Guild Wars 2

Hey guys. I just wanted to quickly recommend for a future update that there be a preview option in the trading post when buying new armor pieces. It really helps to be able to see what the armor piece will look like on the character before actually spending the money for that piece. Once the piece is purchased you aren’t able to sell it back to the trading post for the same amount that you purchased it for normally. Therefore, you end up losing money. This would be a really good update change to give more incentive to purchase gear from the trading post. What do you guys think?

yep. it is beyond me why this function wasn’t implemented right from the start. in a game such as GW2, where the cosmetics matter just as much as stats (if not more), it is quite surprising and saddening not to have something like this.

Oh lord yes! Would love a Preview option for the BLT

Everyone wants it and yes it would be awesome. However the difficulty is due to how the BLT is set up. I am confident they are trying to figure out how to tackle it but I doubt we will hear it implemented “until it’s ready”

I support this suggestion! Been wanting to have that feature a long time ago!

Right-click on the armor or weapon and choose “Preview”.

I know for sure you can do this from your inventory, but unsure if you can do this in the TP. You can even preview items that your class can’t even wear (did this once, not sure if they fixed it).

Please, please, please, please.

No doubt one of the best implementations, if it ever happens.

I can’t count how many times I wish I have an abyss dye to preview with.

I love these threads. It’s like asking the game makers to implement mouse support into their game that, for some reason, lacks it. Same with item preview. Such an obvious feature. They don’t have it. Why? Oh, I dunno. Budget cuts? Temporary loss of common sense that lasts like, um, 7 years? That’s how long it took to make the game ain’t it right? And yet it has no item preview in the TP. It’s where it’s most needed! Go figure. Why can’t we have at least one MMO that when launched, has at least the basics covered, that were standard for the past decade?

There is a workaround for now though! Spend hundreds of $ on gems, buy gold, buy ALL the items that sound like they look cool, and preview them this way. In case of dyes it’s only 400 or so. Gives you an excuse to buy the inventory and bank slots too.

Whatever brings in the cash.

Everyone wants it and yes it would be awesome. However the difficulty is due to how the BLT is set up. I am confident they are trying to figure out how to tackle it but I doubt we will hear it implemented “until it’s ready”

Heh yeah… certainly it must be “due to the way the BLTC is setup”… uhuh

Seriously, why would it be complicated “due to the way the BLTC is setup”? The BLTC just lists items. These items have an internal ItemID. This ItemID is linked to a skin / 3D model. The skin can be rendered in 3D in the preview window.

Seriously, as long as you have a specific ItemID, you can render it. Whether you get that ID from your inventory, the trading post or some chat link matters nothing at all…

They just didn’t implement this feature and God knows why…

EDIT: for a work-around, just go to third-party websites. Sites like Guildhead.com have a 3D model preview on many items. Even though these previews do not show (particle) effects on items, you still get a rough idea of what the item may look like. Google image search / Youtube may also help out on the more well-known items.

This feature is something I’ve really wanted for a long time. I think the devs touched upon the topic and mentioned it was due to the current implementation that it’s not possible for them to do at the moment.

Perhaps in the future they will incorporate such a needed feature. Blind buying items is quite possibly the worst aspect of the TP.

I’m sure it’s technically possible – it’s just a matter of figuring out an effective way of including it within their design of the TP.

I hate to say it, but the best explanation is that making your character look good is what the gem store is for, not the TP.

I think I have heard about their project to implement it soon. If i remember well they said they didn’t implement it for now because it was not ready.

The trading post is a web interface, there are only a couple good solutions to providing a preview on it.
1. Use the current Black Lion Trading Post ‘Style’ preview – this is pretty much a copy & paste job.
2. Use a custom webGL preview that does exactly the same thing as #1.
3. Since the web interface and game can communicate, it can use the existing preview functionality that is present in-game and simply sending the itemID back to the game preview interface.

Either way, they’ve already said they’re working on it so be patient.

I just wish they would stop with the preview interfaces being a non-adjustable size or add zoom & pan to them. I can’t see some of the details. Also, having most of the weapons clip through every single dress/skirt means that I can’t see what that awesome dagger is supposed to look like – so add some different poses or get rid of my character and just show me the item.

Armor & dye interface should show my character.
Weapon interface should show the weapon only or give option to just see the weapon.

Also, why does the ‘preview’ tooltip only show up in the lower left part of the screen no matter where it was that I clicked to preview? Don’t they know where the mouse is? Usability Anet, usability.

Just get this implemented, it is so insanly annoying having to go through 2 webpages to find the kitten item code, paste into say just to see what item looks like.