties.

It is not a matter of "someone else controlling your character"; it's a matter of simple hierarchy. Realistically, not every wolf in a pack breeds in the wild. Realistically, not every puppy survives to adulthood. The game had to find some compromise between what the members want, and our theme of semi-realism.

Now for a bit of a behind-the-scenes takeaway from someone who has been / is a PM:
When you join a pack, you are joining someone else's (a leader's) vision. That leader is your character's leader, and they have full jurisdiction over much that happens in their pack. Who can stay, who is accepted, who is exiled or chased out, and who can breed.

Puppies are a limited resource; each pack can only have 8 puppies in their roster. PMs are tasked with the unenviable responsibility of deciding which characters among their pack of assumed 16 adults can have puppies. There are always going to be pairs or individuals that are denied permission in light of this, as there are half the amount of puppy slots to available adults.

PMs, for the most part, want to give people puppy slots. It does them no favors to withhold all slots. A smart PM can project long-term the viability of their pack, and look for ways to draw in new members to keep things engaging. PMs will encounter very few downsides to giving puppy slots, but keep in mind those slots are limited and often times spoken-for quite early in the season. When those slots are filled, that is it - no more until a spot frees up, period. A PM denying someone in light of that is not being cruel or controlling - they are following the rules stated in the Guidebook. (https://wolf-rpg.com/showthread.php?tid=13171)

There are not many negative reasons to give out the slots, but there are many negative repercussions that can happen when a PM withholds slots. Puppies present the opportunity for new growth in a pack, which is fundamental for that pack's longevity. Puppies bring in character development, which keeps characters active and engaged. Puppies bring in new players to the pack, and they also contribute to the pack member count. A smart PM will want to keep active members in their pack, and will reward their activity by allotting the members slots. Members denied slots have the opportunity to vote with their feet and take their body elsewhere -- which in the end, detracts from the pack member counts and can threaten a pack's stability/longevity.

The onus is on the players to be active and valuable assets to their pack. If they are active and valuable, PMs will want to reward them -- often by puppy slots.

If you don't like that your PM has denied you, feel free to vote with your feet and try to find better luck elsewhere. Better yet, it may be a good idea to try to form your own pack, where you can make your own subset of rules ICly, including dictating who gets to fill up the puppy slots.

To rehash:
Everyone needs permission from their group leader to breed.
PMs are in charge of distributing pup slots, but are limited by the number of slots they can give (8).
Players are more likely to get slots when they are long-standing and contributing members to the pack.
Players can vote with their feet and go somewhere else if they are unhappy with their PM.
Players can at any point make their own pack.
Players can open up discussion at any point if they feel rules are outdated or no longer fit our current climate.

Thank you. Finally an answer that makes sense and is spelled out. Sorry, I have multiple mental health issues and need things explained sometimes. This makes sense.