Storage

[Tagamogi]

So, with the Steam Early Access release getting closer, I'm curious: How is everyone doing with their storage these days? Are you still using storage alts? If not, how are you managing?

I'll start with a happy storage example: My friend is playing a single character with no storage alts. He's bound in Kur and says the storage shelf there plus his Serbule storage pretty much give him all the space he needs. I believe he also still uses Sir Arif to hold some less commonly used items. So, he seems all set and happy with the existing game storage.
I'll note though that the two of us share a guild bank that we use for storing leatherworking and tailoring supplies plus a couple other oddities, so he has a bit more free space than people would ordinally have. I have also seen him go on dungeon runs with bananas and guavas in his pockets, which is not somehing I'd bring.

Me... well, I have now expanded to 11 storage alts on 3 accounts when I realized that alts I'd intended to play could hold stuff instead. :) I do have plenty of empty, unused NPC storage space, both in out of the way locations and also in Serbule, when my couple half-hearted tries at discovering what "alchemy ingredients" are didn't meet with instant success. The reason for the storage alts is that they allow me to keep all my storage in one location and to easily share all my common drops between the three characters that I play. I also hate making decisions, so sometimes I just use the alts to pile up a bunch of stuff until I'm in the mood to decide what to do about it. I think my record was having an alt with 334 items in overflow.

I always figured that when the time came we'd have to buy the game, I'd consider the money for a storage account or two well-spent to avoid the storage headache. I still do, but it's also now occurring to me that the transition to Steam may quite possibly mean one PG account per Steam account. And managing multiple Steam accounts would be a headache of its own.

So, it seems this would be a good time for me to do some storage cleanup, but I'm not really sure how. I know I've accumulated lots of junk I don't need and if all my NPC storage was in one location, I'd probably be fine with a good spring cleaning. But since my NPC storage isn't in one place - running around between locations and constantly forgetting to put stuff into one chest or the other and having to run back is not appealing. I'll probably dump some gear for skills I don't commonly use in South Serbule but it's far enough away that I don't want to store items I use every day there. Kur is actually a really good idea for a bind + storage spot since the storage shelf there is so close to the teleportation circle, but I'm rather attached to my Amulna bind locaton that is both close to the work order board and allows me to reach any other zone within a couple minutes. My Heart's Home teleport is firmly stuck in Serbule, Recall Alternate Circle is too expensive to use frequently, and the mushroom circles are a bit too far out of the way for me to want to use if I'm just doing inventory management. So, meh. I guess my problem is just that my alt collection is so much more convenient than anything the game currently offers.

( I don't think I'm trying to restart the great storage flame wars, just curious how other people are dealing with storage and hoping for inspiration. I think we've had some really nice improvements in the time I've been playing, but it's not quite enough yet to make me want to abandon my alt system. )

[Crissa]

I don't know. Some days I log in and all I do is compare stats on items in the bank, and sort things. And yes, I just transmute or sell 90+% of what I pick up.

I'm not sure it's the game I want to be playing. But to play the parts of this game I want to, I have to.

[ShieldBreaker]

Well, extended Ri-Shin seems to have put the hurt on my storage. My alt has become part warehouse manager, which he hates because it also seems to have come at the same time as when he lost his position of beer keg emptier. My alt is now in charge of knowledge vials and recipe scrolls, which used to be you get it you keep it. And ShieldBreaker seems to be extorting his Applejack and Nog presents as well.

Main storage is being taken up with extra hats to collect, and so many holiday applejacks and spiked eggnogs, finding free storage spaces became an issue. A good part of applejack are just barrels now, which I turned some into hops. The candy cane collection doesn't seem to have caused too much trouble with food storage. I'm struggling to keep 10 spaces open on ShieldBreaker so he can fill work orders. But I'm almost managing. Getting the last few Council storage spaces would probably set me up pretty good. If I wasn't hedging against future new NPC favor and trying to do all crafting skills, it probably be way easier managing storage.

[Karamasha]

It's always nice with more storage but in this game i haven't found a reason to keep any items yet, i have the items needed for tradeskills all the other items i sell.

[Tagamogi]

I don't know. Some days I log in and all I do is compare stats on items in the bank, and sort things. And yes, I just transmute or sell 90+% of what I pick up.

I'm not sure it's the game I want to be playing. But to play the parts of this game I want to, I have to.

Yeah, I hear you. I don't think the solution to sorting is simply "add more storage space" either, since that mostly gives us even more items to sort and compare. ;) And I like all the different item drops in PG and constantly having an overflowing inventory when out adventuring, so I don't like the idea of having fewer items drop either... I just want the sorting and deciding to take less time. Somehow. (Having alt storage helps with that to some extent since it allows me to hang on to pieces of gear until I either decide to use them or outlevel them. Usually the latter.)


Well, extended Ri-Shin seems to have put the hurt on my storage. My alt has become part warehouse manager, which he hates because it also seems to have come at the same time as when he lost his position of beer keg emptier. My alt is now in charge of knowledge vials and recipe scrolls, which used to be you get it you keep it. And ShieldBreaker seems to be extorting his Applejack and Nog presents as well.
How about giving your alt some eggnog as a peace-offering? You can lace the eggnog with just a little bit of bunny juice, and your alt will be hopping happily around and singing "naa naaa naa naaa" in no time. Well, ok, hopping is a bit difficult to achieve with an overflowing inventory, but he can always roll over on his back and wave his paws in time to the song. I've played a number of tipsy cows over the holiday, and they seemed to enjoy that sort of thing... Using the "moo" version of the song of course.

( Wait, did I just derail my own thread? Oh well, alt happiness is important.)

[Living]

I feel like inventory size/storage needs addressing sooner rather than later. I would happily PAY for it too! Granted, I am semi new to the game but it is to the point that I have to spend more in game time unloading favor items/selling as opposed to adventuring! Even worse, if I am out exploring or farming and I fill up my inventory w/ valuables or mats--I need to cut short my session in order to free up inventory space then spend a lot of time making my way to a teleportation pad or area to vendor/deposit. Don't get me wrong I LOVE this game and all it stands for...it's just that fighting my inventory management mini-boss detracts from the fun.

[Flexarc]

I really like how the characters' personal inventory is increased as Endurance levels. I also like how storage with NPCs is increased with favor.

I am not one who has too keep every.single.thing that is dropped or acquired by my character. Being made to choose what to keep and what to discard is
a part of the game I like.

I am not a fan of purchasable (with real money) storage. I always try to play the game with what is given through normal game-play.

With the already laid out dev plans, storage will be getting updates and improvements that sound pretty good.

[Ells0430]

A few of the recent changes have made storage much easier to manage. In storytelling I adore the storage, that you have shopkeepers that offer you places to store your items makes it feel like an actual adventure. I dread housing because I think it ruins the feel of everyone meeting in town and adventuring.

Sometimes I think the storage issue is even more of a travel issue. For example, I set up Serb Hills as my garden/flower arrangement central. The storage there is insane and 3 steps to the well is a bonus. Its made gardening much, much easier. The down side is when I pick up seeds and need to put them in storage. Its flying down to Serb Hills and waiting through that load screen (the only one that gives me a really hard time). Then there is Rahu, storage I rarely use because I don't want to use 3 guild credits (or fly 3 maps) to get stuff out of there. Most of that storage is extras that I rarely need. Or Sun Vale...travel and no hub so you have to go to each shop.

If I could run to the post office in Serb and pay to send or retrieve my items from some of these places I think storage would be less painful (just as an example). It can take a lot of time to empty your bag after a hunt. Right now its enter the light, drop off wood, food and other misc. items in Serb...fly to Serb hills drop off seeds, dirt, and bone meal finally portal to Kur and drop off hides, blacksmithing, and tailoring items. Then if I have a stack of mushrooms or extras I have to go to either Elt, Rahu or Sun Vale. Its boring and I sometimes log out to deal with it later.

I think that is why people use alts for storage, but lets be honest the majority of players are not going to be willing to buy a second account to store their items. In this game nearly every crafting skill is tied to at least one other crafting skill (usually more) and storing the items for these skills is a challenge for sure. I love the crafting in this game so I will make it work but some won't I fear.

[Madmatx]

Now there's an interesting idea. Have the shared account storage chest work as a P.O.Box and for a delivery fee, you could have items shipped there if you're too lazy to run around. I'd vote for charging a large delivery fee since it's a totally unneccery service.

[Silkt]

From someone who has stopped playing for the 2nd time, both times it was a combination of storage location and travel that made me look for something else to play.

Turn the bookshelf that accesses zone storage into a chest that is expanded by favour with that zone NPCs would go a long way in helping, ie Serb chest starts with min slots as you raise favour with any of the current storage NPCs the number of slots increases by what that NPC would of given you.

The other portion of the equation is the needless TIME SINK travel that comes from all the different storage locations. Either get mounts into the game ASAP, as promised are coming eventually, or change the teleport system to allow you to travel to any unlocked portal. Its not a PvP game where instant travel can swing battles so I don't understand why there isn't better travel methods for both storage, clearing inventory or simply just to aid group play forming up.

I love the 2 weapon system and different options that provides, the crafting system is quite good if you didn't have to continually waste time running needlessly eg serb garden to the well for water, who builds a garden and doesn't supply water, or running back to storage because you forgot an item. Another option for this would be to allow crafting to draw materials from your personal storage but not guild storage.

[Celler]

I've spent weekend sorting an alt so I could delete it to get back to the 4 character limit.
There is no simple way to pass above 8 items unless you multibox 2 accounts or drop all and then pick up all which is 2 clicks and a drag per item. I'm lazy doing that 40 times is a pain. I have now got rid of most of my metal legacy armor by investing it in favor at Tarion for 2 of my alts. Dread to think of lost revenue to my main must of cost well over 50 k for those extra slots.
Also used another account to guild my 3 alts together to share the guild storage's in serb must of cost another 60k or so for about 40 slots to share there. I can't multibox in serb 4fps is terrible for me, sewer worked fine.
I now have 3 alts with 40 pockets each plus Marna and Joeh on 3 and Tadian on 2 of them.

Load times are an issue for me now with a good 2 minutes to log out and in with another character plus upto 2 minutes changing zones, south serb seems worst for me I think.
These storage alts are now no where near half full, I've barely been playing of late the mess they were in was one of the reasons though there are many others not game related.
I think some of the problem for me is a good item is worth at best 1.5k which is nothing to many players so I tend to keep lots for possible use later. Plus I don't like selling from alts as passing money back is a pain using consignment.
I'm sure many will perhaps feel that it's dumb to of collected all this crap over the 4 or 5 yrs it's been going on, but I've played every skill set to lvl50plus and got all the trade skills to good lvls with the exception of a few. Every trade skill seems to add at least another 20 or 30 items to keep somewhere or another.

I guess it's tough for dev I know they want to force traffic by spread vendors and storages etc, but at same time if every flower you pick means a trip to elt, or every skin you take means your going to kur, soon it becomes a chore. Sure you can focus on 1 thing but that is not optimal. If your passing stuff you'll need in few days it seems stupid to leave it.

Where is my horse,saddlebags and house?
Feel both would help. I'll be too old to ride and bedridden at this rate :)

[sokercap]

Plus I don't like selling from alts as passing money back is a pain using consignment.

I think using council certificate can help with passing money to alts on the same account.

I just came back after a long time to see how it is with the UI update. It's a big improvement but also missing a lot of basic UI features I thought would come along with it. Basic sorting/filtering to make the huge lists of items, quests and recipes easier to use. Storage likewise is vastly better with the access to zone wide storage but remains a huge chore to lack of usability features. Simply adding more inventory spaces available does nothing to help with the time it takes to micromanage your bags, it just pushes that time debt off a bit more and then makes it worse once you have used that storage as well. I have yet to be able to go into any dungeons or explore the new zones because I have spent all my time making room in my bag, trying to figure out what to do with all my broken legacy gear, and figuring out where to store what to minimize time spent running between zones to collect stuff I need.

I am hopeful now that the new UI is actually in the game, more and more changes will lessen the inventory micromanagement. It's still not quite there yet though and I still require multiboxing an alt account if I am actually going to do something besides dance in serbule.