ZaroktheImmortal wrote: »ZaroktheImmortal wrote: »Lapin_Logic wrote: »Lapin_Logic wrote: »First and foremost ALL MMO have one, Eq1 started without and so people were selling in a famous tunnel but a broker was added after 1-2 years.
If you wonder why we need one just watch Yale online course about free market, they
Thing with a central house is it makes it easier for market flippers to Vacuum the low cost items and mark them up.
With more small stores tou have many options to find the lowest price (add ons have less raw data and more disparate figures).
What ESO needs is More vendors, a way that multiple guilds are selectable from 1 vendor (say 10 guilds per trader), a Bid Cap on securing a vendor or a way for Every guild to sell to public (1 NPC called "The trader" that you can browse every guild that has at least 100 items for sale).
These measures would remove the current practice of only the wealthiest guilds being able to trade or guilds constantly passing the begging bowl for "Donations" or "Minimum sale requirements"
The current system enables "market flippers". game.
I mean it is easier for 1 guy with 1 billion gold to sit in a central trader, list all Tempering Alloy by lowest price and Buy, Buy, Buy, Buy, Buy.......
Than it is for a guy to check each vendor, travel zone then check all these, Yes they "Can" do it, and Have done it (one guy bought Every Tempering Alloy in a 12 Hour period, let the market panic and price gouge for a while then dumped everything for a profit.
At least disparate locations of traders gives a window where you can strike lucky on a bargain that others have missed or have not reached, but on a central trader it would be gone in a micro second.
How exactly does guild traders prevent this? Someone with all that amount of it could do the same with a guild trader and any with ttc would be able to find it there. It'd still sell up. And besides this doesn't put an argument in favor of guild traders. They could keep traders in locations but let anyone list in specific locations if that were the issue.
There are more than 200 traders in the game. A single person isn't going to be able to sit on more than three or four. TTC often is not current and even if it were one person isn't going to be able to keep tabs on all 200+ traders. Just isn't going to happen.
Oh yes because people who actually use traders totally won't use tamerial trade center and someone couldn't post a lot of stuff below normal value and people wouldn't see it at all right?
I did not start using TTC until about a year ago. I still do not use it very often outside of a general price idea. I had preferred Master Merchant that only gave me information based on the history of my guilds but Zos has made it so it does not update efficiently for server performance. Server performance is another reason why Zos is highly unlikely to go to a central trading system anytime soon. It would make searches significantly larger which would add to the server.
ZaroktheImmortal wrote: »ZaroktheImmortal wrote: »ZaroktheImmortal wrote: »Lapin_Logic wrote: »Lapin_Logic wrote: »First and foremost ALL MMO have one, Eq1 started without and so people were selling in a famous tunnel but a broker was added after 1-2 years.
If you wonder why we need one just watch Yale online course about free market, they
Thing with a central house is it makes it easier for market flippers to Vacuum the low cost items and mark them up.
With more small stores tou have many options to find the lowest price (add ons have less raw data and more disparate figures).
What ESO needs is More vendors, a way that multiple guilds are selectable from 1 vendor (say 10 guilds per trader), a Bid Cap on securing a vendor or a way for Every guild to sell to public (1 NPC called "The trader" that you can browse every guild that has at least 100 items for sale).
These measures would remove the current practice of only the wealthiest guilds being able to trade or guilds constantly passing the begging bowl for "Donations" or "Minimum sale requirements"
The current system enables "market flippers". game.
I mean it is easier for 1 guy with 1 billion gold to sit in a central trader, list all Tempering Alloy by lowest price and Buy, Buy, Buy, Buy, Buy.......
Than it is for a guy to check each vendor, travel zone then check all these, Yes they "Can" do it, and Have done it (one guy bought Every Tempering Alloy in a 12 Hour period, let the market panic and price gouge for a while then dumped everything for a profit.
At least disparate locations of traders gives a window where you can strike lucky on a bargain that others have missed or have not reached, but on a central trader it would be gone in a micro second.
How exactly does guild traders prevent this? Someone with all that amount of it could do the same with a guild trader and any with ttc would be able to find it there. It'd still sell up. And besides this doesn't put an argument in favor of guild traders. They could keep traders in locations but let anyone list in specific locations if that were the issue.
There are more than 200 traders in the game. A single person isn't going to be able to sit on more than three or four. TTC often is not current and even if it were one person isn't going to be able to keep tabs on all 200+ traders. Just isn't going to happen.
Oh yes because people who actually use traders totally won't use tamerial trade center and someone couldn't post a lot of stuff below normal value and people wouldn't see it at all right?
I did not start using TTC until about a year ago. I still do not use it very often outside of a general price idea. I had preferred Master Merchant that only gave me information based on the history of my guilds but Zos has made it so it does not update efficiently for server performance. Server performance is another reason why Zos is highly unlikely to go to a central trading system anytime soon. It would make searches significantly larger which would add to the server.
I think most people who take part in guild traders use TTC. TTC is the most popular one. You may not want to use it but does that prevent others from using it? No, it doesn't.
ZaroktheImmortal wrote: »ZaroktheImmortal wrote: »ZaroktheImmortal wrote: »Lapin_Logic wrote: »Lapin_Logic wrote: »First and foremost ALL MMO have one, Eq1 started without and so people were selling in a famous tunnel but a broker was added after 1-2 years.
If you wonder why we need one just watch Yale online course about free market, they
Thing with a central house is it makes it easier for market flippers to Vacuum the low cost items and mark them up.
With more small stores tou have many options to find the lowest price (add ons have less raw data and more disparate figures).
What ESO needs is More vendors, a way that multiple guilds are selectable from 1 vendor (say 10 guilds per trader), a Bid Cap on securing a vendor or a way for Every guild to sell to public (1 NPC called "The trader" that you can browse every guild that has at least 100 items for sale).
These measures would remove the current practice of only the wealthiest guilds being able to trade or guilds constantly passing the begging bowl for "Donations" or "Minimum sale requirements"
The current system enables "market flippers". game.
I mean it is easier for 1 guy with 1 billion gold to sit in a central trader, list all Tempering Alloy by lowest price and Buy, Buy, Buy, Buy, Buy.......
Than it is for a guy to check each vendor, travel zone then check all these, Yes they "Can" do it, and Have done it (one guy bought Every Tempering Alloy in a 12 Hour period, let the market panic and price gouge for a while then dumped everything for a profit.
At least disparate locations of traders gives a window where you can strike lucky on a bargain that others have missed or have not reached, but on a central trader it would be gone in a micro second.
How exactly does guild traders prevent this? Someone with all that amount of it could do the same with a guild trader and any with ttc would be able to find it there. It'd still sell up. And besides this doesn't put an argument in favor of guild traders. They could keep traders in locations but let anyone list in specific locations if that were the issue.
There are more than 200 traders in the game. A single person isn't going to be able to sit on more than three or four. TTC often is not current and even if it were one person isn't going to be able to keep tabs on all 200+ traders. Just isn't going to happen.
Oh yes because people who actually use traders totally won't use tamerial trade center and someone couldn't post a lot of stuff below normal value and people wouldn't see it at all right?
I did not start using TTC until about a year ago. I still do not use it very often outside of a general price idea. I had preferred Master Merchant that only gave me information based on the history of my guilds but Zos has made it so it does not update efficiently for server performance. Server performance is another reason why Zos is highly unlikely to go to a central trading system anytime soon. It would make searches significantly larger which would add to the server.
I think most people who take part in guild traders use TTC. TTC is the most popular one. You may not want to use it but does that prevent others from using it? No, it doesn't.
I think we should avoid making assumptions because we have no idea how accurate such statements are. Heck, I even said I use it, but I use it to check prices sometimes. Not as much to buy items. So just because someone uses it does not mean they use it like a central trading system.
To the point that was not commented on, server performance is the biggest reason Zos is not likely to consider a central trading system. The significantly larger queries would add to the server load which Zos has been trying to reduce. That is not an opinion, but an actual fact.
colossalvoids wrote: »So yet again - whats the exact proposal to all the active trading guilds out there after proposed, erm, change? Just disband / leave the game or what exactly do you want from it?
Also funny people mention things that zos added despite stating the opposite before, there is a word "add" by the way and not "destroy purpose of existence for like half the guilds because newbies should list/sell their iron ore for 2g/p".
Lapin_Logic wrote: »Lapin_Logic wrote: »First and foremost ALL MMO have one, Eq1 started without and so people were selling in a famous tunnel but a broker was added after 1-2 years.
If you wonder why we need one just watch Yale online course about free market, they
Thing with a central house is it makes it easier for market flippers to Vacuum the low cost items and mark them up.
With more small stores tou have many options to find the lowest price (add ons have less raw data and more disparate figures).
What ESO needs is More vendors, a way that multiple guilds are selectable from 1 vendor (say 10 guilds per trader), a Bid Cap on securing a vendor or a way for Every guild to sell to public (1 NPC called "The trader" that you can browse every guild that has at least 100 items for sale).
These measures would remove the current practice of only the wealthiest guilds being able to trade or guilds constantly passing the begging bowl for "Donations" or "Minimum sale requirements"
The current system enables "market flippers". Unless you refer to third party resources as a guide it's difficult to know what the average price for an item is. Many players (especially newer ones) end up selling their items beneath market value as a result. So players can run around and target those items then sell them back for significant profit. I know players who make their living on ESO doing this. In short: the current system is a market flipper's dream come true.
In a centralized and free market with a visible price history - the only way for a player to effectively "flip" the market to their advantage would be to monopolize the supply and then artificially raise prices. That would be difficult to pull off - especially long term - which is why I've rarely seen it done.
The only time I've ever seen central auction houses manipulated like that on a MMO was when packs of gold sellers could dominate spawn points for monsters that dropped rare items players had no other way to obtain. And that's not something I can see happening on this game.
Market flippers are not a bad thing by any means. The person who sells the item initially makes bank and the person who flips it makes bank. Market flipping is much more desirable than bot manipulation. Central ACs are very well suited for bot manipulation and the speed that they can operate is significantly more effective and efficient than any of us could come close to.
Flippers are a Cancer, you are ment to be buying an item so you can use it, not so you can make more gold to make more gold to make more gold while doing nothing, and at the expense of other players.
For example, have you ever wondered how you can buy BIS purple jewelry Cheaper than you can craft a Purple Seducer/way of the arena infused Ring?
The market has never Recoverd/Normalised from the price hikes of the systems first release so now a new player can't even craft beginner gear that isn't even that good (then they are with you in a PUG doing no damage)
Lapin_Logic wrote: »Lapin_Logic wrote: »First and foremost ALL MMO have one, Eq1 started without and so people were selling in a famous tunnel but a broker was added after 1-2 years.
If you wonder why we need one just watch Yale online course about free market, they
Thing with a central house is it makes it easier for market flippers to Vacuum the low cost items and mark them up.
With more small stores tou have many options to find the lowest price (add ons have less raw data and more disparate figures).
What ESO needs is More vendors, a way that multiple guilds are selectable from 1 vendor (say 10 guilds per trader), a Bid Cap on securing a vendor or a way for Every guild to sell to public (1 NPC called "The trader" that you can browse every guild that has at least 100 items for sale).
These measures would remove the current practice of only the wealthiest guilds being able to trade or guilds constantly passing the begging bowl for "Donations" or "Minimum sale requirements"
The current system enables "market flippers". Unless you refer to third party resources as a guide it's difficult to know what the average price for an item is. Many players (especially newer ones) end up selling their items beneath market value as a result. So players can run around and target those items then sell them back for significant profit. I know players who make their living on ESO doing this. In short: the current system is a market flipper's dream come true.
In a centralized and free market with a visible price history - the only way for a player to effectively "flip" the market to their advantage would be to monopolize the supply and then artificially raise prices. That would be difficult to pull off - especially long term - which is why I've rarely seen it done.
The only time I've ever seen central auction houses manipulated like that on a MMO was when packs of gold sellers could dominate spawn points for monsters that dropped rare items players had no other way to obtain. And that's not something I can see happening on this game.
Market flippers are not a bad thing by any means. The person who sells the item initially makes bank and the person who flips it makes bank. Market flipping is much more desirable than bot manipulation. Central ACs are very well suited for bot manipulation and the speed that they can operate is significantly more effective and efficient than any of us could come close to.
Flippers are a Cancer, you are ment to be buying an item so you can use it, not so you can make more gold to make more gold to make more gold while doing nothing, and at the expense of other players.
For example, have you ever wondered how you can buy BIS purple jewelry Cheaper than you can craft a Purple Seducer/way of the arena infused Ring?
The market has never Recoverd/Normalised from the price hikes of the systems first release so now a new player can't even craft beginner gear that isn't even that good (then they are with you in a PUG doing no damage)
Not really. With a decentralized system people who want to spend their time searching Tamriel for deals and then post them at as higher price are not creating any problems. They are in fact performing a service. The player who is in a smaller trade guild or maybe a PvE guild that gets a trader makes bank and the person who has taken the time to find those deals and post them in a higher trafficked area also earns a return.
That does not cause any problems in the game.
That's merely assumptions and opinions. The mere fact that complaints about the trading system and suggestions how to improve it pop up a few times every month should at least tell you that a lot of players don' t like the trading system.the guild trader system handled the trading of millions of gold each day.
It works well and players are not going to leave ESO because they do not like the trading system.
Lapin_Logic wrote: »Lapin_Logic wrote: »First and foremost ALL MMO have one, Eq1 started without and so people were selling in a famous tunnel but a broker was added after 1-2 years.
If you wonder why we need one just watch Yale online course about free market, they
Thing with a central house is it makes it easier for market flippers to Vacuum the low cost items and mark them up.
With more small stores tou have many options to find the lowest price (add ons have less raw data and more disparate figures).
What ESO needs is More vendors, a way that multiple guilds are selectable from 1 vendor (say 10 guilds per trader), a Bid Cap on securing a vendor or a way for Every guild to sell to public (1 NPC called "The trader" that you can browse every guild that has at least 100 items for sale).
These measures would remove the current practice of only the wealthiest guilds being able to trade or guilds constantly passing the begging bowl for "Donations" or "Minimum sale requirements"
The current system enables "market flippers". Unless you refer to third party resources as a guide it's difficult to know what the average price for an item is. Many players (especially newer ones) end up selling their items beneath market value as a result. So players can run around and target those items then sell them back for significant profit. I know players who make their living on ESO doing this. In short: the current system is a market flipper's dream come true.
In a centralized and free market with a visible price history - the only way for a player to effectively "flip" the market to their advantage would be to monopolize the supply and then artificially raise prices. That would be difficult to pull off - especially long term - which is why I've rarely seen it done.
The only time I've ever seen central auction houses manipulated like that on a MMO was when packs of gold sellers could dominate spawn points for monsters that dropped rare items players had no other way to obtain. And that's not something I can see happening on this game.
Market flippers are not a bad thing by any means. The person who sells the item initially makes bank and the person who flips it makes bank. Market flipping is much more desirable than bot manipulation. Central ACs are very well suited for bot manipulation and the speed that they can operate is significantly more effective and efficient than any of us could come close to.
Flippers are a Cancer, you are ment to be buying an item so you can use it, not so you can make more gold to make more gold to make more gold while doing nothing, and at the expense of other players.
For example, have you ever wondered how you can buy BIS purple jewelry Cheaper than you can craft a Purple Seducer/way of the arena infused Ring?
The market has never Recoverd/Normalised from the price hikes of the systems first release so now a new player can't even craft beginner gear that isn't even that good (then they are with you in a PUG doing no damage)
searching Tamriel for deals and then post them at as higher price are not creating any problems. They are in fact performing a service.
.
Lapin_Logic wrote: »...while thinking they are some kind of philanthropist.
That's merely assumptions and opinions. There mere fact that complaints about the trading system and suggestions how to improve it pop up a few times every month should at least tell you that a lot of players don' t like the trading system.the guild trader system handled the trading of millions of gold each day.
It works well and players are not going to leave ESO because they do not like the trading system.
Better even: there mere existence of TTC and the fact that every single player I meet in the game knows it and advises it to new players should tell you that the in-game trading function isn't appropriate. Why else is there TTC at all? Why does almost everyone use it? Because the in-game trading function isn't appropriate.
Again: I am not saying a global AH is the solution - but the in-game trading function definitely doesn' t suffice.
There IS a problem, otherwise there wouldn't be a TTC to solve it.
*
That's merely assumptions and opinions. There mere fact that complaints about the trading system and suggestions how to improve it pop up a few times every month should at least tell you that a lot of players don' t like the trading system.the guild trader system handled the trading of millions of gold each day.
It works well and players are not going to leave ESO because they do not like the trading system.
Better even: there mere existence of TTC and the fact that every single player I meet in the game knows it and advises it to new players should tell you that the in-game trading function isn't appropriate. Why else is there TTC at all? Why does almost everyone use it? Because the in-game trading function isn't appropriate.
Again: I am not saying a global AH is the solution - but the in-game trading function definitely doesn' t suffice.
There IS a problem, otherwise there wouldn't be a TTC to solve it.
*
I am speaking strictly from a BUYERS perspective.There IS a problem, otherwise there wouldn't be a TTC to solve it.
*
This TTC argument doesn't hold - because it is not even part of the trading system, but an external tool to estimate prices. So if something is wrong, it would be live information gain about market trades and TTC just shows listed prices, not actual trades. There is actually a system in game, which offers you live information about trades happening in those guild(s) you are a member of - located in the activities panel of the guild UI. This is real market data, even it is just local to your guilds, but these are actual trades, not just wishfully listed prices - and TTC can just show you those wishful listed prices, not trades.
The existence of TTC proves nothing in the context of if the market system itself is flawed or not.
Look, I just want something like TTC but inside the game. It doesn't have to show whether it SELLS at that price like MM does, just that it's currently listed at the price and is located at such and such city.
Plenty of people use TTC, including sellers, so it would be helpful to all I think.
People keep their guild traders, you still have to go to the location of the guild trader in order to buy the item (so it's not an auction house), but you can just look it up in game instead of having to rely on add-ons.
I just think it would be a little more fair to the console players.
Plus, easier for me as a seller to look up what other people are listing their stuff for so I can price my own stuff accordingly.
I am speaking strictly form a BUYERS perspective.There IS a problem, otherwise there wouldn't be a TTC to solve it.
*
This TTC argument doesn't hold - because it is not even part of the trading system, but an external tool to estimate prices. So if something is wrong, it would be live information gain about market trades and TTC just shows listed prices, not actual trades. There is actually a system in game, which offers you live information about trades happening in those guild(s) you are a member of - located in the activities panel of the guild UI. This is real market data, even it is just local to your guilds, but these are actual trades, not just wishfully listed prices - and TTC can just show you those wishful listed prices, not trades.
The existence of TTC proves nothing in the context of if the market system itself is flawed or not.
Really, I couldn' t care less about what happens behind the screens of the ESO trading minigame. Sorry.
I think you can not expect players to check 200+ stores in 30 provinces to see if the item he/she wants is actually there or for sale at all.
Speaking for myself: if there wasn' t TTC I would hardly buy anything at all. I mean: have better things to do with my life than staring at all those loading screens. Not having TTC would definitely make me reconsider if I really want to continue playing the game - as not being able to buy furniture I want or sets with appropriate traits or stuff for research would really take away from my game enjoyment.
The BIG difference is that if I go to the local supermarket for bread and cheese I KNOW THEY SELL IT.See, you don't have a global trade system in the real world as well and guess what you don't scrap off your legs by having to walk too much and for a too long time to get what you want.
The BIG difference is that if I go to the local supermarket for bread and cheese I KNOW THEY SELL IT.See, you don't have a global trade system in the real world as well and guess what you don't scrap off your legs by having to walk too much and for a too long time to get what you want.
I don' t have to try out 50 other shops.
If I want furniture I go to another shop. I can even call to ask if they have stock and reserve one for me.
So I KNOW THEY SELL IT.
Otherwise I can also FIND stuff and shop and compare prices from behind my PC.
Even order stuff without moving.
Please give me that in ESO.
PS I didn't say anything about lowest prices. My big issue is being able to find anything at all (beyond the basic stuff).
Honesly I don' t care bout paying 5000 gold more or less for that staff I want or that specific Redoran couch or whatever.
*
Lapin_Logic wrote: »First and foremost ALL MMO have one, Eq1 started without and so people were selling in a famous tunnel but a broker was added after 1-2 years.
If you wonder why we need one just watch Yale online course about free market, they
Thing with a central house is it makes it easier for market flippers to Vacuum the low cost items and mark them up.
With more small stores tou have many options to find the lowest price (add ons have less raw data and more disparate figures).
What ESO needs is More vendors, a way that multiple guilds are selectable from 1 vendor (say 10 guilds per trader), a Bid Cap on securing a vendor or a way for Every guild to sell to public (1 NPC called "The trader" that you can browse every guild that has at least 100 items for sale).
These measures would remove the current practice of only the wealthiest guilds being able to trade or guilds constantly passing the begging bowl for "Donations" or "Minimum sale requirements"
The current system enables "market flippers". Unless you refer to third party resources as a guide it's difficult to know what the average price for an item is. Many players (especially newer ones) end up selling their items beneath market value as a result. So players can run around and target those items then sell them back for significant profit. I know players who make their living on ESO doing this. In short: the current system is a market flipper's dream come true.
In a centralized and free market with a visible price history - the only way for a player to effectively "flip" the market to their advantage would be to monopolize the supply and then artificially raise prices. That would be difficult to pull off - especially long term - which is why I've rarely seen it done.
The only time I've ever seen central auction houses manipulated like that on a MMO was when packs of gold sellers could dominate spawn points for monsters that dropped rare items players had no other way to obtain. And that's not something I can see happening on this game.
Market flippers are not a bad thing by any means. The person who sells the item initially makes bank and the person who flips it makes bank. Market flipping is much more desirable than bot manipulation. Central ACs are very well suited for bot manipulation and the speed that they can operate is significantly more effective and efficient than any of us could come close to.
Whether you believe market flippers are a bad thing or not is beside the point. I was responding to a poster who seemed to believe the current system prevented market flippers when it actuality it only encourages and rewards it.
As far as bots "manipulating" a central auction house - those would be very easy to detect.
Of course, they would be easy to detect just as bots performing other activities are so easy to detect. The fact is they run rampant through MMORPGs and they constantly improve o working around new methods to detect them.
How do we know this is a fact, well, how do you think the gold sellers get all that gold, to begin with? Crown Gifting also boosted that gold selling market by the way. So it is simple to suggest it is easy to detect bot activity but that does not reflect reality.
I've never seen bots manipulating a central auction house and I've been playing MMOs for decades. So I"m not sure what games you have been playing where they are running "rampant" on but all I can say is they must have inept developers who simply don't care about cheating running rampant on their games. And if that is the case, then their auction house is probably the least of their problems.
The reason the developers of this game opted not to have a centralized auction house has nothing to do with bots or market flipping or any kind of possible manipulations. They were concerned that the "mega server" would lead to mega deflation. All of these arguments about bots, market flippers and manipulating are misplaced and really have no relevant association with a centralized auction house, at least not one that is competently designed and run.
And yes - anyone who attempted to buy up the market with bots would be easy to detect. That is the reality. ^^
If you say so. . . . .
I also never said the developers of this game designed the current system because of bots. However, you are wrong about the market manipulation statement. One of the reasons they specifically stated for a guild based system was the effect on the price that having everything in one place could have. Granted they commented on how the price of more common items are driven down to worthlessness because everyone keeps posting their items below the previous one. That also works in reverse when given someone with deep pockets can simply purchase all the devalued items and repost them for more. [snip]
Regardless, the guild trading system is here to stay. It is what Zos wanted and it has been proven to work well. Zos knows players will not leave the game because of the trading system so they have no reason to change it.
The guild trader system has already underwent massive changes
Not really. The only change that can be considered massive is that Zos added the traders in the PvE areas whereas they were only in Cyrodiil keeps at launch. Beyond that, there have been tweaks.
Again, the system has been proven to work well even if some want a system that they find simpler to use. Zos has no reason to make such a massive overhaul as is being suggested in this thread. Especially since players are not going to leave a game they actually enjoy because of the trading system.Lapin_Logic wrote: »First and foremost ALL MMO have one, Eq1 started without and so people were selling in a famous tunnel but a broker was added after 1-2 years.
If you wonder why we need one just watch Yale online course about free market, they
Thing with a central house is it makes it easier for market flippers to Vacuum the low cost items and mark them up.
With more small stores tou have many options to find the lowest price (add ons have less raw data and more disparate figures).
What ESO needs is More vendors, a way that multiple guilds are selectable from 1 vendor (say 10 guilds per trader), a Bid Cap on securing a vendor or a way for Every guild to sell to public (1 NPC called "The trader" that you can browse every guild that has at least 100 items for sale).
These measures would remove the current practice of only the wealthiest guilds being able to trade or guilds constantly passing the begging bowl for "Donations" or "Minimum sale requirements"
The current system enables "market flippers". Unless you refer to third party resources as a guide it's difficult to know what the average price for an item is. Many players (especially newer ones) end up selling their items beneath market value as a result. So players can run around and target those items then sell them back for significant profit. I know players who make their living on ESO doing this. In short: the current system is a market flipper's dream come true.
In a centralized and free market with a visible price history - the only way for a player to effectively "flip" the market to their advantage would be to monopolize the supply and then artificially raise prices. That would be difficult to pull off - especially long term - which is why I've rarely seen it done.
The only time I've ever seen central auction houses manipulated like that on a MMO was when packs of gold sellers could dominate spawn points for monsters that dropped rare items players had no other way to obtain. And that's not something I can see happening on this game.
Market flippers are not a bad thing by any means. The person who sells the item initially makes bank and the person who flips it makes bank. Market flipping is much more desirable than bot manipulation. Central ACs are very well suited for bot manipulation and the speed that they can operate is significantly more effective and efficient than any of us could come close to.
Whether you believe market flippers are a bad thing or not is beside the point. I was responding to a poster who seemed to believe the current system prevented market flippers when it actuality it only encourages and rewards it.
As far as bots "manipulating" a central auction house - those would be very easy to detect.
Of course, they would be easy to detect just as bots performing other activities are so easy to detect. The fact is they run rampant through MMORPGs and they constantly improve o working around new methods to detect them.
How do we know this is a fact, well, how do you think the gold sellers get all that gold, to begin with? Crown Gifting also boosted that gold selling market by the way. So it is simple to suggest it is easy to detect bot activity but that does not reflect reality.
I've never seen bots manipulating a central auction house and I've been playing MMOs for decades. So I"m not sure what games you have been playing where they are running "rampant" on but all I can say is they must have inept developers who simply don't care about cheating running rampant on their games. And if that is the case, then their auction house is probably the least of their problems.
The reason the developers of this game opted not to have a centralized auction house has nothing to do with bots or market flipping or any kind of possible manipulations. They were concerned that the "mega server" would lead to mega deflation. All of these arguments about bots, market flippers and manipulating are misplaced and really have no relevant association with a centralized auction house, at least not one that is competently designed and run.
And yes - anyone who attempted to buy up the market with bots would be easy to detect. That is the reality. ^^
If you say so. . . . .
I also never said the developers of this game designed the current system because of bots. However, you are wrong about the market manipulation statement. One of the reasons they specifically stated for a guild based system was the effect on the price that having everything in one place could have. Granted they commented on how the price of more common items are driven down to worthlessness because everyone keeps posting their items below the previous one. That also works in reverse when given someone with deep pockets can simply purchase all the devalued items and repost them for more. [snip]
Regardless, the guild trading system is here to stay. It is what Zos wanted and it has been proven to work well. Zos knows players will not leave the game because of the trading system so they have no reason to change it.
In respect to your comment about market manipulation - the only way someone with "deep pockets" could effectively inflate the prices of a large mega-server wide auction house would be if he or she sat there buying every item put up for sale all day every day - otherwise prices would stabilize as soon as they stopped buying. So good luck with that, they are going to need it. Odds are they are just going to end up with considerably less deep pockets. But if you would like to tell me on what game with a global auction house this actually happens I'm all ears, or eyes I guess.
This idea generally that a single hub somehow makes a market easier to manipulate is a false one. It's the size of the market and the amount of people participating in it that makes a market more resistant to manipulation - not how many hubs a person has to navigate to use one. And I never remember the developers suggesting inflation was a concern when they opted for a guild store approach rather a global auction house. It was always deflation I saw mentioned.
You seem to underestimate how effective bots perform. They are programs and can and do work all day. Suggesting it is false when bots can work faster and more effective any a hoard of players does not make sense. Especially when these gold farmers have larger pools of gold than most players. After all, they are the ones selling gold to players.
I was not referring to "bots" in that comment. I was referring to "people with deep pockets".
Bots are just programs and/or scripts. And any program or script that was set up to constantly buy up everything that was put up on the auction house would draw attention to itself and risk being caught.
The last thing a "bot" wants is to be out in public view. That increases their likelihood of being caught, and what you are suggesting they do makes that basically assured. Which is why I've never seen it done - and probably why you can't tell me a game where it's being done.
And the guild trade system has changed dramatically over the years. I can't take your argument seriously if you are going to suggest otherwise. And no one uses the guild trader system anyway. They use the Tamriel Trade Centre (or others like it) - which is basically just a global auction house simulator as I said. So the game has already basically adopted a global auction house model that everyone accepts. So I suspect most of the resistance to a global auction house on this game - which has already basically been embraced by the population through the use of third party resources like i said - is from "Market flippers" who make money off those who incorrectly price items because they either don't know about or don't use these tools. I could be wrong, but I doubt it. Because otherwise you would see more push back against these addons and internet sites.
That's merely assumptions and opinions. The mere fact that complaints about the trading system and suggestions how to improve it pop up a few times every month should at least tell you that a lot of players don' t like the trading system.the guild trader system handled the trading of millions of gold each day.
It works well and players are not going to leave ESO because they do not like the trading system.
Better even: there mere existence of TTC and the fact that every single player I meet in the game knows it and advises it to new players should tell you that the in-game trading function isn't appropriate. Why else is there TTC at all? Why does almost everyone use it? Because the in-game trading function isn't appropriate.
Again: I am not saying a global AH is the solution - but the in-game trading function definitely doesn' t suffice.
There IS a problem, otherwise there wouldn't be a TTC to solve it.
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Lapin_Logic wrote: »Lapin_Logic wrote: »Lapin_Logic wrote: »First and foremost ALL MMO have one, Eq1 started without and so people were selling in a famous tunnel but a broker was added after 1-2 years.
If you wonder why we need one just watch Yale online course about free market, they
Thing with a central house is it makes it easier for market flippers to Vacuum the low cost items and mark them up.
With more small stores tou have many options to find the lowest price (add ons have less raw data and more disparate figures).
What ESO needs is More vendors, a way that multiple guilds are selectable from 1 vendor (say 10 guilds per trader), a Bid Cap on securing a vendor or a way for Every guild to sell to public (1 NPC called "The trader" that you can browse every guild that has at least 100 items for sale).
These measures would remove the current practice of only the wealthiest guilds being able to trade or guilds constantly passing the begging bowl for "Donations" or "Minimum sale requirements"
The current system enables "market flippers". Unless you refer to third party resources as a guide it's difficult to know what the average price for an item is. Many players (especially newer ones) end up selling their items beneath market value as a result. So players can run around and target those items then sell them back for significant profit. I know players who make their living on ESO doing this. In short: the current system is a market flipper's dream come true.
In a centralized and free market with a visible price history - the only way for a player to effectively "flip" the market to their advantage would be to monopolize the supply and then artificially raise prices. That would be difficult to pull off - especially long term - which is why I've rarely seen it done.
The only time I've ever seen central auction houses manipulated like that on a MMO was when packs of gold sellers could dominate spawn points for monsters that dropped rare items players had no other way to obtain. And that's not something I can see happening on this game.
Market flippers are not a bad thing by any means. The person who sells the item initially makes bank and the person who flips it makes bank. Market flipping is much more desirable than bot manipulation. Central ACs are very well suited for bot manipulation and the speed that they can operate is significantly more effective and efficient than any of us could come close to.
Flippers are a Cancer, you are ment to be buying an item so you can use it, not so you can make more gold to make more gold to make more gold while doing nothing, and at the expense of other players.
For example, have you ever wondered how you can buy BIS purple jewelry Cheaper than you can craft a Purple Seducer/way of the arena infused Ring?
The market has never Recoverd/Normalised from the price hikes of the systems first release so now a new player can't even craft beginner gear that isn't even that good (then they are with you in a PUG doing no damage)
searching Tamriel for deals and then post them at as higher price are not creating any problems. They are in fact performing a service.
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That's like saying someone punching you in the face and charging you money to stop is "Providing a service", .
ZaroktheImmortal wrote: »ZaroktheImmortal wrote: »Lapin_Logic wrote: »Lapin_Logic wrote: »First and foremost ALL MMO have one, Eq1 started without and so people were selling in a famous tunnel but a broker was added after 1-2 years.
If you wonder why we need one just watch Yale online course about free market, they
Thing with a central house is it makes it easier for market flippers to Vacuum the low cost items and mark them up.
With more small stores tou have many options to find the lowest price (add ons have less raw data and more disparate figures).
What ESO needs is More vendors, a way that multiple guilds are selectable from 1 vendor (say 10 guilds per trader), a Bid Cap on securing a vendor or a way for Every guild to sell to public (1 NPC called "The trader" that you can browse every guild that has at least 100 items for sale).
These measures would remove the current practice of only the wealthiest guilds being able to trade or guilds constantly passing the begging bowl for "Donations" or "Minimum sale requirements"
The current system enables "market flippers". game.
I mean it is easier for 1 guy with 1 billion gold to sit in a central trader, list all Tempering Alloy by lowest price and Buy, Buy, Buy, Buy, Buy.......
Than it is for a guy to check each vendor, travel zone then check all these, Yes they "Can" do it, and Have done it (one guy bought Every Tempering Alloy in a 12 Hour period, let the market panic and price gouge for a while then dumped everything for a profit.
At least disparate locations of traders gives a window where you can strike lucky on a bargain that others have missed or have not reached, but on a central trader it would be gone in a micro second.
How exactly does guild traders prevent this? Someone with all that amount of it could do the same with a guild trader and any with ttc would be able to find it there. It'd still sell up. And besides this doesn't put an argument in favor of guild traders. They could keep traders in locations but let anyone list in specific locations if that were the issue.
There are more than 200 traders in the game. A single person isn't going to be able to sit on more than three or four. TTC often is not current and even if it were one person isn't going to be able to keep tabs on all 200+ traders. Just isn't going to happen.
Oh yes because people who actually use traders totally won't use tamerial trade center and someone couldn't post a lot of stuff below normal value and people wouldn't see it at all right?