Merchant Archive

where to start...

First off. the solution is not to tell everyone to stop talking about it.. because that never works. If you don't like the discussion, simply ignore it. What you are talking about doing, sounds more like trolling than anything myself or p4samwise have done. Especially since we have only asked that the focus of any upgrade not just be on vendor poaching or vendors themselves.

Perhaps you also haven't been reading the previous 12 pages either, because I don't think anywhere has it been stated by myself or p4samwise that it wasn't going to be fixed, or that it shouldn't be fixed. Or that we think poachers are super duper cool.

As to them never fixing only one thing, obviously you have never paid attention to patch notes. Because on any given patch/publish.. it is not rare by any means to see a profession getting a single item fixed. And since they have never said that fixing vendor poaching would be part of a merchant revamp.. it wouldn't be that much of a stretch at all for it to be the only thing they fix.

If you also look at what the DEVs said:

"It was never intended for players to be able to keep and manage vendors after surrendering the Management skill boxes used to acquire them. This is scheduled to be fixed in a future publish and we want to upgrade vendors also, but it’s a bit early to start talking about that."

Vendor poaching is scheduled to be fixed in a future publish, but nothing at all about the upgrade to vendors. It just says that it is something they want to do, but it is too early to start talking about it. That reads to me like they are working on the vendor poaching fix, and would like to upgrade vendors, but that they haven't even begun more than thinking about those upgrades. And I for one, wouldn't count on them being in the same patch/publish.


Now.. as far as ideas for expanding merchant beyond vendors..

Songe.. A commodity market would be nothing at all like the bazaar except for maybe having a similar interface -- but then if you are going off that, vendors are just like bazaars too. Aside from the fact that the bazaar is limited to selling items to other players, and the fact that a commodities market would allow you to risk your fortunes on stock and other goods... it really isn't worth my time to explain again how different it is. At least not in this topic.. (which is so completely gone from the original question it is sad.)

Lisasdarren.. Let me try to explain why tools are important to me. To me. Tools/abilities make up a profession. It is why you ARE that profession. To sit there and say that vendors are your tools/abilities is a very sad state of affairs in my opinion, because 1. They do all the work and you don't even need to be in game to run them. 2. They are on the same level as item schematics for crafters or weapons for combat professions. If, as a fighter I could just set my T21 to go hunt without me... what would be the point in playing? If, as a crafter, I could set my crafting tool to make a dozen sets of unique armor.. what would be the point in playing? Tools, and the varied ways -- backed by mechanics/abilities -- are what gives professions life. Now, look at Merchant. What tools or abilities does it have? the only thing I can point to that is actually ACTIVE, is the structure fee reduction, and that could be argued as an exploit. The only way you can use vendors, is by stocking them. Everything else you mentioned, if you took away merchant and gave everyone vendors, you would STILL be able to do because those tools are not hard-wired in. Which is why I have a problem with saying that merchant is a 'real' profession.. because in my opinion it isn't. It is a utility profession that encourages you to be other professions or to not play at all.

Also, the beauty of Multiplayer games is that you can do both, PvE, and PvP. It is very obvious from the way this game is set up that PvP is not something they wanted to force upon players (no game does.) They encourage it, yes. And will your play be enhanced? yes. But it is not limited to PvP or player interaction. And, if the rest of the game can enjoy PvE, why should merchants be any different?

And, in closing.. it is nice that merchant isn't anything but vendors to you. That is your right to have that opinion. I will eventually post a more fully outlined proposal for ways to expand merchant from being so dependent upon vendors... and we will see what the rest of the people that read the boards think.

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JTGAlpha wrote:

Hey, it's for BOTH sides, p4, so stick in an oar and start rowing or get off the boat entirely. Be part of the problem, like you have been, or part of the solution by spreading the word how worthless the entire debate is.

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I've never once started one of those discussions. I only show up to toast marshmellows.

Your flaming me by accusing me of being the problem is not part of the solution.

lol. dude. take a chill pill and actually read what I said. I have not 'heatedly' discussed this issue at all. I have simply responded to the flaming remarks of others, yourself included.

Please point me to the post where the DEVs said there was going to be a vendor revamp. The DEVs have said they are going to fix Vendor Poaching in an upcoming publish. nothing about anything else. They have said they would like to upgrade vendors as well, but that it is too early too start talking about that. The two things are separate. And unless you can show me a post where the DEVs have stated that they are revamping the entire vendor system, you are making very very broad assumptions.

And if the issue is dead, why do you keep posting? Let it die. If you goal is to tell people it is dead over and over and over, it is you that are the one that is keeping it alive. Just ignore it.

And also, I am not asking for a vendor revamp. I am asking for a merchant revamp. To make Merchant viable on its own without its sole and only purpose leaning on vendors. So for me, no, my question/request has not been answered.

Wrong. I think it should die.. which is why I tend not to post about vendor poaching. If you look at most of my posts lately they are directed at improving the merchant profession, not vendor poaching. YOU keep bringing it up in your attempt to tell everyone to stop bringing it up. Guess what? That never works.

I see absolutely nothing in that quote that says the devs are going to revamp vendors. I see them saying that they would like to add some upgrades. But not that they are working on it, or that it will definitely be part of the same fix as vendor poaching. Stop making such broad assumptions with very little backing to support your argument.

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JTGAlpha wrote:

Fine, then start helping STOP the fires instead of rubbing your hands over them.

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You know perfectly well that nothing I say is going to put a fire out. With the possible exception of making the fire-starters ashamed of themselves. Which I do try to do.

Now, if you genuinely want to helpthe flames to die out... stop posting in this thread with accusations and capital letters.