Auction Houses: yes or no?

ayu_fever · April 2020

Keep everything as it is

an auction house will only keep certain things available to the top 1% of players and will cripple the economy for casuals.

SeaGtGruff · April 2020

I do put in the work of shopping around, and I put in a lot more than "a little work." Thank you for your condescension; it's misplaced, but is revealing.

The problem with your argument about the prices of motif pages is that you're evidently talking about how a page should be priced in terms of its purported value, whereas a lot of players will price an item at several times its purported value. So a page that "should" cost 100k can often be seen for sale for 300k, 400k, or 500k. And then you might see other players who are offering it for 50k, 25k, or 10k. I'm guessing you will argue that the latter players are selling it at a fraction of its value, but if I'm looking for the best price then I don't care whether 10k is only a tenth of what people clsim it "should" be selling for, all I care about is getting the best price.

There are other things besides crafting motifs that can vary by outrageous amounts, such as rare style mats, or purple and gold tempering mats. I imagine there are other things than those examples, but the only things I ever need to shop for are rare motifs, rare style mats, or high-level tempering mats to replace the ones I've used up crafting gear for other players.

VaranisArano · April 2020

SeaGtGruff wrote: »

preevious wrote: »

Hundred of thousands? Yeah, sure, and if you pull the other one, it plays Judas Priest ..

Yes, in some cases hundreds of thousands. Don't believe me? Then you've obviously not spent any time shopping for motifs, because some of them can vary by outrageous amounts.

EDIT-- And just to be clear, I mean a specific page of a specific motif, not different pages of the same motif, or different motifs.

There are always going to be outliers - players who post super high and super low. Its especially noticable with brand new motifs when the market hasn't settled yet and rare motifs where the seller can basically set their price. That's pretty normal economics.

Are you on PC or Console?
Because IME the PC market for most motifs is pretty homogenous, with most pages selling for within 5-10k of a common price across most vendors in a zone, excluding the aforementioned new and rare motifs. That's probably due to addons like MM and TTC helping to spread pricing info around. IDK how variable the market for pages is on console.

wolfie1.0. · April 2020

Keep everything as it is

Changing from the current system to a Global Store (Global auction house as a term needs to die people dont want a global auction house they want a global storefront) would require many fundamental changes to the game. The biggest two changes to prevent complete economic chaos would be 1 the development and implementation of a weekly required gold sink.

2 it would require a complete reset of all progression in the game. All gold, all gear, all furniture, all mats, etc. All of it would have to be wiped. Anything that can be bought, sold, traded, declined. All of it gone. That's the only way to change economic systems on the scale we are talking about and not have the economy fall apart.

ThePedge · April 2020

One Auction House to rule them all

The need to have a trading guild is insane.

eklhaftb16_ESO · April 2020

Other .. (explain)

Have dedicated auction houses - one in every zone.
Instead of competing for individual vendor, guilds would invest into the auction house of their choice in order to secure selling slots for their sellers.
Guildless individuals could also sell to the auction house of their choice, but they would pay extra tax based on the desirability of the area, and have limited number of slots (something like 5 in each auction house).

This system would still make it difficult to corner the market, but it would be easier to use for buyers, and it would provide a way for people to sell their stuff while without having to commit to a guild.

alienmz · April 2020

One Auction House to rule them all

“The most damaging phrase in the language is 'We've always done it this way'.”

Rear Admiral Grace Murray Hopper

So - let's do something new and create an auction house.

ThePedge · April 2020

One Auction House to rule them all

Light Attacks have always returned no resources.
Heavy Attacks have always done more damage and returned resources.

Always been this way, yet up for change.

Let's get rid of this guild-reliant trader system.

Langdon64 · April 2020

One Auction House to rule them all

Global AH please! This game has enough time sinks already; research, mount training, loading screens...I hate wasting my time riding from one trader to the next. It's a terrible design.

Lixiviant · April 2020

Keep everything as it is

I know my guild traders, I'm friends with them when they aren't on the job, so I prefer to keep stuff as it is.

SeaGtGruff · April 2020

I think I was mistaken about the motif pages. Now that I've been looking back at my notes, I think it was something else that I was seeing outrageous price variations on-- probably Zircon Plating.

Normally I don't shop for motif pages unless I need one to do a master writ, and then if I don't like the prices I'm seeing I just wait until another time.

But if I'm crafting gear for someone, I'll use my own mats to make the gear, then shop for replacement mats to replenish my stock, especially for high quality temps or jewelry temps. In that case I'll shop for the absolute lowest prices, because those are the prices I'll quote in my bill to the person I crafted for, and I want to give them the lowest quote possible. The other week I crafted some gear for someone and she wanted purple jewelry, so I spent over two hours searching on TTC and visiting the guild traders to try to get the best deals, not just on Zircon Plating but on the other mats as well. When I would visit a given trader to see if a particular listing was still available, I was seeing some absolutely outrageous prices on one item-- over 500k, close to 600k, IIRC-- probably on Zircon Plating. Needless to say I did not buy it at those prices but continued looking until I found much more reasonable prices.

SidraWillowsky · April 2020

Keep everything as it is

I LOVE my trade guild and am quite attached to it. While its primary purpose is, obviously, to help people sell stuff, it's quite social as well and I've met some great people through it. I know that people talk about some weird stuff going down with regards to alliances and whatnot, but between the one I'm in (large and in a fairly desirable location) and the friends that I have who are in other big-name trade guilds, I think that those cases are much more rare than others would lead you to believe, because we have had nothing but great experiences.

Lumenn · April 2020

One Auction House to rule them all

For myself on Xbox I would just like a grand search function. If there is one I don't know it but it would be nice knowing the item I'm looking for is on such and such merchant in murkmire rather than spend an hour and a half with loading screens to every trader just to find out no one's selling it at all.

Rittings · April 2020

A few auction houses, like one in each capital

You're not going to get a true reading of the poll results here as GMs of the big trade guilds are going to want to keep the status quo to ensure their future relevance - and their members like the way they can control the marketplace and monopolies too...

But then those that want a truly free marketplace will likely vote all out for a "one giant auction house" option, and some (like myself) that want a smaller shift, will choose the option I did as a stepping stone ... like dipping your toes in the water .

I'd personally like to see one giant auction house where everyone gets 30 free selling spots... and keep the traders as they are in tandem with it if you have lots more to sell

Nestor · April 2020

Keep everything as it is

SeaGtGruff wrote: »

but if I'm looking for the best price ........all I care about is getting the best price.

Then you should be willing to spend the time to find that "best price".

Time is Money, Spend the Time or Spend the Money. You get your Motif either way.

preevious · April 2020

Keep everything as it is

SeaGtGruff wrote: »

I think I was mistaken about the motif pages. Now that I've been looking back at my notes, I think it was something else that I was seeing outrageous price variations on-- probably Zircon Plating.

Normally I don't shop for motif pages unless I need one to do a master writ, and then if I don't like the prices I'm seeing I just wait until another time.

But if I'm crafting gear for someone, I'll use my own mats to make the gear, then shop for replacement mats to replenish my stock, especially for high quality temps or jewelry temps. In that case I'll shop for the absolute lowest prices, because those are the prices I'll quote in my bill to the person I crafted for, and I want to give them the lowest quote possible. The other week I crafted some gear for someone and she wanted purple jewelry, so I spent over two hours searching on TTC and visiting the guild traders to try to get the best deals, not just on Zircon Plating but on the other mats as well. When I would visit a given trader to see if a particular listing was still available, I was seeing some absolutely outrageous prices on one item-- over 500k, close to 600k, IIRC-- probably on Zircon Plating. Needless to say I did not buy it at those prices but continued looking until I found much more reasonable prices.

I can understand that, since I, too, craft quite often for a variety of people.

It's a bit strange, though. Zircon is around 20k. A listing at 500k is clearly not serious. Of course you shouldn't buy this one.

I personnally use the MM mean on the mats, when calculating mat prices. I never had any trouble to find [mean +/- 5%] when shopping around. On mat prices, it makes the difference negligible (especially so when considering there's no fee for you, when you sell crafted gear)

If there was no reasonably priced zircon, eitheir

You were on some remote place, where there's less choices in store
You had an exceptionnal bad luck
it was trolling day, at that particular guild

Buy in belkhart, or longsorrow. There, you'll find plenty of mats around mean price.
The only thing I ever had trouble finding (trouble = 4-5 guild to visit) was one time for the infused jewelry trait stone.

Artanisul · April 2020

One Auction House to rule them all

I wondered how long it would take, but it happened this morning.

I am in a trading guild because I have to be. I cant sell in any serious way unless I am. I received a message to go to this thread and post to keep the system as is. Urged by the guilds....

"someone was trying to upset the status quo."

It isnt some fantasy that there is a strangle hold guys. Its been exposed numerous times. People keep refering to " a little effort" and a "little money." It just takes a " little bit" of anything. When you got in on the ground floor, and are sitting on a Pile O' Gold, a little is different to you then it is to "the common folk."

In an AH system, if you have an item worth a bundle you sell it on the auction house, in our system you have to be in a guild or hawk it in the streets....That makes a huge difference for people starting out, or those that don't marketeer in most games.

I know it wont change. I already admitted to that. Just be honest people.....

Rave the Histborn · April 2020

Keep everything as it is

Nanfoodle wrote: »

My only problem with the current system is its controlled by the people with the most gold. Finding the best deal is too much work. And guild vendors cost too much to get a good location. These 3 things need to be fixed. Or one AH pls.

1) You don't think it'll be easier for the system to be controlled like they do in WoW when it's all in one place? It makes it easier

2) Use TTC but it also helps prevent monopolized by splitting traders

3) It's a gold sink for the economy, it's by design

Rave the Histborn · April 2020

Keep everything as it is

ZaroktheImmortal wrote: »

As for those saying it'll never happen. For ages people said there would be no dragons yet we have dragons. They said we'd never get a vampire lord form and shouldn't yet we got it in some sense at least. There's been a lot of things people said would 'never happen' yet end up happening. So who knows how it'll turn out maybe some day they will change it.

They gave us dragons because they're out of ideas and they needed something for the expansions just like blackreach and vampirism. They're not going to change one of their main selling features in the guild system to put up a WoW style AH without charging the playerbase for it.

You're asking to get charged for an inferior system

ArcVelarian · April 2020

A dozen or so auction houses would be best

They should also probably increase the number of items that you can have for sale in a single guild to about 90 as opposed to 30.

Rave the Histborn · April 2020

Keep everything as it is

alienmz wrote: »

“The most damaging phrase in the language is 'We've always done it this way'.”

Rear Admiral Grace Murray Hopper

So - let's do something new and create an auction house.

Something new? You mean the same system that they use in every game because it's easy on the devs?

Yeah, can we not?

EvilAutoTech · April 2020

Add more guild stores per city

I don't have an opinion on central trading houses. This is the only MMO that I have played.

I do think the system could be more inclusive but I don't think it is overly restrictive. I played for three years before joining a guild. I was able to learn how to make gold in this system.

It may be that my first guild is just completely awesome but I was eventually able to be a contributing member of four trading guilds at once. Keeping that many slots full took nearly all my game time but it was how I wanted to play at the time.

I wouldn't mind having 5 or 6 traders in every zone's main city. They all need to be within a few steps of a wayshrine also. There would still be premium spots due to proximity to a bank, but it would help bring the value of each trader closer to each other. I also agree that each outlaw's refuge should have 2 to 4 traders of their own.

kichwas · April 2020

ayu_fever wrote: »

an auction house will only keep certain things available to the top 1% of players and will cripple the economy for casuals.

Isn't that what the current system does?

.

indigorune · April 2020

Add more guild stores per city

FlopsyPrince wrote: »

I play ESO in spite of this feature. I can't see many actively playing it primarily or even significantly because of it. Some may continue because of it, but that is a smaller subset as well.

Interesting take, considering in this poll 50% of people say they would prefer the system to stay as it is.

Aloha · April 2020

One Auction House to rule them all

Trading guild's system is unfair, not good, too slow, annoying.

kargen27 · April 2020

Other .. (explain)

PizzaCat82 wrote: »

kargen27 wrote: »

ZaroktheImmortal wrote: »

As for those saying it'll never happen. For ages people said there would be no dragons yet we have dragons. They said we'd never get a vampire lord form and shouldn't yet we got it in some sense at least. There's been a lot of things people said would 'never happen' yet end up happening. So who knows how it'll turn out maybe some day they will change it.

There is a bit of a difference in putting a different skin and changing stats/mechanics on something and reworking an entire economy.

They're reworking the entire combat system. I'd say they're more than up to the challenge of updating the economy.

As for them saying they like the system: They said that about a lot of things, but opinions change. New designers and devs get hired. Maybe its not feasable due to lag, maybe its just a matter of fixing other stuff first.

As for dead horses, you guys know you can not post in threads right? It just bumps it back up to the top of the forums.

Look how long that is taking and how it is going. And the combat system does need work. The economy in the game is moving along fine. Doesn't make sense to spend that amount of time and resources to change something that is working and many players see as one of the best aspects of the game.

Tandor · April 2020

One Auction House to rule them all

ayu_fever wrote: »

an auction house will only keep certain things available to the top 1% of players and will cripple the economy for casuals.

That's the complete opposite of my experience of both ESO and those MMOs running auction houses. The present system only really caters for endgame players, and only traders can afford to pay other traders' prices. Open it up to all players and casuals can participate very effectively as I do as a casual player in all the other MMOs that I play or have played. Of course, it depends what we mean by "casual". I'm not into 70 hours/week playing or endgame, and therefore qualify as casual in some players' minds, although unlike them I don't QQ every 10 minutes over the latest rumored tweak and have played continually since launch with 2 accounts so I'm not that casual.

I'm ambivalent as to whether we have a different system such as an auction house or revamp the existing system, but as always with these polls there is only a (narrow at the moment) minority in favour of keeping things exactly as they are. For me, the over-riding concern is that any public trading system should be open to all players irrespective of such artificial restrictions as guild membership, and should be consistently operated across the platforms and not, for example, wholly dependent for effectiveness on add-ons that are only available to a third of the players.

indigorune · April 2020

Add more guild stores per city

preevious wrote: »

Knightpanther wrote: »

The current system is utter rubbish.

Why should i spend my valuable time wandering zones to find the best deal?
Add-ons (which i don't use - i look up items on said site) are consistently wrong and it just means select guilds can rig the prices.
Why should we pay a fee (Guilds need the dosh to set up traders) to sell our hard earned loot?

The only reason i am in a trading guild is because i have a lot of respect for the leader who spends a lot of time keeping the guild going but for the life of me i have no idea why.

Auction House is the only way.

Be Safe

Also, I don't know for you, but I'm in 2 big guilds in fought after location, and I never paid any fee.
There's a sale quota, sure, but there never was a fee.

I can second this. My main guild is medium sized, but in a capital city. My secondary guild is a pretty big one. I don't ever pay a fee. My primary has a low minimum and secondary is just don't be in bottom 5% of sales (as in sell SOMETHING and you'll be good). The biggest thing for them, is are you active in the game? If so, you are probably gonna be a-ok. Idk why everyone thinks big trading guilds are so nefarious. Most are ran by really nice people who devote so much to making their guild function. I know there are some scam guilds out there, but most are full of great people that are willing to help fellow guildies with their sales too.

MajThorax · April 2020

Banks with guild functions, merchants with repair option and guild traders are what keep the towns crowded. Also I am scared of potential bots that could scout an auction house and buy automatically.

PizzaCat82 · April 2020

A few auction houses, like one in each capital

I've had good guilds and I've had bad ones. I've seen guilds get destroyed by other guilds for not following along with coordinating trader spots.

AHs would not kill guilds. You don't even need to get rid of regular Guild traders. Just provide an alternative.

No one's cornering the market. Flipping might be easier but that's really PC player's fault for allowing add-ons to play the game for them.