Player-owned Tavern & store

[EberronBruce]

Problem is this. There are other places yes. However, the players are not going to go to those other places to look for shops. I tried setting up a shop in the Drain, Degannwy, and even the village once. The problem is you sit there forever and no one shows up. When I had a shop in Degannwy, I even put up flyers stating their was a shop there. No one ever comes around. From my experience, the only successful place really is the outskirts. If you are going to sell things, you have to sit there because that is where the player base is at. Especially for crafted items.

[Feronius]

If the activity down in the Drain keeps picking up, it could work to set up shop there. Just make sure you have things to do on the side or nearby.
One of my caliban actually helps out Hoth as a waiter in the Drain, he also places markings (tattoo artist), although the latter occupation doesn't give me as much things to do on the side. Hence why I've combined them.

[dutchy]

there are plans for player owned.....stores and such  dunn dunn dunnnnnnnnn.

can't tell what it is yet but i can tell it is in the works for areas that will be inplemented.

[BalorVale]

In a few market sites (some indoor, some outdoor) around Amia (just to give another server example, since it's a successful market scripty thing) there are stalls with clickable tables and/or chests and that opens up a convo/scripting system.

A merchant basically "places" his/her stuff in there, but it isn't the item in actuality, it's just a copy of it visually with its stats available on examine, as in any shop, so no one is actually able to steal it (if you wanted to RP that, most folks are up for some rolling to see if it is successfully done, but it can't be trolled OOCly is the point). 

You look over the inventory, ask the merchant, "hey how much is X?" --commence IC haggling, etc.-- and if agreed upon, you do a trade and the item which is still actually physically in the merchant's inventory, gets exchanged with gold or trade just like you'd do otherwise.  It keeps people from having to leave items all over the ground, which, unless I'm mistaken (possible), contributes to lag, and is just a cleaner way of doing it.  There's no vending machine for it.  You have to RP as a merchant or with the merchant to get the stuff.  It's just a mechanical way of accomplishing the goal.  It's not rented, although I'm sure a fee could be implemented (a higher fee for various ratings is even possible of course, or blocking certain ones/races, as might suit a specific market area).

Also the shops disappear when you log off or close the shop, reopening the stall for someone else's use, so it's not so much a matter of ownership.

As for the tavern stuff, I really enjoyed my barmaid in the Bell; if interested in working at the existing NPC run things, definitely PM a DM about it.  Definitely worth your trouble.  I may PM about the player run one-- I have limited play time, but that kind of stuff is fun and always tends to lend itself to good RP.

Brilliant Idea, the only problem I could possibly come up with for this is, if it's a container; wouldn't all of outskirts be running over to your chest swarming your poor container in attempts to look at your things?

[Merrien]

In a few market sites (some indoor, some outdoor) around Amia (just to give another server example, since it's a successful market scripty thing) there are stalls with clickable tables and/or chests and that opens up a convo/scripting system.

A merchant basically "places" his/her stuff in there, but it isn't the item in actuality, it's just a copy of it visually with its stats available on examine, as in any shop, so no one is actually able to steal it (if you wanted to RP that, most folks are up for some rolling to see if it is successfully done, but it can't be trolled OOCly is the point).  

You look over the inventory, ask the merchant, "hey how much is X?" --commence IC haggling, etc.-- and if agreed upon, you do a trade and the item which is still actually physically in the merchant's inventory, gets exchanged with gold or trade just like you'd do otherwise.  It keeps people from having to leave items all over the ground, which, unless I'm mistaken (possible), contributes to lag, and is just a cleaner way of doing it.  There's no vending machine for it.  You have to RP as a merchant or with the merchant to get the stuff.  It's just a mechanical way of accomplishing the goal.  It's not rented, although I'm sure a fee could be implemented (a higher fee for various ratings is even possible of course, or blocking certain ones/races, as might suit a specific market area).

Also the shops disappear when you log off or close the shop, reopening the stall for someone else's use, so it's not so much a matter of ownership.

As for the tavern stuff, I really enjoyed my barmaid in the Bell; if interested in working at the existing NPC run things, definitely PM a DM about it.  Definitely worth your trouble.  I may PM about the player run one-- I have limited play time, but that kind of stuff is fun and always tends to lend itself to good RP.

Brilliant Idea, the only problem I could possibly come up with for this is, if it's a container; wouldn't all of outskirts be running over to your chest swarming your poor container in attempts to look at your things?

Several merchant areas in one area, often more than one merchant at a time, and RPin' "wait yer turn, stop elbowin' there" works all right Because, yes, only one person at a time can be viewing what's in the chest. 

[Honoun]

A persistent stall that player merchants can sell stuff in needs to be seriously considered. One of my characters saw an item that a player Merchant had, she found out they had several in stock and though she did not have the funds to buy the said item at the time she has since gained those funds. Its been over a week now and the player merchant has not shown so my char is carring around all this cash for basically nothing. Its an established merchant faction as well as far as I know, none other than the Clock Work Goose. Its getting really frustrating that I can't get a hold of the rep who has the item for sale. I've resorted to sending them a PM on the forums here but there has been no response.

Seriously, impliment a persistant stall or start having NPC merchants sell some useful stuff instead. Everytime I look for a player merchant to buy healing potions from for instance there is never one around and a persistant stall would solve this issue in so many ways.

[respawnaholic]

Problem is this. There are other places yes. However, the players are not going to go to those other places to look for shops. I tried setting up a shop in the Drain, Degannwy, and even the village once. The problem is you sit there forever and no one shows up. When I had a shop in Degannwy, I even put up flyers stating their was a shop there. No one ever comes around. From my experience, the only successful place really is the outskirts. If you are going to sell things, you have to sit there because that is where the player base is at. Especially for crafted items.

Agreed, but if there is serious talk and consideration being given to having some form of player run stores/ stalls lets get it OUT of Vallaki. The biggest problem with the server is there is very little reason to actually ever leave Vallaki even for high level characters. I say put it in the Village somewhere. If people are going to leave the Outskirts/ Vallaki there needs to be a reason that outweighs the sheer drugery of overland travel several times per day on POTM.

[APorg]

It's inappropriate for the Village to become a great merchant hub. It could fit in Dementlieu's bazaar or at the Mist camp, however.

[herkles]

It's inappropriate for the Village to become a great merchant hub. It could fit in Dementlieu's bazaar or at the Mist camp, however.

agreed it doesn't fit the village at all as well as the village.

Now Dementlieu on the other hand, it fits perfect. There already places that are being owned or ran by players in the port, who are not native to dementilieu as well heh.

[EberronBruce]

Problem is this. There are other places yes. However, the players are not going to go to those other places to look for shops. I tried setting up a shop in the Drain, Degannwy, and even the village once. The problem is you sit there forever and no one shows up. When I had a shop in Degannwy, I even put up flyers stating their was a shop there. No one ever comes around. From my experience, the only successful place really is the outskirts. If you are going to sell things, you have to sit there because that is where the player base is at. Especially for crafted items.

Agreed, but if there is serious talk and consideration being given to having some form of player run stores/ stalls lets get it OUT of Vallaki. The biggest problem with the server is there is very little reason to actually ever leave Vallaki even for high level characters. I say put it in the Village somewhere. If people are going to leave the Outskirts/ Vallaki there needs to be a reason that outweighs the sheer drugery of overland travel several times per day on POTM.

The issue with this is a simple one. If you don't use the outskirts your competition will. The player base is expecting that is where they are to buy stuff. I been around a little bit on the server. I found some great stuff in other domains that if a lowbie character had access to them, they would probably be used. Like the shop in Har' Akir or in Hazlan. A big one for crafters is access to resources. Vallaki area it is easy to access resources while others it is a royal pain.

With the shop in Degannwy, I set up a bow shop and put flyers. I was there for about 3 days but no one even showed up. I don't make things as much as I used to because It forces me to stand around the outskirts bored out of my skull.

I always like the idea of a traveling merchant. Some folk shady, quirky, or otherwise different that sells things in unique areas. One a server on NWN2 I played a halfling merchant/bartender. He was a halfling that sold booze and a DM set up a nice tavern scene for me in a dungeon.

Problem being a traveling merchant is weight from the wares that you sell. When you store them in the Vallaki warehouse, why would you leave the vallaki area to sell? Especially if will not run into anyone and carry all this crap around.

I say it is up to the player base to move around and actually start taking initiative instead of standing around or trying to screw with someone. Lots of different variations and potential there can be if people will only try to seize it.

[respawnaholic]

It's inappropriate for the Village to become a great merchant hub. It could fit in Dementlieu's bazaar or at the Mist camp, however.

Its not fully aproppiate for the Village granted, but I wasnt thinking about some POTM Wallmart so much as type of "speak-easy" that sold things instead of bootleg alcohol. I would prefer to keep such a thing out of the Port simply because it already has something similar, the DMs already routinely host events there pretty much weekly in an attempt to get people to go there, and frankly the setting does nothing for me. Its "Prisoners of the Mist"...not "Sneering, Effete Wine-Tasters of the Mist". (My apoligies to anyone that may offend, but thats how the Port has always struck me.)

I was simply suggesting The Village for the totally OOC reason of enticing people to go there.

[herkles]

It's inappropriate for the Village to become a great merchant hub. It could fit in Dementlieu's bazaar or at the Mist camp, however.

Its not fully aproppiate for the Village granted, but I wasnt thinking about some POTM Wallmart so much as type of "speak-easy" that sold things instead of bootleg alcohol. I would prefer to keep such a thing out of the Port simply because it already has something similar, the DMs already routinely host events there pretty much weekly in an attempt to get people to go there, and frankly the setting does nothing for me. Its "Prisoners of the Mist"...not "Sneering, Effete Wine-Tasters of the Mist". (My apoligies to anyone that may offend, but thats how the Port has always struck me.)

I was simply suggesting The Village for the totally OOC reason of enticing people to go there.

The issue with that is that it kind of does not fit the mood, theme and feel of the village of Barovia, IMO anyways. The village is an isolated village, near castle ravenloft. It is very atmospheric, but it is not a place where you would see a speak-easy. What could work, and also encourge Barovians. is to give native barovians, to hold market days in the center of town from time to time, or own shops for the market days.

As for Dementlieu, It has horror a plenty in the domain. It isn't the same exact type as barovia but it certianly has horror.

[Springer]

The issue with that is that it kind of does not fit the mood, theme and feel of the village of Barovia, IMO anyways. The village is an isolated village, near castle ravenloft. It is very atmospheric, but it is not a place where you would see a speak-easy. What could work, and also encourge Barovians. is to give native barovians, to hold market days in the center of town from time to time, or own shops for the market days.

And what would barovians sell? Pork chops, food rations? Mundane weapons? Yes it would be fitting for the setting. it may even attract a crowd first few market days, but after that these barovians would just stay in the market alone near their good without anyone buying things from them and place would eventually become empty location.

As for Port. Its a nice place and it has potential for good political RP and subtle, not hack and slash horror. However I rarely was part of any horror or investigation events there (although there were few), most of events I saw were some balls, fashion shows or nobility celebrations which bore me personally (although I realise that I might be minority in this). Overall I just wish that high level play wont be encouraged out of Barovia entirely. Because in my opinion Dementlieu isnt fitting for everyone.

[Dread]

For me, I probably take the opposite stance of Springer. In Barovia, it's like "oh, look, another werewolf [yawn]". You become so desensitized to all the monsters roaming about that they cease to serve as any sort of threat to the PCs.

What I like about Deeloo is that the wolf is able to better blend into sheep's clothing, mostly because monsters are so alien and so uncommon, that people lower their defenses... and then...

[Bato]

For me, I probably take the opposite stance of Springer. In Barovia, it's like "oh, look, another werewolf [yawn]". You become so desensitized to all the monsters roaming about that they cease to serve as any sort of threat to the PCs.

What I like about Deeloo is that the wolf is able to better blend into sheep's clothing, mostly because monsters are so alien and so uncommon, that people lower their defenses... and then...

When everything is scary nothing is.

[EberronBruce]

Personally I would like to see AMPCs and MPCs spread out more and utilize the other areas of the server besides Vallaki.

I think Port Lucine would be an excellent place for a vampire. Har Akir an excellent place for a mummy. Ect...

Problem is that the population of the server is in vallaki particularly the outskirts. Thus playing an AMPC or MPC in other areas or domain, you would be bored out of your skull because there will be no one there to interact with.