[Braen]

Not a big update, but I thought I woudl pass it along as selling while offline (in EQ2) and the Auctionhouse (in WoW) was a hot topic at their launch, as usual Brad-speak in bold:

I think a combination of offline player owned non-global vendors and players online selling and buying is what we're aiming for -- a little bit of the 'best of both worlds' here -- the main thing is that it's not global, which should make for a more interesting economy and hopefully price fluctuations based on where you are and where the item(s) you are buying and selling came from.

Remember, you will not be able to place offline vendors just anywhere -- most likely just in cities and player controlled towns, so there should still be online buying/selling/trading in areas where you cannot place vendors. Plus, even if you update your vendor(s) stock and prices frequently, supply and demand should be changing all of the time, so haggling for that much sought after loot will likely still be most efficient dealing with players who are online.

Brad stated in the past about creating "Silk Roads" Having resources only availible in certain areas and relying on the player base to transport them where they are needed. This creates a supply and demand situation, where in the area where the material is in abundance the price is low, but if the merchant had to transport it across the world (while is hinted at being incredibly large) through dangerous territory, it would drive the price up big time.

Imagine being a merchant trying to make a profit, you had to hire players/mercenaries to protect your caravan over a trade route and you paid them out of the profts from selling your goods. Or you could commision an group of players/merchants to deliver the goods to you from a long way off.

Of course teleports, insta travel and gates could all make this trival, but I ahve a feeling insta travel/teleports/books will be something Brad will fight against to make the world feel like a world and not a big hallway with lots fo doors to your favorite zones ala PoK.