Possible Solutions to the "partial looted nodes" problem

Azurephoenix999

For those who somehow aren't aware of the issues regarding mat farming, here is a rough breakdown:

• People activate crafting mat nodes in the overworld, only take some of the stuff, and leave the rest.
• Another guy comes along and sees the node, they go to activate it hoping for some good stuff, only to get the junk the previous player left behind.
• Guy sees another node nearby and tries to activate it, sees it's fully stocked, but before he can take it he's attacked by a mob.
• While he's fighting the mob another player sneaks in and takes the node for themselves.

Similar stuff happens with chests too, and it pisses off a lot of people.

So far, there are a couple of solutions I've seen others talking about on the forums. I'd like to discuss them here, as well as propose a solution of my own.

Solution 1: The "All or Nothing" System

This is the concept that when you loot a node, you either take everything, or you get none of it. For some, it would be great because it means there's no chance of finding a partially looted node. For others, it would be terrible because it'd undoubtedly result in stuff they might not want taking up valuable space in their inventory.

I'm in the latter camp. I often find chests while mat farming or questing. When I do, I usually take the soul gems and gold, and leave everything else in there. You know why? Because the UI in this game is a nightmare, inventory management is a pain, and all the countless weapons and random armor pieces that these chests are full of aren't even that good. You find a random blue weapon that you're never going to use, isn't worth deconstructing, and is of a trait you've already researched. They can't even be sold for that much unless they're ornate, which not many of them are. To but it bluntly, chests are full of crap that I don't want, and I don't want to have to go through my inventory deconstructing all of it every time I loot a chest, because that would waste so much time when I could just not pick it up in the first place.

As for farming mats....I always take everything as I have the craft bag. Infinite storage space is great.


Solution 2: Make Nodes and Chests Separate for each player

All containers and enemies have different drops for each player, this is something that's already in place. Some people believe that this should also extend to chests and mat nodes, so that when players go farming, nobody can interfere, and they can't intrude on anybody else's. This would make farming much less competitive, and turn it into something that one could do at their own pace, as opposed to rushing around a beach as fast as possible to grab everything before anyone else can (looking at you, Bal Foyen).

I think this is a good idea, as mat farming is a PvE activity, and PvE activities, particularly ones that take place in the overworld and not in instanced trials or group dungeons, shouldn't have us competing with one another. This way, nothing another player does can affect your mat/chest farming experience.


Solution 3 (mine): The Postmaster.

You guys ever play Destiny? When you get a reward that you can't fit in your inventory, it goes to the postmaster in the game's social hub so you can collect it later. I think a similar strategy could be applied here.

The reason I hate Solution 1 is because of all the crap I'd end up with in my inventory. Well, maybe when you loot a node it would be all or nothing, but you could choose to send the contents off to a postmaster (possible new NPC in the bank or something?). Then, when you go to the postmaster, THEN you get to cherry pick. You choose what you want, and have the rest destroyed/sold/deconstructed or something.


Solution 2 is still my favorite, but I think this might be a good compromise for players that like the competitive aspect of mat farming.

Nestor

1 is the only reasonable choice.

2 would ruin the economy if crafting nodes are instanced.

3 is more a UI thing and Auto Destroy schemes are fraught with danger. And, ZOS will just suggest you sub for the crafting bag which makes leaving stuff behind from a crafting node just downright silly, or trolling.

Alinhbo_Tyaka

I see no reason for leaving stuff behind. I don't subscribe and have no issues with managing inventory space other than the exponential growth in crafting items themselves. If you don't want an item in your inventory it is easy to destroy it or have a vendor remove it via sell. I get more lockpicks than I will ever use. All I do when it gets full is split the stack and delete one. So to me option 1 is the only real way to go.

shadowwraith666

set autoloot on by default, problem solved.

Merlin13KAGL

#2: They'd have to cut back the number of nodes so far, it would be far worse than it is now.

#3: Someone's never experienced a full mailbox before.

How about 4: Autovendor conversion to gold, even with a penalty, for anything not explicitly taken?

lukastef

Azurephoenix999 wrote: »

For those who somehow aren't aware of the issues regarding mat farming, here is a rough breakdown:

• People activate crafting mat nodes in the overworld, only take some of the stuff, and leave the rest.
• Another guy comes along and sees the node, they go to activate it hoping for some good stuff, only to get the junk the previous player left behind.
• Guy sees another node nearby and tries to activate it, sees it's fully stocked, but before he can take it he's attacked by a mob.
• While he's fighting the mob another player sneaks in and takes the node for themselves.

Similar stuff happens with chests too, and it pisses off a lot of people.

So far, there are a couple of solutions I've seen others talking about on the forums. I'd like to discuss them here, as well as propose a solution of my own.

Solution 1: The "All or Nothing" System

This is the concept that when you loot a node, you either take everything, or you get none of it. For some, it would be great because it means there's no chance of finding a partially looted node. For others, it would be terrible because it'd undoubtedly result in stuff they might not want taking up valuable space in their inventory.

I'm in the latter camp. I often find chests while mat farming or questing. When I do, I usually take the soul gems and gold, and leave everything else in there. You know why? Because the UI in this game is a nightmare, inventory management is a pain, and all the countless weapons and random armor pieces that these chests are full of aren't even that good. You find a random blue weapon that you're never going to use, isn't worth deconstructing, and is of a trait you've already researched. They can't even be sold for that much unless they're ornate, which not many of them are. To but it bluntly, chests are full of crap that I don't want, and I don't want to have to go through my inventory deconstructing all of it every time I loot a chest, because that would waste so much time when I could just not pick it up in the first place.

As for farming mats....I always take everything as I have the craft bag. Infinite storage space is great.


Solution 2: Make Nodes and Chests Separate for each player

All containers and enemies have different drops for each player, this is something that's already in place. Some people believe that this should also extend to chests and mat nodes, so that when players go farming, nobody can interfere, and they can't intrude on anybody else's. This would make farming much less competitive, and turn it into something that one could do at their own pace, as opposed to rushing around a beach as fast as possible to grab everything before anyone else can (looking at you, Bal Foyen).

I think this is a good idea, as mat farming is a PvE activity, and PvE activities, particularly ones that take place in the overworld and not in instanced trials or group dungeons, shouldn't have us competing with one another. This way, nothing another player does can affect your mat/chest farming experience.


Solution 3 (mine): The Postmaster.

You guys ever play Destiny? When you get a reward that you can't fit in your inventory, it goes to the postmaster in the game's social hub so you can collect it later. I think a similar strategy could be applied here.

The reason I hate Solution 1 is because of all the crap I'd end up with in my inventory. Well, maybe when you loot a node it would be all or nothing, but you could choose to send the contents off to a postmaster (possible new NPC in the bank or something?). Then, when you go to the postmaster, THEN you get to cherry pick. You choose what you want, and have the rest destroyed/sold/deconstructed or something.


Solution 2 is still my favorite, but I think this might be a good compromise for players that like the competitive aspect of mat farming.

Well if you farm for mats and pick up trash smbdy left behind thats still better then finding nothing. If that player looted everything you wouldnt even see the node, and im not ashamed of it I dont have eso plus and endless bag for mats so when I see chests I pick up gold and jewels because of jewelery crafting bit I dont pick up crawlers cuz I dont fish and I dont pick up crapy weapons and armor in chests, why should I fill my bag with stuff I dont need. Besides stumbling upon half looted mat does not even happen that often

Ley

I harvest resources all the time, this is really not a persistent enough issue in my opinion to warrant any sort of action. It's a minor annoyance when it happens but it happens so seldomly that I promptly get over it.

VaranisArano

Fourth solution: be a little more polite to each other.

Pick up your trash.
Don't steal nodes/chests.

Eh, who am I kidding? There's always going to be people who prioritize their gain over others' and that won't change until the game does.

I personally go with option 1. Autoloot and don't move on until Ive emptied the node/chest. That random junk sells pretty well to vendors.

jaschacasadiob16_ESO

Thanks for creating a parallelthread, because the other one wasn't constructive enough.

The problem is that you see it as a problem. I get hat I want. that's all.
By the way, sometimes some genius leave junk behind, including sturdy dragon armor. Let's keep that junk coming.

Beardimus

1. Hybrid on this. What you don't take, is junked.
2. Flat no.
3. With 1, not needed. It's more stuff going on we don't need

Personally i don't get irate like some do with left over stuff, it's rare for me when and where i farm mats.

As for chest grabbing it should open up a duel lol

Juju_beans

Make looting/harvesting "all or none".

Tan9oSuccka

Ley wrote: »

I harvest resources all the time, this is really not a persistent enough issue in my opinion to warrant any sort of action. It's a minor annoyance when it happens but it happens so seldomly that I promptly get over it.

You should play on PS4 NA. People leave their trash all the time.

It’s not a huge deal, but it sure gets old after a while.

TelvanniWizard

I love solution 2. Would be awesome!

Narvuntien

Soultion 4: a clear node/chest button.

I don't have craft bag i don't have the space for this trash.

When i am out questing for extended periods my inventory fills up or has the potential to fill up. Since most zones only have the one city with services it ruins my questing experience to have to stop port back to the city and empty my inventory.

efster

Nodes and chests just need to despawn 30 seconds after the player who first activated them is no longer interacting with them. Done. If someone happens to pick up a chest and that fills up their inventory, 30 seconds is plenty to trash 2-3 items or bounce-mail them to a friend and grab the chest/node again.

As for your "valuable inventory space", may I suggest a merchant? They're everywhere, and you can even have one in your pocket if your inventory is so valuable. Your bag space is your problem, don't make it someone else's problem by leaving trash behind.

phileunderx2

I don't mind node trash that much as it is usually bait left behind and I just chuckle to myself how dumb they are to leave it. Now chests and troves partially looted drives up the blood pressure.

Thiskers

Have a timer on the node that has been looted. Once the timer expires the node disappears. Like what happens to chests once opened in dungeons.

Qbiken

Implying this is a problem.....

krushhk

Solution 2 is done on GW 2, and it didn't destroy the economy, just pushed it away from mats in to something else. So that would be the best solution

Kel

I love the "I'm chest farming, need to be fast as possible" excuse...ultimately because you're screwing chest respawn timers, thereby ruining your own fast chest farming.
It's hilarious after all this time players still don't grasp that.

Nodes and chest spawn faster after you clear them, just to be blunt. If you're not taking everything, you're messing with respawn timers.

Thiskers wrote: »

Have a timer on the node that has been looted. Once the timer expires the node disappears. Like what happens to chests once opened in dungeons.

^
Best solution right here

Siohwenoeht

Kel wrote: »

I love the "I'm chest farming, need to be fast as possible" excuse...ultimately because you're screwing chest respawn timers, thereby ruining your own fast chest farming.
It's hilarious after all this time players still don't grasp that.

Nodes and chest spawn faster after you clear them, just to be blunt. If you're not taking everything, you're messing with respawn timers.

Thiskers wrote: »

Have a timer on the node that has been looted. Once the timer expires the node disappears. Like what happens to chests once opened in dungeons.

^
Best solution right here

It's been well proven that the respawn timer starts after the node/chest is opened. Leaving things behind doesn't affect it. I'd be all for reducing the respawn timer though.

redspecter23

Change the chest loot so that it has to be taken as one lump together. If there are 5 items in there, you need 5 open item slots (or craft bag) in order to loot anything. The chest will only exist with either all the loot in it or locked. If it's emptied of anything it will despawn immediately. Partial chests simply wouldn't exist anymore.

Judas Helviaryn

I suggest anyone, who has a problem with what someone else does with their loot, simply get there first.

Problem solved, but no. People demand others play according to their own rules, and not the rules of the game.

Sylvermynx

shadowwraith666 wrote: »

set autoloot on by default, problem solved.

Only way that works is if a player CANNOT disable autoloot.

Yeah, this chaps me. I take everything from nodes. And it REALLY pisses me off that some scumbag took just the good stuff. But me being the good little person I am.... I clean up after them....

AlnilamE

krushhk wrote: »

Solution 2 is done on GW 2, and it didn't destroy the economy, just pushed it away from mats in to something else. So that would be the best solution

GW2 has about 1/10 of the nodes ESO has. It's an absolute pain to go out and harvest. And you can only harvest each node once per day. Do you really want that in ESO?

Morgul667

Solution 3 or 1 are both fine for me

Solution 1 more appropriate for this problem but solution 3 could be extended to other uses and i kinda like that

That d be great if they increased mail suze though. Mine is full with rewards of the worthy

Banana

Chest explodes one shotting the opener if all is not taken.

Aurayna

I get disappointed when i try and collect a node and it's half empty leaving only rubbish

I do get annoyed when another player sneaks by and takes a chest as I am trying to defeat an enemy nearby to it

BUT at the end of the day it is (sadly) part of the game and you have to let it go and enjoy what you can

Some players have no principles, manners or remorse in playing "ME" only, but the same happens in RL and at least in the game you can choose to ignore it.

Your third suggesting sounds good though !

TheShadowScout

1 - Nah, it would be annoying for people who are plagued with inventory contraints...
2 - Nah, it would be annoying for the game balance... and depending on how it might be done, have other trouble...
3 - Nah, it would be annoying for everyone to have that sort of postal load...

How about #4: Simply treat every chest or node that is interacted with like a non-instanced mob corpse. As soon as someone opens it to take something, or just look at the contents... the timer starts, and after a little while, it despawns, no matter what is left behind, to kick off the node/chest respawn mechanic.
Same as with the mobs that get killed. Same as with the dolmen chests.
You have your time to take what you want, and if you leave stuff behind, it is lost and won't annoy someone else with a node that has only crawlers (tho fishermen would enjoy those I reckon!).

As for node/chest snatching... that is unavoidable. And you -cannot- make something instanced just by getting near it to avpid someone snatching it while you fight the mob that aggroed you while you were stepping towards the thing trying to take the stuff... the first to reach the thing and interacts with it would still get it, and those people would just run faster and click faster then you, and give you the same vexation that way. Some people are just jerks about this. Ignore them and move on, its not worth getting angry about.
Really, the best thing you can do is just shrug and move on to the next node/chest. There will -always- be another one for you.

Sheezabeast

As much as I despise the practice of half looting, and I personally perceive it as an act of laziness and selfishness, I know some legit people have inventory issues. Not much can be done. The change I want to happen is to make it where the node always scales to you, so no more seeing a rubedite ore node and running to it to just find an iron ore in its place because someone interacted with it but didn't take it. That is far more annoying to me.

notyuu

4: make it so that if you leave a chest/node partly looted the next one you loot explodes for 1 million oblivion damage with a recap message "clean up your mess by fully looting crafting nodes and chests"