Quote Originally Posted by Rydin View Post
Here is an idea for the Market Wards that I feel is a good compromise for a lot of people...
Sure, some will hate it....
C'est la vie!!!!

ok... You do your item search for "Item X"
It is available...

You can purchase it directly from the counter and it goes into your retainers inventory

or

You can purchase it the old way by going to the correct retainer and getting it yourself
In which case it goes into your inventory, like normal

That way, if you are buying multiple items, you can do it all from the counter and then just retrieve it from your retainer
Think of it like sending your retainer to go pick up your supplies... makes sense within the context of what a retainer is. Less running for players but keeps the hands on approach of having actual retainers selling stuff

If you like to go physically browse retainers, then by all means you most certainly can
Definitely some good ideas.

What I would like to see:
  • Implement the buy it now feature from the item search counter. If you buy it from here, you pay a flat tax on the item. One of your retainers appears, says something based on his/her personality type, hands you your purchase and heads back to their business.
  • Create a dynamic, alive market wards, where retainers are organized behind stalls, moving around looking for deals (presumably looking for items for their players), or engaging another retainer in idle conversation, which you see. ("Have you seen a good deal on brass daggers? Master Demetra has been looking for one." Based on real time item searches.)

    On every corner stand little puppets which you can interact with that brings up the item search counter, where you can mark the retainer you want to buy from. A blinking yellow arrow on the mini-map points you in the direction of the retainer -- remember the wards will be significantly bigger -- and when you get close enough, the star appears over their head.

    Buying an item directly from a retainer's bazaar incurs either no tax or a lesser tax than buying it from the item search counter. Consider it a small reward for using the wards.