Gold Farmers

[Patchwreck.2357]

Is there anything the devs can do about gold farmers using bots to crashing prices at the TP? I've been watching the prices lately and it seems systematic, I went to sell some glacial fragments and noticed that there were a few 5 silver below the normal price. So I bought them and rolled them into the rest of my loot to list andevery few minutes the same number of unites at the same price. This has been happening with just about all farmed mats that I try to sell every since I got access to the TP about 6 months ago. Just a moment ago I went to sell some glacial fragments and the price 55.88 for 1 with 60 above that, I bought it and went to list my loot and it was back. The repeated over and over for a wile faster than I could get back to the page. I would take a few minute break and the same would happen.

 

Its really starting to make farming suck for those who like to do a repetitious task wile talking to guildies or listening to music. Its like going fishing and some corporation is intentionally making all the fish smaller. Im guessing all these accounts do all day is fame and drive down prices so they could be tracked down that way.

[Endless Soul.5178]

I'm no market strategist, specialist or expert by any stretch of the imagination, but I _do_ know there's thousands upon thousands of people using the trading post at any given time. Couldn't that be what you're seeing?

[artemis.6781]

Or it just might be a real live person trying to make a legendary by selling stuff they don't need.

[Patchwreck.2357]

Its the way gold farmers do on other games. I know players are helping the situation but this is happening to anything profitable at any level in a regimented way not just mats for legendary weapons and armor. Besides no person is going be able to catch me buying the fragment and post faster than I can hit buy, check.There was a new fragment posted instantly for 55.88 every single time I posted a dev can check the history and see.

[GrubySzymek.1362]

TP bots are a fact but it all depends how well their macro is written. If they are close to human time reactions Anets systems probably never flag them automaticaly.

[Patchwreck.2357]

I'm kind of surprised by how few people care about this, the reaction in other games would have a little more annoyance at the situation. Does every one just buy gold here?

[Zeivu.3615]

> @"Patchwreck.2357" said:

> I'm kind of surprised by how few people care about this, the reaction in other games would have a little more annoyance at the situation. Does every one just buy gold here?

 

Can you prove without a shadow of a doubt that it's all botters? The Trading Post is used by a large number of users.

 

[Just a flesh wound.3589]

Well, I’m sure we care but there’s nothing anyone on the forum can do. If you think there are trading post bots then make a ticket stating times, prices, items, quantities and discuss it with support.

[Danikat.8537]

The problem is that what would be suspicious (or obviously a bot) in another game can be normal activity in GW2. The Trading Post in this game is unusual, compared to other games, because it's shared by _everyone_. All players on all servers in both EU and NA share the same one - meaning there's thousands of people using it at any given time. On top of that crafting materials (even ones not used for legendaries, not that there's many which aren't used for at least 1 legendary) are some of the most profitable and therefore frequently traded items. If you were seeing the same pattern with one specific weapon or armour piece, especially a relatively unusual one that would be suspicious. But if you've chosen to farm a particular material chances are a few hundred other people will have the same idea and at least some of them will be online at the same time you are, trying to list their materials and get a good price.

 

Of course it could also be a bot, or a few bots. But there's no way for you, or any of us, to tell the difference. If you think it's suspicious you can report it to Anet and let them investigate. They can and do ban people who are caught using bots.

 

But even if all the bots were gone you can't expect to control the market on something as common as glacial fragments, even for a short time, because there will always be thousands of other players buying and selling them at the same time you are.

[Richard.8207]

The problem is your proof isn’t proof. I personally have been the other side you described. I would sell only a few of each mat at a time so I don’t waste 250x the listing fee for someone to undercut me by a copper. When I see it is sold, I list the next batch. I’m usually working or reading an article or such with the game open when I’m trying to sell through a bunch of mats, then just glance to see if anything sold once in a while.

 

Edit: also, keep in mind the quantity at a given price is not always right. Haven’t you ever gotten some copper back with a purchase? It’s because there were more at the lower price than your screen showed. It happens frequently when buying in bulk, so surely you’ve seen it.

[Patchwreck.2357]

> @"Zeivu.3615" said:

> > @"Patchwreck.2357" said:

> > I'm kind of surprised by how few people care about this, the reaction in other games would have a little more annoyance at the situation. Does every one just buy gold here?

>

> Can you prove without a shadow of a doubt that it's all botters? The Trading Post is used by a large number of users.

>

 

Yes, you can't check a mats price get to your mat click sell, paste 55.88 then click list this item the sell the instantly in the time I click 2 buttons every time I click them.

[Patchwreck.2357]

I'll elaborate on what i said earlier I don't think I made it clear. If you have a bunch of accounts that spend month after month doing absolutely nothing but farm and drive down prices for no apparent reason, there is a reason and you have your gold farmers. I highly doubt there's a segment of the population who's only pastime is shorting themselves in mats so there is no worry about it being a play style.

[Airdive.2613]

Or it could be that, while you're buying your stuff, some other people's quick sell orders ("let's just put it at the current lowest price so it sells quicker") are being processed, and the page is refreshed after you hit buy.

[Ayrilana.1396]

I don’t believe that the current prices are due to the bots. PoF and S4E1 both hit prices pretty hard.

[Patchwreck.2357]

Its not the lowest price they normally will drop the price buy the same amount 3 to 5 silver once every 3 to 10 minutes then for 20 minutes to an hour. For example they'll take an item that that's 53.25 and drop 6 for 47.13 you buy it and one minute later 6 for 47.13 one minute later 6 for 47.13 one minute later 6 for 47.13 etc.. People jump under it undercutting each other by a copper and then the bot starts up again a little wile latter dropping it 3 silver more, 3 silver more, 3 silver more. It's done the exact same way all over TP so we are far outside coincidence. Gold farmers will use bunches of children poor people whatever they can get and set them to work all fallowing the same script.

[Danikat.8537]

> @"Patchwreck.2357" said:

> I'll elaborate on what i said earlier I don't think I made it clear. If you have a bunch of accounts that spend month after month doing absolutely nothing but farm and drive down prices for no apparent reason, there is a reason and you have your gold farmers. I highly doubt there's a segment of the population who's only pastime is shorting themselves in mats so there is no worry about it being a play style.

 

As people have said before if you think you have proof then submit it to Anet. Send an email to Support listing the time (and time zone) this happened, the item/s in question and the prices. Then they can investigate, in far more detail than any of us can; for example they can see the name of the account/s that were listing items so if it's the same account doing it over and over it will be obvious to them whereas we have no way to find out at all.

 

And if their investigation shows it was botting then those accounts will be banned.

[Patchwreck.2357]

> @"Danikat.8537" said:

> > @"Patchwreck.2357" said:

> > I'll elaborate on what i said earlier I don't think I made it clear. If you have a bunch of accounts that spend month after month doing absolutely nothing but farm and drive down prices for no apparent reason, there is a reason and you have your gold farmers. I highly doubt there's a segment of the population who's only pastime is shorting themselves in mats so there is no worry about it being a play style.

>

> As people have said before if you think you have proof then submit it to Anet. Send an email to Support listing the time (and time zone) this happened, the item/s in question and the prices. Then they can investigate, in far more detail than any of us can; for example they can see the name of the account/s that were listing items so if it's the same account doing it over and over it will be obvious to them whereas we have no way to find out at all.

>

> And if their investigation shows it was botting then those accounts will be banned.

 

I'll do that although 1 account going down doesn't effect them its still something. I know I've heard other games using the method I mentioned earlier to weed out botters, is this how I bring it up to the devs? I'd like to see more than just a bot go. God I wish I could remember which game did it but they got rid of 100% of the gold farmers using that and other tactics.

[Magnus Godrik.5841]

Gold farmers? The market is crashing hard not because of gold farmers but because of PoF. it's way too easy to get materials now and no good sink. That is the problem.

[Patchwreck.2357]

PoF isn't causing players to to try to drive the sell price down in chuncks trying to meet the buy price. Mats move and they move within the day normally so no one would need to short themselves buy that much. if your in a hurry you list for a copper. The only people that would help is people move volume. Drive the price down, make it not really worth it to farm and people buy more gold.

[Ayrilana.1396]

> @"Patchwreck.2357" said:

> PoF isn't causing players to to try to drive the sell price down in chuncks trying to meet the buy price. Mats move and they move within the day normally so no one would need to short themselves buy that much. if your in a hurry you list for a copper. The only people that would help is people move volume. Drive the price down, make it not really worth it to farm and people buy more gold.

 

> @"Patchwreck.2357" said:

> PoF isn't causing players to to try to drive the sell price down in chuncks trying to meet the buy price. Mats move and they move within the day normally so no one would need to short themselves buy that much. if your in a hurry you list for a copper. The only people that would help is people move volume. Drive the price down, make it not really worth it to farm and people buy more gold.

 

It is if they all are collectively getting more supply than what is being used. If the turnover is low, those daily fluctuations could drive the price down as people get impatient and undercut.

[Laila Lightness.8742]

I blame istanis shipmeny crates they are way to abuseable

[Richard.8207]

Since I can apparently only be a bot or a poor child in need of sympathy, can I choose the child? Can you send me some gold, because I need your sympathy?

 

> @"Patchwreck.2357" said:

> Its not the lowest price they normally will drop the price buy the same amount 3 to 5 silver once every 3 to 10 minutes then for 20 minutes to an hour. For example they'll take an item that that's 53.25 and drop 6 for 47.13 you buy it and one minute later 6 for 47.13 one minute later 6 for 47.13 one minute later 6 for 47.13 etc.. People jump under it undercutting each other by a copper and then the bot starts up again a little wile latter dropping it 3 silver more, 3 silver more, 3 silver more. It's done the exact same way all over TP so we are far outside coincidence. Gold farmers will use bunches of children poor people whatever they can get and set them to work all fallowing the same script.

 

If you care, the copper field being a different amount is because I click a listing with the same number of units I want to sell, then just change the silver field. Because I don’t care about a few copper on 5 units. And the delay when a bunch of people undercut me is because I’m waiting to see if demand will absorb the new supply so I don’t have to cancel a listing and settle for making less money on every unit I list afterwards. I usually just reprice as soon as someone lists 100+ of the item at a lower price than I was listing, because I’m not waiting around that long, and I don’t care about getting the best price enough to put in the effort. I mean, we’re talking about maybe a tenth of a penny by accepting a lower price. I’ll just buy a gem card and convert to gold before wasting time on caring about getting a few silver less for my excess resources. (And yes, when I’m out of bank space and don’t have time to sell while working, I will just sell instantly at pretty much any price, because I don’t really care if I spend $10 or $20 a month on gems as a subscription would cost that anyways)

 

Sorry my playstyle is causing you such angst. And sorry you cannot accept I’m an adult human being. But I do hope you enjoy playing the game, and that players like me don’t annoy you too often. You might find you have less excess resources to unload if you stop buying the ones marginally less expensive than the ones you listed. I’m not even sure what you’re accomplishing by doing that as you’re just throwing away money unless the item is 15% cheaper than yours.

[Danikat.8537]

> @"Patchwreck.2357" said:

> > @"Danikat.8537" said:

> > > @"Patchwreck.2357" said:

> > > I'll elaborate on what i said earlier I don't think I made it clear. If you have a bunch of accounts that spend month after month doing absolutely nothing but farm and drive down prices for no apparent reason, there is a reason and you have your gold farmers. I highly doubt there's a segment of the population who's only pastime is shorting themselves in mats so there is no worry about it being a play style.

> >

> > As people have said before if you think you have proof then submit it to Anet. Send an email to Support listing the time (and time zone) this happened, the item/s in question and the prices. Then they can investigate, in far more detail than any of us can; for example they can see the name of the account/s that were listing items so if it's the same account doing it over and over it will be obvious to them whereas we have no way to find out at all.

> >

> > And if their investigation shows it was botting then those accounts will be banned.

>

> I'll do that although 1 account going down doesn't effect them its still something. I know I've heard other games using the method I mentioned earlier to weed out botters, is this how I bring it up to the devs? I'd like to see more than just a bot go. God I wish I could remember which game did it but they got rid of 100% of the gold farmers using that and other tactics.

 

You can report it to Anet by submitting a ticket to Support. Remember to include as much information as you can to help them identify the trades you suspect of being bots.

 

Also be aware they almost certainly won't tell you if anyone got banned as a result of your report and certainly won't tell you which accounts it was. They might confirm that those trades were carried out by bots, or that it was found to be innocent, but that's the most you're likely to get. That doesn't mean they haven't done anything about it, just that they don't share info on banned accounts with other players.

[Patchwreck.2357]

> @"Richard.8207" said:

> Since I can apparently only be a bot or a poor child in need of sympathy, can I choose the child? Can you send me some gold, because I need your sympathy?

>

> > @"Patchwreck.2357" said:

> > Its not the lowest price they normally will drop the price buy the same amount 3 to 5 silver once every 3 to 10 minutes then for 20 minutes to an hour. For example they'll take an item that that's 53.25 and drop 6 for 47.13 you buy it and one minute later 6 for 47.13 one minute later 6 for 47.13 one minute later 6 for 47.13 etc.. People jump under it undercutting each other by a copper and then the bot starts up again a little wile latter dropping it 3 silver more, 3 silver more, 3 silver more. It's done the exact same way all over TP so we are far outside coincidence. Gold farmers will use bunches of children poor people whatever they can get and set them to work all fallowing the same script.

>

> If you care, the copper field being a different amount is because I click a listing with the same number of units I want to sell, then just change the silver field. Because I don’t care about a few copper on 5 units. And the delay when a bunch of people undercut me is because I’m waiting to see if demand will absorb the new supply so I don’t have to cancel a listing and settle for making less money on every unit I list afterwards. I usually just reprice as soon as someone lists 100+ of the item at a lower price than I was listing, because I’m not waiting around that long, and I don’t care about getting the best price enough to put in the effort. I mean, we’re talking about maybe a tenth of a penny by accepting a lower price. I’ll just buy a gem card and convert to gold before wasting time on caring about getting a few silver less for my excess resources. (And yes, when I’m out of bank space and don’t have time to sell while working, I will just sell instantly at pretty much any price, because I don’t really care if I spend $10 or $20 a month on gems as a subscription would cost that anyways)

>

> Sorry my playstyle is causing you such angst. And sorry you cannot accept I’m an adult human being. But I do hope you enjoy playing the game, and that players like me don’t annoy you too often. You might find you have less excess resources to unload if you stop buying the ones marginally less expensive than the ones you listed. I’m not even sure what you’re accomplishing by doing that as you’re just throwing away money unless the item is 15% cheaper than yours.

 

your play style talks about copper not undercutting yourself by hefty amounts every transaction and coming back later for another chunk all day everyday. That long response you typed has nothing to do with anything I said. Children and poor just means plentiful and cheap telling you that there are a crap load of them.

[Richard.8207]

> @"Patchwreck.2357" said:

> > @"Richard.8207" said:

> > Since I can apparently only be a bot or a poor child in need of sympathy, can I choose the child? Can you send me some gold, because I need your sympathy?

> >

> > > @"Patchwreck.2357" said:

> > > Its not the lowest price they normally will drop the price buy the same amount 3 to 5 silver once every 3 to 10 minutes then for 20 minutes to an hour. For example they'll take an item that that's 53.25 and drop 6 for 47.13 you buy it and one minute later 6 for 47.13 one minute later 6 for 47.13 one minute later 6 for 47.13 etc.. People jump under it undercutting each other by a copper and then the bot starts up again a little wile latter dropping it 3 silver more, 3 silver more, 3 silver more. It's done the exact same way all over TP so we are far outside coincidence. Gold farmers will use bunches of children poor people whatever they can get and set them to work all fallowing the same script.

> >

> > If you care, the copper field being a different amount is because I click a listing with the same number of units I want to sell, then just change the silver field. Because I don’t care about a few copper on 5 units. And the delay when a bunch of people undercut me is because I’m waiting to see if demand will absorb the new supply so I don’t have to cancel a listing and settle for making less money on every unit I list afterwards. I usually just reprice as soon as someone lists 100+ of the item at a lower price than I was listing, because I’m not waiting around that long, and I don’t care about getting the best price enough to put in the effort. I mean, we’re talking about maybe a tenth of a penny by accepting a lower price. I’ll just buy a gem card and convert to gold before wasting time on caring about getting a few silver less for my excess resources. (And yes, when I’m out of bank space and don’t have time to sell while working, I will just sell instantly at pretty much any price, because I don’t really care if I spend $10 or $20 a month on gems as a subscription would cost that anyways)

> >

> > Sorry my playstyle is causing you such angst. And sorry you cannot accept I’m an adult human being. But I do hope you enjoy playing the game, and that players like me don’t annoy you too often. You might find you have less excess resources to unload if you stop buying the ones marginally less expensive than the ones you listed. I’m not even sure what you’re accomplishing by doing that as you’re just throwing away money unless the item is 15% cheaper than yours.

>

> your play style talks about copper not undercutting yourself by hefty amounts every transaction and coming back later for another chunk all day everyday. That long response you typed has nothing to do with anything I said. Children and poor just means plentiful and cheap telling you that there are a crap load of them.

 

I don’t undercut myself, I undercut you. And 3 or 6 silver is not a hefty amount on something you’re only listing 5 or 10 of at a time. A gold is maybe ten cents. So if something saves me even ten seconds, it’s worth a few silver. If selling 100 of them in this way loses 50 cents, I don’t care at all. I’d rather save the time.

 

I don’t know enough about what glacial things are used for to know how much to sell them for, so I’d probably undercut by ballpark of 5-10%, which sounds like about the amount you’re complaining about. I undercut in the hopes gw2crafts.net will switch to using that item to level crafting instead of whatever alternative exists, and because I hope not to need to cancel and list it again. Again, I don’t know enough to know when to do it and when not to, so I just do it for pretty much whatever I’m selling.

 

Why do you actually think this is a bot? Heck, aren’t you doing almost the same thing at the same time to even notice? You’re just more concerned about not listing it too cheap than I am, even though you waste more time, and probably just as much gold in buying cheaper listings. But thank you for any times you’ve bought my listings.