Introducing New Trading System - Trading Post Concept

[Scorpinus]

So far this is only some basics which I will update if this concept turns up not to be the waste of time, or in other words - if you guys like it and support it I will continue the work to the smallest details. And in this post I will mostly cover the buyin' process.

As I found myself frustrated by the current trading system for quite some time now, I finally decided to put my lazy &#! to some work and try to do something about it so I came up with few ideas which are already working very well in a lot of other MMORPG games, so I was like - why not to design the concept of Trading Post interface.
Basic idea is to replace current system with the new one that does not require any interaction with another players, to be simple to use, but most of all - to be functional.
 

* Using the Trading Post
 

You have 2 options when it comes to browsing the items as one is simple type-item-name press search to find all auctions including the item you searched for search or by choosing the category you're interested in which will list all current items related to that category.

There's also an option "Start Auction" which is ofc the way you put your items for sale and looks pretty much the same as the window of "Auction Details" (check Image 2)
Every player would be available to put items for an auction with a duration of 6h -12h - 24h. (Duration of your auction will cost you some credits in the form of tax but regular trading tax system stays the same as it was).

 

When you want to buy something you can do it by selecting the item as in this case is Heavy Caliber with price of 500p and click on Auction Details button so the new window appears. (Image 1) This new window is pretty much the same as it was the old one we already use in game but I added 1 more slot to it as we have some sets of mods and items that sometimes requres 4 slots for trade so we end up wasting one trade for the last item. My personal opinion is that the current rank = number of trades system should be also replaced with something else more functional so if you have any idea post it in the comments. There would also be the option "Item History" which will show the history (obviously) of the item you selected providing you with information about price for which last 10 items of that kind were sold for. I believe this is a must as some ppl are using advantage on noob players that have no idea about prices so they pay like 200p for a damn frost prime set thinkin' it's the same as Rhino prime etc... This way ppl would be able to see for how much are last 10 item sold so they can figure if current offers are good or not.

Image 1

Anyway once you find yourself facing this window (Image 2) you will be able to see what are you exactly buying (at the left side) and what do you have to pay for it in form of faded images on the right side.
If you're fine with the price which can include items/keys/parts/bp's or just plats or even mix of any 4 different things you can start adding 'em to the square fields by clickin' on them and adding things as it is the case at the moment in game.

 

Image 2

 

After you put items seller asked for, they will switch from faded to normal image and after all needed things are added option "Confirm Trade" will become available. (Image 3)

Image 3


Once you click on the "Confirm Trade" button, the item you bought will be delivered to you via your e-mail (same way you get event rewards)

So that's it for now, as I said I will update and continue working on it if this thread survives for some time and ppl are actually interested in.

Sorry about the mess I'm just too tired to make this all tidy and whatever. If you like this idea pls support it and also post in comments what you think about it or give me your suggestions, ideas... whatever is appreciated.

Edited March 17, 2014 by Nhileus

[Krotalon]

It seems a nice idea actually. Keep it up.

[Regar]

whenever the new hub system will come live, we will probably see a change around trading in warframe, but in general i think that an auction house system is a nice concept that works very well in many games already, so why not?

 

to be honest the best thing that comes into my mind to improve trading in warframe would be to let any item be tradable through steam, we already have steam and warframe accounts linked together after all (even if this could mean that there will be a part of user starting to play warframe just to profit, but that's something that already happens in many other f2p on steam)

 

i don't have any other thoughts for now... 

[Dark5eiD]

Nice job ! only question is are these auctions going to have a min and max and buy it now price during the auction duration? or is it going to be more here is the price pay it or leave it?. only suggestion i have is we need 6 trade slots...although 4 is an improvement. it will prevent players from getting ripped off of buy complete sets and it will also help newbs as they get very little trades per day.

[Scandroid]

[Ratisfaction]

you win. Nice ideas :)

[5stareraser]

Best post ever.

[Darktigr]

We really need this, I was alright with the current trading system, but now that there is this idea out, it just seems so much easier and simpler, LOVE IT!

[Scorpinus]

Ok 1st of all I'm suprised that actually ppl like this idea and there are no such things as "this is not a new idea you have this in this and that game already bla bla bla", cuz from my point of view sometimes originality have to hold on and let functionality do the job.
 

whenever the new hub system will come live, we will probably see a change around trading in warframe, but in general i think that an auction house system is a nice concept that works very well in many games already, so why not?

 

to be honest the best thing that comes into my mind to improve trading in warframe would be to let any item be tradable through steam, we already have steam and warframe accounts linked together after all (even if this could mean that there will be a part of user starting to play warframe just to profit, but that's something that already happens in many other f2p on steam)

 

i don't have any other thoughts for now... 

 

Ye that sounds cool in some way but I think trading over steam should be only optional - not as a regular game feature cuz in that case game itself would become dependable on steam. Also that would mean that ppl will actually need to have steam in order to play this game and so the regular warframe client would become useless. Some ppl simply don't have steam or doesn't like it for some reason. I personally don't like steam and I'm not using it but dunno what others think about this.

 

Nice job ! only question is are these auctions going to have a min and max and buy it now price during the auction duration? or is it going to be more here is the price pay it or leave it?. only suggestion i have is we need 6 trade slots...although 4 is an improvement. it will prevent players from getting ripped off of buy complete sets and it will also help newbs as they get very little trades per day.

Actually I haven't seen this as an regular Auction House thing where you can bid for the items, idea was just how to manage to allow same trading mechanics as it already is in game but to make it more stable when it comes to pricing (to let ppl actually see 2-5-20 whatever offers and compare them before they decide which one they'll go for) then to make it possible that you can sell your items even if you're not online cuz you can just leave your items there and if someone buys it you just get mail with plats/items you asked for as soon as you log in. Another thing about auction house is that it will require more windows to provide ppl with many different informations about it (window with all current bids on specific item) and also the problem would be to make the system pick the best bid at the auction end which I believe is not rly possible to do. So this was strictly "I'l give you this for that" thing of trading so if ppl like the deal they go for it and receive their item as soon as they click on "Confirm Trade" button - in that case seller receives his asked items straight away if he's online or as soon as he comes online.

Another thing I was thinking about is making it available to stack items of the same kind in a trade. It's pretty stupid that you want to buy let's say 30 keys and you need 10 trades for it if you can trade only 3 per one trade. So imo maybe one trade slot can work the same way duplicated mods and parts are stacking in our inventory making you able to sell for an example 50 x T3 MD keys in one trade.

Tnx everyone for the support. :)