Auctions

[Glim]

I was thinking of an idea, I beleive it was in work but I dunno if it was or not.

An auction house, interconnected through all the cities, where players can take items they dont use anymore, and put them up for auction. Players can bid for them over an auction channel with help from a prog. I think this would help make a better circulation of trade throughout the realms.

Eh, just an idea I had. Feedback is always welcome.

[Tandria]

I really like the idea of player-run auctions, but I think that they should be just that: player-run, as opposed to prog-run. For example:

Buddy says 'I have this wonderful belt of rabid rabbit hide for sale here.'
Buddy wears a belt of rabid rabbit hide about his waist.
Billy says 'The bids start at fifty platinum. Do I hear fifty platinum?'
Billy raises his hand and says 'Fifty platinum.'
Buddy says 'Do I hear fifty-five?'
Joanne raises her hand and says 'Fifty-five.'
Buddy says 'Do I hear sixty?'
...
Buddy says 'Going once!'
...
Buddy says 'Going twice!'
...
Buddy says 'And SOLD to Joanne!'
Joanne gives Buddy some money.
Buddy gives Joanne a belt of rabid rabbit hide.

And so forth. Perhaps, though, someone could build a small area dedicated to this and link it up to other areas. As there is an auction house in Waterdeep, there aren't any in other cities, so far as I know.

I really like the idea, though! It could spur on some fun RP .

[Isolrem]

I believe we are talking of a mob thing here (although of course player-run auctions are fun things)

so basically

an auctioneer is standing here
>bid list
Item number Item Name Min Bid Current Bid Buyout
1 some gem powder 1 gold 2 plat 4 gold 5 plat
2 Sword of the Tempest 20 plat 400 plat N/A
3 a smooth pebble 1 copper N/A 5 silver
4 Archon Plated Shiled 5 gold 49 plat 1 gold 100 plat

etc.
different coin values might make this hard to code, though.

[Glim]

Yes, Isolrem, that is more what I mean. There would be a minimum bid, a current bid, a buy now price and a time limit. The person who owns the item can cancel the auction at any time. If the person who bought the item does not have the gold, the auction is cancelled and the item goes back to the person who originally owned it.

This would allow people to put an item they wish to sell into market without having to go through the selling process themselves and such. It would also allow them to make money for an item, and insure that item stays in the economy, instead of selling it to an npc merchant and it disappearing when the mud crashes or resets.

[Cret]

For anyone who has played World Of Warcraft. This system works because of the Thousands of people who play, and the amount of coin in circulation. However I think that on Fk, the coin base would be a lot lower so things wouldnt sell as much.

Besides the economics, wich Im not completly sure on. What would stop this?

A player who sells say.. A bone-hilted rapier. They put the buy out at.. 200 plat. Somone bids it up to 50plat. Sense the player didnt get his 200 plat. He cancels the auction just because he didnt make enough.

[Andreas]

I think Tandria's idea is a lot better. PC auctions that take place IC will promote good roleplay. And in respose to Cret: If a PC runs an auction and refuses to actually sell the piece, then they'll have to deal with the IC consequences of their actions.

[Isolrem]

The risk of the auction system is, of course, that there would be 1. no canceling, 2. no self bidding, 3. no alt bidding.
And I have seen it work before on MUDs with low player bases, though the time limit is usually something like 2 RL weeks +
It seems a better way to get rid of items than the sell-to-merchant scheme, and more convenient than trying to find a player that needs the item.

Then again, the abundance of good player merchants would make such auctions less than necassary.

[Cret]

Another thing is that you can aquire a shop and sell your own items from it. Perhaps not at this time, with all the other stuff Mystra and the Immortals are doing. But Home can also be shops. This will alow you to sell things as well.

[Jharthyne]

Merchant PCs can actually schedule auctions too! That would bring people together for RP purposes. There is an auction hall in Waterdeep already, and most towns have a square or shop that would serve as an auction hall as well for those who cannot enter WD.

Maybe a merchant PC schedules an auction to take place at a certain time. Those interested in selling items are to go to the auction hall abt half an hr before to talk to the merchant PC abt what they want to sell. The merchant PC then starts the auction at the stated time (or when enough PCs arrive). Once a deal is closed, the PCs involved exchange coins and item, then the next item comes up for auction.

How's that? Solves the need for hard code, prevents transfers of items between alts too.

[Timaeus]

While I have nothing against PC run and organised auctions I am reminded of an IC PC run auction for an Ilmater cause that ended prematurely because some thief decided to steal items from the auctioneer's inventory while the auction was going on. Most PCs can handle the roleplay but be warned that there are a few who really don't care about IC appropriate behaviors and only care what the code allows them to do.