Hey folks,

As our local community of devs and players were planning to build out our own trading platform for some of our players and stores, I suggested to the team to open it up wider to be a platform anyone can use.

As a long time MOTL user, I value our community and our history, so it's important to me to preserve that.

So my question is, how could we help? What could we build / update that would help the MOTL community?

We could, for instance, attempt to port over trade data or provide easy transfer of H/W lists to a new system. The question is, what would be the key features you'd want in your own ideal trading system?

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Originally posted by ploo:
Let's try polling the thread then

Hey folks,

As our local community of devs and players were planning to build out our own trading platform for some of our players and stores, I suggested to the team to open it up wider to be a platform anyone can use.

As a long time MOTL user, I value our community and our history, so it's important to me to preserve that.

So my question is, how could we help? What could we build / update that would help the MOTL community?

We could, for instance, attempt to port over trade data or provide easy transfer of H/W lists to a new system. The question is, what would be the key features you'd want in your own ideal trading system?

Cheers

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Technically I won't be of any use, but I can input some thoughts. Glad to see you've continued the ideas and are actually working on creating something.

An ideal trading system* should at least have:
*(meaning, just the trade function of the site)

- Up to date Price Guide;
- Search Engine (set/foil specific);
- Trade Matcher (set/foil specific at least).

And maybe:
- Indication as to whether or not willing to send overseas;
- A reference system (still vouching for 3rd party like MKM for instance). Perhaps, while I'm thinking about this, it is possible to enter a trade onto the site, showing who's sending what to who in what manner (registered or no) and which trader is sending first. Then, each party can confirm receipt of the other parties' cards. This will really help BTA cases as you could enter tracking numbers etc. This could be a sub-page of your H/W list like the References are now.
In this way you can leave the References for what they are as everybody can see what trades you did, how long ago it has been since your last trade (hacking inactive user accounts) and how well/fast it went.

But maybe I'm going overboard. Again. So far my 0.02.
Keep us posted. If you need feedback/input, LMK.

Oh, and no Avatars and flashy sigs like on Salvation pls

Edit: I don't think transferring H/W list is a necessity, more a convenience. Everybody could back-up their lists and then create a new one. This saves work and possible system-errors?
__________________
I'm a geek, you're a geek. Let's trade.

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Originally posted by ploo:
What could we build / update that would help the MOTL community?

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Pucatrade with forums.

I literally had more luck just this week trading on Pucatrade than I ever did here. I've always enjoyed the forums here, but trading was always a miserable experience. I was ripped on an Ancestral Recall in 2000. I've been ripped on stupid **** even like a Revised Wrath of God. I only have three refs because trading here was so f'ing obnoxious with people wanting to haggle down to the dime. The only action my list has gotten here was me updating it as I got what I was looking for through Pucatrade.

In my opinon, this form of M:tG trading is just about dead, whether it's MOTL, Deckbox, or The Sewers of MTGSal. Pucatrade has become an utter juggernaut. I'm not saying this as an advertisement. If I were, I'd be reflinking. There's the high end trading on Facebook if you want to do it that way.

I'd love for these forums to be updated and revamped and have more traffic, as that is something that has been a bit harder to find as of late. MTGSal is MTGShortbus, so that is right out. /r/magictcg is even worse. I kind of miss the SCG Forums.

I'm not trying to be a Debbie Downer, but at this point, you have to take a look at what Pucatrade brings to the table, and exceed that.

Interestingly, we weren't looking to build something that competes with other platforms - but extends them. In MOTL's particular case, it feels like people just need an improved, updated version.

Whereas Pucatrade - those who like it, love it. And those who don't will never try it. So IMO, if we could build something at builds on MOTL while extending Pucatrade - that would be ideal.

Although if there's a slim chance this site could be revamp or another site created like this i have no problem with that.

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Originally posted by kingtal0n:
Im still fine with this site the way it is. Its done the same thing for me for 15 years, I come and see some trades and news, hear about events I could never attend, and by using good judgement line up trades that I could afford to lose just in case. I would never depend on anybody sitting behind a computer anywhere to take control and fix anything in my life, not bad trades, not bad products, it is up to each of us to watch our own backs, and the backs of those whom we know we can trust and work together as a team to keep that trust.

FWIW The mechanics of this site is not so difficult to reproduce (it is after all, ancient as sites go), and I believe with some creative coding one could easily automatic a transcription process where the data/threads was moved over to a new site of equal or greater value, and a validation for each account could easily be implemented to ensure each user gets his or her own exact account replicated.

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Like you, our playgroup has been a part of MOTL for eons. And frankly, would prefer not to move if we didn't have to. But using this site (and some others) is a headache at times, which is why we're building our own.

Copying MOTL is quite simple, at the same time, if we're going to do something, might as well improve, right?

With regards to a transcription process, scraping all the data (without access) will not be an easy feat to achieve cost effectively, I believe.

User data, for example, is not something we could get. It would still need to be an active engagement for people do transfer their accounts. Of course, like any trading community, it is the community that matters - moreso than the platform. A trading site with no traders kinda defeats the purpose

Which is why I'd like to know what folks would like improved since we're building out something for the community at large.

i like how trades where done on deckbox

You propose a trade with someone. the trade can be adjusted until everyones happy and both sides confirm.
This eliminates botting.

Use can use an auto matcher to find people to trade with. Then use a deckbox like trade initiator.

Because the longer you wait, the more people are going to drift off and never come back.

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Originally posted by helpmehelpyou:
@ploo

i like how trades where done on deckbox

You propose a trade with someone. the trade can be adjusted until everyones happy and both sides confirm.
This eliminates botting.

Use can use an auto matcher to find people to trade with. Then use a deckbox like trade initiator.

i think its important that the reciever has to confirm a trade as well as the srnder. Since on puca if a card price jumps the sender can send it without the reciever being able to deny it. This leads to a lot of cancel requests and headaches.

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Thanks for the feedback. Never thought of trade initiator as I don't use deckbox. So why don't you use deckbox? or do you do both?

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If you, or anyone else, is looking to create a new MOTL, your best bet is to just build it, get the basic framework up, and start attracting people. Once you have it running you can worry about how you're going to port references over, or whether you should have avatars, or whatever. Just set it up. Then we can worry about details.
Because the longer you wait, the more people are going to drift off and never come back.

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Thanks for this. We've thought about this. There a many, many MTG related tools, sites, etc. online and in app stores already. We are trying not to rush to build something as we were initially just building something for our own community of players and stores to use. And we have our own very specific requirements.

But to build something for a wider community, we want to make sure we built it right.

At the same time, we understand the need for something new for MOTL users, so we'll start beta testing soon with our community, and once it's ready to share, we will do so.

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Originally posted by ploo:
Thanks for the feedback. Never thought of trade initiator as I don't use deckbox. So why don't you use deckbox? or do you do both?

Thanks for this. We've thought about this. There a many, many MTG related tools, sites, etc. online and in app stores already. We are trying not to rush to build something as we were initially just building something for our own community of players and stores to use. And we have our own very specific requirements.

But to build something for a wider community, we want to make sure we built it right.

At the same time, we understand the need for something new for MOTL users, so we'll start beta testing soon with our community, and once it's ready to share, we will do so.

Thanks and stay tuned

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If you are beta-testing, why not include 1-2 guys from MOTL right away?

__________________
I'm a geek, you're a geek. Let's trade.

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Originally posted by LandDestroyer:
have you read through all of this yet?

http://classic.magictraders.com/ubb/Forum12/HTML/018076.html

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Thank you - on it

*** Happy new year, everyone! Just an FYI - we were off for vacation for much of December, but now we're back in full force.

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Originally posted by vancimus:
Wow. Just found this now. Never been much for the forums but still use the H/W daily. I very much appreciate all that still assist keeping this site going. I will be here until the end regardless. Hopefully I can trade with all who remain.
Ploo- you give me hope the glory days of this site can be possible again!
Thx to all!
MIKe

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Thanks Mike.

Development has been progressing well. We will continue testing through the next week and hopefully have a closed beta shortly.

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Originally posted by vancimus:
So I have been reading through the forums to catch up on all the discussions you fine people are having. I am willing to donate some moolah to help with building new site or if you would like some form of pizza party (mmmm pizza). I am not a coder and cannot spend all day on a site but can assist the group if needed.
Keep me in mind as this is my home too and I wish to preserve whatever can be preserved!
Hi 5's to all!
MIKe

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Thanks for the offer.

Last night, I actually just hired a senior developer to help us carry this through the next three weeks to completion.

That said, I really don't want to take donations at this point. Once we have the site up, you could then consider signing up for as a donor member (if we have this option later on).

Really appreciate the help though.

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Originally posted by LandDestroyer:
I had never read this article by Dean until now (2012):

http://www.magictraders.com/content/near-future-motl

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Originally posted by Shadow88:
Reading through that blog made me realize MOTL has a store linked to Eudomonia. Who knew?!

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Originally posted by Shadow88:
Reading through that blog made me realize MOTL has a store linked to Eudomonia. Who knew?!

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Originally posted by paragondave:
I thought everyone did. Where do you think all the efforts to update went?

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Originally posted by Tha Gunslinga:
Because the longer you wait, the more people are going to drift off and never come back.

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The man speaketh the truth!

Seriously. I float back here every once in a while to see if this site still exists, if there's still people here which is a shell of what it once was.

__________________
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"The tin man says I'm doing fine"

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