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HotDropShop.com -- An experiment in auction models
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Ashireka
Quantum Force Inc.
DammFam
#1 - 2015-08-10 04:23:59 UTC
I think a little FISCL research project of mine is about ready for a wider alpha test...

http://hotdropshop.com/ is an entertainment auction site for in-game EVE stuff. Currently featuring two kinds of auctions:

Gallente Auction: This is a "hidden Dutch" auction. When you place a bid, the price goes down by a certain amount, and then you have the exclusive right to purchase the item at that price -- but only for about 60 seconds. If your bid happens to take the price down to zero, you immediately win the item at zero cost.

Minmatar Auction: This is a "lowest unique bid" auction. At the end of the auction (either when the timer runs out, or when all the required bids have been placed) the person who bid the lowest number that nobody else bid, wins the item at their bid price. For example, if two people bid 1,000 ISK, and another person bid 3,000 ISK, the 3,000 ISK bid wins, because it's unique -- 1,000 ISK bids were lower, but they were not unique.

...and yes, I've got some idea around other auction models for "Caldari" and "Amarr" auction types but want to get things going before putting too much into their development.

Would love to get some feedback. Every signup gets a few credits to play with, but the first 25 to use the promo code 'alphatester1' get some bonus credits and ISK to help test the system with. Deposits appear to be working, near as I can tell, for the bold/addicted. Big smile

-Ashireka
Sheeth Athonille
TerraTroopers
Get Off My Lawn
#2 - 2015-08-10 04:45:42 UTC
Seems interesting, will be fun to see if/how much it grows Smile

I'd recommend getting some larger items so people may win more than just a cruiser (though I guess that will come with time as well as funds lol). Also, I'd recommend a way for people to withdrawl extra isk they have deposited into the system (maybe same with GROC's? or a way to sell them to other players?). Unless I missed it, I don't believe there is anyway to withdraw isk after you have deposited it. And since people have the option of paying for the item after they already won it, there really isn't any need for them to deposit isk in the first place (just seems kind of clunky to me). Finally, you may want to decrease the amount of time that the Gallente auctions are going. As it stands, I tend to doubt that anyone is going to bid anything until after the time is just about to run out.

Just a couple observations I made, good luck Smile
Ashireka
Quantum Force Inc.
DammFam
#3 - 2015-08-10 05:00:41 UTC
Thanks for the feedback!

There isn't currently a withdrawal option, but there's no reason not to add it... ISK needs to be deposited buy more GROCs or pay for them if they're won at auction, so I can't really get away with "no deposit needed". But yes, there's no reason not to be able to return unused ISK. I'll bump that up my list of "things to do".

With regards to the Gallente auction time limits, are you suggested they should go longer... or shorter? I can definitely make them shorter, but since there's almost no one on the site yet, I'll need to work out how to automagically recycle the auctions. ;)

-Ashireka
Ashireka
Quantum Force Inc.
DammFam
#4 - 2015-08-10 05:09:01 UTC
Oh, and yes on larger items, but those need more traffic to compensate for the COGS... For experimenting, I'm sticking to things I can afford take a loss on. :)

-Ashireka
Illegal Spokeswoman
Doomheim
#5 - 2015-08-10 10:36:58 UTC
I'd be happy to help in any way I can. I think it has the potential to do really well.

Maybe a few tweeks to get it more friendly and for it to be more rewarding (see http://madbid.com/ system) and i think you've got something great.

II

★ Illegal Investments ★ Banking ★
Ashireka
Quantum Force Inc.
DammFam
#6 - 2015-08-10 16:12:26 UTC
Illegal Spokeswoman wrote:
Maybe a few tweeks to get it more friendly and for it to be more rewarding (see http://madbid.com/ system) and i think you've got something great.


The UI is definitely rough, fully admitted -- UI is not my forte, and I wanted to just get something workable out to see if I could do it. Thanks for the vote of confidence that it could lead somewhere, though!

You found one of my "inspiration sites" ;) I'm actually thinking of the traditional 'penny auction' model as being Caldari -- but the model doesn't pencil out until the site has some traction, so I haven't worked that model up yet.

-Ashireka
Archibald Thistlewaite III
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Miners
#7 - 2015-08-10 16:40:31 UTC
Just so this is clear in my own mind.

I buy GROCs (your made up currency) with isk.

I then pay GROCs for each bid I place.

If I win the auction I then pay with isk to get the item.?

Just out of curiosity have you run this by CCP? As there are only a few ways they allow isk to be used as payment for out of game services and I'm not sure buying your GROCs would be one of them.

User of 'Bumblefck's Luscious & Luminous Mustachio Wax'
Ashireka
Quantum Force Inc.
DammFam
#8 - 2015-08-10 17:06:45 UTC  |  Edited by: Ashireka
I've had a few people ask me this question over the past few days. I have not specifically asked them yet, preferring to test the model first, but nothing I have read in any of the terms or licensing agreements have told me it's not allowed.

Specifically, you are allowed to charge ISK for services on your site (question 2 of the FAQ on https://developers.eveonline.com/resource/faq )

The equivalent real-world example is arcade tokens. You go to an arcade, you put real money into a machine and get back tokens that are really only good in the arcade, and are non-refundable. These are not a currency, these are a fee paid to use the services of the arcade.

Everything auctioned is either in-game items (which could be bought for ISK anyway), or more tokens (which can also be bought for ISK within the application).

I'm pretty confident that nothing violates the rules. Is there a specific rule I've missed that you can point out to me?

-Ashireka
Archibald Thistlewaite III
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Miners
#9 - 2015-08-11 01:25:21 UTC  |  Edited by: Archibald Thistlewaite III
Guidelines and FAQ wrote:
2. Q) Can I charge people ISK (the in-game currency) for access to my application?
A) Yes


But you are not charging isk for access to your application. You are charging isk for an item which is unrelated to Eve. I don't know if thats allowed, so maybe ask CCP first if they allow it. Its your call.

Either way good luck ripping of the masses. o7

User of 'Bumblefck's Luscious & Luminous Mustachio Wax'