MapleSilver
Frost Egg Collector
Just as a little reminder on what the Auction House even was, it was a building introduced in City Folk. It was located in The City, and allowed auctions to be held between neighbors and visiting players. It was completely useless, simply being a much more convoluted way to accomplish something that could easily be done without its existence. I cannot think of any situation where using this building would benefit the player, other than perhaps a bit of novelty from the experience.
I believe the idea behind this building was a good one, but that it was so poorly implemented as to make me question the competency of whoever was in charge of it. Here is how I believe the Auction House can not only be brought back, but become an invaluable part of online trading. From here on, I will be renaming this building to the Marketplace, as its function will expand to include more than just auctions.
Online Auctions
I think auctions should still definitely take place here, but they should be implemented in a way similar to Club Tortimer. Players could join rooms of strangers, and live auctions would then take place between these players. In these rooms, each player could offer an item to be displayed on their specific pedestal, where other players would then bid on it. I understand this mode may devolve into a cesspool of trolls and hackers, but there could be certain ways to keep this in check. Auctions could also be organized between groups of friends, though I do not know how often this would be used. Since if you are already friends, you can probably make arrangements outside the game. It would still be a nice touch however.
Private Trading
This is the mode I think would be most useful, and the main reason I want this building to return. Having a specific building dedicated to trading items would not only provide a much more streamlined experience, but eliminate the risk of strangers destroying your town. Friends who are both online and present in their town's marketplace can request a private trade. This would function very similar to the trading system in Pokémon, except instead of Pokémon, it would be Animal Crossing bells and items. Before a trade is finalized, players must each confirm that they agree to the trade, making scamming impossible as long as you take the time to look at it. During this period your entire ABD account would be accessible, so if you need to transfer millions of bells at once, it is no longer such an unpleasant experience.
Stalk Market
This would be a small touch, but I think it could work to relocate turnip trading into this building. Since turnips are basically seen as an investment in the AC world, it makes sense for there to exist a "stalk exchange" building.
Layout
Due to being a building where wealth is exchanged, the design should feel very regal. Perhaps a Baroque style would be appropriate, especially with the building's music in City Folk. There would be 2 floors. The first containing the Stalk Exchange, and the second floor containing private trading rooms. Despite its antiquated architecture, there would be many electronic devices to keep track of stock prices. Almost like the building has a long history, and has been recently renovated to become more modern.
That concludes this entry. Feel free to expand on this idea in the comments, and to provide any feedback at all. I look forward to reading your opinions.
I believe the idea behind this building was a good one, but that it was so poorly implemented as to make me question the competency of whoever was in charge of it. Here is how I believe the Auction House can not only be brought back, but become an invaluable part of online trading. From here on, I will be renaming this building to the Marketplace, as its function will expand to include more than just auctions.
Online Auctions
I think auctions should still definitely take place here, but they should be implemented in a way similar to Club Tortimer. Players could join rooms of strangers, and live auctions would then take place between these players. In these rooms, each player could offer an item to be displayed on their specific pedestal, where other players would then bid on it. I understand this mode may devolve into a cesspool of trolls and hackers, but there could be certain ways to keep this in check. Auctions could also be organized between groups of friends, though I do not know how often this would be used. Since if you are already friends, you can probably make arrangements outside the game. It would still be a nice touch however.
Private Trading
This is the mode I think would be most useful, and the main reason I want this building to return. Having a specific building dedicated to trading items would not only provide a much more streamlined experience, but eliminate the risk of strangers destroying your town. Friends who are both online and present in their town's marketplace can request a private trade. This would function very similar to the trading system in Pokémon, except instead of Pokémon, it would be Animal Crossing bells and items. Before a trade is finalized, players must each confirm that they agree to the trade, making scamming impossible as long as you take the time to look at it. During this period your entire ABD account would be accessible, so if you need to transfer millions of bells at once, it is no longer such an unpleasant experience.
Stalk Market
This would be a small touch, but I think it could work to relocate turnip trading into this building. Since turnips are basically seen as an investment in the AC world, it makes sense for there to exist a "stalk exchange" building.
Layout
Due to being a building where wealth is exchanged, the design should feel very regal. Perhaps a Baroque style would be appropriate, especially with the building's music in City Folk. There would be 2 floors. The first containing the Stalk Exchange, and the second floor containing private trading rooms. Despite its antiquated architecture, there would be many electronic devices to keep track of stock prices. Almost like the building has a long history, and has been recently renovated to become more modern.
That concludes this entry. Feel free to expand on this idea in the comments, and to provide any feedback at all. I look forward to reading your opinions.
