Party Search feature
Matthias Umbra
Is there a reason people ignore that this even exists? I think that the addition of the party search feature was a great idea on the part of Anet and yet people still seem to ignore it in any active district and opt to spam local chat instead, which is quite obnoxious. Any opinions?
Markaedw
No one usees it any more, not even the trade spammers. Although whenI was in the cemetary we were holding a "I'm bored" conversation in it.
Dark Kal
Probably because it's such a hassle to check the damn "search party" button all the time. As well as the fact that no one else uses it so you can't find anyone else with it.
assassin_of_ni
yeah party search is one of the cooler updates of GW and it was used....for a while. And in that time it was extremely useful i sold and bought stuff in a fraction of the time it used to take. but of course people now spam the local channel like it gets em anywhere cept iggied speaking of which they need to implement a larger iggy list >_> but Party search is still used in Kamadan and Keineng and LA....not as much as it should be but still used none the less.
Matthias Umbra
I just wish it was easier to sell/buy things and find a party than spamming chat to do so, which can take forever (unless you're offering a hot commodity or are a monk if you're looking for a group). I guess it's hard to get people to change their ways.
Puebert
This was their alternative to the lack of a Auction House. I don't know why they just don't impliment one, (will save a lot of time) and that part of it's function is still being used to some degree, but because of the character limit, inadiquate(sp) search function, people are back to spamming in the All/Trade chat.
However, I use it to find friends, and thats about it. And sometimes quests/missions.
However, I use it to find friends, and thats about it. And sometimes quests/missions.
guffey
i also find that party search is barely used. i look at it real quick and if no party is doing my quest i just click on heroe and henchie tab and im off. easier than finding the henchies and clicking.. they should make an ingame city auction house, where you put a item for auction and can come back in a few hours to see if its sold. that way you dont have to waste hours spamming chat "WTS:..."
darktyco
Ug, I can't stand it that people don't use this feature anymore. Especially when I'm in a crowded district and see a "GLF 1" message and can't even find the person who said it in the vast sea of names. It did seem like a lot of people were using it in the very beginning, I can't figure out what happened...
Kook~NBK~
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Originally Posted by Dark Kal
Probably because it's such a hassle to check the damn "search party" button all the time.
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| As well as the fact that no one else uses it so you can't find anyone else with it. |
Brianna
My take is, that people do not sell items using the party search feature because the ''description'' box holds such a short message, not big enough to advertise as much as you can when spamming in main/trade chat. which is most likely the hugest turn off, I also think that some people just fail to realize that it even exists.. which is quite funny, but i guess its supposedly always a possibility for those people who don't keep up-to-date on their information about the game. another thing is i guess its just not a popular way to sell/buy things at this time.. Guess the community didn't like it much, or they were turned off by the limited description space you have to write in. In my personal opinion i like it, but it needs to be tweaked alittle bit until its perfect.
disarm76
The problem with the trade part of the party search is that you can only input a few characters. It's not possible to input:
"WTS PERFECKT GODLY Fellblade req12 14^40 19/20 hp+22 CHEAP!!!!!!!!! ONLY 100+25ectos! GET it NOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!"
"WTS PERFECKT GODLY Fellblade req12 14^40 19/20 hp+22 CHEAP!!!!!!!!! ONLY 100+25ectos! GET it NOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!"
MerLock
I encourage the use of it. Whenever I form a party I just say, Forming Group for Mission , check search window. Then a lot of people go on it.
Kaisah
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Originally Posted by Matthias Umbra
I think that the addition of the party search feature was a great idea on the part of Anet
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Spam is annoying... Trade spam drives me beyond dispair!
plus if there was a trade system like that people could just post their items once... allowing people to actively look for what they want instead of having it shoved in their faces...
but im going way off subject and shall save my rambling for another thread.
I also encourage the use of the party search system but, again... its not much use if your the only one bothering with it ( -.-)
Kai
Matthias Umbra
The worst trade spam ever is when you're in international districts at certain farmer outposts and you have like pages upon pages of Korean and Chinese spam going on and on and there are too many people doing it to block. I like to leave local chat on in case someone needs help or a suggestion, after all. I agree with the sentiments of an auction house as I would be more willing to sell many of the gold items and even a green spear I found the other day because it's a lot easier than standing around in Kamadan for an hour spamming the trade channel or having to take screens of every one of my golds and posting them on here for a price check.
Mystica Shadowheart
great update. Hoped that would make forming a party in HA easier (not cheking out all the spam) but sadly no one uses it....honestly I can't find a valid reson not to (but surely someone will clarify this for me 
)
manaleak34
Well, what if there WAS an Auction house? Do you think that would lower trade spam? Honestly I could see plenty of people who spam and decide not to use the auction house will give some excuse that no one would look at it.
But yeah I really wish it could be used more often. People just can't seem to break a habit.
But yeah I really wish it could be used more often. People just can't seem to break a habit.
Erik Fox
Not only the trade spam, but people use it and don't look at what other people are doing - most of the time looking for the exact same thing ->
Mesmer in Need
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Originally Posted by disarm76
The problem with the trade part of the party search is that you can only input a few characters. It's not possible to input:
"WTS PERFECKT GODLY Fellblade req12 14^40 19/20 hp+22 CHEAP!!!!!!!!! ONLY 100+25ectos! GET it NOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!" |
disarm76
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Originally Posted by Mesmer in Need
something over 40 is better than something over 50 btw. it just gives u more of a windo in which you do +15% dmg.
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CavaH
In another MMORPG I played, in towns you could setup a merchant store, you could put in like 8 items in it with the price for it, then you could just leave and if someone wants to have it, he could just buy it like for a regular merchant. You could also put in a trade message which gets sends out in trade chat every 3 or 4 mins or so. But this caused a lot of lag, because everyone just went to sleep and went to work/school letting their pc on merching. So the upside is if you need something its easier to find, and there is less trade spam, altough there are always lamers who want to sell so desperately that they spam anyways. The downside is that outposts will be filled with merchs sitting around xD
Clord
Many people in Guild Wars not keep party window open. It is one from biggest mistakes what you can do while in mission. This leads why they miss search button.
Gaile Gray
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Originally Posted by Kook~NBK~
Valid point, but the more people use it anyway, the more others will pick it up.
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Since it was being widely used in the beginning, I don't really understand why the use dwindled. Theories that it's difficult to use seem sort of hard to believe, and I'd really like it to be used more -- it benefits all of us!
-Loki-
Personally, I don't see the problem as it's hard to use being the reason - just the fact that people have gotten used to screaming in town. Also the fact that it doesn't feel like you are doing anything to attract people with it in the party window. You just sit there waiting for someone to see you.
MegaMouse
The party search was a good idea. But most players either do not use it for what it was intended or do not use it at all. Different areas I have seen different things on it. Most times in the newest areas it is beign used properly but even then there is wide spread abuse of it. We just need to use what is available to us and hope for teh best.
Mega Mouse
Mega Mouse
Lamont Shadow
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Originally Posted by Gaile Gray
Since it was being widely used in the beginning, I don't really understand why the use dwindled. Theories that it's difficult to use seem sort of hard to believe, and I'd really like it to be used more -- it benefits all of us!
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If it's a qold item, I am forced to PM them because the stats are variable - again, clumsy.
And, if I am selling something then I have to answer multiple PMs asking for the stats - very clumsy, expecially since I'm not intereseted in making a lot of money - I don't like standing around and usually am just selling things I hate to give to a dealer - so I tend to sell very low or give them away. Using the search option to do that actually lenghtens my time hanging around in the cities because I have to keep answering PMs about stats.
Fact is, I use it but only as a secondary option. It is still easiest to look through the districts and see what people are selling in the trade channel.
I do like the fact that it makes it a little quicker to add and kick henchment and heroes. And I think it is fine for forming parties for missions. But the limitation on space makes it nearly unusable for trading.
Mystica Shadowheart
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Originally Posted by Lamont Shadow
what's so hard to believe or understand? It's been said multiple times! It doesn't give enough space to describe what you are selling! If someone advertises a unique weapon I have to go to guild wiki to find out what its stats are or pm the person in the game - both of which make it clumsy.
If it's a qold item, I am forced to PM them because the stats are variable - again, clumsy. And, if I am selling something then I have to answer multiple PMs asking for the stats - very clumsy, expecially since I'm not intereseted in making a lot of money - I don't like standing around and usually am just selling things I hate to give to a dealer - so I tend to sell very low or give them away. Using the search option to do that actually lenghtens my time hanging around in the cities because I have to keep answering PMs about stats. Fact is, I use it but only as a secondary option. It is still easiest to look through the districts and see what people are selling in the trade channel. I do like the fact that it makes it a little quicker to add and kick henchment and heroes. And I think it is fine for forming parties for missions. But the limitation on space makes it nearly unusable for trading. |
Relambrien
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Originally Posted by Gaile Gray
See, that's what I'm thinking. If people will just use it, more people will just... use it!
Since it was being widely used in the beginning, I don't really understand why the use dwindled. Theories that it's difficult to use seem sort of hard to believe, and I'd really like it to be used more -- it benefits all of us! |
1) In the beginning, people used party search.
2) They found that for whatever reason, spamming was still faster. Thus, they stopped using party search.
3) These people have the mindset "If more people used it, I would use it."
4) This means that the majority of the GW population is waiting for the rest of the population to use Party Search.
5) Thus, Party Search will not become an efficient method of finding groups, because everyone is waiting for it to become popular. And it can't become popular if everybody is just waiting for it to become popular.
Mystica Shadowheart
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Originally Posted by Relambrien
It goes like this:
1) In the beginning, people used party search. 2) They found that for whatever reason, spamming was still faster. Thus, they stopped using party search. 3) These people have the mindset "If more people used it, I would use it." 4) This means that the majority of the GW population is waiting for the rest of the population to use Party Search. 5) Thus, Party Search will not become an efficient method of finding groups, because everyone is waiting for it to become popular. And it can't become popular if everybody is just waiting for it to become popular. |
Sharn-Mes
I dont get it either that ppl arent using this GREAT feature! I cant find a single valid explanation NOT to use it!
Im perplexed.... Sad really...
And screw the trading! Im talking PARTY FORMING not trading!
Ill say to anyone who would like to get this used more for party forming: when your waiting in whatever pvp area you waiting in SPAM the chat with "Use party search to form parties!"... Ok granted that wont work...
Im perplexed.... Sad really...
And screw the trading! Im talking PARTY FORMING not trading!
Ill say to anyone who would like to get this used more for party forming: when your waiting in whatever pvp area you waiting in SPAM the chat with "Use party search to form parties!"... Ok granted that wont work...
BoredJoe
It's more fun to spam lfp 3/8 anyway. To me it adds to the liveliness of a town. But I'm one of these people who likes trade spam in the major cities. It's creepy zoning into a major city like Kanieng when Elona has an event on and being met with dead silence. I find the Party Search screen to be kinda ugly tbh and it's more fun watching spam scroll by rather than look at the Party Search screen.
On the Europe server for the times I play there is usually only 1 English district in mission towns so using something like Party Search is overkill. I see it only as a very small step up/sideways from local lfg spamming, and if you're forming PUGs you generally need to blind invite people (for missions) so Party Search really becomes another channel for finding people rather than completely upgrading and replacing party forming atm, ie using it is additional work to form a party (yick). It really needs multiple districts to be present and for it to be difficult to find people in the current district for it to be noticeably advantageous IMO.
People have already suggested more features to it, maybe it just needs that extra umph to lift it above being a better way to local spam to make people start using it.
(This is PvE I'm talking about btw)
On the Europe server for the times I play there is usually only 1 English district in mission towns so using something like Party Search is overkill. I see it only as a very small step up/sideways from local lfg spamming, and if you're forming PUGs you generally need to blind invite people (for missions) so Party Search really becomes another channel for finding people rather than completely upgrading and replacing party forming atm, ie using it is additional work to form a party (yick). It really needs multiple districts to be present and for it to be difficult to find people in the current district for it to be noticeably advantageous IMO.
People have already suggested more features to it, maybe it just needs that extra umph to lift it above being a better way to local spam to make people start using it.
(This is PvE I'm talking about btw)
EPO Bot
Maybe the "search" word should switch colours three times per second.Makes it harder to miss. 
Myria
The 'Search' feature tries to do everything and does nothing well, that is why it's not being used much.
1) For people selling stuff it doesn't offer enough space to describe the item being sold in any depth and it being limited to a location limits its utility.
2) For people trying to advertise a guild it doesn't provide enough space to say much of anything useful and it being limited to a location limits its utility.
3) For people trying to find a guild it doesn't tell you anything about the guild not in the overly short description, the description isn't going to tell you much, and it being limited to a location limits its utility.
4) For people trying to form or find a group, it, like chat, is filled with trade and guild spam that often spills into the LFG section, being location rather than goal oriented limits its utility, and the only functionality it adds is the ability to be seen cross-district -- irrelevant in many areas and less important to most than the ability to click on someone in your district and see who they've got so far.
People tried the 'Search' feature early on, it's not a matter of no one knowing it's there. Whether it's a great feature in theory or not, clearly in practise it has been found severely wanting by the player base. It provides less information than can be had in chat and does not provide enough added functionality to, in most cases, make up for that.
1) For people selling stuff it doesn't offer enough space to describe the item being sold in any depth and it being limited to a location limits its utility.
2) For people trying to advertise a guild it doesn't provide enough space to say much of anything useful and it being limited to a location limits its utility.
3) For people trying to find a guild it doesn't tell you anything about the guild not in the overly short description, the description isn't going to tell you much, and it being limited to a location limits its utility.
4) For people trying to form or find a group, it, like chat, is filled with trade and guild spam that often spills into the LFG section, being location rather than goal oriented limits its utility, and the only functionality it adds is the ability to be seen cross-district -- irrelevant in many areas and less important to most than the ability to click on someone in your district and see who they've got so far.
People tried the 'Search' feature early on, it's not a matter of no one knowing it's there. Whether it's a great feature in theory or not, clearly in practise it has been found severely wanting by the player base. It provides less information than can be had in chat and does not provide enough added functionality to, in most cases, make up for that.
Ritualistic Spankin
It isn't being used as much because people are stubborn, we live in a "I want it now, instant gratification" world. Most people don't care that they are annoying everyone in the district with spam. They think that by spamming they will get results faster, in reality I think most of those people are ignored.
Personally I always check the search window no matter where I am, and my guildies always say that the people you see using it are the people you want in your groups.
Personally I always check the search window no matter where I am, and my guildies always say that the people you see using it are the people you want in your groups.
Mister Overhill
People naturally assume that having their "advertisement" appear in the local chat channel, and as a little pop-up over their heads, will increase their chances of being noticed.
Myria
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Originally Posted by Ritualistic Spankin
It isn't being used as much because people are stubborn, we live in a "I want it now, instant gratification" world.
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Pan Head
seems now it is the city. Most outpost and small towns no one uses it. BUt liek in LA there is still a few hanging in there.
I think it is a great idea and wish everyone would use it. But as it is now it is useless. Maybe if the add a little more in the discription area more will use it.
I think it is a great idea and wish everyone would use it. But as it is now it is useless. Maybe if the add a little more in the discription area more will use it.
Xenrath
The more I think about it (and reflecting on the various related threads about this subject) I don't think the party search feature is the issue, but increasingly it seems people play the game essentially in single player mode... at least that appears to be the case on Euro servers.
If it was used for a little while after release it was probably down to novelty or something. Now it's gone back to "4" (or "8") being the magic number. On most people's heads (and they probably aren't teamed with each other)
If it was used for a little while after release it was probably down to novelty or something. Now it's gone back to "4" (or "8") being the magic number. On most people's heads (and they probably aren't teamed with each other)
Smile Like Umean It
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Originally Posted by Gaile Gray
Since it was being widely used in the beginning, I don't really understand why the use dwindled. Theories that it's difficult to use seem sort of hard to believe, and I'd really like it to be used more -- it benefits all of us!
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I don't find it hard to believe that it's difficult, I just don't believe it, period. I use it just fine any time I need to.
The only thing I can really see people complaining about is the length of characters allowed. Lets say it did let you put in longer descriptions. You'll now have the problem of everyone trying to completely fill out that space. It's gonna make it clumped up, ugly and screw with your eyes.
So, the only thing I can see with making the sellers happy is the box still showing the same amount of characters it does now, but maybe other players being able to hover or double click on the description to see the full message.
Matthias Umbra
I for one am a complete PVE player. I guess you can describe me as one of the people that plays "single player" because I don't do PUGs unless it's absolutely necessary, especially with the addition of heroes (and this is because over half of the PUGs I've ever been in were either incompetent or had one incompetent person that totally ruined the mission). However, there are certain missions that're just impossible to hench (such as fighting Shiro in Factions) and it was amazing how long it took me to find a master's group for that mission the other day. It would just be nice to have the party search feature be in use because I could browse through groups rather than having to scroll through the chat log and potentially miss newer spam; it's not like I can filter the trade spammers for instance.
Oh, since there were too many posts on this topic to quote here, for all the people that said "the search function sucks because it's not conducive to trading," you obviously missed the point of the search function alltogether. Trade has it's own separate chat, and it's been there for as long as I can remember (and I've had Prophecies since launch).
Oh, since there were too many posts on this topic to quote here, for all the people that said "the search function sucks because it's not conducive to trading," you obviously missed the point of the search function alltogether. Trade has it's own separate chat, and it's been there for as long as I can remember (and I've had Prophecies since launch).
MegaMouse
I agree with Umbra. the party search button should be limited to searching for parties that are doing the same thing as you. The sellers should be told to go to the trade channel and stay there. I have my all chat closed most of teh time due to the spammers in certian towns (Lions Arch, Kieneg Center and even Kamadan), so I will miss things that I probably shouldn't. I say change it so it cannot be used for trade purposes at all. Anyone found abusing it for that purpose should have a time out.
Mega Mouse
Mega Mouse