OUTRAGEOUS ELEMENTAL TRADES

[Deborah M]

If you don't have a personal problem with it, then why do you call it an accusation? If you think it's fine, then what's the problem? You self admitted you did it. Did that incriminate you?

The problem is that you are presenting it as people doing something wrong when it is not wrong. Frankly it is none of your business! Other players can post any trade they want to. It is wrong to post another players name in an accusatory fashion hence it is not allowed on the Forum. If there was something wrong within game play the trader would not allow such trades to be posted.

Incriminate me for what? That is just a ridiculous thing to say!

 

[shimmerfly]

It all seems pretty petty to me but I'm just an observer ..I can't figure out how those trades hurt you. And it's not against the rules so just ignore them and play your own game? Too much negativity in the game already.

 

[SoggyShorts]

It all seems pretty petty to me but I'm just an observer ..I can't figure out how those trades hurt you. And it's not against the rules so just ignore them and play your own game? Too much negativity in the game already.

In the first couple of weeks after chapter 12 launched, there was an imbalance of boosted T4, so a few players figured out they could get better than 1:1 trades for their "rare" goods. Also some players mistakenly thought that goods in the trader wouldn't decay, so they "stored" them there with lopsided offers. This lead to wails and thrashing on the forums.
After a few more players unlocked T4, things were actually fine, and trading was quite easy if players posted trades and waited a couple of hours rather than looking for them.
There were some players on the forums who lacked a basic understanding of economics, which didn't help: If there are 3 goods to trade, there should never be every possible combination available to trade (why would anyone post an offer of Gum for Platinum if there are already trades up of Platinum for Gum?)
Also, just because 1 person posts an insane trade, it does not mean that 4:1 is the going rate: If I put up a bunch of bananas on craigs list for $1,000, it does not mean that the price of bananas has skyrocketed unless I am the only supplier in the world.
Now we have reached a point where many players have finished chapter 12, but are keeping their T4 factories for the next chapter. Since they have no use for seeds, and the buildings only make a pitiful amount of non-boosted T1, those players are telling FS members to post 1:4 trades.

As for the "player shaming" aspect, I really don't see what difference it makes to censor out the names when it only takes a few seconds to find them out, but since there is also not much to be gained from posting the names, a little discretion wouldn't have hurt either.

 

[shimmerfly]

Thanks for the explanation Soggy. I'm not close to Elementals so haven't read much on it yet. But will keep this in my seive-like mind for the future.

 

[DeletedUser5521]

With the restructuring of the display of goods in the trader, those 1:4 trades show up at the end of the offers, on the very last page(s). So those who are not interested in taking a less than 2 star or even 1 star trade don't ever actually have to know those trades even exist. Just don't go all the way through to the last page, and they will never be seen. Easy peasy

 

[DeletedUser3122]

those 1:4 trades show up at the end of the offers, on the very last page(s).

They are not necessarily sequential. I usually see half a dozen pages of the elemental goods interspersed with regular goods, not just at the end.

Right now, I don't even need any elemental goods, and like Soggy said (can I say your name?), I just posted my 1:1 trades and they were always met without a problem. My problem is I don't like to filter everything, and the volumes of those 1:4 trades was astonishing and some of the same players are still doing it. Why? I have no idea.

There have been many people complain about the 1:4 trades, whether it's elemental or other goods. My FS has done them a lot, but only when both members are online and agreed to trade, to help others out. But that's not what I've seen in the trader. I've seen those trades sit up there for days (decay and all) to see who will be desperate? I have no idea why anyone would do it other than to help fellow members or friends. Or purposely annoying.

But even then I don't understand it because it's been incredibly easy to get the elemental goods and I haven't been delayed in the chapter due to a shortage. I never needed 1:4 or 1:3 or 1:2 elemental goods. 3 T4 factories produced more than I could use!

It is my business to state when something is annoying, not just to me personally but other members in my FS that have seen the same thing and complained. No, there's nothing we can do about it. It's part of the game mechanics. But people who do it should know it's annoying unless it's pretty well known it's done to help fellows.

Maybe some don't care if you're annoying to a lot of players in the elemental chapter. If someone posts unfair trades, and I see them, they made it my business.

 

[DeletedUser5521]

They are not necessarily sequential.

The first order of the sequencing is the star count. They post as 3 star, then 2 star, then 1 star, then 0 star. (Anything posted after 0 star are trades that you don't have enough goods to trade, so there may be 3,2,1, or 0 star trades there, but you can't fulfill those, so they will be at the very end, should they show up at all.)

I usually see half a dozen pages of the elemental goods interspersed with regular goods, not just at the end.

Yes, you will see elemental goods interspersed with regular goods, which I agree is a pain in the patoot, but the star counts will be grouped together, as I stated. Three star first, followed by 2 star, etc. You won't see someone offering 60K moonstone and demanding 240K platinum, unless you go to the 0 star section of the trader and look for those trades, at the very end of the offers, with the other 0 star trades. That is the way it is formatted. Please, look at your trader again. They will not put a 0 star trade (which a 1:4 trade will always be) in with 3 or 2 or 1 star trades. Honest, and for real..

 

[DeletedUser3122]

They will not put a 0 star trade (which a 1:4 trade will always be) in with 3 or 2 or 1 star trades. Honest, and for real..

It's not just elemental goods that can be 0 star trades. If I have to find them, to help out another member, it's a pain. But I personally find it unconscionable to post the unfair trades on a regular basis, without the intent to be helpful. It's not possible to say it's none of my business. Certain players have predictable trade patterns. I would never invite them to join our FS either.

And again, it's not always sequential. Honest and for real...

 

[DeletedUser12171]

Maybe some don't care if you're annoying to a lot of players in the elemental chapter. If someone posts unfair trades, and I see them, they made it my business.

I am glad you are the Elvenar police/vigilante.

 

[DeletedUser4139]

A screen shot with you posting 1:4 trades is a fact.

A screenshot with 1 trade at 4:1 and letting out the 60 other 3 star trades is manipulation of facts.

 

[Deborah M]

It's not just elemental goods that can be 0 star trades. If I have to find them, to help out another member, it's a pain. But I personally find it unconscionable to post the unfair trades on a regular basis, without the intent to be helpful. It's not possible to say it's none of my business. Certain players have predictable trade patterns. I would never invite them to join our FS either.

And again, it's not always sequential. Honest and for real...

First, the bottom 2 are ones you do not have enough inventory to make those trades. Those are always on the end regardless of number of stars. Second, you really might benefit from using filters on a regular basis so you don't get as frustrated.

 

[DeletedUser5521]

If I have to find them, to help out another member, it's a pain.

As Deborah M suggested, just click your FS filter button because we know that the sample of elemental goods on page 13 of 14 of your trader do not belong to anyone in any of your fellowships, because you already said they would not be welcome in any of your fellowships. So again, there is no need for you to even see those trades. One check mark. It really can be just that simple, if you will allow it to be..

 

[DeletedUser12171]

I'll just venture an intelligent guess and say that most people posting trades know specifically what they want to achieve with that trade, otherwise they would be taking trades instead.

So what if I had wanted to take advantage of demand to build up my stockpile? It's an open market. Three star trades are unfair too, they're just unfair in the opposite direction. So if I post 3000 tree gum for 1000 platinum, is the trade police going to stop that? Someone is going to benefit from my outrageous 3:1 trade! Cross-tier are even more unfair, is the fair-trade police going to stop it too? So what is your point in complaining against "unfair trades"? If someone takes it, it's fair game because they are in full control of clicking their mouse button. The whole point of the trade system is that people can trade freely as they wish.

This is just much ado about nothing

 

[Ashrem]

One check mark. It really can be just that simple, if you will allow it to be..

Not that I'm in favour of suppressing people's ability to make bad trades, but the advice you gave is a bit like telling someone if they like the daily prices at their favourite store, they should just not look at any other flyers for good deals so they won't have to see their higher prices. Some people do actually want to encourage trade in their neighbourhood, and telling them to just filter out anyone not in their Fellowship is pretty terrible advice.

 

[DeletedUser3122]

just click your FS filter button

There is no way to do that on the mobile app. And who trades with only their own FS?

The whole point of the trade system is that people can trade freely as they wish.

If you, and others are offended that I called unfair traders "offenders," how is it ok for you to call anyone "police?" It is an ad hominem attack.

At no point did I say people could not trade as they wish. But if one posts unfair trades, they should expect some (many?) people to resent it.

Our FS does not allow unfair trades. Nor do we allow cross-tier fair trades. 0 and 1 star are unfair. 2 and 3 star are fair. The game has this rating system to help weed out what a trader does and does not want.

Lest anyone think our FS is the "trade police," they haven't been around Elvenar long enough to see it's in many FS ruleset, especially the top ranked FSs.

I play a fair trade game, and I help members and neighbors by offering 3 star trades (which do not fall under the category of "unfair" because one can't be unfair to themselves). But they can be generous. Offering unfair trades is not generous, taking unfair trades is generous. But I have filled some, especially for members I'm trying to help or new players that are obviously struggling to grow their cities. I like helping neighbors because it may mean they will stick around the game longer. But if their neighbors only offer unfair trades, it's going to chase off some people. And it won't make you a popular neighbor either. Nor will it make you desired to be in our, or many other, FS. If you don't like it, meh. Don't ask to join such a FS!

 

[DeletedUser9601]

Not that I'm in favour of suppressing people's ability to make bad trades, but the advice you gave is a bit like telling someone if they like the daily prices at their favourite store, they should just not look at any other flyers for good deals so they won't have to see their higher prices. Some people do actually want to encourage trade in their neighbourhood, and telling them to just filter out anyone not in their Fellowship is pretty terrible advice.

More than just encouraging trades, some people can't get their trade needs filled by FS members. I don't have a dog in the fight: 10 pages of terrible trades is annoying, but not game-breaking, but its also nothing to get upset about. Shocked that this thread goes 4 pages (likely more) though.

 

[DeletedUser5521]

There is no way to do that on the mobile app. And who trades with only their own FS?

Ah. Didn't know that about the app. And I was just offering a suggestion to you to help you with something that seems to be something you don't enjoy dealing with, Deawyne. It's just one way of dealing with it, as I don't really see those trades going away, but who knows..?

 

[SoggyShorts]

Adding a couple more filters wouldn't hurt either

 

[Ashrem]

(Edit: Soggyninja'd)

They could make the whole thing go away, as an issue, by adding a filter check for not viewing 1 or 0 star trades.

 

[DeletedUser12171]

If you, and others are offended that I called unfair traders "offenders," how is it ok for you to call anyone "police?" It is an ad hominem attack.

I'm not offended at all. just amused that you appointed yourself the supervisor of trades, as evidenced by your statement about "making it your business"

You have also not addressed my point that a 3-star trade is as "unfair" as a 1- or 0-star one is, in the sense that it's not a 1:1 trade. Nor my point that the point of the trade system exists for players to trade freely. That includes 3:1 or 1:3 or cross tier or whatever other ratios/match-ups as allowed by the system. There is nothing inherently wrong with posting "unfair" trades. You just don't like it personally but that doesn't give you the moral authority to stop or even name-and-shame those posting them.