Concept Discussion: Mount Stays

Gidorick

One of the most ‘immersion breaking’ aspects of playing ESO (aside from not being able to sit in chairs, of course ) is the fact that my horse just materializes out of nowhere and blinks out of existence when I dismount. I would love for there to be a toggle to have a “Mount Stays” option.

Please note: If this idea doesn’t sound like something you would like and do not want your horse to stay around, that is fine. I am not suggesting you be forced to engage with your horse in the following ways. The way we currently use the horses shouldn’t change in any way whatsoever, instead I’m talking about the following options as an additional option for players. So please, don’t just reply with “No”. I would really like to have a discussion on the possible mechanics of this type of function, not whether or not it should be added.

ok.. so the thoughts:

When I get off my horse, instead of it just blinking out of existence it would be great if I see my horse walk along with me. Then, when I press ‘H’ my horse could trot right up for me to climb aboard. I would think that each player would be able to see their own horse but not other’s horses following them. Perhaps if players are in a group, the group sees each other’s horses. Horses wouldn’t be able to accompany players into buildings and players should be able to toggle the “Horse Stays” option on and off with an assignable hotkey.

I partake in what I call ‘Immersion RP’ in many of the games I play and in ESO I like to go to the stables to get on and off my horse when I enter and exit each town. I don’t use my horse while in town and would love to have my horse to not just disappear out in the wild if I get off to fish or fight.

In my ideal concept, the horse wouldn’t follow me but would instead just mull about when I dismount until I press ‘H’, then the horse would run to me. If I am too far away, the horse would spawn at a non-visible distance and run up to me. If I am dismounted by an attack the horse would run away. I realize this would take more time than just pressing ‘H’ takes now, but for Immersion RP purposes, that’s a sacrifice I would totally be willing to make. Again, each player would only see their mount and this would only function this way if you opt INTO this function.

Alternately, ZOS could simply just sell “pet” versions of mounts that disappear when a player uses their mount. This would be a faster/easier way to implement this concept.

EDIT: A few posters have suggested the horse just run away out of view when you dismount and run up to you from a distance when you call them. I think this would be the best option all around. It would make the horse more 'real' but wouldn't require programming of dismounted horse AI or keeping track of the horse when dismounted.... just a lot less work with just about the same result.

I would like the community thoughts on this. Any ideas on how this sort of feature could practically function in ESO? Would you be willing to pay for this type of function as an ‘add-on’ or as a ‘pet’ in the Crown Store?

Thank you and I’m looking forward to your constructive thoughts.

Awdwyn

I'm not a role player but I like this idea. Skyrim style horses were great in that they were more "real"

Gidorick

Yea @Awdwyn, that's my issue. I don't feel like my horse is a "real" horse. it's a magical horse that turns into an invisible ferry when I'm not on it. lol

BigM

Nice idea but I believe this would cause lag when everyone in town is doing same thing. So I vote no to it unless you can prove this would not cause any major lag.

Dreamo84

I would be happy with something like FFXI did where the mount "spawned" off in the distance and rode up to you before you mounted and rode off when you dismounted. That would at least add the effect and not require an extra NPC essentially hanging around.

Gidorick

BigM wrote: »

Nice idea but I believe this would cause lag when everyone in town is doing same thing. So I vote no to it unless you can prove this would not cause any major lag.

Well, I suggest that each person only see their own mount. Also, if it is implemented so that the mount doesn't 'follow' you but it just kind of hangs out until you return there would be less to keep track of. If the player goes too far away, the mount would THEN disappear and would run to the player from a distance when called... but all of this is unseen by other players.

Other players that get off their mounts should continue to look just like they are now with their mount disappearing, with the exception of a player being in a group. If you're in a group and you all get off your mounts, all the mounts should stay.

This being an instanced function to each player would keep towns from being full of wandering mounts. lol!

Gidorick

Dreamo84 wrote: »

I would be happy with something like FFXI did where the mount "spawned" off in the distance and rode up to you before you mounted and rode off when you dismounted. That would at least add the effect and not require an extra NPC essentially hanging around.

I would be totally happy with that!

Soulshine

For some reason when I read the title of the thread, I thought this would be in reference to some type of feature to the saddles... ./facepalm on me

I think this is a nice idea so long as it is optional... and so long as I don't see it in game before resources are spent fixing more pressing issues.

BlackEar

I am not a programmer nor a developer. My concern is that I do not want this to take time from more important tasks.

This option does not improve the game for me and I do not find it necessary. I think this will appeal to some, but will be used by a minority.

I do not dislike the idea but I dislike the notion of spending time developing it.

Those are my thoughts.

Roechacca

I like it

Gidorick

BlackEar wrote: »

I am not a programmer nor a developer. My concern is that I do not want this to take time from more important tasks.

This option does not improve the game for me and I do not find it necessary. I think this will appeal to some, but will be used by a minority.

I do not dislike the idea but I dislike the notion of spending time developing it.

Those are my thoughts.

You know... I hear this a LOT. There will ALWAYS be tasks that seem 'more important' than things like... mounts that don't disappear, sitting in chairs, ladders that you can climb. If all that matters is stats and balance, there are some really polished text based mmos out there.

To many of us an immersive world and a really well established RP experience is JUST as important as whether or not your Sorcerer is as powerful as it used to be.

Besides, I REALLY hope ZOS has different teams working on different aspects of the game so that all types of improvements can be worked on simultaneously.

vaQowy

I would propose something similar to Dragon Age Inquisition:

If you call your horse it will spawn off screen trot into view and you will mount up (maybe increasing mounting time by a small amount).
Similar to that, if you mount off it will trot out of view and despawn there (or simply as soon as you turn away from it)

Gidorick

vaQowy wrote: »

I would propose something similar to Dragon Age Inquisition:

If you call your horse it will spawn off screen trot into view and you will mount up (maybe increasing mounting time by a small amount).
Similar to that, if you mount off it will trot out of view and despawn there (or simply as soon as you turn away from it)

This was suggested previously. I think this would actually be the easiest way to achieve this sort of mount 'realism'. This way they would just change the animation for the mount from disappearing to running away.

I think I'll update the OP to add this idea.

Gidorick

@MornaBaine, I saw your crown store suggestion for pet versions of mounts and thought you might be interested in the suggestion in my OP.

PKMN12

would require too much coding changes to how mounts work, not going to happen. especially now that they are going to only work heavily on stuff that will eventually earn them money.

bugmom

I think this would be a great addition to PvE areas of the game but it would be awful for PvP. Frequently you go from riding your horse to stealthing up and need to do it ASAP. Or, you need to call your horse and get going ASAP and the added delay would make it harder for groups to get going. And finally, I'd be worried that the added population of horses standing around would make the lag in Cyrodil far worse than it already is.

Having said that, I think it would be fun in PvE - and would love to have my horse standing in front of my house or in my stable once we get homes of our own...

Gidorick

@PKMN12 & @bugmom I would totally be alright with it being a toggleable feature that they sell in the crown store.

Hypertionb14_ESO

not like magicaly appearing mounts are totally out of the question in lore..

and there is no sane way to easily leave your mount in the game without it adding even more lag...

so possible but waaay on backburn untill they figure this game out properly (doubt it will happen)

Drachenfier

I also support this idea! I really liked it in Archeage

Xjcon

Would add clutter to the screen, making it so people can't see others mounts I'm afraid would bring in more visual bugs. I think time spent making new content would be much better spent.

SirKeka

It's be cool if when you dismount, the horse starts running away and eventually de-materializes, it wouldn't require that much effort and wouldn't have a risk of causing lag and would still boost immersion somewhat IMO.

Gidorick

SirKeka wrote: »

It's be cool if when you dismount, the horse starts running away and eventually de-materializes, it wouldn't require that much effort and wouldn't have a risk of causing lag and would still boost immersion somewhat IMO.

I agree. This would be a good compromise between function and form.

Regoras

As long as I can hide other players unmounted horses. I don't need extra processing cycles being wasted on rendering someones horse meandering about.

dafox187

I love the idea red dead redption had a good horse sytem to where u can hitch your horse and it would stay there

Valymer

I like the Witcher 3 system how you whistle and it rides up and you mount it. But if you are in a town and dismount it goes and ties itself off to a hitch.

SeñorCinco

Gidorick wrote: »

] A few posters have suggested the horse just run away out of view when you dismount and run up to you from a distance when you call them. I think this would be the best option all around.

I've been an advocate for this exact mechanic since the beta. My support has not wavered.