Author Topic: Bazaar/market (Read 1556 times)

EventHorizon · « **on:** May 09, 2006, 03:10:27 PM »

Reading the following post http://www.layonaraonline.com/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=25692&posts=8#M160588 I thought
perhaps adding a market of sorts.

Just a couple of tables which can be used to put your goods in. Maybe a tent, and some barrels for the looks.
Easy access that provides crafters with a more direct approach when it comes to selling their wares.
Not that the forum is a bad place, but I would think this to be more fun.

Just a thought...

Pen N Popper · « **Reply #1 on:** May 09, 2006, 04:05:13 PM »

The Freelancer Tavern has tables that sellers can place their goods upon. Yes, it is very far away from where everyone plays. Perhaps a fund raiser to buy the Wild Surge and remodel it with such tables?

Stephen_Zuckerman · « **Reply #2 on:** May 09, 2006, 05:24:59 PM »

Duuude. Great idea. Seconded.

Talan Va'lash · « **Reply #3 on:** May 10, 2006, 02:04:08 AM »

This has been brought up before, and even just some table placeables and rugs and perhaps some of those awnings or something would be great even if nothing was a container. Just make a focal point that says "if you're standing here you're selling something."

Something thats always open and people can always walk by. A great place would be near the sewer entrance in hlint (not because its near the sewers but because its between the farming area and the main road.) Put a bit of road there, and it could be like a bazaar/farmers market. farmers sell their produce there, but since its hlint and hlints weird all kidns of weird people sell weird stuff there along with the foodstuffs.

Just an area with no affiliations to anything that anyone can step up and use. No scripting, no containers (that people for some unknown reason WILL stick random junk in) no hassle. Just a place where you can communicate the message that youre selling something merely by standing there.

Stephen_Zuckerman · « **Reply #4 on:** May 10, 2006, 06:07:26 AM »

As always, Talan has great ideas. Perhaps you could move Calendel over there, too - it would attract attention to the place, and it would be a little more classy than people selling things at the well or a tree. If you've got a coloured rug to stand on, of course you're selling something! *He laughs.*

Dorganath · « **Reply #5 on:** May 10, 2006, 06:32:58 AM »

You know guys, there's already a platform right near that spot in Hlint that can be used for...well..just about anything, including selling wares. And it's fairly well-traveled as well. As a bonus, Calendel is already there.
In the context of Talan's suggestion, what would be wrong with using that platform for this purpose?
This question is one of curiosity, but also of technology. Even static placeables add lag to the area, so for an area as well-populated as Hlint, adding more may or may not be in our best interests for something that may or may not see a lot of use. On a side note, in NWN2, static placeables can be merged with the terrain and will create zero additional lag....which is a very, happy thing.

Serissa · « **Reply #6 on:** May 10, 2006, 07:09:51 AM »

It would be really nice to have a sales table by the side of the road, like those in the Freelancer Tavern. A player could use the table to display goods. If another merchant shows up, he should be given space to post a list of goods and his location right away. Change to a new displayer could be rp'd with bluffs or bribes, but with a firm rule that the new seller gets the table after 20 minutes. Notes left on the table when the player is not on line should be removed.

Serissa

SquareKnot · « **Reply #7 on:** May 10, 2006, 08:50:14 AM »

Quote

You know guys, there's already a platform right near that spot in Hlint that can be used for...well..just about anything, including selling wares. And it's fairly well-traveled as well. As a bonus, Calendel is already there.

In the context of Talan's suggestion, what would be wrong with using that platform for this purpose?

The whole problem is that the platform can be used for...well...just about anything. If I'm standing there, is it because I'm resting, about to start a bard performance, looking through my pack for something, telling fortunes...

If I want to buy something, and I see someone standing there, I won't naturally assume that person is a seller. Perhaps we could change that platform into something that expresses "sale" better, but that induces no more lag than the existing platform? If not, then we need to set a policy on the forums that that is the "market area" and start calling it that so people get the message.

Dorganath · « **Reply #8 on:** May 10, 2006, 08:58:50 AM »

Quote

SquareKnot - 5/10/2006 10:50 AM [] The whole problem is that the platform can be used for...well...just about anything. If I'm standing there, is it because I'm resting, about to start a bard performance, looking through my pack for something, telling fortunes...

This is true, but then it's also partly the job of the salesperson to announce to passers-by that they are selling goods.
I'm not trying to be difficult, but I'm just curious why we need a patch of ground that screams "We're selling things here" when we have something appropriate, if multi-purpose, already? A good salesperson is not going to just plant a sign and sit and wait for people to come and seek their wares. Even most of the merchants who present their goods at the Leilon Arms announce that they'll be there (on the forums) and what they'll have.

Acacea · « **Reply #9 on:** May 10, 2006, 06:33:41 PM »

Flashy signs and colored rugs, or just a table to stand behind can do wonders, but really it's a two-copper bard and a very poor merchant that can't establish the difference between them while standing on a multipurpose stage.

Stephen_Zuckerman · « **Reply #10 on:** May 10, 2006, 07:48:41 PM »

As a merchant, I would have a sign saying "SALE: ALCHAEMICAL GOODES" that passers-by would see at a glance. The problem is, I can't do that with the current available tools - Text. I could spam the macro, but that would quicky get irritating, so that might not be in anyone's best interests. What people are saying is that perhaps we should have something to signify a specific place to sell things, because there is no easy way to do that, now, without spamming text.

Acacea · « **Reply #11 on:** May 10, 2006, 08:17:11 PM »

I think everyone is aware of what was being said. I was just suggesting that whether or not it went in, people could remember how fun sales tactics can be. Because I've seen people stand behind the tables and do nothing. Great...you've got a table. Congrats. Browse and leave because I have nothing better to do.

Dorganath · « **Reply #12 on:** May 10, 2006, 09:14:05 PM »

OK...somewhere between having a dedicated "Look at me, I'm selling something" zone and "spamming a macro" there's probably a happy medium.
There have been many successful merchants in Layonara who have been successful without doing either.
I ask: does a flashy sales area sell producs, or does a good salesperson sell them? I'm in no way trying to trivialize this request, but can this be done really without extra work on the part of the developments staff?
An open air market can be set up anywhere, and if someone wants to announce they'll be selling at a particular time, the forums are a great place to make such an announcement.

Talan Va'lash · « **Reply #13 on:** May 11, 2006, 01:21:57 AM »

Well, the essence of my suggestion is the following:

Can you sell something anywhere? Yes.

Do you NEED to stand on a rug or have any such ambiance while selling something? No.

Is it more FUN to have ambiance and stand on a rug? I'd say at least some of the time, yes.

Is that a good enough reason to add something? I'd say at least some of the time, yes.

Pen N Popper · « **Reply #14 on:** May 11, 2006, 04:02:47 AM »

One of my favorite topics, so I'll chime in again.

A spot that has been successful for my PC are the benches in front of the Orcbasher's Shop in East Hlint. Sellers can just grab a seat on the bench and accost PCs as they walk buy. Set up one of your quick slots with an introduction chat, "Psst.. Hey buddy, looking to buy?" Another alternative is to use the ~speak parchment command to read off a longer list in one fell swoop. (If anyone knows how to make really long custom text macros, do tell.)

Now that we have a spot picked out, everyone just needs to work together OOCly to make it successful. If you're a salesman, sell your wares there for a few minutes when you are on. Over time it will become the norm and new players will gravitate there just because that's how things are done.

Happy huntings!

Talan Va'lash · « **Reply #15 on:** May 11, 2006, 04:09:48 AM »

Quote

Pen N Popper - 5/11/2006 5:02 AM
Another alternative is to use the ~speak parchment command to read off a longer list in one fell swoop.

NICE!

*smacks forehead for not having thought of that sooner*

I don't think you can make longer text macros, but you can make a macro that says ~speak parchment

Dorganath · « **Reply #16 on:** May 11, 2006, 05:54:52 AM »

Quote

Talan Va'lash - 5/11/2006 3:21 AM
Well, the essence of my suggestion is the following:
Can you sell something anywhere? Yes.
Do you NEED to stand on a rug or have any such ambiance while selling something? No.
Is it more FUN to have ambiance and stand on a rug? I'd say at least some of the time, yes.
Is that a good enough reason to add something? I'd say at least some of the time, yes.

Understood and I don't disagree in concept.
The question though is for something that will only be used "some of the time" and I'm guessing that "some of the time" will be less than 5% of the server's up-time, is it worth adding glitz and decoration (and lag) to an area that's already fairly laggy?
Also, if someone wants to arrange with a GM to set up a few rugs and banners for a large sales event (I recall one with Gulnyr who sold pies for a couple hours in that very spot), that can be done with some notice. Even get several vendors together, maybe hold it in those fairgrounds in Fort Hope. *shrugs*
One small point I would like to add...though it is many months away, NWN2 will allow us to make placeables part of the terrain, which essentially means it will produce ZERO additional lag.
*Points to PenNPopper's suggestion* See? Creative ways to get people's attention.

DeadHead Fred · « **Reply #17 on:** May 11, 2006, 02:11:25 PM »

I'm coming at this from a different angle. I'm more interested as a buyer than a seller. I'm also limited in my play time, so I want to spend it either in interesting role play, or out doing something (and hopefully role playing then too).

It would be nice if there was some area where I could go where I knew the people there were interested in selling or buying things. I know that there are people on the server who have items to sell, but I don't want to spend my time going to everyone asking them if they have anything to sell. Likewise, if I'm not in the market, I don't want people coming up to me and asking me to buy things (does anyone really like telemarketers?).

I don't think we need anything complicated. A simple sign should be sufficient, something to designate an area as the marketplace. I could stand around there if I had things to sell (possibly announcing out loud what I'm selling, although this could very quickly get annoying), or I could go there if I was looking to buy and ask each person what they've got for sale. It might be nice if the social norm was established that once you had worked out who you were buying from that you could shift to whisper mode to avoid flooding the area with talk (although I can see situations where it would be in your favor to use normal talk).

Maybe we could set aside part of the merchant houses for PC merchants. I always thought that those rooms were a lot bigger than they needed to be.

DHF

Pen N Popper · « **Reply #18 on:** May 11, 2006, 02:30:39 PM »

The Orcbasher's shop has a sign. It is also immediately across from the NPC merchants. Perfect, no? Your wish is my command!

DeadHead Fred · « **Reply #19 on:** May 11, 2006, 03:56:35 PM »

Hear ye, hear ye!

Let it be known throughout the land that the benches in front of the Orc Bashers' Shop in east Hlint shall hereafter be called the 'Marketbenches'. Those with goods to sell, be they made by hand, or acquired after 'gentle use,' shall sit here and await buyers. Those desiring to buy such items may come here and inquire of those seated about their goods.

To avoid confusion amongst the residents and visitors of Hlint, please refrain from using the Marketbenches unless you are actively engaged in commerce.

So let it be!