Trading
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Trading is an in-game system first introduced in the Mann-Conomy Update that allows players to swap weapons, hats, misc items, and tools with others in order to obtain items they desire.
Contents
Mechanics
To reach the trading screen from the main menu, select the Manage Items button, and then the Trading icon.
A player may select a fellow user from their friends list, from the current game server or by entering their Steam Community URL. A trading request will be sent to that player, providing they are online and are currently playing Team Fortress 2. Should the receiver choose to accept the trade, the game screen will be replaced with the trading screen. Should the player deny the trade or not accept within the 30 second time limit, the trade will be canceled. There is a 30 second time period until another trade request can be sent.
Up to eight items of any kind can be traded from one player to another in a single transaction. The user's trading boxes are the upper eight on the right side of the screen. In order to offer items for trade, the user may either select and drag them from their backpack (displayed on the left) into any of their available boxes or double-click on them, which will automatically move them into the first available box. The lower eight trading boxes display the other user's trade offer. The trading window also shows the color of the item's Rarity as a background and outline. Both users can communicate and determine the trade using the provided private chat box visible under the backpack.
After reviewing the items offered in the trade, both users must click the "Ready to Trade" checkbox. If the offer is changed, the players will be required to click "Ready to Trade" again. Once both users are ready to trade, they must then click "Trade Now" to complete the trade.
It is possible to continue playing, and leave the trading window in the background, by pressing the 'escape' key. Pressing 'escape' again returns to the trade window. A player wishing to block all trade requests can do so using the game options.
Audio Cues
There are several small sound files that play to alert the traders to certain events:
- Items in the trade have changed.
- The trade was cancelled.
- Both players have accepted the offer.
- Trade complete.
Trading Tips
Keep the following tips in mind for an enjoyable trading experience.
- Pay attention to the background color of the items being traded, signifying Rarity.
- Always re-check items being traded after seeing the "Offer is changing... Please wait" message.
- Trades should be conducted with patience. Don't give into the other player's pressure if they're pushing you into a trade you're not happy with.
- Keep your backpack tidy. A well-organized inventory will allow you to easily show a trading partner the items they're looking for.
- Respect one another when trading.
- Always remember that patience is the key. There will usually be somebody who wants to take your trade.
- Keep in mind that certain sites or forums such as the official TF2 steam forum has a trading section. This is handy for setting up fair trades and a good place to consult if one is not sure about the value of an item.
Scams
Due to the wide range given to trading, players may be subject to scam attempts and/or offer disagreements. It is advised to avoid the following practices.
- Multiple trade transactions: Trading more than 8 items over two separate trade transactions is a risky and best avoided practice. There is no guarantee the other trader will not simply disappear after the first trade.
- External trades: Trading in-game items for money and/or Steam games is extremely risky and not supported by Steam's Terms of Service.
- Glim-Dropper: A common scheme made by multiple accomplices (most likely two). The primary accomplice will declare that they desire a certain item (usually of low value), and are willing to trade one of their valuable items for it, to a victim who does not have the certain item. At another time, the second accomplice will approach the victim and say that they have that certain item and want to trade. The victim, thinking to profit, offers an item (or multiple items) with value between the certain item and the valuable item, to the second accomplice. The main accomplice, after this trade is conducted, cannot be found to complete the trade, and the victim is left holding the certain item, which is less valuable than the items traded for it. If a trade is too good to be true, don't buy it.
- Raffle contests: These usually consist of the players giving a low value item, such as scrap metal, to enter a raffle for a chance to win a high value item, such as a hat. There is no way to guarantee the contest is carried out fairly; in all likelihood, the "random winner" is in on the scam. An alternative outcome to this scam is that the host of the raffle, i.e. the person receiving all the entry items, may simply leave the server with the low level items they have collected.
- Fake Middle-man: A scheme in which some one offers a valuable item for more than the trade box will allow. When someone accepts their trade offer, the scammer offers to use a middle-man to ensure the victim that he will get his items. The scammer uses his own middle-man in the trade. When the scammer's accomplice (the middle-man) receives the victims items, he then leaves the server.
- Re-naming: A usual scam where a player will re-name the item something different to give the illusion of a higher rarity. Commonly named "Unusual..." or "Vintage...". Perhaps the most common example is when someone attempts to pass off a re-named Rocket Launcher or sticky launcher as "The Rocket Jumper" or "The Sticky Jumper".
Community trading glossary
With the implementation of the trading system the community has started and since then continuously used specific terms describing items' specific attributes concerning their usability in trading and crafting as well as their trading value.
- "Clean" items
- Refers to hats, weapons and Miscellaneous items that have not been gifted to obtain the "Gifted from" text. They can be directly used in the trading process (without requiring the use of a gift wrap). They are also generally craftable (with few exceptions).
- "Dirty" items
- As opposed to the "clean" ones, these are not directly tradable (Mann Co. Cap e.g.) and eventually not usable in crafting. Items that have been gifted or bought from the Mann Co. Store are neither tradable, nor craftable. However, items gifted through the Secret Saxton and Pile o' Gifts can be crafted and traded like any other "Clean" item. Many Halloween hats are dirty as well as a result of the (Haunted Metal Scrap) being made untradeable soon after the release of the update.
- "Crate hats"
- These are hats that are obtainable by unlocking a Mann Co. Supply Crate with a Mann Co. Supply Crate Key (Note: Unusual hats are not considered to fall under this category, despite originating from crates). Whether the hat was crafted or found via the Item drop system, it is still considered a "crate hat" since it is one that could be obtained from a crate. Therefore, the value of it is severely diminished in the eyes of traders looking to make a profit.
- "Sweeteners"
- Sweeteners are additional non-specific items usually added into a trade negotiation where the value on one side of the trade is perceived to be notably different in comparison to the other. The goal of adding sweeteners is often to provide additional incentive to trade, despite the perceived difference in value of the original item(s). Sweeteners include, but are not limited to, paints, description tags, name tags, metal, or in some cases, even other hats.
- "Upgrading/Downgrading"
- A term used to describe trading a Vintage/Genuine/Unusual item for a corresponding non-Vintage/Genuine/Unusual item plus extra material, or vice versa. In some cases, may also be used to describe trading for the same, but different level, item to attain a specific level item.
Common Abbreviations
Information on other common abbreviations used in Team Fortress 2 that are not strictly related to trading can be found Template:W.
Untradable items
However, most of these items are 'gift-wrappable'. See Gift Wrap.
Update history
September 30, 2010 Patch (Mann-Conomy Update)
- Added trading.
- The Trading dialog now starts with the chat window having focus.
- Gifted items are now craftable and tradable.
- Community, Self-Made, and Valve items are not tradable or usable in crafting.
- Added some anti-scam advice to the chat window.
- Increased trading slots to 8 slots per person.
- Added item rarity colors.
- Added the item’s original name to the item description.
- Made most tools tradable.
October 27, 2010 Patch (Scream Fortress Update)
- Gentle Manne's Service Medal is now tradable.
- The Earbuds and Gentle Manne's Service Medal are now gift wrappable.
- Added a note in the trading dialog to let you know when your trading partner is typing.
- Made Bill's Hat always tradable
February 24, 2011 Patch (Community Map Pack Update)
- [Undocumented] Fixed trades only displaying one of the items traded to the server.
- Updated the Sharpened Volcano Fragment and the Sun-on-a-Stick so they can be traded.
- Updated The Shogun Pack items to be tradeable.
- Hero's Hachimaki now tradable.
April 14, 2011 Patch (Hatless Update)
- The Backpack Expander is now tradable after a few days when bought from the Mann Co. Store.
Notes
- If you have been scammed, you can file a Steam support ticket and explain the situation. It helps to provide evidence of the scam, such as conversation logs of negotiations or screenshots/videos of the scammed transaction. Valve has clearly stated, however, that they will not do anything to recover your items if you are a victim of a phishing scam.
Gallery
The trading screen, with an example trade in progress
Receiving items after trade
Successful trade dialog
