Excelsior

First of all, let me start off by saying "Hats Off" to Colibri and the staff for showing more patience than I can ever show during the past auctions. I am a very patient person, but my last 3 auctions I've had to get up and leave even though I didn't want to. More than likely, I will not go to the next or future ones till something changes. I am posting this to see if anyone else feels the same. I also am not one to criticize unless I can offer a solution or suggestion, so.....
Here are my beefs and what I propose:
1. Beef - Auction ettiquette has greatly deteriorated. The staff has reminded all several times but it seems to no avail.
Suggestion - A bolt of lightning administered by an observing staff member streaks from the sky nailing the offending person(s) and turning them into a pile of ash for at least 10 minutes. It might not stop them from interupting but I think it would make me feel better at once.
2. Beef - Auctions can be long and tedious especially when you have many affronts to the auction ettiquette rules.
Suggestion - Move the GM item auction to the beginning. These are few and expensive items. The uber rich are really there only for them. After the items are gone, I feel the herd will thin out a lot. The rich got what they came for and the curious will lose interest (maybe). The longer the players sits, the more apt he/she will be tempted to comment.
3. Beef - To many uneccesary items being aucioned off. Player items can easily be sold in forum market or even in game.
Suggestion - Player auction items should have no starting price. If you must have a reserve price, save it for the Forum Market or even ExEx. I understand that for some reason some players will buy something at an auction for way more than they would in game over public chat or whatever, but we all have seen way too many times where we we wasted 3 to 4 minutes staring at an item that you wouldn't spend 100gp on but they are asking for 10k to start with. If you want to auction it, then be prepared to accept what the group is willing to spend, no matter what the item is worth.

Okay, those were my main beefs. As I stated earlier, I feel Coli and staff do a great job with this and the fact we have an auction adds to the uniqueness of this shard. But for me, it has become something I'd rather do without and that is a shame.

If I am just blowing smoke, let me know. It could be just the rants of an old fart who has lost touch. If you agree, maybe you have better suggestions than mine which is easily done. I would love to be a regualr to auctions again.

I whole heartedly agree with the etiquette portion of the post. Disruptive players should be ported out of the auction or blasted by lightning,either works for me. I'm fairly indifferent on the other 2 points tho.

Beef #1 - I definitively agree with this.. I've only managed to make it to a few but nearly every one of them I've wanted to just leave, but stayed purely out of respect of staff. The thing is, the issues come from older and younger players alike. Maybe staff could just squelch the player if they continue babbling? That could hinder their chances of bidding, but it'd certainly serve as a reminder for their next auction..

Beef #2 - Aye, it's a pretty good idea. Although, I see one issue arising from this. Not [i[all[/i] player items auctioned off are totally worthless. For instance, 1k organics? If staff items are moved to the front, that could lessen the crowd and the chances of valuable player items being sold. Maybe to solve that issue, staff could start posting what items are being sold, and what their starting price is?

Beef #3 - Not a bad point. How about this: In order to set a reserve price, you must pay a higher commission (auction fee) to do so. Much like Ebay.. hehe There are some pretty strange things auctioned off at odd prices...

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Everything you've said makes a valid point. Not everyone will agree with it, but I find it hard to point out any true flaw with your statements. Good post, good topic to debate..

Maybe the auction fee should be something kind of high to dissuade people from posting more "worthless" items? I mean I know the newer people want to participate but if that's the case, they should collect some PS and sell the book or do some peerless or something to have more valuable items. I, for instance, would definitely bid on a bag with say 10 sets of travesty keys

Newer people need to be more ingenuitive when making auction drops. Think of things people wouldn't really think that they needed until they saw it, and then auction that. In this way, we can aoid having useless stuff on the auction while still having a chance for newer players to make money.

And totally agree on point #1, although I think the solution is simply more GM action. Coli warned about emotes early on and people stopped (and for a while everything was fine), and then it gradually picked up again. More warnings would be good Be firm, Coli!

On the first, I suggested putting a scroll that had all the rules in every chars backpack. I was then reminded that most likely it wouldn't be read but just thrown away. I've noticed there are already things you can't do in that room, like taming pets, recalling out etc. Perhaps the emotes could be turned off?

No comment on the second, at least right now.

My annoyance is with the location of the auction. Between it and the vendors it gets rather slow in there. I suggested moving the auction to another location then later I noticed that there is another auction location that appears to not be used. Not sure why this is but perhaps either we could go there instead or somewhere else where it's less populated and there is room for more people. Just a thought.

Yea placing a scroll would likely get staff nowhere..

I still say a warning, then a squelch should be in order.. Course they wouldn't be able to bid, but the fact that they lose the ability to bid should serve as a future reference, or example, to not disregard auction rules again.

And I absolutely agree with the location argument. I tend to lag out in TC, horribly so, and I've noticed a lot of other players have the same issue. As such, I think it'd be great if it was moved.. =)

i hate tc, the only reason i go there now days, is to check certain vendors on items (an its not that often)... i dont even goto auctions becuz of the annoying hassle players role out, the lessor tokuno items that are worthless end up rolling for 50k, those people should be smited

so far, i agree with everyone else here, i would be delighted to come to an auction, without the lag of the vendors in tc, an possibly the more strict rules (i love the lightening bolt outta the sky idea lol)...

i didnt know about a new auction stadium built, interesting...