Merchant Archive

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DeQuosaek wrote:

There should be some way of "reserving" an item for a specific person in a vendor, maybe just typing in the name of a person that can buy it, almost like setting a permission.

As it is now, a person wouldn't try and buy someone's order simply because they don't know what they're getting. I guess I'm not being very optimistic, and I'd like to believe that people wouldn't buy other people's orders because they are not meant for them, but if someone could see inside "Vishryyk's Special Order" and see that it was a suit of armor at a decent price, they might try and buy it right out from under the intended customer.

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One way to handle both allowing only a specific buyer to view contents of the bag, and restrict purchase to said buyer, is to use a "PIN Code" system, via dialogs similar to what is currently used to confirm re-deeding of structures.

The radial menu for a bag on a vendor could have a [PIN] selection. When selected, a 6-digit PIN is generated and a Yes/No dialog appears(similar to the one for re-deeding). If [Yes] is selected the PIN is "attached" to that bag.That bag is thereafter "locked". An email is sent to the owner confirming the PIN number for that bag.

Once locked, the bag "owner", and only the bag owner,can open the bag and manipulate its contents normally, without typing in the PIN.

Anyone else that is not the owner is prompted to enter the PIN. If they know it, they can open and VIEW the bag contents on the vendor. Also, to purchase the bag they need to know the PIN. Once the bag is purchased, the PIN is automatically removed and the bag becomes "unlocked".

If the owner selects [PIN] on the radial menu for an already locked bag, the PIN dialog is displayed with that bag's existing PIN. An option for the owner to remove the PIN is on the dialog. If selected, the bag becomes "unlocked", and it behaves "normally" again. That takes care of sales that are never fulfilled or are cancelled for some reason.

This system doesn't need to be restricted to bags on vendors. It could be used on any bag, on a vendor or not.

Advantages:

* Uses existing PIN generation code.

* Owner can easily handle the bag as it is now - no special extra steps required just to place or retrieve contents.

* Owner can forward the PIN email, send a new email, or a tell to the buyer, with the PIN.

* Doesn't require merchant to know and spell the buyers name exactly right in order to "lock" the bag to that single buyer. No failed sales due to typos. No frustrations from having to type in the sometimes long and cumbersome names some characters have.

* Doesn't restrict bag to one specific character: Buyer may have an alt they wish to have make the buy. Since buyer has the PIN, the alt also "knows" it and may make the buy instead.

* Could be used for forum auctions: The successful buyer is PM'd the PIN, and that buyer isn't required to have previously revealed their in-game character name ahead of time in order to be able to consummate the purchase.

Thoughts?

Martek

/applaud

Good job for listening to the player base, and for aiming at a solid long-term fix rather than applying a short-term fix then investigating.