Xanadu traders really need to be removed/nerfed

[GoldFever 299]

Removing the event message about the Envoy purchasing items

 

+1 This is much needed and would help a lot to spread things out better and would be a good initial step that needs to be implemented immediately in my view.

 

I'm not sure exactly what the long-term solution is but traders do have some important benefits that need to be expanded--namely the ability to trade player made items for player made items. I use that all the time and it would be a shame to lose that.  Indeed, I think the correct long term solution probably relates to items going on the trader actually have to be useful. 

 

A good second step would be that once the NPC has say 10 to 20 on hand of an item (depending on the item) the trader won't buy anymore of it at all.  Combine this with totally updating the just weird "c" constant would help a lot to make the stuff on the trader a lot more varied and therefore useful so people would trade for it (see http://www.wurmpedia.com/index.php/Base_Price for a partial list of the "c" multiplier per item that a trader will pay).

 

This won't fix traders for sure, but would certainly buy a lot of time for a long term solution to be implemented.

 

I encourage more people to check their local NPC trader--if you don't participate, you won't get anything.  Like it or hate it, the system is what it is at this point in time.  I've explained how all this works to many people (even provided the trade goods in some cases) but they can't be bothered to check consistently so they never get anything.  I check 2 to 3 times a day, everyday, if I'm on, but only at the one location.  Most days I get nothing, then I get lucky and pick up some silver.  Last month, the total pot for my location was about 200 silver (total, not each NPC) based on get info.  Not sure how this month is going to work out, but seems to be running a bit lower so far.

[Atlas 363]

Suggestion Thread Added:

 

http://forum.wurmonline.com/index.php?/topic/111876-shut-down-xanadu-trader-payouts-for-now/

 

 

Please go and make your vote

[ShadowRonin 407]

What's your point? I've got a crapton of silver sitting in my bank right now, and I don't plan on using it any time soon. You might be doing something good with the drained money, but that doesn't mean everyone does the same thing. I could even quit right now and it'd be a crapton of silver out of circulation. I'm willing to bet there are more people keeping it in their bank rather then spending it directly too.

That's why I used the operative word SOME.  I'm sorry if that's hard for you to comprehend.

[PromisedOne 108]

+1 Trading draining has and always will be broken.  Remove it on Xanadu at least and that is a start in the right direction.  I also went to take a look and the amount of campers in starter town is just

[Pandalet 1,848]

A simple fix would be to simply combine all server pools, so the Xanadu ocean of deed upkeep goes out to the traders on other servers.  It doesn't fix the 'trader problem' in and of itself, but it does stop Xanadu starter deed camping, and it recirculates the cash across a much wider group.

[Zazz 325]

i am out of the loop on this.

 

But you cant plant your own traders on xanadu right. only the ones that were GM spawned? and thats why its so high?

Edited October 13, 2014 by Zazz

[Lithien 268]

i am out of the loop on this.

 

But you cant plant your own traders on xanadu right. only the ones that were GM spawned? and thats why its so high?

 

Yes, that is why it is so high. There are only 4 traders per starter city to receive all the silvers redistributed, at the same time as it is the biggest server with the biggest pool of money to redistribute from.

[Torgrim 403]

I fail to see how it is ok to nerf (by opening a new mega server) the old traders that people have payed for and then introduce this crappy system instead that hands out money for free to people who likes botting...

 

Remove traders completly and reduce all prices as a compensation, problem solved.  

[syncaidius 159]

IMO its better if traders are just completely removed forever.

 

Then we should replace it with an upgrade to merchants with a % based royalties system where, the merchant owner gets a cut of any unique item sales made through their merchant that they didn't stock on it themselves.

 

The rest of the money the player doesn't get, should sink into oblivion, never to return. Or it can go into the sell-at-token thingy pool, so long as that isn't made insanely stupid too.

 

If you throw wages onto merchant so that they cost a few iron per month to maintain (nothing too crazy), you could then add license options too. So for example, a merchant with "Sell shaker orbs" enabled in its settings would increase the cost of its monthly wages a bit (a few copper or iron per month extra). But selling said items would make the extra cost worthwhile if you're in an area where a lot of them tend to get bought.

 

Licenses could include other things like increases in item capacity, stock notifications via in-game mail and so on. All would contribute to the merchant's wages.

 

Its not the best idea, but it sure as hell beats what we currently have IMO.

 

If this was to happen, it would be fair to also reduce the initial price of a merchant contract too, since they'd also have their own built-in money sink via wages.

 

EDIT:

And to stop people turning licenses on when they need and then off again when they don't, add a 1-week cool-down for changing merchant license options, so they at least pay a bit towards said licenses before being able to switch them off again.

 

/idea

Edited October 13, 2014 by syncaidius

[Mordraug 2,542]

There's a good idea... get rid of traders altogether, knock the price down on everything a good 25% 

 

I'm not a fan of paying extra for someone to camp an alt and get THEIR stuff cheaper at my expense.

[Gnowai 15]

So you want cheaper stuff at the other's expense instead, how noble of you.

Edited October 13, 2014 by Gnowai

[Othob Rithol 700]

I like the idea of actually keeping the trader, just not as a way to get funds directly. A solution that leaves them intact selling gold sink items with the deed they are on getting a nice cut towards its upkeep seems the best to me. I'm even cool with them still receiving a trickle of redistrbution, but only maybe 10%-20% of the funds and with per account per time period cap(s).

 

Something like "no more than"

• 2s in a day
  
• 5s in a week
  
• 7.5s in a month (less than the cost to keep the account premium)
  

For premiums and somewhere between a half and a tenth that for non.

 

Come to think of it, with a per-account cap you could almost do away with localized funds and give all the traders one purse.

Edited October 13, 2014 by Othob Rithol

[joedobo 1,187]

I'd love to see an in-game poll for freedom only.

 

 

Should we remove the redistributing wealth system, that is remove the funds traders now distribute? The coins that were once recirculated into the game will simply be deleted. Traders will continue to exists to sell trinkets. They will also be changed to accept trades of non-trinket items where the value of the trade is in their favor. This "favorable trade" change is so traders can continue to be used to trade goods players make without having to have currency.

 

yes - remove redistributing wealth system

no - keep the redistribution wealth system

[Eyesgood 2,121]

This:

 

1)  Remove traders completely from the game.  We no longer need them to get deed contracts.

2)  Allow existing trader items (chests, merchant contracts, etc.) to be purchased from the item shop for real money.

 

or This:

 

1) Remove the ability for traders to purchase items.  Leave a single trader in each starter town,

2)  Allow existing trader items (chests, merchant contracts, etc.) to be purchased from the item shop for real money.

[Daash 183]

The traders have been abused as cash cows as far as i can remember.

 

Removing them and let all merchants sell the stuff that are unique for traders would work actually.

 

The question are how to compensate the ones that have traders today.

[Moxie 271]

As a trader owner, I'd be fine with seeing traders removed. There are better and more fair ways to circulate coin into the population than traders. Reduce deed upkeep and the prices on novelty items, and make items sell for more at deed tokens and raise the daily cap. Done.

[Eyesgood 2,121]

I own a trader as well and would happily let it go to see a system that is fair.

 

Fixing the trader system is the first step to fixing Wurm's economy.

[ShadowRonin 407]

We should get rid of fountain pans, drake sets farmed from dragon penners, and every coin in circulation as a result of that duplication bug too.

[Ecrir 887]

We should get rid of fountain pans, drake sets farmed from dragon penners, and every coin in circulation as a result of that duplication bug too.

 

oh look, red herrings, how cute.

 

 

 

The traders have been abused as cash cows as far as i can remember.

 

Removing them and let all merchants sell the stuff that are unique for traders would work actually.

 

The question are how to compensate the ones that have traders today.

 

Maybe the same compensation used for Trader owner on Affliction (20s each) would be reasonable?

[Eyesgood 2,121]

Honestly, there is no way to fairly compensate ANY player for ANY trader.  Rolf just needs to make an executive decision to fix them and let the chips fall where they may.  In the long run it will be better for Wurmians, for Wurm, and for Code Club.

[joedobo 1,187]

20s has been the used on multiple occasions. If we stay with that status quo it would be 20s per a trader citizen to the mayor when the deed disbands.

[Kegan 3,926]

I don't think he would need to give anyone any money back just stop them from getting funds from the king is all. Now if you had a new trader like under 6 months old then i guess maybe offer compensation for them but all the older ones have gotten their 50s back and loads more.  

[Mordraug 2,542]

I'd totally agree with trader owners getting their 50s back since they DID risk them.  No argument there.  After all, technically, Rolf CAN generate silver from thin air, or even better, just get them from the coffers in one final mass recirculation.

[Samool 2,004]

50s is a lot, you can get a trader for less than that.

My opinion - disable money income from king's coffers, don't give any refunds, but keep traders give back part of money after someone bought the item to drain back.

This way they won't be totally useless after removing their 'infinite' money source.

Edited October 13, 2014 by Samool

[Othob Rithol 700]

20s at once or 50s over time (as in they keep paying out until they have paid 50s). 50s >poof< all at once is too much. The trader isn't gone, it just quits giving out money.