Improve trade information accessibility

[Ariete]

-snip-
There are some common trading terms such as the "3 month rule" and the "2:1 rule" that I'm not sure whether to include or not. Particularly the 2:1 rule as it is not at all rarity based and fairly unrealistic in practice. However in saying that, these are still terms that are used a lot when giving trade advice and many players don't know what they mean.

Thoughts? Would this be helpful for what you are trying to achieve here? I'd appreciate honest feedback, whatever that may be ^^

re: “3 month rule” and “2:1 rule” - I think they should be included, but as examples of the sorts of ways players see their trades as “fair”. They could be examples of ways newbies could trade their pets, they don’t have to be put in the thread as “this is a definitive way of doing things and we recommend doing them.” Something more along the lines of a definition, just so that if a newbie got a trade saying “hey I’m using the three month rule here!” they would know what that means. It could also be that part of that could also be including the limitations and pros of each “way” of trading? I know it’s a bit subjective but a short explanation as to why some people like it and why some people don’t may work.

On your entire suggestion, Aurora, I really like your ideas simply because you’ve summed up, in my opinion, what this thread is trying to get at. I really hope we can make this a reality and make it an informative resource that allows players to be informed when making choices about their trades, as opposed to having anything unshifting, definitive, and concrete.

I second this! This way it becomes clear to new users that there are multiple ways of trading and gives everyone a refresher.

[Aurora Storm]

Thank you all for the feedback! I'll keep working on the updates I mentioned and hopefully get them finished in the near future (I'll post an update on the Guide to CS Rarities thread when they're up).

I will definitely consider adding definitions for the 3 month and 2:1 rules, although I am still slightly hesitant because the Guide was designed to be completely data-based and not include any demand or user-opinion related influences. I wonder if maybe these definitions would be better suited to a trading guide rather than a rarity guide? However, I can see how that goes somewhat against your point of wanting a hub of information that's easily accessible.

[Karma.]

@ Aurora Storm, my apologies, I think I slightly misread your original post. I’ve gone back and reread it and I understand it a little bit better now!

You make a very fair point. I can see the issue with having things more to do with “trade” in a rarities guide - they wouldn’t quite fit. But then on the same note, having information spread across a bajillion different threads defeats the purpose of improving accessibility. If you were to include the definitions, I think you would have to make a divider in the thread (maybe alongside some notes on each new post) that clearly separates the “factual” (i.e the things you’ve already mentioned about rarities etc.) from the user-made, fluid, changing ideas that can be interpreted in many different ways. I think having them all in one thread isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it would just be making sure there’s a decent number of “warnings” as to where it ends and begins. On the other hand, the final post could always link to a thread on CS trading subjectivity, which could be an in-depth guide with user examples of how they personally trade. No right or wrong answer, just literally a list of “there’s option A, there’s option B, or create your own!”

That’s just an idea and I think whichever path you go down will be great!

sorry for the block of text i just woke up and my brain went whirrrrr

[holodog]

I would completely understand keeping a thread to one topic, imo it would actually be better that way. It could go either way, keeping that information off the thread so everything is sticking to one topic and reducing clutter, or having that stuff on that thread as a temporary source of information. This predicament is exactly what the suggestion is trying to combat so I hope we wouldn't have to come up with temporary solutions for long haha

[W0LF]

Perhaps I've misunderstood the last few comments(?) though I'm mainly posting this as a general response to the topic.

There is a hub of information / a guide of guides:

• A Guide Index 👈


I really like the idea of offering this to new users especially, as it guides them rather than implying they must strictly follow one list, or that different trade styles are precisely right or wrong.
Users can figure out what does or doesn't work for them, & what they feel most comfortable with.

It's just lots of good info & resorces,
all linked together on one page.

May not be a bad idea to 'pin' this to the top of the main board, so it would be easier to access quickly.
...Maybe there could be a request to add onto this with things like the "3 month rule" and "2:1" terminologies?

I don't think it would be wise to claim any of this
as "official" however, as they are user made guides.

Again, I may have misunderstood the discussion.
I admittedly skimmed through comments.
My apologies if my comment seems out of place.

[holodog]

Not really what's been asked for, but yes it would be a good idea to put such a thread in a more accessible place. It also hasn't been updated in a hot minute.

As you said they're mostly user-made, some of them are made by staff but would like some official guides. Further, preferably guides that are on their own pages rather than in big forum posts.

I understand my original post is quite lengthy so I'll also repeat that by "official" I am not demanding or implying the creation of staff-made resources that would confirm values or claim user-made terms, practices, values, etc. as official.