Topic

Auction sniping

I noticed that when I list items slightly cheaper than the going rate at auction they are bought in less time than a human could possibly click through the confirmation screen.  Are some Glitches using APIs that auto-buy cheap items?  I'd love to hear from other players how they think auto-buy fits into the spirit of Glitch.  Auto-learn and favorsavor don't change the game for others in any meaningful sense, but auto-buy seems to directly interfere with equal Glitch opportunities.  What do you think?  Also, if you have funny cat pictures you should post them here too.

Posted 13 months ago by Sloppy Ketchup Subscriber! | Permalink

Replies

  • Just happened to have a cute squirrel pic open
    oi43.tinypic.com/25ksf0m.jpg
    Posted 13 months ago by Schizotypy Subscriber! | Permalink
  • a) yes. 
    b) if you don't feel like walking to a tool vendor, the sniper does it for you. 
    c) I don't like cats. 
    Posted 13 months ago by WalruZ Subscriber! | Permalink
  • The opportunity is equal as access to the sniper is equal.

    I think green hair is pretty.

    I am all out of funny cat pics, someone sniped them, try /b
    Posted 13 months ago by Krytalis Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Stoot was all in favor of the sniper when it came out.  http://www.glitch.com/forum/general/4584/#reply-38153
    Posted 13 months ago by Breaking Dawn Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Thanks for the responses and the squirrel!  I'm not so worried about whether TS thinks it's within the Community Guidelines, just wondering how regular players feel about being removed from the regular auction process.  The more we use APIs the less connected we are to the game (and I use favor saver frequently so I'm not saying there's a correct or incorrect way to play...)
    Posted 13 months ago by Sloppy Ketchup Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Actually, if you spent all your time looking through the auctions, you'd be less connected to the game.  

    When I use the sniper, it's so that I can spend more time in the game during the short time I'm online that day.  If I had to constantly refresh auction pages, I wouldn't be able to do much in the game.
    Posted 13 months ago by WindBorn Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Fair point WindBorn.  I suppose, for me, it's the difference between going to a bookstore in town or buying from amazon (except, of course, none of this is real).
    Posted 13 months ago by Sloppy Ketchup Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I use it to buy in bulk- like, 48 Lemburgers at a time, rather than having to click through a bunch of pages to buy them in lots of 2. 
    The only other thing I really use it for is to look for bargains on things I plan to use or give to someone (i.e., I don't stand in front of the Tool Vendor in Cebarkul reselling). And like Krytalis said, it's not like the sniper's only available to a handful of people.
    Posted 13 months ago by Djabriil Subscriber! | Permalink
  • deleted
    Posted 13 months ago by Baedelmot Subscriber! | Permalink
  • The OP asked for those :P Just read their post.
    Posted 13 months ago by Liza Throttlebottom Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I see no spam here.  
    Posted 13 months ago by Sloppy Ketchup Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Yes, I use sniping to get items without having to waste time looking through it all.. I have never bought cheaper items to resale..they are always for my own use! So it's great when there's a good deal :)
    Posted 13 months ago by Rapture Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Perhaps I am being un-Dude in my thinking.  Sounds like most folks appreciate the API!  I appreciate the responses, Glitches!  You're all beautiful (except you, three rows from the back on the left- your hair's a freakin' mess!)
    Posted 13 months ago by Sloppy Ketchup Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I'll actually argue that the Auction Sniper is more glitchian than the auto-learn scripts.

    Glitch, in many ways, is about exploring and experiencing. Apps such as the Glitch Academy remove the growth process. Sign up! Learn all your skills while you are away! Come back to a knowledgeable Glitch and forget the troubles of being a level 1 gardener and level 2 miner! And, if you're looking at the "optimal" way of doing things when signing up for your "classes", you're following a path that you might not have taken if you'd put thought into your skill choices as you go along. 

    The auction sniper may (and does) inflate some prices in the auction and it reduces the ability for folks to put great deals up in the auction for folks. But, at the same time, the price is set pretty much at just below what the Tool Vendor will pay (or, occasionally, the value at the shrines). This means that folks who don't want to head to the Tool Vendor (or don't yet know about the Tool Vendor) are given almost what they'd make by selling to him. The snipers get a touch of a "finders fee" or "travel cost". 

    That all said, I have used both. Yes, I feel more comfortable (and less "dirty") using the sniper, but after the great pumpkin incident of hallow-zillo-ween when I wound up with 0 currants an inbox filled with hundreds of pumpkins (pre mail changes! oy!), I must admit that I am a bit skittish. Seriously, like an hour or so of work for a few thousand currants. So much easier to just wander the Groddles or even, *gasp*shudder*, mine.
    Posted 13 months ago by Vera Strange Subscriber! | Permalink
  • i like my hair!
    Posted 13 months ago by BlackWolf Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Sloppy, you're right about that.  I much prefer to buy from fellow gamers through the auction than from the server computer algorithms at the vendors.
    Posted 13 months ago by WindBorn Subscriber! | Permalink
  • To be a bit less flippant, TPTB have said that they intend to redo the vendors and make them a less important part of the game.  It's possible they will let prices float and move more of the 'vendor only' items such as beer and liquor to player production, much the way they did with seasoned beans.   It would be interesting to see this happen, since a good deal for a buyer is less so of one for the seller.   
    Posted 13 months ago by WalruZ Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Many things are possible.  We all have our own ideas about what "improvements" might look like.
    Posted 13 months ago by WindBorn Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I have tried using the snipers, and the worst part about them is winning.  You have to be prepared to receive everything you said you would buy.
    Posted 13 months ago by Jewel Stoned Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Which means you have to be prepared to plan accordingly, perhaps buying in small chunks and paying attention to whether you really need something or not, rather than trying to snipe 300 EHSPs at a max price of 4000. 
    Posted 13 months ago by Djabriil Subscriber! | Permalink