How do you find what you're looking for on the market forums?

[Marquess]

I use a combination of ways. Since people spell things differently or abbreviate items, you have to use different techniques to discover what you are looking for.

Browsing the titles is helpful if people classify items appropriately. Secondly, the specific forum search scopes the search to the content for the dimension you want. Third, you have to troll each of the posts to see if what you want is in there.


I would like to see the following:

1. Support in the search engine for exact phrases.
2. A mechanism for recording selling prices that requires both parties to confirm the item/amount to show a current market price for the item in game. (?Stock ticker in a Shopping channel?)
3. Ability to import directly from the "Helpbot" store. (yeah, cut and paste is easy but lots of folks don't know about the store)
4. Ability to have sold items "tagged" in the posting text so default search excludes hits on those items unless overriden.
5. Have a "watched for" item feature that will send a notification if a desired item is posted.
6. Have the forums available via RSS publishing.

[Pacius]

I am quite new in the game (about ½ of the year) and even less familiar with market situation. At first I just looked the threads on the Rimor market.

After that I started to use main Search feature, but do not like it yet, because I do not know how to find full item description (like in Google using brackets "embryo of awn", and I know, embryo is NoDrop, but not anymore after next patch :P).

Now when Cz showed to me that there is search also on the bottom of the each page, I might start using it

[Cenelia]

I voted other becuase i use both search options actually

IMO it would help if there was another option in the normal search, "search for exact match", for instance I search for "Active Brain Symbiant, Control Unit Aban" then i'd get only results back that match that, and not results for each word individualy.

No idear how hard this is to implement though, but would be helpfull i think

Also, when looking for dynacamp loot i usually look for thread titles that says "bank sale" or something in teh first 2-3 pages

[Ahve]

as many others I have voted other and not teh 1st alternative. I browse through the 1st page, maybe 2nd. if I cant find what I'm asfter I check again 10-20 min later.

I do sell lotsa stuff too and I try to bump the thread so ppl will see it on the 1st page most of the time. That's where it gets attention.

[Measle]

I do a search for terms that are important to me, like, "x-3", "caterwaul", "VTE", or [name of nano]

I just don't have the time to read the threads, and this gets me where i want.

[The Validator]

Option 1.
Beef up the search options. So when you pick Rimor Market you get a few more options.

_Embryos
_Visions
_NANO
_Weapon
_Symbiant
_Uberitem worth billions
_Spirits

This would in turn lead to the need to create a beginning Template for Market posts.


Option 2.
Or as in SWG a Bazaar. Only played in SWG beta and not sure how thats working as we speak but was kinda cool.
Put your item in Bazaar set a price and let the MARKET do the work.

Option 3.
Personnel Shops- Were these not before launch supposed to be a feature? Works kinda like bazzar but on a individual level. Person buys a Shop($$$) costly of course to buy since this is a High End type of Uberness. Set shop in a known trading area. Prolly a side room to a advanced shop but better prolly as a separate building.
Put item in. Set The Price. Let MARKET do the work.


Option 3b.
Organization Shops- Like above but in or near ORg city/town. this would allow org to for example pool sets of armors so a person buying can get more of a choice.

Option 4
Request Shops- Person requests a item.. U check this terminal or Bot and go get item. Place in terminal/ Bot and its bought.
this could also be for services.. Kill Aztur..Blitz me NCU-Paying 1mil...etc

Option 5
Shops tied to Player BIO on main AO site. In game someone does a OOC.. check website got new items..come on come all. Hit main AO page. Find playa.. click on link to SHOP and bingo.

I know these things are all prolly a creation nightmare. But just some ideas.. If we can do anything above what the current forums can do will be a bonus. FC will continue to cement the fact that you do care about the Player Community and are willing to help us enjoy a better game experience.

<<Or there is always>>
Option 6
Make everything NoDROP

[Gundam]

I like having FIND EXACT MATCH...not if your search words are in the post somewhere.

Besides that...finding items would be easy, it's PICKING UP THE ITEM that is a pain. Give us some sort of offline trading system, a market, a bazaar...something!

[SKtron]

Voted Search.

If I look for something specific (symbiants) then the title doesn't give the whole story. the majority of ppl offer more than 1 item.

Browsing, just to see if I find something I thought I might need.

[_______________D-day]

Taking lessons from another game I played for years and years...


Market forums should have sub categories for:

Armor
Weapons
Nanos
NCU & Utilities
Implants
Other

and then one for people who like multi item bank clearances...

Auctions

Far easier to search through stuff when separated like this yet still leaves the open to list a bunch of junk together in an Auction forum.

[oilers22]

voted other


i usally search 3-4 first pages.. if not found i wait and look at pps on first page. or post WTB tread

[______________Baldie]

I voted for the Main search function, it really is the main source of how i find what im looking for. However, I usually "browse" the first 3 pages or so just looking for items i can use, or need.

For example, I would search for a specific nano for my doctor, like "Uncontrolable Body Tremors" , but browse for all the other heal/DoT/HoT/Team Health stuff just because i dont want to search for them all individually. I'd search for "Bank sale", or something to that effect depending on how the threads I see are labeled.

So I'd say its a combination of Main Search (specifying the forum in the search) , and simply browsing the first few pages of threads.

[Cz]

Poll closed. Thanks for contributing.