Steamwheedle Cartel holding a "Black Market" crafting event

In fact, I'd love to see something like this come to the game at large -- maybe Blizzard could provide a bonus to crafting when it's done at a certain time in a certain place, like create a "crafter's market" weekly on Saturday mornings (scheduled just like the Sunday fishing tournament), where crafters can make sure to be in a certain area ready to craft for any players who might need it, and can get bonus items or currency or mats for their trouble.
For such a social game, combat seems to always end up being the only way for players to connect regularly (not that there's anything wrong with that, but the only way to bond in game seems to be killing things). It would be nice to see more of this type of connection encouraged by Blizzard, with players using the skills they've earned to help each other and both sides getting a nice reward for it.
Filed under: Herbalism, Leatherworking, Tailoring, Enchanting, Items, Analysis / Opinion, Fan stuff, Virtual selves, Odds and ends, Blizzard, News items, Jewelcrafting, Wrath of the Lich King, Inscription
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Reader Comments (Page 2 of 2)
eillind Jan 5th 2009 5:27PM
the tradition of "first" is a time tested tradition of teh internetz, and im sick you people trying to destroy everything the internet is about.
Gizmo Jan 5th 2009 6:38PM
To those of you who are wanting more items added in faction grinds, or rare-drop patterns: The re are things in the mined data files that indicate that these are being added. Example: Titanium Plating, a +40 Block rating shield enchant. Being added for Blacksmiths who are exalted with their uber-faction (alliance vanguard or horde whatever). It's coming. Maybe over several patches. But it is coming.
Healz Jan 5th 2009 6:49PM
Yes the faster lvling is cool, but I don't think they should have nerfed everything else to some extent. WoW was great the way it was, that's why people played!
It's kind of like they've equipped everyone with "WoW for dumbies" making some aspects of the game boring. I am still a WoW addict, but something's been taken away.
You think they'll keep upping the lvl cap to keep players interested?
Robin Torres Jan 5th 2009 7:18PM
We used to do this in the ancient days of EQ. Most servers had a designated zone (Bristlebane's was the EC) where players would congregate and sell their wares. The lag was horrendous, but it was a great time.
Of course, this was necessitated by the lack of anything like an AH. Still, it was nice to be able to go to the Bazaar and get a full set of matching armor for your twink or whatever.
SarahTheGnome Jan 5th 2009 8:24PM
Been there, done that. Isn't this something done frequently? We had one, I fished for hours to sell fish at really cheap prices, all levels. A friend of mind sold BoE blues, each one had a story attached. Another one sold RP clothes, including ogre suits (I farmed the tannin and it was a major pain in the buttocks) and so on. All levels were represented. I am guessing these kind of events pop up frequently on RP servers.
And in no way it is pointless. Because it is ROLEPLAY! It is not about the epicness or rarity of something. The BoE things that my friend sold back then, pre-WotLK, were mostly pre-TBC stuff, but guess what, RPers buy crap because of how it looks. Sure, the foods and potions were craved by raiders, especially since they were very cheap, but all those raiders were RPers as well, and it was more about the roleplay behind it all, then it was about what item you could get at the cheapest possible price. I am guessing it is the same at Steamwheedle Cartel.
Max Jan 6th 2009 12:12AM
I'm new to RP on Moon Guard, but I hope something like this is done soon :P
Niian Jan 5th 2009 9:17PM
They could implement a zone which has stalls or something, you get to use the stall which makes you sit behind it and depending on your crafts can put items on show so people can see what items you can make?
Giant banquet table or something, which needs 10 cooks at level 425 each with certain mats to action an item together to create the table, etc etc.
Who knows!
Vigil Jan 7th 2009 2:18PM
Being formly from SwC, this doesn't surpise me infact there was a guild on the Horde side that was dedicated to this sort of thing "Durotar Trading Company" even so these things are fun albeit this article is making it out to be much more popular, most RP Non-RP interactions invariably fail due to the frustation of one party or another.
-Vagus - Tichondrius
Formly
Layr - Steamwheedle Cartel
Max Jan 6th 2009 12:09AM
by responding to it every time you only encourage it.
Calthas Jan 6th 2009 4:15AM
Nice event, really ! Something like this supported by Blizzard would really be a good idea. But the initiative by itself is really nice. I especially like the idea of serving food and drinks ;)
KT Jan 6th 2009 5:18AM
I am a casual player, but I still agree that they should have kept the rare drops/items. I think instead of making everything accessible to everyone, they should make different rare items available in different places.
So if I don't raid, I may never get the pattern for the Epic Helm of Kicking Ass Greatly, but if I'm a dedicated leatherworker, there may be other ways that I can get different rare recipes. The could have ones you could only get by randomly fishing up, and ones you could only get from rare world mobs and ones you could only get by PvP and ones you could only get by long quest chains or doing certain achievements, etc.
That way everyone could play the game the way they like and have the opportunity to get some rare items. As a casual and mostly solo player, I don't mind if there are items that only raiders can get ... I wish there were more items that only be obtained in certain ways that reflect all playing styles. So if I don't want to raid, but I don't mind fishing repeatedly, for example to get some rare drop, then I might get something the impatient raider who can't stand there like that could.
It seems weird to take away from any group when the nature of this game allows for more to be given to every group to make them happy, whether they are hardcore raiders, PvPers, crafters, RPers, etc. Making raids and items accessible to more people shouldn't mean taking all the challenge away entirely, and making weapons/armor more accessible to everyone shouldn't have to mean that everyone ends up looking the same. The game should allow for individuality in addition to challenge, entertainment, and playability because that's one of the things that makes it so appealing.
Hal Jan 6th 2009 9:38AM
Actually KT, I think making all those recipes available to everyone rewards the casual player who can't get a full tier X set of gear. With the "rare" patterns available from your trainer, you don't have to go farm some monster that spawns once a week or try to run a dungeon 12 times before it drops. You have access to pretty good equipment so long as you build up your profession.
What blacksmithing looks like right now is nice, I think. The rare drops you can find in Northrend aren't particularly powerful, but they let you train up Blacksmithing to a higher level using Cobalt, when the trainer patterns are using only Saronite. It means you can get to a higher skill level without having to play in higher level instances (and also competing with more farmers). It works for me, at least.
Sansarya Jan 6th 2009 6:47AM
One way to reduce lag and make it more accessible to all levels of crafters and players is to have craft markets in various zones. For example, in Razor Hill have some crafters with level-appropriate weapons, gear, food, potions, etc., same in Crossroads, same in CampT, etc. rather than all gathered in one city.
Ryan Jan 6th 2009 12:57PM
Alliance invited?
tonedeff Jan 7th 2009 12:25AM
That morning would be the time to put your mats in the AH and make a few gold!