What do you think about regional item searches?

[Pirotess]

Recently Brad McQuaid made a clarification of Sigils position on tools that make it easier for players to find the items they are looking to buy. He said:

Originally Posted by Aradune

What I described is what we will be implementing for player run vendors as 'phase one'. With this system and many others, the approach during beta will be to implement systems like this in stages. This makes it easier to schedule for, doesn't overwhelm coders with a huge complex task, and also let's us know if the extent to which we implement something is good enough or needs more polish, features, tweaking, whatever.

Initially, as per the modular approach above, there will be no assistance for shopping, no lists to help you find stuff, etc. You'll need to, as per my earlier post, shop around. If it proves necessary, however, we will start minimally adding functionality to help you find an item, like having vendors near you report what they have on sale in a UI that you can organize, etc.

Basically baby steps. I want to avoid needless tedium, but I really want the feeling of regional sales, shopping, and looking for that good deal. The line between the two is a fine one that we will approach with caution. This was the point I probably wasn't clear enough on: As with many of our other tenets, philosophy in the FAQ, etc. we do not want tedium for the sake of tedium. If we can implement UI, etc. that helps you shop for items, as long as it preserves the regional nature of price fluctuations, etc. we'll consider it.

Personally, I think walking around shopping, like at a garage sale or some such, can be fun, seeing who has the best deal, or the item you are looking for, or perhaps an item you weren't looking for but decide to buy on the spot because it's a good deal or you didn't know it was out there, etc. I don't want to risk losing that by putting in search engines, etc. I realize that not everyone finds this fun, but I also think many do and will.

What do you think? Should there be regional search engines? Would you be upset if there werent? Let us know what you think!

[Ninnin]

I think making people have to "work" to find good deals will benefit merchants and benefit craftspeople - and move to re-create an Everquest class that was long ago forgotten "The EC Tunnel Trader caravan". Having limited regional search tools is a good thing. But if I as a trader want to move a large amount of say "Mithril Longswords" from one area of the world where they are manufactured regularly to a remote location where Mithril is just unavailable.. I want my efforts to have the *potential* to reap rewards.

Of course don't mistake that for greed - while I expect to be able to earn better coin doing this - I do expect that people should be able to "search the area" for other traders that are maybe doing the same thing.

Localized searches for localized markets is a good thing. Global (Auction Houses, one zone Bazars, and Serverwide traders) trade is a bad thing.

[Neatton]

I know that alot of people really miss the EC tunnel. WIth that being said however I remember trying to actually buy and sell in the tunnel being a chore. I would save lots of things up for months before making myself actually go out and try to sell it. If there are vendors that I can put my goods on that will be better however without some type of search function you are talking about a whole lot of time that I cannot play while I wait for someone to stumble along.

Unless you can have a vendor up and play on another toon at the same time I think people are going to soon realize that if I want my junk sold I am going to have to give up playing for days at a time waiting for people to stumble onto my vendor. You will then have ppl crowding a small area like the bazzar by the nexus bank to try and get ppl to come to them first. I think at least a regional search tool would be of benefit just like a local paper has classified ads there should be a way to find what you are looking for. I agree the the Bazaar zone is not necassery but then again if there is not one zone for this then it is going to take much more coding to make this search tool available all over the world or in every town. The system of no way to search would only be good for people who spend there entire time online buying low and selling high. I am not one of those ppl I simply want to offload my goods and I dont want to have to set my vendor up for days on end hoping it all sells or shouting selling everything in my bag at tent 2. I really hope that the ppl who remember trying to sell goods at torch 1 remember how tedious this was.

edit: Also remember ppl are going to crowd to one area to sell. It may begin that ppl set up in random areas to sell in towns but after just a few short months one area is going to stick out as the prodominent area to sell your items. IE: EC tunnel. This will happen so why make it even tougher by having to sit there and wait for someone to shout out what they have or randomly run around clicking on ppl hoping they have this tradeskill item or this sword you want. Just think of this from the tradeskill side. You need to buy item X so you can make the uber item...Do you want to stumble around the world for hrs looking for that item?

[Pirotess]

I've read in a few posts that Vanguards merchant system will be similar to SWGs where you can have a vendor or more setup and running while you are out adventuring with your main character. That should alleviate any fears of having to waste alot of time selling.

[Sablehawk]

I sure hope it works that way ... but overall I hope that regional searches are something they decide to NOT do.

I still remember the day the bazaar popped up in EQ ... god I hated that. In fact I hated it till the day I quit the game. Too much ease in finding things is not realistic.

[Lotican]

I loved the vendor system in SWG, not to mention the whole resource and crafting system. My favorite thing about this vendor system is that you can find rare items and good deals that someone else might not know about. Like, 2 rangers equal in level but one does more damage because he found better arrows at someone's shop. I like being better.

[Greymain]

I never played EQ so I have no preconceptions. What I would like to see is a way for players to advertise their wares. Perhaps a Notice board in Taverns or on boards in streets. That you can have a Market stall or sell from a cart which the players can click to see whats for sale and a sign to indicate the crafts on sale. I do want to know what gear looks like before I buy it.

As well as buying standard crafted items it will be possible to have gear crafted to order. Here I would like a search facility to enable me to locate a crafter with the skills and expertise and template to create my item.

I would like market-places and Market days in towns and cities. I do not want a facility to see what is on sale in another town, city or continent. I like the idea of Fairs which could be advertised widely but moving location.

That you can Hire an NPC to sell your goods is a good idea. It would be nice to have Guild vendors and Guild banks.