Merchant Archive
Thread: In case some of you *gasp* missed it....
DocSavag wrote:
Certainly not commenting would be a mistake. But getting over emotional about it is a mistake too. Our job at this point is to explain as calmly as we can to the devs why we don't think this is a good idea and give them ideas to counter it.
To that end, I think we need to have an understand of what the developers see as the vision for Merchants. There are around 12 crafting professions in the game. And only 1 profession that allows you to sell stuff (other than the bazaar).
At first I though the developers wanted a Merchant class to be able to service multiple crafters. IE, you have a merchant who would be able to setup 6 vendors and re-sell the wares from 6 different crafters.
However, with these new changes, a Master Merchant would only be able to effectively service 1 crafting profession.
I play a master weaponsmith. Between all the melee and ranged weapons, I use 2 vendors and stock anywhere from 300-600 items at a time. However, since I'm also a Master Merchant I also re-sell Medical supplies, Radioactive power, and Droids for my guildmates.
If this change goes in as is, I will not be able to sell anything else except for my own weapons.
These changes will force every crafter to also take merchant. This would be a huge skill point sink. I though the developers were talking about making merchant skills cost less, because they already considered merchant to cost too much SP wise. How will this justify this 5x reduction in merchant usefulness (assuming most players will stock around 500 items on a vendor).
Crimsonsplat wrote:It would be easier to comment in the right place if they'd put the usual thread up for the patch!!Coincidence? I think not.
I think this is what disturbs me most about this whole situation. Not the fact that they are putting in item limits. Not the fact that their current limit is far too low to sustain even a single crafting profession. But the fact that there was no warning. No In Concept thread, no In Development thread, and certainly no In Testing thread which lists the changes for all to see and discuss.
We've had In Concept threads for profession revamps and about the HAM Revamp changes. We've had In Development threads for quests, Jedi, wookie armor, even about the controversial end of Recursive Macros.
But nothing, absolutely nothing, about such a major change that will effect everyone - the crafters, the merchants, and the consumers. I really wonder what SOE is thinking sometimes.
DocSavag wrote:
Certainly not commenting would be a mistake. But getting over emotional about it is a mistake too. Our job at this point is to explain as calmly as we can to the devs why we don't think this is a good idea and give them ideas to counter it.
Well put. Though what could help with the emotional part of thin's would be better dialog from their part.
They (SOE Staff) need to take a lesson in Change Management.
People by nature are resistant to change. To help reduce the resistance, people need to be informed and worked with so that they have a better undertandin' and acceptance. Customers should not be arguing one another about what's going to happen.
Crimsonsplat wrote:It would be easier to comment in the right place if they'd put the usual thread up for the patch!!Coincidence? I think not.
We have a winner!