Indicator for Researched Traits in Deconstruction Window?

CGPsaint

I am currently in the process of researching all traits for the Blacksmith, Clothier, and Woodworking skill lines. I am also working on leveling the same skills to 50, and with the changes to Inspiration gains from deconstructing stolen items, I have started grinding a bit for loot drops for items that will actually provide Inspiration. I have a spreadsheet that I have been using to keep track of all of the traits that I have already researched, but surely there is an easier way to go about this. How hard would it be for Zenimax to include an indicator denoting whether or not a trait has been researched, so that we can quickly go through our inventory and deconstruct extra items?

cjhhickman39

That would be nice my makeshift method is when i need to download some stuff I hit the craft station first hit research first see if anything pops and deconstruct the rest

CGPsaint

cjhhickman39 wrote: »

That would be nice my makeshift method is when i need to download some stuff I hit the craft station first hit research first see if anything pops and deconstruct the rest

I use to do that until I started using a spreadsheet. I'm just fuzzy on why something like this is not included in the game already. You would think that Zenimax would want us spending time enjoying the game instead of finding work-arounds for tedious processes.

Tarukmockto

CGPsaint wrote: »

I use to do that until I started using a spreadsheet. I'm just fuzzy on why something like this is not included in the game already. You would think that Zenimax would want us spending time enjoying the game instead of finding work-arounds for tedious processes.

Quite the contrary. What ZOS is "selling" is time. So anything that eats up lots of it must be good.
This particular feature has been the subject of dozens of threads and has been asked for since beta.

GilGalad

http://www.esoui.com/downloads/info111-ResearchAssistant.html

I hope you don't play on console! ;-)

Ourorboros

What you ask for will never happen.....it makes too much good sense.

We have helpful add-ons to track traits on PC, but I remember what it was like before the add-ons were developed. I feel your pain.

CGPsaint

Gil.Galad wrote: »

http://www.esoui.com/downloads/info111-ResearchAssistant.html

I hope you don't play on console! ;-)

Of course I play on console! I suppose I could buy the game for my Mac, but I rather enjoy laying in bed and playing on my big screen TV.

Ourorboros wrote: »

What you ask for will never happen.....it makes too much good sense.

We have helpful add-ons to track traits on PC, but I remember what it was like before the add-ons were developed. I feel your pain.

Yeah. I don't mind the whole research process, however it is quite the pain in the donkey to have to check against a spreadsheet or switch back and forth between the research window and the deconstruct window for every piece that you try to deconstruct.

Aelthwyn

I see you play on console, so... yeah...

For those who are on PC and haven't looked into the addons yet the ones I find most helpful are:
AI Research Grid - tracks all your characters' research and displays a keybindable window with a grid of checkmark or X for each of the three crafts

Harven's Trait and Style - will say 'researchable' or 'known' in red or white in the item tooltip

Research Assistant - will add a colored icon next to items in the list to indicate researchable, known, intricate, ornate

This really ought to be part of the game itself!

(we have some roundabout setup on our PC with an xbox 360 controller with chatpad so we can lounge on the couch and play on the large tv screen, but... sometimes it lags a bit and apparently doesn't work with windows 10, so it has some issues)

CGPsaint

Maybe Zenimax should consider hiring the people who developed those add-ons, seeing as how they have a better grasp of the functionality that should be part of the game in the first place.

CGPsaint

Let's try this from another angle. Instead of having an indicator in the Deconstruction window, why can't they implement a sort such as the ones used for Provisioning and Alchemy. Press Y for options to sort by A.) Researchable Traits, or B.) Researched Traits. Filter out the ones that have researchable traits and then deconstruct everything else.

@ZOS_RichLambert - Thoughts?

RyuLevone

I feel your pain. I have a spreadsheet, an app on my iPad, and a word file that lists what specific item type has the trait, what trait it has, and the name of the piece that has the trait and I still managed to accidentally deconstruct something I was saving to research.

In the very least fix the bank so pieces of gear in there don't show up for deconstruction. It's ridiculous how annoying it is to deconstruct things now. I actually dread going to crafting stations to clear out my inventory.

CGPsaint

RyuLevone wrote: »

It's ridiculous how annoying it is to deconstruct things now. I actually dread going to crafting stations to clear out my inventory.

I spend just as much time managing my inventory and moving items around, as I do actually playing the game. Well, that and logging back in after getting disconnected...

Aelthwyn

RyuLevone wrote: »

In the very least fix the bank so pieces of gear in there don't show up for deconstruction. It's ridiculous how annoying it is to deconstruct things now. I actually dread going to crafting stations to clear out my inventory.

I really like being able to deconstruct things straight from the bank because that means a little less running back and forth across town (esp. when your bagspace is low): one character can drop all their loot in the bank and then I can log in with another who's hanging out at the crafting station and deconstruct it all. However, without a convenient way to mark what you want to deconstruct I can see that being able to drop stuff you want to save into the bank and have it not show would help a lot.

Tarukmockto wrote: »

Quite the contrary. What ZOS is "selling" is time. So anything that eats up lots of it must be good.

While that may be true, I think an important point is that people who don't have unlimited time to play games in real life are going to be turned off from a game that they don't really get to even play half the time they're logged in. For people with no life like me, sure I can waste an hour each day sorting and shifting stuff before I actually get out of town and go do something, but if I didn't have time to waste, I certainly wouldn't be spending my precious free time shifting crafting materials around on bank alts and tediously switching back and forth from consulting a spreadsheet window (which I did do before I discovered those addons), I would find a game that I could just log in and play. I am also a very patient person who doesn't need action and I actually enjoy organizing things, I can't imagine most people find any fun in it at all, so... I think the ridiculous time-wasting elements of this game probably do hurt the number of players who remain active in the game which means less people hanging around to buy DLCs or new mounts, etc.

Now, if you don't do any crafting of course that will save you much of the headaches mentioned here, but then you've got to spend time either searching to buy or commission someone to make the gear you want, or you have to not care what you look like and just equip the best things that drop for you....

ianshere82b14_ESO

While I do like this idea, and wonder why it was never implemented to begin with, there is a simple solution.

Why not just use the "Research" option first instead of going straight to "Deconstruct"?

Or - - are you talking about wanting to decon everything except what you will research in the future?

In that case - why not bank the item you want to save instead of holding it in your bag?

You could even make an alt to hold these items if need be.

Just a thought considering that they will never actually implement this. Similar to an AoE taunt, Auction House, etc...

Ourorboros

ianshere82b14_ESO wrote: »

While I do like this idea, and wonder why it was never implemented to begin with, there is a simple solution.

Why not just use the "Research" option first instead of going straight to "Deconstruct"?

Or - - are you talking about wanting to decon everything except what you will research in the future?

In that case - why not bank the item you want to save instead of holding it in your bag?

You could even make an alt to hold these items if need be.

Just a thought considering that they will never actually implement this. Similar to an AoE taunt, Auction House, etc...

PCers have been fighting this battle since beta. There are so many UI short-coming that PC users can shore up with add-ons. But that is an imperfect solution too, since add-ons get broken by updates, and not all add-on authors have been able to update their programs, leaving users in the cold.

From the comments above, those of you who really know smithing know that banked items still show up at craft stations, including items being saved for research. It's all to easy to accidentally decon one of them. Using an alt to store research items works, but has it own set of problems, like tracking where everything is and relogging. Do you really want to log into alts every time you need to research or decon items. This isn't too bad once research times stretch out, but miserable in the early going. No matter how you slice it, tracking research in this game is NOT user-friendly without PC add-ons, but apparently ZOS is not concerned.

Best suggestion is complain, in nice way, to customer service and leave feedback in game (if that's possible on console).

CGPsaint

ianshere82b14_ESO wrote: »

Why not just use the "Research" option first instead of going straight to "Deconstruct"?

Or - - are you talking about wanting to decon everything except what you will research in the future?

In that case - why not bank the item you want to save instead of holding it in your bag?

You could even make an alt to hold these items if need be.

1.) I always hit Research first, however I'm at the point where Research times are so long, that I'm really just deconstructing for Inspiration and mats.

2.) I am lining up items for future Research so that when I complete existing Research, I can immediately start the next traint.

3.) Storing items in the bank does not prevent those items from being deconstructed.

4.) The age old quick fix of using an alt is a client side solution to a shortcoming that should have never made it to the final game. This game is one of the most non user-friendly games that I have ever played, and the fact that so many add-ons exist for the PC version is a testament to that fact.

EddieHavok

I'm only concerned with research, so why there's not a caption like recipes "Unknown" in the description is beyond me. Maybe it would bog down the interface, or some other bs. But just having that little word in the box or even an asterisk so I can actually get excited for a piece of gear when I find it would add a bit of convenience.

DaveMoeDee

Aelthwyn wrote: »

I see you play on console, so... yeah...

For those who are on PC and haven't looked into the addons yet the ones I find most helpful are:
AI Research Grid - tracks all your characters' research and displays a keybindable window with a grid of checkmark or X for each of the three crafts

Harven's Trait and Style - will say 'researchable' or 'known' in red or white in the item tooltip

Research Assistant - will add a colored icon next to items in the list to indicate researchable, known, intricate, ornate

This really ought to be part of the game itself!

(we have some roundabout setup on our PC with an xbox 360 controller with chatpad so we can lounge on the couch and play on the large tv screen, but... sometimes it lags a bit and apparently doesn't work with windows 10, so it has some issues)

Craft Store made AI Research Grid obsolete.

CGPsaint

EddieHavok wrote: »

I'm only concerned with research, so why there's not a caption like recipes "Unknown" in the description is beyond me. Maybe it would bog down the interface, or some other bs. But just having that little word in the box or even an asterisk so I can actually get excited for a piece of gear when I find it would add a bit of convenience.

Exactly. I went home for lunch today and figured that I could get in 30-40 minutes of play time. Nope. Spent that entire time moving items around, and deconstructing items against my research spreadsheet, so that I didn't accidentally decon an item that I need. I have roughly 25-30% of the research left to do, so this is pretty much going to be an issue for the foreseeable future.

hooked82

The solution that I use is to mail the pieces to a friend and have them return it to me. Then when I want to research, I grab the mail and research it. Just make sure they don't expire after 30 days. I'll even write what the item and trait is in the subject line so its much faster to find

Tallowby

CGPsaint wrote: »

I am currently in the process of researching all traits for the Blacksmith, Clothier, and Woodworking skill lines. I am also working on leveling the same skills to 50, and with the changes to Inspiration gains from deconstructing stolen items, I have started grinding a bit for loot drops for items that will actually provide Inspiration. I have a spreadsheet that I have been using to keep track of all of the traits that I have already researched, but surely there is an easier way to go about this. How hard would it be for Zenimax to include an indicator denoting whether or not a trait has been researched, so that we can quickly go through our inventory and deconstruct extra items?

I made a crafter aid for keeping track of this.... Not as good as an ingame addition but it helps.

Link in my sig.

CGPsaint

hooked82 wrote: »

The solution that I use is to mail the pieces to a friend and have them return it to me. Then when I want to research, I grab the mail and research it. Just make sure they don't expire after 30 days. I'll even write what the item and trait is in the subject line so its much faster to find

Yet another player work-around. I hope someone at Zenimax is paying attention.

Tallowby wrote: »

I made a crafter aid for keeping track of this.... Not as good as an ingame addition but it helps.

Link in my sig.

Those are some great spreadsheets! I have a basic spreadsheet that I'm using to track what I have and have not researched. It's nice to see the various methods that people have come up with to streamline the process, but it would still be nice to hear from Zenimax as to why the most basic of functions is not included in the game. They need to realize that the less time we spend on the mundane, the more time we will have to enjoy the game itself.

ianshere82b14_ESO

CGPsaint wrote: »

ianshere82b14_ESO wrote: »

Why not just use the "Research" option first instead of going straight to "Deconstruct"?

Or - - are you talking about wanting to decon everything except what you will research in the future?

In that case - why not bank the item you want to save instead of holding it in your bag?

You could even make an alt to hold these items if need be.

1.) I always hit Research first, however I'm at the point where Research times are so long, that I'm really just deconstructing for Inspiration and mats.

2.) I am lining up items for future Research so that when I complete existing Research, I can immediately start the next traint.

3.) Storing items in the bank does not prevent those items from being deconstructed.

4.) The age old quick fix of using an alt is a client side solution to a shortcoming that should have never made it to the final game. This game is one of the most non user-friendly games that I have ever played, and the fact that so many add-ons exist for the PC version is a testament to that fact.

Wait. Are you saying that you can decon items stored in bank? WTF. I did not realize this.

CGPsaint

ianshere82b14_ESO wrote: »

Wait. Are you saying that you can decon items stored in bank? WTF. I did not realize this.

Yes. You can decon items in the bank, and you can use mats in the bank when creating items.