Guild Wars 2

There’s a super long thread on “player trading” that was answered in part by a Janson Smalling. Thank you for your help and it seems a further question was asked that’s yet to have an answer, so I made a post specifically on it.

The thread went further with posts suggesting “cash on delivery” mail. I’ve already encountered many people in game who will not trade via mail because they don’t “trust me”. It is true that a player could build up his reputation to be known as a fair trader, but this is very hard to do on the admittedly large server sizes and only having the opportunity to sell a few globs and other goods at various times of the day based on how much I can conceivably earn in a day. That said, drop rates are fine, this is not a question about that.

Unless the Trading Post is designed to be the only way of trading because of it’s 15% gold sink to maintain economy balance, I don’t think the question about the inability to player trade was fully answered by “one can always Trading Post trade” and “one can report scammers”. Having to report a player is a situation no one wants to end up in, and there are definitely many players that would love to trade outside the trading post.

Will there be a cash on delivery mailing system? if so, fantastic! and if not, what is the reason?

Thanks in advance.

Edited to correct my horrible mispelling of a name in my post

It seems very unlikely they will introduce CoD mail, or any other mechanic that allows people to trade outside of the TP. I’m surprised you can send items through mail as it is, and I won’t be surprised if they decide to remove that feature in the future.

The official reason is they don’t want there to be black markets competing against the TP. Their reasoning is it’s supposed to cut down on scamming, by forcing people to only use TP for secure trades. Having a CoD would “open people up for scamming” (aside from the current situation that’s left as-is).

Now as you, and any other logic and sane human being can tell, the second argument is incredibly weak and likely bogus. However, the first argument is very strong. They simply do not want black markets competing against the TP. It doesn’t take a genius to see why: Full control of the economy allows them to maintain the value of buying gems with real currency.

Basically you are not getting CoD because ArenaNet (or more likely, NCSoft) wants to make sure the market incentive for buying gems remains very strong.

Did you get the official reason from a linkable source?

The official response is in the thread mentioned above. This is what he said:

While we understand the want for P2P trading, we feel that the Trading Post works well for accomplishing fair deals and keeping individual users protected from those with less-than-pure-intentions.

Again, while we know that the majority of players would use a P2P system within its intended design, creating they system may place the global economy at risk, as well as some players.

A COD mail system is just another P2P system. They don’t need to address every possible way that players could trade player to player. They don’t want to allow one because it “may place the global economy at risk”. I believe they don’t mind the current mail system, and even state that you can report scammers, because the way it is now, it won’t be heavily used for trading. I’m sure that if it turns out that people DO start using it heavily for trading, they will take steps to stop that.

To the OP: if you are running into people that don’t “trust you”, you can simply take the first step, and trust them. YOU be the one to send first. Your only other option is to use the trading post, and that is exactly how Arena Net wants it.

KDragon.3208:

It seems very unlikely they will introduce CoD mail, or any other mechanic that allows people to trade outside of the TP. I’m surprised you can send items through mail as it is, and I won’t be surprised if they decide to remove that feature in the future.

I agree with everything else you said [tip, when disagreeing with someone, always start with commendation of some sort…it softens the blow and helps them see your point of view ]

I don’t agree with this though. I often send items to and receive items from my brother and other guildies through the mail system…we do it to give each other items related to our professions which are useless to us. If Anet removes this feature…many will be upset, and there will be virtually no reason to keep P2P mail in the game any longer.

Mario Lemieux.9107:

I don’t agree with this though. I often send items to and receive items from my brother and other guildies through the mail system…we do it to give each other items related to our professions which are useless to us. If Anet removes this feature…many will be upset, and there will be virtually no reason to keep P2P mail in the game any longer.

Well, I guess we will see what happens. Many people are already upset over the lack of direct trade. There’s virtually no reason to not implement C.O.D, and I wonder how far they will go to protect their gem store. I’m afraid they might go so far to remove trading gold through p2p mail.

I’m starting a trading guild that will offer secure escrow for p2p trading and trade chat. If ArenaNet refuses to offer such basic features as C.O.D and trade chat, then we will have to do it ourselves. I hope this idea gets popular and many other people do the same. The lack of these basic features is a huge step backwards for MMO games, and maybe if we work hard to reverse it, ArenaNet will come to their senses and do the right thing.

Reading it over, most people seem to be on pretty much the same page looking at it from different angles.

I think what it comes down to is Anet has to answer to NCsoft. If it’s a gameplay issue blame Anet, if it’s a profit issue blame NCsoft. Limiting trade to the Trading Post indirectly increases gem purchases.

I don’t know why I expected a forum representative to tackle this question. It’s surprising they even took the risk on the other thread, answering about player trading at all.

KDragon.3208:

I’m starting a trading guild that will offer secure escrow for p2p trading and trade chat.

Definitely gonna message you when I’m online tonight. I’m all for putting this into action.

Did you get the official reason from a linkable source?

Here you go.

The no face-to-face trade is a real decision and it’s primarily a question of trust (as many of you have noted). But it’s also a decision to protect players from scamming and protect the economy from black-markets.

Again, while we know that the majority of players would use a P2P system within its intended design, creating the system may place the global economy at risk, as well as some players.

We believe that between mail and the trading post the game is much safer and still contains all the functionality needed.

Basically, they are not implementing C.O.D mail “because scamming”, but the current mail system is safer and contains all the functionality needed. This is a completely bogus argument and we all know it.

The other reason is because of black markets and risk to the economy. Free trade has never been a threat to the player economy. I can only reasonably assume they are talking about the gem economy.

Remember, NCSoft is their publisher, and a major proponent of cash shops and the F2P model. Nexon is also a major stakeholder in NCSoft and does not have the best reputation when it comes to customer ethics.

Honestly I love Guild Wars 2 and I think ArenaNet has done an excellent job. I’m just weary of the slow creep of greedy publishers. I’ve seen what DLC has done to the console market. Do not want!