Merchant Archive
Thread: Merchant Tent Issues
Is anyone else not satisfied with the current Merchant Tents? I think they are a GREAT idea, but not fully living up to their potential. There are 2 primary things I have a problem with that make them a novelty instead of something really useful:
- They are very intollerant of terrain in player cities. In my city, I can line up 3 or 4 small NabooII houses along a hill, but cannot place even one merchant tent because of the terrain. It'sa TENT! It shoudl be MORE tollerant of terrain than a house, not less.
- Second, Why is that little tent built with a 3x3 footprint? That's rediculous. It should have a 2x2 footprint at most. I realize that you don't want to be able to use them to wall someone in, but with 2x2, people would still be able to go around.
When I heard about merchant tents, I envisioned being able to have a market area inmy town built around a shuttle port, and be able to cram all sorts of vendors in. I wanted to make it look like every farmers' market or Russianmetro station I've been to. But because of the two issues above, I can only fit 3 tents within 50m of where our shuttle port will be going, but there are 8 small and medium houses.
Am I the only one that sees these issues as a problem?
-Enkidu
I have to agree 100% Enkidu!
To add my own concerns, as I've stated previously anyhow. What the heck purpose do these serve anyhow, other than to save me a lot or two, but renting lots from the combat classes is cheap, plus I get a house I can decorate, so why have a tent?
why have a tent?
Because they have a distinctive look even from a distance and they are only placeable by merchants. This should make people stop by more than they would if it was just a house with a sign on it.
I love mine. I have 5 vendors in it plus a chair and an ottoman (so I can put my feet up 
)
Hmmm, I dunno Doc! I remain unconvinced so far.
I actuallu DO have a tent for one purpose.... because I'm actively involved in my player city, Helios, and need to declare residence to vote - and THAT requires that I own the house/tent myself rather than renting. Declaring residence in a tent uses only one lot instead of two, so that I still have nine for the fusion gens.
And, yeah, if my player city was on Naboo, I'd be in a small Naboo style 2 (one lot) and forgo the tent altogether.
Well I know the first merchant tent I saw on Tatooine I stopped and paid them a visit because it was different. I know that a merchant tent most likely has a vendor in it. I think that is enough. They are fairly easy to make and they only take up one lot as you say. They are cheaper to make than a small naboo house..they signify merchant.. what else would you need?
That's all true, yes. But our informal 'merchant association' on Scylla has been setting up malls were we all set up vendors in a single house. Even in Helios, my vendor is in the common mall down the street from the merchant tent that serves as my home.
I think once the novelty factor where's off, you won't be able to count on passer-by traffic stopping in because there's probably a merchant inside. People head for the vendors they know of and want to shop at, and they'll not care if it's in a tent, house, or where ever. Just like if the vendor has the items on it the customer wants to buy, she won't care if the vendor is aN NPC, droid, or bulky machine
I dunno. Merchant tents are okay. I don't have a problem with them at all, I just can't see where they offer any sort of significantadvantage. /shrug
I love my tents and will probably set up more as time goes on. They are great extra storage right next to my house and people do really seem to like them a lot = traffic. Of course, having a store that is always stocked = traffic too.
It would be nice if they were 2x2.
One thing I want to do is have an 'attractions' tent, kind of like a side show tent. Every week or two I would of something funny or otherwise intersting to display inside and charge a small entrance fee! hehe just a thought.
LOL What a great idea! I have no idea what you would put in it, but I love the idea anyway. Please post and let us know if you find a way to make that work.
DeejZozzle wrote:
Unless you are getting your hides and factory parts from a Tailor friend, I absolutely disagree that they are less expensive to make than a small house. A small house costs me a little less than .5 x total self-mined ingredient units to make - somewhere around 1600 credits. My hides cost me between 2000 and 6000 depending on my luck on the bazaar and the factory made parts cost me between 200 and 500 per. Potentially, my COST is 6500 credits before I even get past those 2 ingredients. But I love my tents. It's not about their function it's about what they SIGNIFY - like you said. After all why would anyone have a Merchant tent if it didn't havea vendor in it ? I set mine up with torches, plants and trees and vendors for a very tropical shopping experience without even having to take a single step
Ok..I'll concede that they may cost more becasue of the special components.
Yes the whole idea was to give us something we have asked for..some that says MERCHANT very clearly. This is it. You can't put one down if you aren't a "serious" merchant. You can't transfer one to a non merchant..if you can give up the skill and keep it that is just another loop hole in our profession that needs to be fixed.