Posted May 31, 2021 Alrighty, so I didn't play for several years and so I'm doing a lot of trading to get the stuff I missed during the time I was gone. However I tend to see a lot of this: Wants: Free, for any CB or Wants: Free for a hatchie or something like that. Generally stuff like Wants: Free for [insert request here] Now I understand that you gotta do a Dummy-Return if you want to gift something via the Trading Hub. But how does it make sense to ask for something specific in return? Is this something I missed? Sorry but I am just confused. Either it's free or it's not free or am I somewhat mistaken? Share this post Link to post
Posted May 31, 2021 I've come to see it as the trade creator's way of (potentially) getting something they want more than the egg they're trading OR getting a variety of offers OR just getting something more 'desirable' to toss back to the AP. Also, some ask for an egg/hatchling in return just as a way to 'track' who the traded dragon went to [something you can't always do with a one-way trade link posted in the DC Notice Board or a similar topic] OR to check a scroll if the text says something like: Free to anyone without a *insert breed here* But that's just my take on it Share this post Link to post
Posted May 31, 2021 I think some people are just playing fast and loose with the definition of 'free'. Share this post Link to post
Posted May 31, 2021 (edited) I mean quite frankly that's like inserting my fridge into ebay saying "it's free to anyone who gives me a tenner". I'm not saying it's a rip off or anything, just it's not free. And I understand that some people want the dragons to go to someone with no trophies or no specimen of this dragon. But compared with the fridge that be like "free to anyone who is able to pick it up within 3 days". I just don't remember this from when I played. 😵 Edited May 31, 2021 by Nalyua Share this post Link to post
Posted May 31, 2021 2 hours ago, Chaosdawn said: I think some people are just playing fast and loose with the definition of 'free'. You missed the one that was 'Free for 4 CB hatchlings.' Share this post Link to post
Posted May 31, 2021 I think sometimes it's totally understandable (like saying 'free for hatchie' if you are egg-locked for example), and other times it's more designed so the trade will show up when anyone searches for 'free' in the want-box text. Either way it's maybe a little strange, but it's allowed as per mods (and even TJ himself I believe). Personally the 'strange requests' I find more confusing/frustrating are the ones that ask for literally impossible things, like CB hybrid-breeds or GoNs (which can't be traded) or holidays way out of season. I never know if it's someone purposefully being troll-y or someone who genuinely doesn't understand that those things aren't possible (and then I feel bad that there is no way to tell that person they'll never get what they are asking for). Share this post Link to post
Posted June 2, 2021 On 5/31/2021 at 7:00 AM, Nalyua said: Alrighty, so I didn't play for several years and so I'm doing a lot of trading to get the stuff I missed during the time I was gone. However I tend to see a lot of this: Wants: Free, for any CB or Wants: Free for a hatchie or something like that. Generally stuff like Wants: Free for [insert request here] Now I understand that you gotta do a Dummy-Return if you want to gift something via the Trading Hub. But how does it make sense to ask for something specific in return? Is this something I missed? Sorry but I am just confused. Either it's free or it's not free or am I somewhat mistaken? No, you aren't mistaken. It is NOT free, not the way they are advertising in those trades. I believe those types of trades should be stopped. On 5/31/2021 at 10:03 AM, Chaosdawn said: I think some people are just playing fast and loose with the definition of 'free'. ^^This. Very much! On 5/31/2021 at 10:40 AM, Nalyua said: I mean quite frankly that's like inserting my fridge into ebay saying "it's free to anyone who gives me a tenner". I'm not saying it's a rip off or anything, just it's not free. <snip> I just don't remember this from when I played. 😵 Definitely not free. What IS free is asking for a RANDOM AP DUMMY -- and no, asking for a hatchling, which is more valuable, especially for new players, doesn't count as a dummy UNLESS the post specifies "dummy AP egg or hatchling" so that the person has a choice. Of course, this assumes both a newish player and the trader will realize the problem with asking for a hatchie is egglock. You're right; it was not like this when you played before. This would not have been allowed back then. Share this post Link to post
Posted June 2, 2021 8 hours ago, missy_ said: You're right; it was not like this when you played before. This would not have been allowed back then. This is the quite the statement. There's nothing here that breaks the rules. As said above, please do not report these trades - while you may not agree with the definition of 'free' there's nothing wrong with asking for something in exchange for your egg. That is in fact how the hub works... however you choose to word it. Share this post Link to post
Posted June 2, 2021 It's a bit like keyword stuffing on websites to get more views when there's no content relevant on the page. It might not be against any rules but most people find it annoying... not much we can do besides ignore those trades. Share this post Link to post
Posted June 2, 2021 Personally, I feel like this has to do with the blending of contexts. This is how it works, in my pov: A person goes to the hub enough to associate the "free" label with "put anything here" (since the trades aren't really free, you can just give back whatever you want). Afterwards, say, they only want a CB, but they don't care for what it is. But now the "free" label is deeply associated with "put anything here", so much so that writing down "free cb" automatically equates to "put anything CB here" in their head. That's how it is for me, even though I never posted trades like this. Share this post Link to post
Posted June 2, 2021 (edited) Asking anything for a "free" egg or hatchling still seems fraudulent to me. Saying it is okay just makes the word meaningless. It makes me very sad to see the corruption of a word with a very meaningful and glorious history. Edited June 2, 2021 by dragongrrl Share this post Link to post
Posted June 2, 2021 Unless you say 'free, offer a dummy', I view it as borderline begging. If you have something you don't want, just AP it instead of asking 'free, make an offer'. Someone will grab it and love it eventually. Share this post Link to post
Posted June 2, 2021 It may seem a bit silly, but it certainly isn't "fraud." Fraud is when you get done over. When someone says what they have is a PB gold, and you don't check before trading - and find it's actually a messy inbred 6th gen. With these, you can see exactly what they want - however it is phrased, and you don't have to trade with them. Share this post Link to post
Posted June 2, 2021 (edited) It's also possibly a language issue for some. But "Free for X" is also shorter than, "free, offer a dummy". Or "Offers, but I'm egg locked so need a hatchling". I trade a lot by listing offers on things I know are desirable to certain people rather than dropping them. Then almost always take the first offer I get. So, essentially "free". But I list them in the hub for people who might be looking for those specific things. And at this point enough users do so, that others have copied that model because they assume that's what others want to see. Remember most users are not active on the forums or even here at all. It's not hurting anyone. If you object to the wording, just don't trade with them. Edited June 2, 2021 by DragonLady86 Share this post Link to post
Posted June 2, 2021 1 hour ago, Fuzzbucket said: It may seem a bit silly, but it certainly isn't "fraud." Fraud is when you get done over. When someone says what they have is a PB gold, and you don't check before trading - and find it's actually a messy inbred 6th gen. With these, you can see exactly what they want - however it is phrased, and you don't have to trade with them. I've gotten rained on by "I have X" and threw an offer up without checking. I think it was the only time I didn't check and I now make really sure to check every time now. Don't do late night trades I guess is the moral of that story. I personally don't mind "free for any CB or hatchy" because those are things that you can easily get to satisfy the requirements. Also requesting a hatchie could just mean they are egg-locked and want to collect hatchies to freeze or raise quick. I'm a bit ok with "free for <common breed>" for the same reason. But "free for <rare breed>" or "SAlt" or "ND" is just a bit... nah. You're being a bit sarcastic on what "free" means. I've also seen "free for best offers" too. That one always confuses me. That's... the exact opposite of "free". I dunno. Trading hub is a mess and I only use it to try and swap generations for projects. Even then, I might throw up a PB Aeon, ask for a PB Aeon back, and get weirdos posting offers for 12934245th gen inbred random cracker jack they probably literally just picked up from the AP. Share this post Link to post
Posted June 3, 2021 (edited) 3 hours ago, Tetelestai said: If you have something you don't want, just AP it instead of asking 'free, make an offer'. Someone will grab it and love it eventually. I agree 100%. 2 hours ago, DragonLady86 said: It's not hurting anyone. If you object to the wording, just don't trade with them. It is hurting some people. Aside from wasting everyone's time, it clogs up the trading hub and pushes other trade offers down and out of sight. Edited June 3, 2021 by Stormcaller To make another member happy. Share this post Link to post
Posted June 3, 2021 5 minutes ago, Stormcaller said: I agree 100%. It is hurting some people. Aside from wasting everyone's time, it clogs up the trading hub and pushes more legitimate trade offers down and out of sight. Well 'more legitimate trade' is very subjective. Who decides what trades are 'legitimate'? A trade is a trade, unless they are posting the trade with no intention of actually accepting any offer at all it's going to be legitimate and completely valid. Just because some people might not care for certain wording doesn't mean it's any less legitimate and doesn't mean it doesn't deserve to be shown. The thing to keep in mind here, we don't *know* why people put 'free for (blank)'. There is no reason to assume trolling or purposeful misuse of a term or anything like that, that's just players *assuming* intentions that they really can't know. As people have pointed out there are multiple reasons why 'free for x' might be put in the want box, and given it's *not* against the rules it feels strange to see so much negativity towards what amounts to a simple choice of wording. Share this post Link to post
Posted June 3, 2021 Honestly when i see anything other than 'free for dummy egg' i consider it spam and don't even look. its just lies lol wish i could filter out 'free' don't wanna know they exist. Share this post Link to post
Posted June 3, 2021 It's the incorrect usage of the word "free" objectively, going by the denotation. There's nothing opinionated about that, I'd hope, because it's based on the objective definition we use all the time. So you can prove that these trades are not free by proof of the definition and thus, are untruthful. That much is true. Whether the untruthfulness is intentional or accidental is dependent on the individual trade, I suppose. As someone coming from a field where we deal with nitty gritty details of logic, that's why the "free for x" trades bother me; they're logically incorrect. At the end of the day it's not that big of a deal though. It just pulls at my brain as a slight annoyance. tl;dr it's incorrect and confusing but not too much of a big deal Share this post Link to post
Posted June 3, 2021 When it says, 'free for x breed' I always wonder why people don't just say they want x breed in the first place. Everyone knows I love equinoxes. I usually just type 'W. Equinox' as it just sort of baffles me when seeing it. Like I know what people are wanting but why do you have the 'free' part in the message anyway? Share this post Link to post
Posted June 3, 2021 2 hours ago, HeatherMarie said: Well 'more legitimate trade' is very subjective. Who decides what trades are 'legitimate'? A trade is a trade, unless they are posting the trade with no intention of actually accepting any offer at all it's going to be legitimate and completely valid. Just because some people might not care for certain wording doesn't mean it's any less legitimate and doesn't mean it doesn't deserve to be shown. ^ These trades are no less legitimate, just worded in a way some may not personally like. That doesn't mean they shouldn't appear. It's still a trade. a perfectly valid one, 'I have X dragon, I want X dragon'. 6 hours ago, dragongrrl said: Asking anything for a "free" egg or hatchling still seems fraudulent to me. Saying it is okay just makes the word meaningless. It makes me very sad to see the corruption of a word with a very meaningful and glorious history. It is not fraudulent, and you can choose not to trade with people who use the wording if it personally bothers you. This is a pixel pet site - nothing that happens here is making the english word 'free' meaningless or 'corrupting' it. Share this post Link to post
Posted June 3, 2021 This question has been answered and is becoming a discussion rather than answers to a question, so I will be closing it. Kaini is correct that these trades are not breaking any rules. You can ignore those trades and not offer on them if you wish to do that. Share this post Link to post
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