We need an AH

[Wolfie]

There's nothing this game does that couldn't be done easier and faster with a window interface and no avatars. But it's not as fun. The base design of "NPCs selling stuff for you" is enjoyable.


It's all in the perception.

Good reply. I noticed you studied up on strawman arguments and you're a pro refuting other people with them.

[Chezen]

Good reply. I noticed you studied up on strawman arguments and you're a pro refuting other people with them.

lol I don't study up on anything. My opinion is that the MW is more enjoyable than an AH. Opinions are not always based in fact, often just personal taste.

[Wolfie]

lol I don't study up on anything. My opinion is that the MW is more enjoyable than an AH. Opinions are not always based in fact, often just personal taste.

I wasn't stating opinion though. An NPC-less model would be objectively better. There's some flaws that the current model introduces that cannot be solved at all, whereas any new features that this model also introduced can be replicated without the use of NPCs.

[AlexiaKidd]

I just posted a thread in the Markets and Retainers section HERE. Basically it says this:

Ideas to help the Market Wards

1) - Keep the wards but expanded them to include buying straight from item search list but maybe add an extra 5% delivery tax to encourage you to actually go into the ward to pick the item up. This would also help remove a little bit of gill from the economy.

2) - Add filter options and a better layout for the item search lists. Filters for thing like rank, class and so on and then sort them in order high to low and so on.

3) - Also show +1, +2 +3 items in the search list and so on.

4) - Add price history please.

5) - Add an Item Seek Search so you can have look and see what items people are looking for and sell them if I have them. I also want my retainers to be able to Seek for items even if I currently don't have any of them. It seems silly that you can only seek items that you already have as most of the time you wouldn't be able seeking them if you had them. I believe the Item Seek List will be a big help to give the Wards a much needed boost.

6) - When you search for an item and venture into the wards maybe you could have a different coloured star above the person who is selling the item the cheapest.

7) - Maybe also link all the wards from the other cities. This could help ease congestion in Ul'dah's wards and maybe help stop them crashing so much.

8) - Allow retainers to be called at camps so we can drop off gear or grab something we have stored.

9) - Maybe you could have MW counters in the camps and hamlets, where you could buy items straight from the list but you would have to pay a 15% delivery tax on the item.

If you like those ideas then show your support, if you have some new ones let me know or if you don't like them at all then flame me to death ^^

*casts Barfira*

[Elexia]

I wasn't stating opinion though. An NPC-less model would be objectively better. There's some flaws that the current model introduces that cannot be solved at all, whereas any new features that this model also introduced can be replicated without the use of NPCs.

You are indeed stating an opinion. Some MMOs from the past and even now a lot of direct trade goes through bazaar &trade/"market centers", especially depending on which AH model was used therefore it's purely opinion on what is "better", since as proven some people like the MW and they continue to work on it/improve it.

[Wolfie]

You are indeed stating an opinion. Some MMOs from the past and even now a lot of direct trade goes through bazaar &trade/"market centers", especially depending on which AH model was used therefore it's purely opinion on what is "better", since as proven some people like the MW and they continue to work on it/improve it.

I don't think you quite understand what I mean by objectively better. Your points basically consist of "Other MMOs have bad market systems" and "some people like MW". Those are not things that make a system good.

NPC based wards have introduced the following problems:

Ward limits on retainers
Difficulty selling different kinds of items
Forced zoning when buying different kinds of items
Loss of access to 90 storage slots due to retainers being placed in a ward
Having to manage multiple retainers

These are all legitimate, measurable problems with an NPC model that would simply vanish the moment NPCs were taken out of the equation.

But there is no functionality that the NPC model has brought that can't be replicated in a system without NPCs. That's why it's objectively worse.

[Chezen]

I wasn't stating opinion though. An NPC-less model would be objectively better. There's some flaws that the current model introduces that cannot be solved at all, whereas any new features that this model also introduced can be replicated without the use of NPCs.

Your initial statement sounded like an opinion to me, so my appologies. I actually never argued that an AH isn't more efficient. But efficient isn't always better. It's good to slow down and take time to enjoy things. Yes, that is complete opinion lol. But give me the quiet Wards over the AH any day. And my retainers, I like my retainers.

But the Wards are unstable, and it makes sense that more NPCs would only make it worse. If SE could fix that, I'd be happier, personally, than with an AH. Just have to wait and see.