Proposal for trading madness.

So...

I'm "pleb" in this game, my issues are likely different than those of long time players/supporters, but we pleb are legion, so hear we! ^^

During early stages (acts 1-10) it was all flowers, but by the end we're playing a trading game instead of an ARPG.

Being poor/pleb you will often sell anything that can earn a couple currency. All at cheap values, gotta sell fast, if stash fills you're *****D.
(Lets not talk about fluctuation of market values because that involves bots, should be discussed separately.)

Launch PoE and start at atlas, delve or incursion, none to soon realize we can't play the game because every few minutes there is a trading to do.

THIS IS A CRUCIAL POINT - The moment each player realizes what he should or shouldn't be selling, how frequent and by how much. This is different for each player due to the complexity of PoE and personal knowledge/preference/expectations.

THE PROBLEM ARISES because this involves behaviour and choices that many (most?) players wanna do without. PoE should be 1st about having fun in a hack&slash, not about being called back to hideout for a trade when the action is rolling. But trading is a vital and somewhat unavoidable part of the package, and since PoE is measured by how much currency you make in X amount of time, this equation/problem hardly ever goes away (even after one is promoted from pleb to higher tiers, altough I guess the intensity of the issue diminishes when needing less income/exchange of currency).

DON'T GET US WRONG, TRADING IN THIS GAME IS AWESOME! Checking values and mods and buying stuff is all about fun! (Except when msging ppl that don't respond, GRRR!)

The problem is with being the seller, it hinders gameplay and drags buyers/market along in the process.

There obviouly ain't a solution to that, any AH that involves global automation is bad since automation allows abuse/exploit and reduces player input.

The best workaround ATM and in most (sensible) players opinion would be a small amount of personal automation of the selling process: Having a NPC at hideout with an extra tab (would be the 5th, since GGG added a lot of items over leagues -resonators being huge- but never an extra tab!).

This NPC and his extra tab are for sales. When stashing any item/currency in it you're asked to provide a price for that entry. Example - Stash a gauntlet and tag for 2 fusings. Stash 10 chaos for 5.8 alts each (58 alts to buy the 10 chaos bundle or 29 for half).

Other players may then talk to this NPC to browse and select what is available for purchase (if player can pay the price and has inventory space).
Make it a checkbox that ask the player "Do you wish to purchase this selection for XXX currency?" And have the option of a "double prompt" in the UI for the idio... err, those blessed with less attention.

GGG could also give this NPC a story/background, quests (so the higher his/her level, more selling space or etc), this NPC could also introduce/explain trading mechanics and where to search for items (site engine), and such things.

Removed this part from initial proposal since it would greatly make the system a P2W for premium tabbers.


I guess this way everybody is more or less happy (way happier than now for sure), able to play with fewer undesired interruptions and no-response from sellers.

Since the space for sales in the NPC is limited, each player has to manage, learn and improve their influence/interaction with the market. It is all about ease of use and quality of life.

It also remedies the issue I called midway up there as the CRUCIAL POINT, supporting the player while he learns how to cope between playing an ARPG and managing a trading store. Currently the game throws that on the player whether he wants it or not (no wonder people simply ignore trading).

Obviously, not all items/currency need, will or should be placed in this NPC, and nobody is obligued to use it. Should be mainly for the less expensive/quick to trade items, those that are a hassle to sell personally (for both buyer and seller). There should still be plenty of items that need to be whispered, bargained, etc etc.

So if I wanna buy chaos for alts or maps, I run a search for players selling and values, grab the name, ask for party invitation, access the hideout and make the purchase VIA NPC. The seller receives a message of sale (silently, please!). All made much less bothersome than currently is.

A problem with necessary party invitation is that others may enter/disrupt current portals. I once did that by accident on another players HO =X
So the game could have a "Trade" option above or below the "Invite To Party", this allows the other player to enter your hideout but nothing else (no shared portals/xp/loot - regular effects of party).

The game could also (ideally for me, but that may be exploitable) allow you to visit another players hideout without need of messaging or party/invitation, by using /hideout playername command (which already exists in the game). Maybe even buy items from people who are currently offline.

Ahem, who has pros & cons to add or more hypothesis to explore? Any conjecture here will probably be more solid than the whole of that lovely manifesto =D

(Sorry for the length and if at anytime my English was bad!)

For reference - Following this message here and dio follow up
https://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/2601484/page/3#p22258528
I then made another statement about this trade in there
https://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/2601484/page/4#p22259771

Great idea.
As you mention it "it would enter/disrupt current portals"
That could easily be solved by give access to youre hide out without inviting someone to party. An extra option beneath the "invite to party" such as "invite to trade" or for a more silent choice. An extra option in youre "option menu" Allow other people to enter youre hideout for trading.
This way people are not invited in a party and cant enter youre portals.

The con is "is it acceptable people over-crowded youre hide out" :)

Edit: there is no need for an extra npc. You could mark stash tab's for trade this way. The currency would go directly to youre stash
con: controls are needed on enough space in youre stash.

That NPC could be somebody from the Perandus family for flavor, perhaps even Cadiro himself (after you unlock him somehow).

It may also become more transparent who is really in the market for trades and who is there for exploits: Just have a tag shown in the search engine -similar we currently have for being AFK- that shows if the item/currency is being sold via sales NPC or not, stuff out of the the NPC is of arguable legitimacy, since it depends on the "time and good will" of the player doing the sale, he/she may never respond or even care to sell that, and is displaying for sale at that value just to try influencing the market.

"

Edit: there is no need for an extra npc. You could mark stash tab's for trade this way. The currency would go directly to youre stash
con: controls are needed on enough space in youre stash.

Possibly, but it would still require teaching players how to sell directly from stash, and introduce changes/mods globally over all players stashes - even those who never made a purchase, something GGG may have different views on feasibility or how to treat. Mind that players in general are incredibly lazy creatures.

Even more importantly, the NPC adds a whole ambience which is fundamental to make trading feel lively and closer to P2P interaction, this is very valuable to the game!

I miss the trading from Ragnarok, those were the days! Altough a search engine there would do wonders ^^
http://i54.tinypic.com/2d0nk3p.jpg

Sales doesnt worth for most of the time.
I ll give u a small tip. This should be very obvious for any veteran.
After first week of the league dont do 1c trades.
After 2nd week dont do trades worth less than 3c
After 3-4 weeks dont do trades that are worth less than 5-10 c(depends on your performance) cuz they are not worth your time.
After a month i jack up all my stashes to 15c+ and i almost never trade for less because it aint worth it.
Your time ingame is valuable. Dont waste it with trade cuz its useless. You can gain more just by playing.
Gl hf!
Addition; oh before i forget, no auto trades or no easy trades will ever be implemented. Dont think about it ;)