Auction ideas

Froh

Tvistor said:

Buying an artefact that gets weaker the more superior your character becomes would be a really bad investment.

 

Why?

Something you only planned to use for a limited time obviously wouldn't be worth as much as something useful indefinitely, but that doesn't make it worthless.

Example: some forged goods sell for the equivalent of a substantial number of credits even though they'll decay and be totally gone sometime in the future.

Lots of people even do that exchange in that form: buy credits so they can trade them for in-game goods (either directly or with gold as an intermediate step) which are either consumables (cures, enchanted goods, etc.) or have a finite lifetime (arms, armor, etc).

So, what in principle would be bad about an item which gave you a 10% experience bonus that tapers out at  when you hit level X?  Or one that gives you max mana equivalent to what you'd see in another 10 levels but tapers out at level X?  Remember that it's an auction... the value is less than such an advantage indefinitely but if you're level X/2 the value could still be significant.

Nemutaur

Froh said:

Tvistor said:

Buying an artefact that gets weaker the more superior your character becomes would be a really bad investment.

 

Why?

Something you only planned to use for a limited time obviously wouldn't be worth as much as something useful indefinitely, but that doesn't make it worthless.

Example: some forged goods sell for the equivalent of a substantial number of credits even though they'll decay and be totally gone sometime in the future.

Lots of people even do that exchange in that form: buy credits so they can trade them for in-game goods (either directly or with gold as an intermediate step) which are either consumables (cures, enchanted goods, etc.) or have a finite lifetime (arms, armor, etc).

So, what in principle would be bad about an item which gave you a 10% experience bonus that tapers out at  when you hit level X?  Or one that gives you max mana equivalent to what you'd see in another 10 levels but tapers out at level X?  Remember that it's an auction... the value is less than such an advantage indefinitely but if you're level X/2 the value could still be significant.

That might work as a Shop of Wonder item, I'm not sure it'd work as in an auction though.

Sylvance

Froh said:

Tvistor said:

Buying an artefact that gets weaker the more superior your character becomes would be a really bad investment.

 

Why?

Something you only planned to use for a limited time obviously wouldn't be worth as much as something useful indefinitely, but that doesn't make it worthless.

Example: some forged goods sell for the equivalent of a substantial number of credits even though they'll decay and be totally gone sometime in the future.

Lots of people even do that exchange in that form: buy credits so they can trade them for in-game goods (either directly or with gold as an intermediate step) which are either consumables (cures, enchanted goods, etc.) or have a finite lifetime (arms, armor, etc).

So, what in principle would be bad about an item which gave you a 10% experience bonus that tapers out at  when you hit level X?  Or one that gives you max mana equivalent to what you'd see in another 10 levels but tapers out at level X?  Remember that it's an auction... the value is less than such an advantage indefinitely but if you're level X/2 the value could still be significant.

For some strange reason... I'm not getting a whiff of troll from you, so I'll assume that this is a serious post. More fool me.

The problem with what you're suggesting is that it utterly misses the point of this thread, and seems to miss the point of auction items.  Who do you think is going to be bidding on this? Is the maximum bid (given the type of player/character that this item would attract) going to make it worth the Admin's time?

Froh

Nemutaur said:

That might work as a Shop of Wonder item, I'm not sure it'd work as in an auction though.

People already burn credits on things they might lose (say, lessons if they later change class) or even one shot services (changing race, etc.) even if it's phrased as purchasing an item.

So, I'm having difficulty understanding why something which is limited in usefulness by time/level/etc. would necessarily be a "WTF" suggestion as a few people flagged it.

 

Aerek

People spend credits on consumables like cures because they are necessary to play the game. People spend exorbitant amounts of credits on arms and armor only when those arms and armor are better than what actual artefacts can offer. Everything else folks spend large amounts of credits on is expected to be permanent. Class and race changes fit into this category, as they're permanent until the player changes his mind; they do not self-depreciate on their own.

None of these statements apply to "artefacts" that depreciate over time or progress. That's like buying a house that's already slated for demolition, or a car that was just recalled for sudden and unpredictable cab fires. Even if those things are dirt-cheap "deals" there's just no sense in buying them.

Ellodin

stop using my recent purchase history for your analogies

Cooper

An artefact that lets you change your level any time you want, to any level you want that is above newbie, assuming you have already attained that level.

'You only beat me cause you are level 98 and have more health than me, I'm level 70" O rly...Poof you're level 70 too.

Sena

Froh said:

Nemutaur said:

That might work as a Shop of Wonder item, I'm not sure it'd work as in an auction though.

People already burn credits on things they might lose (say, lessons if they later change class) or even one shot services (changing race, etc.) even if it's phrased as purchasing an item.
So, I'm having difficulty understanding why something which is limited in usefulness by time/level/etc. would necessarily be a "WTF" suggestion as a few people flagged it.

I'm assuming your intention is for a weak/low-level/new/unartied character to get it, right? I can't imagine anything that would actually be advisable for such a character to spend hundreds or thousands of credits on if it isn't going to last very long.

If it's for low-might characters, they'd be sacrificing tri-trans (and possibly more) for a temporary bonus. It would be a step backwards, keeping them at low might even longer, which is pretty harmful unless it's a really amazing bonus.

If it's for unartied characters, it just seems strange. "Characters with thousands of credits to bid but little or no artefacts" isn't a very large demographic, and if they have the credits to afford the auction, they could just as easily get permanent artefacts instead. The auction item would have to be awesome enough that it actually discourages further artefact purchases, which doesn't seem like a good idea for a game that's largely funded by artefact purchases.

If it's for poorer characters, then... it's not going to go to a poor character unless it's actually a lottery instead of an auction, and has a limit on the number of tickets you can buy. Auctions are pretty much the worst possible way to sell an item to less wealthy characters.

If it's for low-level characters... That's actually the most reasonable out of all your suggestions, because there are plenty of people who stay at a fairly low level, some with a surprisingly large number of artefacts. But it doesn't seem like "wealthy older character who just doesn't bother with levelling" is your intended recipient here.

If it's for young characters, then at best it's going to an alt that will likely be omnitrans in two weeks. This isn't really a problem, but again it seems like you have specific targets in mind, and this likely isn't it.

And no matter how it works, there's still a good chance that it will just go to someone who has no use for it and just pays a thousand credits for the novelty, or because they can.

Edit: If you want to get these sorts of things to characters who can't afford hundreds of credits for them, an auction isn't the way to do it. Make them lottery prizes (with cheap/free tickets and a limit on tickets per person, and maybe restrict the lottery to low levels), or have an event where the items drop randomly from denizens in newbie areas, or add something like "newbie honours quests" with powerful rewards that only give benefits until a certain level or something.

Froh

Sena said:

I'm assuming your intention is for a weak/low-level/new/unartied character to get it, right? I can't imagine anything that would actually be advisable for such a character to spend hundreds or thousands of credits on if it isn't going to last very long.
...

If it's for poorer characters, then... it's not going to go to a poor character unless it's actually a lottery instead of an auction, and has a limit on the number of tickets you can buy. Auctions are pretty much the worst possible way to sell an item to less wealthy characters.

If it's for low-level characters... That's actually the most reasonable out of all your suggestions, because there are plenty of people who stay at a fairly low level, some with a surprisingly large number of artefacts. But it doesn't seem like "wealthy older character who just doesn't bother with levelling" is your intended recipient here.

If it's for young characters, then at best it's going to an alt that will likely be omnitrans in two weeks. This isn't really a problem, but again it seems like you have specific targets in mind, and this likely isn't it.

And no matter how it works, there's still a good chance that it will just go to someone who has no use for it and just pays a . I don't think someone will bid massively on whatever's put up just for the novelty value, nor does it seem like alts will necessarily have the same needs as first time characters (or poorer/lower-level/...).

I am not thinking of thousands-of-credit type items.  You may misunderstand me a little in terms of my "might" comment- I'm not sure why oen would miss out on tri-trans just because you had a helper useful along the way.

If a specific target market were needed for the purposes of discussion, perhaps newer players with lower-ish characters.

Just as a thought experiemnt, consider:

  Collar of the Underdog - Limits direct damage in a single non-special* attack to 25% of max health when delivered by an opponent more than 20 levels above you. Starts tapering off when you hit level 50, stops doing anything at level 70.

This could be interesting for a relative newbie to have some fun in a group without being one-or-two-shotted to death once someone notices him.

*not finishing move/etc.  I am not a combat expert (or novice for that matter) so the principle is the interesting thing (though technical comments about the magic numbers I picked can't hurt)

 

Froh

I don't see a way to edit- the very end of my quote of Sena is incorrect; I was trying to delete some of my text and it got dragged inside the quote box instead.

Sena

Froh said:

I am not thinking of thousands-of-credit type items.

Maybe not thousands, but any auction item will almost certainly go for hundreds of credits, even if it's useless. That's why I'm saying that an auction is not the right place for the sorts of items you're suggesting.

Froh said:

You may misunderstand me a little in terms of my "might" comment- I'm not sure why oen would miss out on tri-trans just because you had a helper useful along the way.

I assumed that you were referring to the "might" shown in honours, which is a measure of lessons spent.

Blujixapug

Marketing an auction item to low-level characters will fail because the "ooh, shiny, unique!" factor of auction items is many times stronger than any uselessness or restrictions you could attach, and established characters are always going to have more bidding power than new ones.

Aliath

Robes of Oneiros, would be fun to see those on sale again

Trey

Aliath said:

Robes of Oneiros, would be fun to see those on sale again

Not sure that I remember those. What'd they do?

Argys

Aliath said:

Robes of Oneiros Irrelevance, would be fun to see those on sale again

Sena

Trey said:

Robes of Oneiros, would be fun to see those on sale again

Not sure that I remember those. What'd they do?

I think they were 100/100 armour that could be worn by any class.

Melodie

Did these robes have... pockets?

If so, do want.

Actually. Any neat clothing items with pockets would be SUCH a huge thing. Even if it was decay and a gold auction, I would bid like hfhdghfjrdjhh.

I want robes with real pockets so much.

Sena

A "pocket token" could be auctioned that would let you add pockets to one clothing item, letting it hold maybe 1-5 things.

Cooper

Sena said:

Trey said:

Robes of Oneiros, would be fun to see those on sale again

Not sure that I remember those. What'd they do?

I think they were 100/100 armour that could be worn by any class.

It wasn't armour, though, it was a set of robes. You could wear them -and- armor. It's what made Nimos (the owner of the only set ever) practically invincible to physical damage. I think they were also 80/80, but that is just my weird memory.

Kyrra

I wish my sylvan's robes had pockets but they wouldn't fit aesthetically.

100/100 armour for any class is something I'd so pick up for an alt. So shiny.

Iocun

Sena said:

A "pocket token" could be auctioned that would let you add pockets to one clothing item, letting it hold maybe 1-5 things.

I'd totally add pockets to my pouch.

Sylvance

Melodie said:

Did these robes have... pockets? If so, do want. Actually. Any neat clothing items with pockets would be SUCH a huge thing. Even if it was decay and a gold auction, I would bid like hfhdghfjrdjhh. I want robes with real pockets so much.

I lol'd that somebody described the most OP defensive item I think I've ever heard of, and @Melodie asked if it had pockets

Cahin

rip arcanist robe pockets.

Tvistor

Pickpocket should work on pockets.

Nemutaur

Last Will and Testament: can be used on one of the arties you own to transfer ownership to someone else permanently.

Iocun

^ I'll totally inherit Profit's veil.

Sylvance

Nemutaur said:

Last Will and Testament: can be used on one of the arties you own to transfer ownership to someone else permanently.

Only problem with this as an auction item is that the price is likely to end up close, or in excess of, the cost of most artefacts.

Sena

Sylvance said:

Nemutaur said:

Last Will and Testament: can be used on one of the arties you own to transfer ownership to someone else permanently.

Only problem with this as an auction item is that the price is likely to end up close, or in excess of, the cost of most artefacts.

It could be used to transfer currently-unavailable artefacts, like other auction items or discontinued artefacts.

Nemutaur

Sylvance said:

Nemutaur said:

Last Will and Testament: can be used on one of the arties you own to transfer ownership to someone else permanently.

Only problem with this as an auction item is that the price is likely to end up close, or in excess of, the cost of most artefacts.

Why is that a problem? Most people won't be buying this to give their level 1 crit pendant to someone but maybe a really nice auction artefact they got back in the day which has never been seen since. Or perma armour of old etc.

Nobody says that the person who is getting the artefact can't pay for this 'transfer artefact', so after they win the auction you send credits to the winner so that they can claim the auction.

Iocun

The problem is that the kind of items this would most likely be used on are the kind of items which are deliberately no longer sold, because they are now considered to be very OP or otherwise bad ideas.

Is there still anyone with an aeon net?