Travis Day's Comments on the AH

[paralleluniverse]

http://us.battle.net/d3/en/forum/topic/8796451514

According to the above thread Travis Day said the AH was a mistake. Does someone have a transcript on what exactly he said.

One argument that resonated in that thread is the following:

Fix itemization, which will fix our reliance on the AH, which removes the biggest "problem" of the AH.

This is plain bullshit. It's a non-sequitar. It makes no sense. Tell me how specifically does it followed that better itemization causes less reliance on the AH.

The only way for the AH to be irrelevant is if players suddenly, for some inexplicable reason, decided that they don't want a convenient way to trade with each other. "Improving itemization" (whatever the hell that's specifically suppose to mean), should in fact, increase the likelihood that players want to trade with each other, hence increasing the reliance on the AH.

[Nerraw]

Having better luck at getting good things will reduce the dependancy on the AH for said good things. I don't think they should remove the AH entirely though. Once they do that, we're back to D2 in terms of the extremely active black market for buying and selling items under the table.

[paralleluniverse]

Having better luck at getting good things will reduce the dependancy on the AH for said good things. I don't think they should remove the AH entirely though. Once they do that, we're back to D2 in terms of the extremely active black market for buying and selling items under the table.

No they won't. Demand for items is not based on how good they are, but how good they are relative to other items. Unless all items are equal, what you say is not true.

What you're asking for is basically welfare epics: to make it easier for everyone to get the best items. You should be honest about that instead of using the AH as a trojan horse to buff items and to buff the drop rates of good items.

[Deleted]

If more items drop that are useful to you, it reduces your reliance on the AH, doesn't it?

[Lomak]

There's a certain point in peoples lives where you start to realize, it doesn't matter a single fuck what people say, only what they do. Every single blizz employee could come out and "SAY" that AH is a mistake, but it doesn't mean shit until the stubborn company they work for actually does something.

Blizzard doesn't think the AH is a mistake or it would not still be in the game. Blizzard isn't going to remove the AH's from the game because they make them money, hence, none of the shit any of the developers say about it matter 1 single bit.

[paralleluniverse]

If more items drop that are useful to you, it reduces your reliance on the AH, doesn't it?

No it doesn't, because there would be better items still. The only way to reduce reliance on the AH is to make it so that people don't want to trade. For if people want to trade, then they would want to do it efficiently, i.e. via the AH.

[Deleted]

There's a certain point in peoples lives where you start to realize, it doesn't matter a single fuck what people say, only what they do. Every single blizz employee could come out and "SAY" that AH is a mistake, but it doesn't mean shit until the stubborn company they work for actually does something.

Blizzard doesn't think the AH is a mistake or it would not still be in the game. Blizzard isn't going to remove the AH's from the game because they make them money, hence, none of the shit any of the developers say about it matter 1 single bit.

If they would just remove it it would also unchain a bitchstorm that is unprecedentent in the history of earth by the people that do support it. So I guess that's not an ideal solution either.

---------- Post added 2013-05-16 at 04:04 PM ----------

No it doesn't, because there would be better items still. The only way to reduce reliance on the AH is to make it so that people don't want to trade. For if people want to trade, then they would want to do it efficiently, i.e. via the AH.

You are confusing getting the best items in game with getting the gear you need to progress through the game.

[paralleluniverse]

If more items drop that are useful to you, it reduces your reliance on the AH, doesn't it?

Let's think about this argument a bit more.

In order to reduce reliance on the AH, you need to make it so that people don't want to trade. You suggest that this can be done by making useful items drop. But if there are more useful items in the game, then you would still want to trade. So not only do useful items need to drop, the MOST useful items need to drop. But not just for you, for everyone. Because, if the most useful items didn't drop for everyone, then those people without it would want to trade.

Therefore, the only way for your argument to make sense is for the best items to drop for every single player.

Thus, this is a nonsense and unworkable argument.

---------- Post added 2013-05-16 at 04:08 PM ----------

You are confusing getting the best items in game with getting the gear you need to progress through the game.

This would also not work, because the demand for the AH isn't determined by whether you or I want either: only items that are sufficient to beat the game, or the very best items. It's determine by the *markets* demand for trade. So as long as there are people who want the best items, and there are, what you say doesn't imply a reduction in the reliance of the AH.

And you don't need to use the AH to beat the game. The game is easy.

[Lomak]

If they would just remove it it would also unchain a bitchstorm that is unprecedentent in the history of earth by the people that do support it. So I guess that's not an ideal solution either.[COLOR="red"]

If blizzard thought it was bad for the game, then who gives a shit what people say when it is removed?

So, Ziktus, are we talking about what's good for the game?, or some skewed perception of what you THINK would happen if it was removed?

[Deleted]

From what I am getting that is not what they want to achieve. They never said they want to stop people from using the auction house completely. Guess I'm reading it wrong.

[paralleluniverse]

From what I am getting that is not what they want to achieve. They never said they want to stop people from using the auction house completely. Guess I'm reading it wrong.

A person wrote that improving itemization will reduce reliance on AH. Many agreed. For all the above reasons, it will not. It will make no difference.

[Nerraw]

There's a difference between "BiS" and "good enough". I think you underestimate the amount of people just wanting something that's good enough.

[Beazy]

http://us.battle.net/d3/en/forum/topic/8796451514

According to the above thread Travis Day said the AH was a mistake. Does someone have a transcript on what exactly he said.

One argument that resonated in that thread is the following:


This is plain bullshit. It's a non-sequitar. It makes no sense. Tell me how specifically does it followed that better itemization causes less reliance on the AH.

The only way for the AH to be irrelevant is if players suddenly, for some inexplicable reason, decided that they don't want a convenient way to trade with each other. "Improving itemization" (whatever the hell that's specifically suppose to mean), should in fact, increase the likelihood that players want to trade with each other, hence increasing the reliance on the AH.

....... if you get more items that are useful to you, then it does in fact, reduce the reliance on the AH. . . has nothing to do with welfare epics. . . .

By lowering the amount of rares, and making them actually useable to players, they can reduce the need to use the AH for all of your slots. They have done a great job with Gloves Shoulders and Wrists already in the form of craftable BoEs.

[Shinzai]

There's a difference between "BiS" and "good enough". I think you underestimate the amount of people just wanting something that's good enough.

Getting an item that's just 'good enough' is not an issue in Diablo 3. At least, not since the nerfs so far back. It's easily possible to gear for Inferno without touching the AH now and just as easy to gear for MP4 or above with just gold earned from a single run through all difficulties.

There's a reason though, why almost everyone seems to have legendaries and itemized pieces that go far and above the call of duty. They're not aiming for just enough - they want to break whatever difficulty they're playing at.

[abijax]

Good enough for what? I finished inferno with self found gear, wasn't even that hard due to all the nerfs.
The people complaining they can't find good gear atm compare their drops with items available on AH not with the need to finish the game. It's probably hard to realize even the cheapest ah items are in the 0.0...01% of the items generated by the game quality wise.

[Deleted]

Blizzard doesn't think the AH is a mistake or it would not still be in the game. Blizzard isn't going to remove the AH's from the game because they make them money, hence, none of the shit any of the developers say about it matter 1 single bit.

Blizzard does think the AH is a mistake, but they don't believe taking it out now is going to help anything. It would only make things worse because even more people would be upset and it would give the company a negative image. It would especially make them look like idiots because they would publicly go back on their decision.

Instead they choose to try to make the best of the current situation by keeping the AH and then try to reduce the dependancy on the AH by changing itemization and implementing more bind on account items.

[Zaqwert]

The AH was a terrible idea, a lot of people saw it coming, but it turned out to be a bigger negative to the game than anyone could have imagined.

That having been said, the AH alone is not the only think wrong with D3, there are numerous big problems, the AH is just one of them.

Axing the AH is a great start, but they still have a ton of other work to do to make the game a respectible follow up to D2.

[Zeek Daniels]

AH isnt the problem. Gamers need to be the best or to complete everything first or as quickly as possible is the problem. The AH did nothing but increase P2P trading which was a small part of the way D2 players played the game. Blizz decided it was both safer and easier than posting trades on forums or spamming chats and making games just to sell items and theres no scamming.

Now players on the other hand wanted to beat the game and beat it fast like they always want to, because thats how competitive they are. So what happened? The majority of players used the AH to gain stats that would not be gained from multiple normal playthroughs and blazed through the game only to find it empty at the end. Then they turn around and blame the AH because they played the game too fast. Anyone that used the AH needs to look in the mirror. Its your fault you speed through the game, its your fault you wanted to buy your items instead of grind for them.

When i played D2 i never made it past Hell difficulty Legit. I had to use mods to make fake items to get through higher difficulties. I dont see a problem with the AH. If you want that feeling you had in D2. Then stop trying to be so elite and put up with the grind that is dungeon farming.

[Coldkil]

It's not a competition problem (at least not for everyone).

It's a problem that people will go always for the fastest/easiest route whatever the case, so if there is an AH, people will use it.

The biggest problem is not the AH itself, but the itemization being completely random and a stat system which basically is based over only three of them (crit%, crit dmg, atk speed). Any other item is automatically bad - raising the drop chance doesn't do anything because since it's a random world, you only raise the quantity of good items while the demand is always and costantly high (until all people is geared).

It's a fact that hunting AH is more effectivethan playing the game. Which is the real issue.

I don't mind people buying everything and bragging they farm MP10 all acts in 15 minutes, because everyone and their mother can - it's just a matter of overgearing. I mind people playing the game and having very low chances of progressing without AH (this was more the situation at start, now it definitely much much better).

Also, where's the fun in dropping a legendary which isn't worth anything an you don't make any use of it on any char? Reduce drops, make legendaries stronger by default. Look at Inna's pants - they're the perfect example. A true legendary item; even if it rolls bad, it's still a strong item.

---------- Post added 2013-05-17 at 06:57 AM ----------

When i played D2 i never made it past Hell difficulty Legit. I had to use mods to make fake items to get through higher difficulties. I dont see a problem with the AH. If you want that feeling you had in D2. Then stop trying to be so elite and put up with the grind that is dungeon farming.

Lol you're just admitting you weren't able to complete a game normally and got bored of losing so you cheated

EDIT: i'm not elitis because i like farming. I just want that actually playing the game is rewarding. It's not a contest, people just wants to have fun and D3 is basically only about that - log in, destroy legions, drink a beer, some more legions, dinner time.

[paralleluniverse]

....... if you get more items that are useful to you, then it does in fact, reduce the reliance on the AH. . . has nothing to do with welfare epics. . . .

By lowering the amount of rares, and making them actually useable to players, they can reduce the need to use the AH for all of your slots. They have done a great job with Gloves Shoulders and Wrists already in the form of craftable BoEs.

Let's think about this argument a bit more.

In order to reduce reliance on the AH, you need to make it so that people don't want to trade. You suggest that this can be done by making useful items drop. But if there are items that are even more useful in the game, then you would still want to trade. So not only do useful items need to drop, the MOST useful items need to drop. But not just for you, for everyone. Because, if the most useful items didn't drop for everyone, then those people without it would want to trade.

Therefore, the only way for your argument to make sense is for the best items to drop for every single player.

Thus, this is a nonsense and unworkable argument.