Auction house

Alpha-1 Auctioneer NPC.

Ashes of Creation concept art.

Auction houses accompany unique node buildings in Economic nodes.

• Markets in Village level economic nodes have auction houses that allow raw resources and processed goods to be posted.
• Exchanges in Town nodes have expanded auction houses that allow all goods/items to be posted.
• Economic nodes that have reached the metropolis stage unlock the linked economy superpower.
  • Up to two economic metropolises may be linked in this manner.
  • Metropolis level economic nodes enable worldwide sale prices for auction houses across Verra.
  • Items listed in one linked economic node can be bid on from any other linked economic node.
  • Linked economies also connect an economic metropolis and its vassal economic nodes.

If a Node is the Vassal Node of an Economic Node, an Auctioneer NPC appears in that Vassal Node. The Auctioneer allows players to list non-resource/processed materials in the Parent Node’s Auction House, but players cannot bid on items from this Auctioneer. These resources and processed materials must be stored within an Economic Node in order to be listed in that Node’s Auction House. In order to bid, they must still travel to the Auction House in the Parent Node.

Auction houses enable players to list items at the Economic node in which the auction house is located.

• A listing fee will be charged to list items in the auction house.
• Vassal nodes of the auction house node will be able to view items that are listed on that auction house, regardless of node type of the vassal node.
  • This will be possible through an auctioneer emissary in that node.
  • Items cannot be listed in non-economic vassal nodes.
• Items listed are also visible in community boards (bulletin boards).

• Integrated auction houses allow players to purchase items directly from remote auction houses.
  • Purchases of materials and gatherables will be automatically deposited within the listing node's local warehouse. Players will need to travel to that warehouse to retrieve them. Players wishing to move these items elsewhere will need to utilize the caravan system or other type of transportation.
  • Purchases of anything other than materials and gatherables will be mailed to the purchaser.

• There may be a taxation difference between auction houses versus other player businesses.

Economy

Currency concept art.

The economy is usually something that happens in the background of other games. From day one we knew that the economy was going to be something really important to us. – Jeffrey Bard

Markets in Ashes of Creation are regional, which means that each market has its own character. Because resources will shift locations as they’re exhausted, this will keep people moving about the world, seeking out the best resources for their crafting builds, and the best markets for their goods.

• There will be no central auction house or warehouse.
  • Auction houses in up to two economic metropolises (including their vassal nodes) can be linked with the linked economy superpower.
• There will be item decay and other ways to combat inflation.
• There will be player to player trading.

One major feature in our economy that differs from most fantasy style MMOs is that we're not approaching it from a global scale. Rather, we're trying to carve the world up into regions and make each one focus independently, while of course at the same time working together. – Peter Pilone

Markets

Market within a node (Pre-alpha).

A market is a type of unique node building in Ashes of Creation that unlocks at Village (stage 3) of an Economic node.. Markets serve as a center for the transaction of goods and services within the area. Players can use the Market to access features including (but not limited to) some of the following:

• Auction house where raw resources and processed goods may be posted.
• Trade hauling stables for Tier 1 mule training.
• Player shop areas for personal shop deployment and rental stalls.
• Private property sale certificates.
• Hunter’s Post (higher redemption for Tier 1 creature bounties).

Markets are distinct from Marketplaces, which are constructible node buildings that are available for placement by mayors of any Town (stage 4) node or higher.

Bulletin boards

Bulletin board concept art by Michael Bacon..

Bulletin boards are available within nodes and player taverns.

• A market UI lists the current items available for sale in the node and in the same economic region.
  • This includes items for sale in player stalls and auction houses.
  • Players can't purchase directly from the market UI. Instead it gives the location of player stalls where the items may be purchased.
• Encourage localized grouping.
• Enable posting of jobs.
• Quest sponsorship.

Personal shops

Confectioner’s Delight pre-order pack cosmetic building skin for the cooking profession.

Personal shops (player owned shops) are a type of building in Ashes of Creation. Certificates to place personal shops may be purchased by citizens and non-citizens from Economic nodes.

• These certificates allow the placement of a personal shop near the unique building in an economic node or on a freehold.
  • This may have changed to certificates allowing personal shops to be placed anywhere in the world.
• Once the economic node has reached metropolis stage, personal shops may be placed anywhere in the world.
• Unlike player stalls, items for sale in personal shops are not listed in the parent node or at auction houses.
• Also unlike player stalls, personal shops require the player to be online.

Personal shops are different from player stalls and auction houses.

Player stalls

Alpha-1 player stall 3D renders by Adam Will.

Player stalls in a market setting concept art.

Player stalls (also called Kiosks and rental stalls) are rentable locations near the unique building in an Economic node or in Marketplaces (the "constructible" building available for placement by mayors of any Town (stage 4) node or higher).

All nodes do have the ability to spawn player stalls. If you're not an economic node and you don't have a market- that's essentially your unique building- then you can construct essentially what is I guess would be called a... marketplace; and that marketplace will then come with certain services and it will come with a certain number of stalls. The economic node as I recall has the ability to construct an auction house and the auction house serves through the economic means the ability to list and sell items and that comes with additional stalls as well for the players. – Steven Sharif

Renting a player stall enables players to sell items as well as provide repair and enchanting services, even when they are not online.

• Player stalls may be utilized for a period of time based on the price paid to rent the stall.
• An attendant is assigned to the stall.
  • This NPC may be an "image" of the player.
• Bulletin boards that list the items available in player stalls can be accessed from anywhere in the region.
  • These give the location of the stall so players can travel there and purchase the items.
• Stall sales are also listed in auction houses.
  • This may no longer be accurate.
• Players are able to input required items for repair and also purchase required materials for that repair.
• Players are not able to be attacked while occupying their player stall.
• Player stalls are rentable by node citizens.

Player stalls are different from personal shops and auction houses.

Economic nodes

Economic metropolis.

Economic nodes are focused on trade and merchants.

If playing the game of supply and demand is something you enjoy, the Economic Node Type is one you’ll want to find citizenship in. Whether it’s trading goods across land and sea, hoarding the income you make, or purchasing whatever you fancy, Economic Nodes provide a plethora of ways for players in Ashes of Creation to grow their fortune, build their reputation, and attain rare goods or fame. During the Expedition stage of this Node, players will encounter merchants looking for the help of brave adventurers and curious artisans. If you choose to aid them, the once-small Expedition could grow into a sprawling Metropolis with rare items from lands afar!

Economic node benefits

Economic nodes that have reached the metropolis stage unlock the linked economy superpower. Economic nodes with this superpower share their Auction house listings with all others.

• Up to two economic metropolises may be linked in this manner.
• Metropolis level economic nodes enable worldwide sale prices for auction houses across Verra.
• Items listed in one linked economic node can be bid on from any other linked economic node.
• Linked economies also connect the economic metropolis and its vassal economic nodes.

Economic Nodes that have reached the Metropolis Stage unlock the Superpower “Linked Economy”. Any Economic Node with this Superpower unlocked shares Auction House listings with all the others, meaning that the items listed in one Linked Economy Node can be bid on from any other Linked Economy Node. Linked Economies also connect a Metropolis and any Vassal Economic Nodes belonging to that Metropolis.

The Linked Economy Superpower has the potential to create a massive market that spans the world. This will allow players to attain and sell goods with ease, providing those who have access to these Economic Nodes a faster path to fortune in the lands of Ashes of Creation.

Unique node buildings

Alpha-1 Node buildings.

Each node type has a unique node building associated with it that can be activated at the Village stage of node advancement. The unique building plays a central role in the progress of civilization for a server.

• Economic nodes
  1. Markets
  2. Exchange
  3. Galleria
  4. Emporium

• Scientific nodes
  1. Library
  2. College
  3. University
  4. Academy

Escrow system

An escrow system is planned to prevent griefing in the crafting system.

We're going to have a UI... you're gonna put the resources in or they're gonna put the resources in. It'll be like an escrow system and then once [the job] is complete you'll get the item they'll get the money.

Artwork

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See also

• Markets
• Economy
• Node buildings