More proof BioWare hates crafters and those using the GTN

I doubt it.

It's to fix the bug they introduced this morning when trying to fix the bug (that they made much worse) that was costing them money.

At the risk of repeating the obvious, this is why skipping the PTS is penny wise and pound foolish.

This right here. I understand with the need to get new content out to the masses, but there is a reason that MMOs have a test center.

Hi folks, I just wanted to step in here and apologize that this change did not make the patch notes earlier today. This was due to a miscommunication and we have now updated the patch notes to reflect this change. Please note that this change was made in order to improve overall GTN performance:

GTN

• Searches on the GTN are now limited to 4,000 results (500 pages). If this limit is reached, players will need to use other search criteria to refine the search.
  
• In order to improve overall GTN performance, when searching the GTN, each word must now be at least 3 characters long to be accepted.

Please keep in mind that we will be monitoring player feedback and performance with these changes and we will update if we have any new information. Thank you and apologies once again.

I have to assume that this, like the recent change with the padlock / arrow thing on the quickbar, is just another artifact of the train wreck they call a code base for the Hero Engine. I am guessing this gets fixed in the next 'a/b/c' release. Until then it will be super annoying.

I find a lot of these complaints in this thread rather amusing. All it requires is that you put in a little more effort and use the other search fields such as finding which stat is on the modification. Or search for the exact name of the modification like "Reflex Armoring" and then sorting those by level. Hate on BW if you want, but honestly this change has very little impact for players.

It's an imperfect system I know, but it's what we have to work with. I made suggestions to BW back in beta to include more search fields, especially when it comes to the particular stats I want. For example, if enhancements can have a total of four different stats on them, then there should be four stat fields in which to use to narrow down results. Looking for mods with at least 50 cunning? There should be fields to set min/max range of a stat. That "Usable By:" field? **** - it doesn't work and hasn't since beta. Convert that field to something else that does work such as another Stats field. At least then I could sift through all of the Aim/Defense gear instead of items with just defense on them.

BW has created a very convoluted system when it comes to modifications. Many items have different names with the exact same stats on them. I used to track them in a spreadsheet, but have since lost that data and don't really have the inclination to do it again.

Anyways, I agree the GTN needs work and a little bit more than just simple polish. Adding a few more Stats fields and stat range fields would help tremendously. Modifications need to be reviewed and any exact duplicates removed regardless of the name (and crafters reimbursed for their training costs).