I honestly think just a reversed version of the market from last time would be good. You can pay more for the larger shops, sure... but the smaller ones will be closer to the front. I think that would make more sense. If theres no downside to getting a larger shop, then they will never turn over and the same players will continue to make the most money the entire time (like last time)
Similar to the old /tp market, however instead of players renting out the entire shop within the middle circle, the shops should represent categories and players should be able to (for a small fee) be able to place a ChestShop inside. The old shops were too pricey and too few for many players so I suggest this approach. BuildingBlocks/DecorationBlocks/Foodstuffs/Combat/Tools/Brewing/Enchanting/LoreItems The outer ring shops will be completely rentable however, just like the old /tp market and as such, more expensive. Although /ah let’s Players obtain quick materials, I think physical shops will be more popular with certain players, especially since items on /ah get pushed off the list after some time. Chest shops also work as advertisement for merchants so that players know who to hit up instead of waiting for a reply in (T:) Trade chat. But the lag! I hear you gasp. Well, you should be able to physically see the Marketplace from spawn, however using that super nifty MassiveGate feature that makes transition from one place to the next seemingly seamless, this shouldn’t be a problem since it would technically exist elsewhere. “Any reason to at least get occasional traffic through spawn would liven things up.” -Ethibas T, MassivecraftForums
Would it be possible to just have a giant ring of shops sitting around one central courtyard? Considering how many shops we'd need to fit in this market to accommodate our player base, I'm willing to admit that this might make the "central couryard" WAY too big, so this idea might not work, but the main thing I wanted to throw out there is that radial symmetry is key for making this market fair and competitive. The old upper, middle, and lower ring system was a good idea in theory, but unless you had a large shop (aka, the first shops players saw when they spawned in), you got basically no traffic. This is why I gotta say @Zacatero , I don't think your idea of flipping the order so small shops are the first shops people see is going to help, it'll just make the small shops the only shops players ever visit. It's all about convenience, so if at all possible, we really need to try and make each shop an equal distance from spawn.
The market design has been finalized and we are awaiting release, pending the Tech Department. Thanks for your suggestions! (Not implying this is the design we have gone with, just stating that design has been completed).
