Re: FAQ about the Global Trade HQ

by BasinCity
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Original Post

Re: FAQ about the Global Trade HQ

★★★★ Novice
I'm stopping all play until the trade system functions rather than frustrates. I just wasted over an hour trying to get one of four items, only two if which should be considered rare. I clicked over a hundred times, and only twice were the items still on the shelf once the city FINALLY opened after the usual lag delay. Both time llamas got scapegoated as the items wasn't actually available.

I'll check back in a week or two to see if EA gets their act together and provides a functioning trade system. If not, DELETE!
Message 61 of 138 (2,154 Views)

Re: FAQ about the Global Trade HQ

[ Edited ]
★★★★★ Novice

"Global Trade HQ has been a very popular feature"

 

Haha!  Do you know what is far more popular?  Toilet paper.  By your logic, toilet paper is possibly the most popular product in the world!  Probably only water is more popular.

 

"Certain items have a higher demand than others, and generally the high demand items will sell a lot quicker than the low demand ones.
If we added a feature that would enable players to search for a specific item type, it would make the high demand items sell incredibly fast...."

 

How about solving supply and demand the same way real markets do?  Don't have price ceilings.  If I could put my nails up for sale for 500 simoleons each instead of 20, it would NOT be a race to see who can tap it first, but a rational choice of whether something is actually worth the value requested.

Message 62 of 138 (2,150 Views)

Re: FAQ about the Global Trade HQ

★★★★ Novice
Just wasted another hour trying to get ONE ice cream sandwich to fill a shipment. ONE popped up while searching, but when I tried to buy it, the game errored out and just kept spinning for at least thirty seconds before I hit the cancel button. Didn't even get the llama excuse screen... EA, fix the global trade!
Message 63 of 138 (2,019 Views)

Re: FAQ about the Global Trade HQ

★★★ Newbie
Quite frankly, I have quit playing this game a few months ago because of global trade. I popped back in real quick today to see if anything has changed. Disappointed to see the problems still persist. Would not recommend this game to anyone in its current form.
Message 64 of 138 (1,963 Views)

Re: FAQ about the Global Trade HQ

[ Edited ]
★★★ Newbie

"Adding a search of filter functionality would make it highly unfair for those who are not able to quickly grab each new item that is put up for sale."

 

"for those who are not able to quickly grab each new item that is put up for sale"

 

That already happens all the time. I don't see how it could make it any worse.

 

I wonder how many people are shown the same items on the global trade hq because sometimes it seems like there could be 10 people all going for the same thing at once.

 

The thing is though, if you could search and buy any item you needed any time, it would probably be a lot easier to upgrade buildings and make money, making the game a lot easier.

Message 65 of 138 (1,942 Views)

Re: FAQ about the Global Trade HQ

Champion (Retired)

@werslty wrote:

 

I wonder how many people are shown the same items on the global trade hq because sometimes it seems like there could be 10 people all going for the same thing at once.

 

The thing is though, if you could search and buy any item you needed any time, it would probably be a lot easier to upgrade buildings and make money, making the game a lot easier.


I agree, except that I think you've under-estimated the number going for the same items at one time.  EA reports that they are clearing about 8 million Global HQ/Trade Depot transactions a day in this game.  Some quick math shows that this is an average of over 5500 per minute.  And these are just the transactions that clear -- they haven't reported how many people don't find what they were looking for.  I'm not sure they know.

 

Personally, I think EA would make more money on the game if it wasn't frustrating to play.  They need to develop compelling gameplay and combine it with desirable premium content to get players to spend real money on SimCash.  I've addressed the points made by the OP and detailed an extensive overhaul of the of the Trade Depot/Global HQ on page 6 of this thread (look for the green monster of a reply!) and won't repeat it all here.

 


If this helps resolve your issue, please click accept solution as this may help others with the same issue to find a resolution as well.  XP is appreciated but not required.

Message 66 of 138 (1,929 Views)

Re: FAQ about the Global Trade HQ

★★★★★ Novice

Maybe the GTHQ is not as bad as you think.

 

Maybe it's your wi-fi connection.

 

I have crappy wi-fi at home. I don't even try to buy anything in the GTHQ unless it's really early in the morning. Especially Sunday mornings. Otherwise, it's a waste of my time.

 

I have very good and fast wi-fi at work. So that is where I do all my GTHQ shopping. Yeah, I probably have way more misses than hits. but if I work at it long enough, I'll get what I need.

 

So before you blame GTHQ, take a look at your wi-fi connection first. 

Message 67 of 138 (1,916 Views)

Re: FAQ about the Global Trade HQ

[ Edited ]
★★★★ Apprentice

If you start fabricating something in your shop, it seems to then become more available in the GTHQ.

 

I think part of the algorithm involves you at least trying to make an object. Evidently they don't want you to be able to buy something unless you at least tie up your shop resources for the amount of time it takes to make it. So you can then buy it without waiting the time to make it, but your shop is now tied up and you can't use it until it finishes, obviously.

 

I would say it definitely looks at what you need. You won't be offered it. Start making one....bingo, you'll see it show up. Occasionally you will come across one without making one, but it's like it only shows you ones that are sold. Also, once you buy or make one and have satisfied your needs, you'll see oodles of them on the trading block. That's the fun part where it rubs salt in your wounds.

Message 68 of 138 (1,899 Views)

Re: FAQ about the Global Trade HQ

★★★★ Novice
@ tmccool1, I have had major problems using a Google Fibre connection and a 5G router, so I doubt it is our connection speeds... the servers are lagging at peak times as evidenced by your own experience. The connection isn't making that early morning difference, the lower server load is.

There should be greater availability of items when more players are online, which should actually increase the chance of getting items. But instead, the screen still shows the same very limited number of items as being available. The greater number of players instead are hitting the same few items shown, decreasing your odds.

The one easy change would be to double or triple the number of items shown...
Message 69 of 138 (1,847 Views)

Re: FAQ about the Global Trade HQ

★★★★ Novice

I also have noticed that when you need something it is rarely available, but if you start making it then it shows up, still is rare, but once you no longer need it and have it in inventory the Trade HQ is flooded with it.

 

Lets face it, the advantage is with EA here, they have the metrics written so they come out ahead, its no difference than throwing your money away in Las Vegas, to quote Robert Dinero "Look around, do you think we build huge hotels by losing at gambling"

 

The new refresh button and its sold thing is ok, but still I think they should stop the travel to a place to buy it, it wastes time and energy.

 

I have decided that rather than worrying about it, Ill just search as many peoples stuff as I can in 29 seconds before hitting refresh, that seems to work, although takes a huge time bite. But it is what it is and EA has shown they are only in it for the money. So why complain.

Message 70 of 138 (1,843 Views)