Can we talked about the weekly market a bit

[Dilihin]

So i was just thinking how to generate more RP recently and i was immedlietly thinking about the hydlaa weekly market, There was something that has been bothered me for a while about it.
 
First of we have to rewind time by a couple of years. When we didn't have the weekly markets. It was never a regular thing. People hold their own bazaars, markets, whatsoever. There was still calendered markets for each month during 2012-2013 (and sometime onwards hard to recall past). The markets usually had lots of people attending, people would be fairly stocked up.
The Hydlaa weekly market began as an effort to bring consistent weekly trading and RP. And it worked, it was great and it did what is was supposed to (thanks Mariana!)

That was all way back to 2015 and it's lords year 2019 now. And i think for the current activity it's more harmful than helpful. Don't take me wrong, i love markets. We used to run multiple ones frequently and always found time to come to all. But not recently, which speaks for the issue itself. Because the market is weekly now, it has lost all it's speciality now. Why bother to attend when there will be one just next week? On the other hand, someone new might come to try sell things and might give up when nobody is around. If we, for example went back a bit and changed that markets would be only monthly instead of weekly. Do you think it would make each market more significant and more people would attend? Because i think it would. I really apreciate those who have put effort and went to markets each week and would like to hear your opinions and views and experiences aswell.


Just my two cents.

[Migg]

Thanks to Uadjet, events are held weekly, and with good participation too. So clearly having something occur every week, at a set time, is not limiting its appeal, at least not in my opinion. What I believe is the problem with the market is that it attracts a low number of sellers with a limited, unvarying supply of goods. Hence people are not interested in attending because the products they can get are of no real value to them, not being unique or hard to find. That in turn limits the other appeal the market could have, as a place to RP on a regular schedule.

Unfortunately I have been unable to attend the market of late, but from what I recall, in the near past, peddlers of unique items or services, including GMs acting as engravers or offering items no NPC sells and no mob drops, would cause an apparent up-tick in player participation. Unfortunately such events were not announced in advance, I think that greater visibility would have further increased their effect on player count.

What could be done to improve the effect of the weekly market as an event would be to arrange for players (or GMs) to participate with original offerings, including games, shows or RP of special types of participants: I did some skill games in the past, and I have seen players RP reporters, bards, fortune tellers or even pickpockets in the market with fairly good results.

That sort of actions could be of great help, but just being there for the market would be a start. And that, I know, is an advice I should heed myself.

[Volki]

Mariana doesn't want to be mentioned as having anything to do with this game anymore.

I can't even go to the market because I'm busy on weekends. I think a monthly market wouldn't be a bad idea, though. I wouldn't mind seeing other monthly events either, like fairs or games. Chances are I wouldn't be able to make them. Whatever.

[Dilihin]

Thanks to Uadjet, events are held weekly, and with good participation too. So clearly having something occur every week, at a set time, is not limiting its appeal, at least not in my opinion.

I don't think the GM events are straight up comparable to the markets at all. Now i haven't been in most of the events in past few years, to the few i have attended have been very different from each other, and what i've been following from forums/discord and where-ever, they are each very individual and unique. One can be helping artist to gain inspiration, other can be helping guards sort out trouble. When i was still playing regularly, i had the feeling i would atleast check out what is going to happen, wherein i always know market is going to be market. I'm not saying each can't have their own unique content, as Migg allready said for example, there could be GM engraver, pickpockets, anything really. But the premise is the same.

What I believe is the problem with the market is that it attracts a low number of sellers with a limited, unvarying supply of goods. Hence people are not interested in attending because the products they can get are of no real value to them, not being unique or hard to find. That in turn limits the other appeal the market could have, as a place to RP on a regular schedule.

I don't see this speaking for the advantage of weekly market, rather against it. Since there is indeed quite niche variation to the items at the moment (and those we have are not bought, this can be especially frustrating to aspiring peddlers), it would only make more sense to have markets less frequently. What comes to unique items, well of course they make it more lucrative. But as all  eye candy it's just props, nothing essential for RP. In fact, i feel like they have been more distracting for me than helpful at. But this thread is not my psychoanalysis of current economical state of PS and how mechanics and RP work together.

Unfortunately I have been unable to attend the market of late, but from what I recall, in the near past, peddlers of unique items or services, including GMs acting as engravers or offering items no NPC sells and no mob drops, would cause an apparent up-tick in player participation. Unfortunately such events were not announced in advance, I think that greater visibility would have further increased their effect on player count.

Can't speak too well from the near past, and my comment above somewhat talks to this point aswell, but i would recall that not in so recent past GMs could pop up as engravers and what not and it could be more lucrative. But we also had more players back then. I feel like nobody had to have specific reason to join and everyone would be around neverthless. Markets were (almost) always filled anyway, regardless of special goodies.

What could be done to improve the effect of the weekly market as an event would be to arrange for players (or GMs) to participate with original offerings, including games, shows or RP of special types of participants: I did some skill games in the past, and I have seen players RP reporters, bards, fortune tellers or even pickpockets in the market with fairly good results.

That sort of actions could be of great help, but just being there for the market would be a start. And that, I know, is an advice I should heed myself.

I can't even go to the market because I'm busy on weekends. I think a monthly market wouldn't be a bad idea, though. I wouldn't mind seeing other monthly events either, like fairs or games. Chances are I wouldn't be able to make them. Whatever.

Everything unique is always welcome and would indeed make the markets more fun! But it's not big secret there's not a big tick to the player activity of the markets, and im afraid people would only be sceptical anyone finds their way to the market even if they tell of their plans. But you are right, if you announce it on the gossip im sure peeps will find their way there. Just being there would be a start yes. But people are busy. I should allready take more time back to myself as it is. But perhaps i try to be there to proof myself wrong on this one. And yes i agree with Volki, i want to see more fairs and such. Maybe i find time to come up with one myself. Diddo.


Now, i know its easy to hold the market in east hydlaa with stalls and all, but what about a more traditional plaza market? It is the most central place afterall and the allready low treshold to come there would be even lower. People would obligatory pass there and atleast stop to say hi, atleast from my experience.

[netforce10]

As the sole person setting up shop most times I'll be honest and agree that there are very few other stall and or customers nowadays. Going back a decent time(a year or so ago?) there was a bit more activity everymarket. Why? good question, maybe because most often there were two or more stalls.

Personally however I would prefer for the weekly markets to continue since I don't really have any faith in it being any better if it is monthly. And I actually still quite enjoy them since Damola stops by almost every week and some others stop by from time to time as well(once again however only a few). Last market was actually very nice although it maybe didn't have that much to do with the market as a concept itself other than as facilitation of a meeting. Besides that strange as it may sound, it's also something which makes me start up the game every week at least once.

As for rare items being sold by GMs and or engravers they used to bring some customers to the market most times there was one. A while ago I ICly suggested to an engraver that I could facilitate commissions between customers and the engraver but I haven't heard from the GM playing the character about it. Since they may not be available that often for the markets I thought I could play a middleman (since I'm there almost always regardless). It is my thought that that maybe would draw more people to the market since they could get their items engraved, a service which isn't otherwise widely available. Something similar could be done for items if the GMs want me to.

As for holding the market in the plaze, I'm fine with that but in my experience people passing through won't necessarily say hi, it happens occasionally that someone stumbles upon the market or passes through while there is one and doesn't pay it any attention or simple takes a quick look before going along(sometimes not even responding to a hello).

But that's just my thoughts on the matter which may be wrong.

[Can-ned Food]

Hydlaa is full of stereotyped Big City folks.  Pass beside, no greeting, never seen again.

Almost nobody wants to haggle at the market.  I'm like Eric Idle as the beard-merchant in Life Of Brian.
The game doesn't have a fully-functional economy at the moment, so roleplaying the barter is the most fun I would have at any market.

There is at least one player who runs a few alts in a tradesguild which sells glyphs and loot.  I don't know if he is online much these days, but there are a few sellers who can connect you with rare items.

I mean, ruttin' smeg, with the state of things in PlaneShift, you don't need for something to be in the game for you to roleplay around it.  So long as you don't tell people that you've uncovered the godmodding Rainbow Scepter from beneath the Deeps, they'll probably accomodate.

Let me know when one of you begins telling fortunes at the market.  No kissing booths, though, because I don't “cyber”.

[Damola]

While, honestly, I sometimes thought, why even go to the market when except netforce10 and me there is no one there, but I still quite enjoy the kind of ritual Damola and netforce10 have there almost every week. Order a tea, talk about news or even talk about deeply philosophical and spiritual topics like how it all is with our Gods and aspects of reality. Or even… a certain… Damola just giggles…

I do not believe there is anything to be gained by lowering the frequency of the markets.

Anyway, Damola may very well continue to attend the market as long as there is netforce10 there