Muffy this is categorically incorrect. I'm thinking it was a few years into the game before cross tier trades became an real issue. Sometimes new players needed to post cross tier trades but their FS would usually pick them up. Otherwise they would usually sit there for the week before they expired and the player would realize it wasn't such a good idea. It was definitely not such a pain to use the trader like it is now. This is why a bunch of us long term players feel strongly about this subject.
The phrase "not such a pain to use the trader" is subjective. Whether it's a pain or not, is it better to have cross tier trades? Does it enhance the possible trades you can make? Does it allow for a wider set of trading strategies? The down side seems to be that a lot of older players used to have to scroll through a lot of cross tier trades and they aren't used to that as "before" "they expired and the playerr would realize [cross tier trades]
weren't such a good idea." Now those cross tier trades rarely sit there a week and thus a lot of players have found them a good idea. Since the change in attitude amongst the players is pretty clear shouldn't all those "long term players" who "feel strongly about this subject" reconsider? After all, if the cross tier trades that would have sat back in the day, are now being picked up you have to say the game has changed. And if it has, shouldn't those "long term" players rethink their position?
Are you a moderator now? That usually comes with an indicator under the name.
In life, I think, there are three types of moderation. 1) Self moderation. You do this all the time when you think you want to say this or that but then refrain "upon further review." 3) Official moderation for when you think you want to say this or that and then go ahead. In between are those who care about the tone and tenor of a conversation and who, to save you and others from having the official moderator come down on you (and perhaps us), give us a warning. I, personally, appreciate the middle level because it's usually done with the conversation in mind and can be very helpful.
And now for a rebuttal of
@SoggyShorts
In response to:
"Cross trades flood the trader
Some players like me ignore the trader to avoid the hassle instead of helping fulfill trade requests.
Newer players have their trades taken less frequently if at all
Smaller players quit more regularly and/or spend less money
Elvenar profits are lower
Results:
You have fewer people to play with.
Inno spends less on features and updates to
your game."
I ask for some clarification.
"Cross tier trades flood the market" Please define "flood" My experience is that there a lot, but so what? If I don't like 2-star trades and they flood the market, should I therefore insist on no 2-star trades?
"Some players ... avoid ...helping fulfill trade requests." But the trades, as far as I can tell, still seem to be taken. And as long as they are taken the players offering and taking are satisfied, right? If the trades weren't taken they wouldn't be, but they are so what's the point of telling people they can't do cross tier trades other than you don't like that they "flood" the trader and are a hassle to wade through?
"Newer players have their trades taken less frequently if at all?" It would appear to be that a prima facie case could be made that if you offer more possible trade options, trades would be taken faster. Limiting the goods for which you can trade what you have can only limit the number of possible trades and trading partners. In other words, this seems to be a bit of a stretch.
"Smaller players quit...." Well, maybe. Since I've not interviewed any of the smaller players who have quit, I can't say why they quit. On the other hand, this is only true if the immediate statement above is also true. And since that statement is in doubt, so is this one.
In the end then, the cross tier trades, you believe, lower Inno's profits by pushing smaller, potentially lucrative, players out. Your argument is that since they can't get their cross-tier trades taken because players like you who don't like cross-tier trades, refuse to take them, they get frustrated and quit.
I dispute the premise that cross tier trades sit for a week and expire in any great number. My trade board does not reflect that.
And I dispute that the solution to the "problem" is the banning of cross tier trades. In fact, in my opinion, the answer is not to denigrate, ignore, and forbid cross-tier trades, but to join in and take and post the ones that benefit you. In any ten pages of trades of any particular kind, not all will benefit you. Pick the ones that do.
I might add that the only cross tier trades I see sitting for any length of time are the gems for something else ones. But that is not a sufficient reason to ban cross tier trades altogether since, in my neighborhood, gems have a huge surplus.
AJ