Question: Trade Window, Party Search (P) Trade Display

I recently started playing in PRE where I now spend most of my time.
When I am looking to trade in POST, I bounce/map between Kamadan and Lion's Arch. I do a P, look over the Trade posts then map out. I also don't have multiple accounts logged into the same city/output but in different districts.

In PRE I use one account as my own personal Gate Monkey. After openning the gate, I map back to Ascalon to try and sell my unsalvaged runes.

This weekend, I noticed that the Chat Trade Windows are not the same. My working assumption is that the Chat Trade Window is district based.

I was also trying to compare what I read in the Chat Trade Window with what I found in the Party Search (P) Trade Section. They didn't match as much as I thought they should match.

If someone post WTS/WTB/WTT in the Chat Trade Window, then
does it show up in the Party Search Window, too as seen by All in Every district? or does it only show up in the Party Search Window for people in the same district?

If someone posts WTS/WTB/WTT in the Party Search Windows, then does it show up in the Chat Trade Window as seen by All in Every district or does it show up in the Chat Trade Window for people in the same district?

If you want to buy or sell something what strategy do you use?

Thanks for your replies.

The text shows up on the chat window only to the people that are in the same district. It however shows up in the party search window to all the people in the 'region districts'. Region districts as in if you are in eg. American 2, all American districts will see the WTS in the party search.

In addition to this, the message will be visible in the party search window by all different language districts in Europe if posting in a European language district.

That I don't know.

I don't think I'm understanding you fully, but I will answer to what i understand.


Yes it shows up in party search, the three words trigger the chat to be send to the party search, under trade.

The text only appears in chat, in the same district it was posted.

The Party Search Text Appears in all the districts of the town the message was entered.



I think my answer also answers your other question at the same time.

Trade chat "wtb" appears only in the district it was posted, but appears in Party Search for all districts.
It gets put into Party Search and is seen by all districts in Party Search.

Party Search "wtb" appears in trade chat and Party Search window
It does not get broadcasted too all districts,but is seen by all districts in Party Search.


Edit:The Party Search text box only lets you put a short message into it, much shorter then what the limit on text message is, could it be that you are seeing a cut off message?

It could also be that the person changes the text after they have sent a "WTB" message, to something different and shorter but which includes more information.
If the person does not deselect "seek party" option when they change the text, then a new message is not sent.

Chat is only ever seen by people in the same district.

Party Panel is always seen by all districts in the manner Arduin explained.

Writing something directly in the Party Panel is also broadcast through chat in the district you are in.

Party Panel text has a limited length. If you write a text in chat which triggers the party panel (like the phrase WTB or WTS) your text in the party panel will be cut down to the max size. Only the people in your district who read the chat will be able to read the full message (if it is longer than what the party panel allows).

Tip: figure out the max length of the party panel message and edit your chat message to fit the important information (item and price). Otherwise people from other districts won't be able to understand your message and you will miss trades.

Tip 2: the party panel message disappears when you enter a party. When you make a new message it starts at the bottom of the party panel and works its way up as messages above it are deleted (people leaving dis, entering party etc). If you want to find people who you are trading with but don't want to lose your place in the party panel, invite them to the party, then click on their name in the party formation window so you select them in town, then kick them from the party before they accept (so you don't actually form a party), then press the trade button to initiate a trade. If they invite you to the party before you, click on their name in the party formation window so you select them in town but don't accept them in the party (so you don't actually form a party), then press the trade button. Hope this is understandable .

It's always funny when someone tries to be creative by putting in something like
"WTS >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Sword! <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<",
and all you see in the search window is "WTS >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>"

My tip would be - you will notice that your buy/sell text will scroll up the search box as people enter new items (or use this trick). To cycle your ad back to the bottom, simply un-check and re-check "Seek party". This is especially useful if you post a new item as the text will change in your old spot, where people may not see it, and you'd like people to notice the change.

P.s. It's interesting how many people don't seem to know about, or use, the search box when they buy/sell.

The most important learning for me in these replies is to jump on WTS chat messages immediately by openning a trade window, asap.

When I saw something I wanted to buy in the Trade Chat window, I would first try and locate the district by checking the Party Window or sending a person a whisper.

Also, if I have multiple accounts logged into GW because these are the accounts with either money to buy or products to sell, then I now keep them in different districts so I can monitor the Trade Chat Window in more than one district.