One Click Per Posting with Addons in Cataclysm

Posted by Markco at 8:00 AM

Why Was this Added

You can thank one of Just My Two Copper's forum admin Zerotorescue, myself and Basil from Wow.com's Gold Capped. Zero came up with QA3's plugin (this link is to the newer version that you will want to download for posting/canceling in 4.0.1), I wrote an article on how to use it and Basil wrote about it in order to get Blue attention on the subject. Within a week there was a new PTR build that addressed the issue in code changes to the auction house commands all our favorite addons use to post items with. I'm not sure if I should celebrate or weep however.

Implementation

Since you will need to have a confirmation for every posting (that’s a single item or a single stack) in Cataclysm, most of these addons will simply add a Yes/No box similar to what Snatch scan in auctioneer uses already. You’ll hit Batch Post and then have to click Yes for every posting. Boo, Markco sad panda who needs hugs now.

The Good

Players will no longer be able to become semi-bots who click once (after setting up their prices and restrictions through auctioneer, qa3 or a host of other addons) and then walk away from their PC’s while they post. They will also no longer be able to run the QA3 plugin to constantly post auctions as long as they have room in their bags to keep cancelling and putting up new postings.

The Bad

Bots will still be bots. Players who are cheating and botting could still very easily circumvent this change by running their addons like always but having a click command sent every second to the server at the location of the “Accept Post” button or whatever these addons end up using to address the click per posting issue in 4.0. Bots will still exist, only now players will no longer be able to automate their own postings in order to challenge botters. You will also no longer be able to leave your PC even if you are doing a single batch post of your inventory. Your time on the auction house has been increased proportionally to the number of items you post every day.

Some people seem to think that this change will "fix" the 30 pages of single items such as infinite dust we see posted today. It won't.

How can you benefit from this change?

You’re going to need to adapt to the circumstances. Focusing your efforts on particular markets and not spreading yourself out too thin. Depending on your time restraints you will need to change the amount of items you post and also avoid undercutting wars. I would also go so far as to say that the old undercutting wars of glyph sellers are over for the players who don’t bot. Consolidating your efforts and minimizing time spent posting are going to be essential skills in cataclysm. I’ll be happy to lend you a hand in this regard of course. In fact, right now you can start by learning to use the /getall command in auctioneer to increase scan speed. You can learn more about this in my 22 steps to using auctioneer correctly.

Tip Zero

Zero worked hard to get this addon out right away so please give him a donation (I am in no way affiliated with him) at the curse download page.