Shopping sucks

**_______________Kiern** · Jan 3rd, 2003, 19:08:21

The organization of the stores really sucks. Is it really that difficult to get them set up in a more logical way? As a new player I'd have to say that it's one of the most annoying aspects of the game. It took me a week to realize that there was any system at all, and I can't believe that someone thought that sorting Nanos alphabetically was the best way to do it. You'd have to know exactly what you're looking for by name. For new people it makes browsing a nightmare.

For Nanos I would think having them by level, and/or funtion would be much better. For implant components I would think at the very least sorting by the type of implant they fit into. The way it is now seems ridiculus.

**_______________Hypos** · Jan 3rd, 2003, 19:55:55

Yeah, shopping's always been a pain. My most hated "why did they do that" feature is how the names of nanoclusters are not the same as the benefit they provide. Makes it incredibly hard to do shopping without a 3rd party tool to help you.

Believe it or not, nanocluster shopping is way easier than it used to be. Originally, shining, bright and faded were all in the same machine and it offered far fewer clusters. The first time I tried to get a set of implants made, it took me a week of checking the general stores I knew about trying to find the right clusters. Just insane.

**_______________Kiern** · Jan 4th, 2003, 00:59:03

Is there a 3rd party tool that works? I tried using the AOshopper that I've seen posted on older threads, but AO won't launch if AOshopper is running.

It's funny that nothing has been done to better organize the shopping. I think that alone would turn off some players from continuing the game past the 7 day trial. The formulas are bad enough, but the clusters are by far the worst. I am currently only using implants that I've looted that already had clusters in them. Trying to find the right cluster for the right slot in the right implant it far to cumbersome.

**_________Neurofreeze** · Jan 4th, 2003, 07:56:07

Well there's a lot of blatantly obvious things overlooked, like resizing inventory (and backpack/bank) windows or auto-inventory buttons a la console RPG style. A lot of people live with it and keep playing (like us), but MANY don't and quit.

I suggest you download Nano Nanny. Among many other things, it can automagically compile a shopping list for you in printable form of the clusters you need by the actual name used in terminals. I don't have a link offhand though.

**Blackwing** · Jan 5th, 2003, 05:07:18

http://www.timezulu.com.au/NanoNanny/

be carefull if you make a toon with a bow implant as that is the only cluster nano nanny gets wrong.

i think both bow and bow special are broken and the program tells you to get a poison resistance or something.

apart from that it works like a charm.

**_______________Kiern** · Jan 5th, 2003, 18:20:45

Thanks! That should help a lot.

**Inyuendo** · Jan 15th, 2003, 05:07:14

One aspect of shopping I absolutely hate besides shopping for clusters, is shopping for armor. Especially as a low level. Ever try to get even close to a full set of low level (< 50) sense/agi armor such as steel-ribbed from shops? Oh yeah... we have ql 31 boots and ql 49 sleeves in Tir, sorry, can't buy ql 30-50 helmets or body armor today in any clan/neutral shops because, uh, the shipment didn't arrive on Rubi-Ka today, but if you go to Avalon you might find ql 40 gloves.

My point is, I could be walking around with 10 million credits and *unable* to buy a full suit of armor by visiting just one or 2 shops, and I'd be lucky as hell to get 4-5 pieces in a +/- 7 level range by going to every shop I know of in non-hostile territory, which could easily take 1-2 hours of my time (by which time I could have leveled my alt 5 times).

It is apparent that shops are meant to discourage being able to easily acquire exactly what one needs, given that it's 'more rewarding' to get what you need the hard way: adventuring, missioning, blitzing, or trading with other players. But there are many times when ****ing around for hours to get something that is pretty basic and that everyone needs is disgustingly troublesome (read: makes my 'cancel' finger mighty itchy).

My suggestion is to make the non-exceptional low ql armors availble in sets from low level shops. Make them ridiculously expensive if you think you have to, but at least have the option in the game for those who can afford it.

P.S. One thing that cracks me up is that FC undoubtedly wants to put money-sinks in the game. Things that'll suck high-level players dry of millions in the fewest clicks possible. Guess what? Twinking alts is an expensive propostion. What I mentioned above would be a key way to get high-level players interested in spending money. Imagine... ql 30 full set of Titan.. 800k from the shops.. instead of having to wait 3 hours in Tir waiting til someone posts it. Or full set of ql 50 Kirch Kevlar for 1.5 mill.. etc. Of course, putting features like this in the game would require having a clue.. something that apparently is not part of FC's mission statement. Correct me if I'm wrong.

**ethernal3** · Jan 15th, 2003, 05:11:59

Used to be a LOT worse (all the clusters in a single shop.. half the time they didn't even HAVE a cluster of the type you wanted, much less the desired QL.) Still, it is so boring to have to go to 8 shops to find a single cluster - especially for ql 200 imps where you have to have at least ql 172 clusters.

~Chris

**____________Hannibal** · Jan 15th, 2003, 06:17:26

bump for making the shopping and general inventory management more user friendly!

Its completely ridiculous to spend hour of your time going from shop to shop searching for a store that has your item in stock. WTF kind of futuristic world is this? There shouldn't even be different shops for crying out loud!

My guess is that Funcom was looking to fill up real estate, so they made different kinds of shops and scattered them around. I also suspect that shopping is just another time-sink so that players don't go through the content of the game too quickly. However, this is a stupid policy as it drives away more peeps than it helps retain.

Please please upgrade shops and inventory!

**____________RedSonja** · Jan 15th, 2003, 10:32:42

This is true.
I am forever reading posts on these forums from people saying "My shopping experience was terrible, I'm quitting now" /sarc

**____________Hannibal** · Jan 15th, 2003, 12:21:55

Its not the people who are already active players that will leave because of the silly shopping interface, its the 7 day trial people who will never become customers. After a few days, they're probably getting the hang on the game and have earned enough money to go buys something... and oh look they can barely find a store, and if by some miracle its a basic shop, it prob doesn't have what they want. I can easily see new gamers getting turned off on AO because of poor user interface.

**____________Entriech** · Jan 15th, 2003, 13:54:03

It's just one of those things you get used to after you've been playing for a while. I think one of the things FC didn't do that should've been done is making it clear where stores are on the map. For that reason alone, every character I make raises their map skill enough to score the upgrade that shows stores, machines, etc on the minimap, because otherwise you'll go insane trying to find places to buy stuff.

Previous posters were right. Implant shopping used to be so much worse. At least now they offer premade implants if you're looking for something quick and dirty.

And I don't think I've ever owned a full suit of any particular kind of armor (except maybe Cyber armor back in the day, because it was the only one that had AC against all the nasty stuff). Mostly it's whatever you can find and equip.

**ethernal3** · Jan 15th, 2003, 14:02:25

Originally posted by RedSonja
This is true.
I am forever reading posts on these forums from people saying "My shopping experience was terrible, I'm quitting now" /sarc

It's not shopping alone. Shopping is just another aspect that drives people to quit.

~Chris

**Letah** · Jan 15th, 2003, 15:18:40

What?!

Shopping is fun!

Besides, I'd loose my great implant service in my sig if they would listen to you

**Ghostimage** · Jan 15th, 2003, 16:01:14

A BIG bump for re-sizable inventory, bank and back packs. 6 slots (and 9 for inv) just is no fun at all

I'd really like to be able to label backpacks (so you can read the text when you shift+right click) ... but I can't see that happening

**Elbo** · Jan 16th, 2003, 19:00:59

You'll notice the people who really dislike shopping for implants.

They offer 5M above the costs of the clusters just to shop it out for them.

I would consider 5M cheap if I had to run around and collect 30 clusters of a correct QL lvl.

I HATE SHOPPING. If they made it in QL lvls of 10. (20,30 etc)

10-50 the basic
60-100 in adv
110-200 in superior

This would really make everyones day. No shopping around other than just going to the store. Why make it such a painful random BS proposition when shopping..

**Numbfreeze** · Jan 16th, 2003, 19:57:30

It should be in a view like "Details" mode in windows explorer. You should be able to sort by name, price or QL.

**Letah** · Jan 16th, 2003, 20:05:22

Originally posted by Elbo
You'll notice the people who really dislike shopping for implants.

They offer 5M above the costs of the clusters just to shop it out for them.

I would consider 5M cheap if I had to run around and collect 30 clusters of a correct QL lvl.

I HATE SHOPPING. If they made it in QL lvls of 10. (20,30 etc)

10-50 the basic
60-100 in adv
110-200 in superior

This would really make everyones day. No shopping around other than just going to the store. Why make it such a painful random BS proposition when shopping..

Thats how Im getting 200mill / week with the link in my sig

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