EK markets are in a very bad spot

[chewyr 19]

Since 1st of December to 7th December I've compiled a list of all EKs with vendors that have at least 1 item listed for sale:

• .The Dirty Dancer - Trader
• (Trade) Marvelous Merchants 3V
• [TRADE] Amazon Marketplace
• [Trade] Conflict
• [Trade] Hamster Haven
• [Trade] Outlaws Guild
• Aerynth Traders
• Among the Shadows [ TRADE ]
• Body Parts for Necros (TRADE)
• Endless Host Arena and Trade
• FIENDS VESSELS TOOLS & JEWELS
• Fookoo's Vessels Plus [TRADE]
• Frendia (Dregs)
• GHOUL Trade & Marketplace
• Harbingers -Trade-
• LoTD Traders & Crafting
• Morag Tong Black Market
• P_P Tax Haven
• Paetra's Vessels [NEW][TRADE]
• quality wartribe/discs [trade]
• Reaver's Bazaar [TRADE]
• Sacrilege Traders
• Srathor's Lawn
• TRADE Trader Discs
• Trader Crow's

They span a total of 5000 items listed between 24 different eks + current dregs Frendia. Thats an average of 2.7 full vendors per EK. (Aerynth and Frendia dregs bulks up the average by a lot).

It is almost impossible for someone to do a good old shopping like we're all accustomed to be available in mmos in the current state.

Some EKs are online for only a very short amount of time and then they are gone some forever. Example is `quality wartribe/discs [trade]` - a shortlived EK that had good deals and now it's dissapeared.

You have to figure out where each vendors are hidden and it's usually a good trek to get to them.

 

I suggest a quick solution:

- keep EKs with over set amount of listed items up all time

- highlight the listed item amount next to the player count on the EK

- throw a beam effect like the runegates have above all vendors to identify them easy

 

OR expose an API that details all available items listed on player vendors and let the players make their own search engine.

Edited December 8, 2021 by chewyr

[blazzen 4,632]

1 hour ago, chewyr said:

OR expose an API that details all available items listed on player vendors and let the players make their own search engine.

This is an interesting idea. Maybe less work for ACE than putting together their own in game auction house? 

[chewyr 19]

36 minutes ago, blazzen said:

This is an interesting idea. Maybe less work for ACE than putting together their own in game auction house? 

I'd be down to whip up a web auction search. Not very far off a solution I already have for something else.

I'd need just 2 endpoints:

- item listings with their vendor location data appended
- ek list with their online status

Edited December 8, 2021 by chewyr