Are people boycotting party search by not writing LFG, WTS and WTB?

Anet added the automated system to add your lfg, wts and wtb's into the party search. Something I personally like and I think its helped make the party search effective.

How ever I get the impression people are trying to bypass Anets automated system.

Now the two complaints about the party search were..

1) Lack of text space (which I accept).
2) That no one was using it.

The second one has now been solved, and the first one still exists. But its a step in the right direction. If you go into (for example) LA or Kam, you have a long list of items for sale or to buy.

It may have limited space, but it works and it makes trading easier.

But even though anet has made this huge improvement, people now apear to be trying to boycott it by no longer typing LFG, WTS or WTB or other recognised letters.

I could be wrong, and maybe I've observed a small minority, but if im right then how is this productive towards the community or the game as a whole?

The party search (aside from the still small text area) has the potential and has shown to actually work. Its proven now to actually help trading and party formation.

So why are people apearing to be trying to boycott it?

I accept the text area is still too small, but you can still write enough into it for it to work, or to get attention. The only explanation, aside from that, apears to be nothing by stubborness.

Players ask and ask for a better trading system and we now have one, and then they refuse to use it, even though all you have to do is simply use the words lfg, wts or wtb and its automated for you.

Am I wrong in noticing this or are people boycotting this new automated system that adds your message to party search?

I don't use it because it's stupid and anti intuitive.

when selling, I don't stay in a district more than a minute or two, and a town much more than that. So getting my entry in the party search box means nothing.

So since that means nothing to me, I have these two choices:

1. "Party search - wts rare r9 inscribable Colo"
2. "selling rare r9 inscribable Colossal Scim 80k"

you tell me which is more likely to get attention

I agree with everything of the above. They bypass this cause the message is short, if Anet made it short its not players fault that they have to type WT[B], WT S or the zillion typos.

/signed for longer message space

To the OP, they are not boycotting, they are trying to get around the system. If they used half that energy getting around, they would figure out how to make the system work for them.

The party search shows in all districts, so there's no need to hop.

If you type it in the party window to start with, you can get most of the message in there. Just shorten inscribable and colosal, people know those words so there's no need to spell them out.

In the german districts they are actualy using wtb and wts more than before imo. They use it so the common districts might see it as well. They normaly write: Suche/Kaufe or VK (Meaning: Search/WTB and Selling)

I don't really see the problem with the space. Sure, you may not be able to give a full description, but if anyone is interested in buying a shield, for example, then they're going to whisper you and ask for the stats anyway.

It's a much easier system than having to scroll through the trade window, which is something I don't even bother doing anymore. In my opinion, if you're avoiding the search window, you're just going to lose sales - it's a much easier way of trading, even with having to use brief descriptions.

It's a good idea that had bad results. It kind of sucks having only 30 characters to type your whole message in.

It just doesn't work when trying to buy/sell more things, or stuff with long names.

Here's an example:

(Chat trade):
WT S: Colossal Scimitar R9 -->100K + 15 ecto's (whisp)

(Party search):
Party Search - WTS Colossal Scimitar R9 100K + (maximum allowed characters reached)

If A-Net increased the available characters, and removed the 'Party search ' in front of every message, it would greatly help, and it would actually be possible to make long messages with correct spellings, instead of halfway-stopping sentences.

Ryker, you missed a point I made. I don't stay in a TOWN very long. I mainly hope between KC, Kamadan, LA, and a few other towns depending on what I'm selling. So I won't be in LA ANY district more than a minute or two, so having my message in the party window means nothing.

people who sell a lot understand this; it's about trying to get as many ppl in as short a time to see it without spamming it

I think its better than before. Ive sold quite a few things with ease using party search.

But when selling an elite dervish tome and axe+30 mod i typed this for space-.-

WTS E dervish tome/axe+30 mod or something like that. Didnt wanna wait for people to buy one so i could sell the other

I bypass the filter when I've got multiple items for sale (which I usually do) I put an ad in PS for one item (somthing that does fit there ), and use a bypass in trade chat for other things I'm buying/selling.

If your not staying long, I dont see an issue with trying to avoid the party search. My issue was more with thr professions traders and long staying traders who try to avoid it, but THEN winge it doesnt work.

Especially since its automated now and requires no extra effort.

QFT

However they should still increase the character limit.

In my opinion, if you lock yourself into one town for selling, you're just going to lose sales

but to each their own

I have used it many time to purchase items. I don't even turn on Trade channel anymore, if I am looking for an item I open Party Search, scroll the list and if it isn't there I check in another town. If they added a bigger character limit it would be even better and more people would use it reducing spam even more.

In a way, I am boycotting the people who don't use Party search, lol

It actually helps get in to groups faster as for trade not much some are still using selling.I would say it probably good for recruiting as well.

The party search is great, I've been selling, buying and finding groups 10x faster than before.

Could use a bit more text space, but it's not horrible.

Party search is ok for selling 1 thing. ex: WTS Elite Assassin Tome 7K... Awesome, that fits.

Now: WTS Req9 rare gold axe +30hp 20/20 sunder 100000K

I have problems with even writing that, I hate shortening words. But even that doesn't fit.

For party search its great, for farming search its great. For trading it is pretty much useless. Especially if I have a ton of things I want to sell.

I hope between the 3 campaigns, and change districts. As the system stands, it is really a waste of my time to but up a message and sit there waiting. I will jump between areas and send my message so it gets more views.

Party Search is not the problem here, and party search (as the name implies) should and is probably great for finding a party.

It however sucks for trading atm, and even half-way implementing it into trading while, yes is a little better than the ridiculous three ring circus fest we've had to put up with since the game began, and then compounded worse with each expansion, its still a terrible problematic way to trade in an MMO.

Trading needs its own system and not to be a leech off of party search, even attempting it was a half-assed idea, but not even doing it correctly (i.e. character limit, multiple items/locations problems etc) was insulting to my desire for quality in the game. If it takes a while to implement or has a need for further brainstorming I totally understand, but they must 1st RECOGNIZE the problem let us know they know it needs to be addressed, 2nd dont throw out a clunky half-working system and call it a masterpiece and say we should be grateful.

Imho party search was NEVER needed if there ever was any problem finding a party it was searching through the trade spam.... just my humble opinons.... Actions speak louder than words.

Nope. I use both the regular way, albeit augmented, and the party search system. Its great when you need to do a mission or quest and you can't get a pug together. People in all districts can look at party search and see you. Getting a group together for UW/FoW is much faster than before. I have to say buying and selling is much faster as well. If I go to Kaineng and put up WTB Ghial's Staff into the party search system I'm pretty much guaranteed to get a hit because it hits all the districts. The main cities sometimes have 10-12 districts at a time and so buying/selling was a big hassle. I got a Totem Axe in LA in under a minute. That's what I call service.

I have local chat off, I do check Party Search. Guess who is gonna get their message seen by me.

Party search has improved.

We're down from 3 flaws to 2.

1. No one used it - solved by automatically double posting to Trade PS.
2. Text limited - still a problem
3. Only one posting allowed per person per town - still a problem

For me 3 is the most frustrating - need a system to be able to sell more than one frickin' item at a time.....

i still dont understand why they dont make a universal party search with larger room(like market system or w/e that they said they weren't gona do)...guess its prob harder than just doing it lol...

but neways i used to think same way, but then when i went into la/kamadan to try to sell my stuff.... "wts x ,y,x,q,2x, ect ect", but it only shows Party Search- "wts x,y,q" into both party search AND trade chat... -.- so thats why i write w t s so i cant advertise everything.

maybe if they made it so u could advertise more than 1 thing at a time on party search menu... but w/e

As a seller, i will have a short advert using WTS and a longer one using W T S. This way, I don't alienate any potential buyers. As a buyer, I look at both party search and the trade channel. The logical step for sellers would be to post via both methods.

I think the current system only means to encourage users to use the party chat, rather than replacing direct posting via the trade channel. The trade channel is meant for trading afterall. Nothing wrong with using it to trade.

Because it's still a steaming pile of shit.

I think it can't be done because of the way the servers are set up. Oh well.

To answer Freeked's question: I don't use the party search trading system because most of the stuff I'm trying to sell won't fit.

I really don't get it. I really don't.

You have a way of making an advertisement that stays in the same place all the time and is visible across all districts, but everyone still insists on typing and retyping their ads in the text...

All you need is to place an ad, and if anyone is interested, they can contact you for details...

You're not wrong. I used wts until the day they made the party search change and changed it to 'selling' since then.

The fact that my message gets cropped when it gets added to party search window trade message is mildly annoying.

The fact that my message also gets cropped in the TRADE CHANNEL if I use wts is horrible, horrible design. It also doesn't need the 'party search -' text in front of it in the trade channel.

It's annoying when people don't state the price for an item up front. It's my policy to not even bother when the messsage is 'wts item... pm me'. I used to offer a price to these people but the usual response is like

'ZOMG NOOB, TIHS IS WORTHS 80K AT LEAST!!111'

Its normally a way overinflated price which makes it pointless to even try to bargain down. If you have a price in mind, just say it up front and avoid wasting my time.

I basically assume the price is going to be bad if someone is unwilling to show it to the general public.

I make two posts:
1. in the party search
2. in the trade - using W.T.S or W T S.
I'd rather stop selling and buying then use the moronic "(party search) wts ka"(and then you run out of space)

But then again - it's not like i trade alot. the merchant takes care of my crap.

Well lets face it, party search is manly intended to look a group to do mission or quest. Not to sell stuff
I know its to hard to implement an auction house that sells the items for u, it would be to complex .

But a bulletin board to sell stuff should be possible to realize. It would be a big list of things that ppl are offering to sell.

How would work:
The bulletin npc are available in the big cities
Bulletin posters are available all the big cities
U talk to the “bulletin” npc to add 1 line of text to the bulletin poster(example 25 characters max)
U can select additional criteria to the line u post Type: weapon, rune, material, mini pet (it will be used as a filter later on)
U are only allowed to add a fixed number of lines a time (3 for example) per user account (so even if u have 12 char slots, u can only post 3 lines, else there will be people spamming there ass off)
The line is removed after a fixed time (after 6/12/24 hours for example)

Example line that is added to the bulletin, the bulleting will have a lot of these lines:
<additional criteria> <username> WTS: blabla + blabla
Weapons – Ayame ftw: WTS a fiery dragon sword +30hp 100k + 100 ecto

People that want to buy stuff can click on the bulletin poster, a list of all items for sale is displayed. U have a filter available to make a smaller selection by using the selection criteria (like in the example: if I select “weapons” only those lines will be displayed that were added with the criteria “weapons”.

If u find something u want to buy, u can click on the username in the bulletin and send a pm to the person that posted the item.
If that person is not online, u will have to try to contact him another time… (or add him to friends list).

So in other words it’s a version of the party search screen designed with the sole purpose to sell items
With more space to write what u are selling.
With a additional filter to search what u want to buy
The text doesn’t disappear after u leave the game/district
What u are selling is viable in all the big cities at the same time

I think this would solve a lot of problems…

If Anet didn't automatically shorten the messages in trade chat, people would still be using trade chat the way they did last month. Then Party search would fill up rapidly with a bunch of unreadable half-messages.

Everyone would be whinging about about how Party Search was still unusable.

By doing it the way they did, party search is now being used for short buy and sell messages, but people can continue to spam the longer messages if they like.

Smart sellers will do what trielementz suggested and post two versions: a short one for party search and long spammable version for dist 1.

It's not a boycott. It's called adaptation.

I have about 20 golds/greens I'd like to advertise. Party search doesn't really help me much at all.

The party search needs to be removed imo, its lame and doesnt work, as said befor when selling who sits in one district in one town? its useless imo

I had the same response as the OP. Why the heck are folks purposely trying not to get their message in party search????????? That's just stupid!!

Until I tried it once.

Quickly changed my mind and now I understand why folks avoid it.
I typed "WTS Candy Cane Weapons and Shields all types 200g each" in chat.
What appeared was "Party Search: WTS Candy Cane Wea"

I don't understand why A-net designed it this way. I understand the space limitations in party search, but why Limit the characters in the chat box. Let the full message go to chat and the abbreviated version in party search.

Now, I use both. I'll type 2 quick messages like..
"WTS CC Weapons 200g"
"Selling Candy Cane Weapons and Shields all types 200g each"
so that my sales ad appears both places.

Yep, this sums it up for me too. I do "W-T-S..." so it doesn't get cropped.

efficient and time conscious sellers dont tend to stay in one district and spam til theyre able to buy or sell items.

i for one, city hop from kam, la, kc, and occasionally droks and ascalon to sell items. since our trading system is heavily dependent on timing, whether its to find a buyer or a seller, i usually spam a major outpost no more then 2-3 times. if i dont find a buyer/seller within 15-25 minutes, i just try again at some other time.

Well thats a productive comment! Any chance you could expand on that, without mentioning the limited text space that EVERYONE knows about.

Because aside from that, its improved.

I don't think anyone is boycotting it on purpose, I think people are just not using it becuase it doesn't suit their needs. If I want to sell something simple, like elf tonics or a book of secrets that don't require explations, then I'll use WTS and use the Party Search message. If I want to buy or sell an item that requires a lengthy explanation, such as weapons or multiple items, I'll use W~T~S to I can fit my explanation in.

Personally, I rarely buy anything from other players; when I do it's usually very simple, such as a clean weapon, an inscription, or crafting materials. But if I did want to buy a weapon, I would prefer to know exactly what I was looking at before I contacted the person. I feel like a majority of players also think this way, so I cater to them as best I can by giving lengthy explanations. Ergo, I have to avoid using Party Search for all but the simplest items.

Its fine for "WTB Sup vigor 10K" but some items are just impossible to describe in it.

As for trying to get a party its ok for advertising what you are but not so good at trying to find 7 seperate things.

So its not that i dont want to use it (i do when i can) its just that i cant .