Suggestion: One AH

[Satyr]

**EDIT** Apparently this is already happening so ... Mods feel free to delete.

When I think back to how the AH used to be compared to how it is now I cannot imagine trying to start fresh in this game, especially as a truly new player who has never set foot in Vana'diel before.

The problems that I see are this:
Crystals are really the only good way for a new player to make decent gil. The problem with this is that even though all of the crafting houses are in major cities, the main place to sell crystals is Jueno. Yes crystals do sell in the major cities from time to time, but they sell for significantly less than they do on the Jueno AH and at a slower rate.

Another issue relating to newer players is that low level gear is becoming more and more scarce. Fragmenting this low supply of low level gear between 4 separate locations further compounds this problem. Sure you might see robes pop up in the windy AH from time to time since the cloth guild is there, but I imagine it is rather rare to see them in the sandy and bastok AHs.

Next we have the issue of crafting. First, many crafts require items that are crafted from other trades. Currently you just have to hope that you can find the materials that you need in jueno. Secondly, since most crafting materials are sold in jueno it means that if you are grinding skill levels in a major city and you need one single item you might have to make a trip all the way to jueno just to buy it and then go all the way back to the capital city to finish your synth. Next, guild points are a pain since you have to go to the guild to find out what the synth of the day is and then go all the way back to jueno to buy the materials then go all the way back to the major city to make it. Lastly, because of the current AH system, many crafters simply vendor things because they do not want to go all the way to jueno to unload a bunch of crafted materials that they would otherwise be willing to put up on the AH.

Final note: I can't imagine how discouraging it might be for a brand new player to look in the city AH (not knowing that there are different AH's) and think that there is nothing for sale ever and get discouraged about the game.

The Benefits of a single AH:
All items that are up for Auction can be bought and sold from any AH.
Low level items are easier to find and appear more frequently.
Crafting materials are easier to find and appear more frequently.
Low level players can earn gil a lot easier since they don't have to make the trip to jueno to sell.
Gives low level players in the cities the ability to make money off of region controlled materials.
Crafters can put synthed materials on the AH and crafters in other cities have easy access to them.
Crafters can do all of their crafting in one place without needing to go to jueno to buy materials.
Many items become easier to sell.
Crafters are more willing to do lower level crafts since they are easier to sell.
People who use outpost warp for fields of valor do not need to go to jueno to buy food and meds.
Eliminates the need to leave jueno to go to a capital city to find items/materials that might not even be there.

In Summary: I don't see any reason why this would not be a good addition to the game.

[Daigotsu]

Uhm, they already stated they are doing this....

[Satyr]

Uhm, they already stated they are doing this....

link??

I must have completely missed this.

[Thuggin]

Uhm, they already stated they are doing this....

really? dam.. sometimes can find things cheaper on the nations AH's compared to Jeuno

[Tsukino_Kaji]

Yeah, I haven't seen it either.

[Satyr]

really? dam.. sometimes can find things cheaper on the nations AH's compared to Jeuno

I would say that the main reason for this currently is that we sort of have the main economy (jueno) and the 3 smaller economies (the other cities). Plus the simple fact that a new lv 10 player might put a stack of crystals up for 1k not knowing that they go for 5k in Jueno.

[Flunklesnarkin]

http://www.playonline.com/pcd/topics...39/detail.html

second question down


Date jan 20, 2011

[Francisco]

• With auction house, we are considering to merge them to make it more convenient so please look forward to it! Monday, January 17, 2011 8:19:48 AM via web

Taken from the FFXI Twitter account.

[Satyr]

Well call me a Primate's 4th cousin once removed!

[Chronofantasy]

Yes, I remember SE mentioning in a Q&A I believe that they are merging every single AH together so that they aren't separated anymore.