[Idea] Hirelings and crafting surveys

GilGalad · September 2015

Hello,

After spending quite a lot of time today harvesting all the nodes from several clothing, smithing and woodworking surveys I came up with an idea:
I am a level 50 master crafter with hirelings. Why do I have to waste my time collecting raw material? Why can't my hirelings check the survey locations and send the materials to me (let's say after 24h)?
You could make it require level 50 in the profession and add a new 4th level of hirelings. Once you skilled it you get the option when clicking at the surveys to give them to a hireling, who will send you the mats afterwards.

@ZOS_RichLambert what do you think of this idea?

Greetings
Gil-Galad

Wreuntzylla · September 2015

Nice idea. I really don't like the time sink.

aeowulf · December 2017

I couldn't find a newer topic on this. I'd love this - I spent yesterday evening on a stockpile of writs i had on an alt, and only got AD areas complete, when i'd rather actually do more interesting things in game.

Option b and $$ for ZoS is to be able to purchase a housing assistant (or specifically 6) who you would turn in the writs to and they would go off and get the items for you, returning 24 hours later.

Dasovaruilos · December 2017

I'd love that, but the problem is that Surveys are intetionally designed as a time sink. They are made for you to spend time to get the mats.

I hate them, but if they are not a time sink, writs should just straight out give the mats.

I currently have around 200 Surveys in an alt, from months of avoiding doing them...

One alternative would be for them to "merge" and become more powerful. So, say, if you have 10 of the same, instead of going away and back for it to respawn, you could collect it just once and get a 10x material bonus or something.

It would still be a time sink, just not as big as it currently is.

Dracofyre · December 2017

i would like to see "Hirelings" added to Cyrodiil boons for harvesting as a new unlockable, send them away and come back a week later if lucky with Hedjeko prismatic runes once in a while.
if you think it too much, then try a trail test if possible as "bound to account" to prevent flooding auction house or something that would be abused.

those writs need update, since not all characters can make those until they get motifs unlocked, i have few Bouy writs that i cant do until i get, but i cant afford spending 250k gold. what i like to see those new writs can see what motifs we learned so far.
so far, no one buys those writs due to limited vendors or no one want them since some may have them too and might not able to craft.

this is dev's major design flaw, most of players trying not to hoard or packrats. many want to finish as they go and consume asap.

i had post on other topic about wanting the Hidden Chest maps need updates for better random items.

I_killed_Vivec · December 2017

Nice idea, but...

One of the things that ZoS want you (to be forced into) doing is exploration. That's why when 1T came out they changed the survey locations so that they wouldn't automatically be in the zone where you handed in writs, they could be anywhere.

Which is sad if you want to farm nirncrux...

So while I'd love my hirelings to auto-fulfil my surveys, it will never happen because ZoS have this perverse idea of forcing you into all the zones you'd rather never see again.

Woefulmonkey · December 2017

Why say you should have to send a 'Hireling' at all, why not just say 'Give me the materials instead of the Survey' as soon as I complete a Writ, after all you can only take 1 Writ every 24 hours already.

Time sinks are part of an MMO. They are what make something 'Valuable' and encourage you to 'Explore'.

If things are 'easy' to acquire and make, then there is not feeling of accomplishment and no reason to travel.

Even this time sync is minor once you travel around the map enough to unlock most Fast Travel locations, and this is one way they encourage you to 'Travel' and unlock those Waypoints.

Yes, the first time you have to travel to a new zone for a 'Survey' it may take an hour or so, but that is still way less time that 'Farming' 100+ materials of any type.

Once you unlock the common fast travel points and start getting 'repeat' surveys you will find getting those materials takes less then 15 min on average.

Just 'giving' them too you in bulk lessens their value and does not encourage you to 'Explore' the world, which is the point of an MMO right?

Colecovision · December 2017

How is it a time sink? You get 80 ancestor silk in one quick burst instead of farming them one small node at a time. Everything is a time sink if you compare doing things to not doing them, but still getting the drop.

Surveys save time.

Slick_007 · December 2017

Dracofyre wrote: »

those writs need update, since not all characters can make those until they get motifs unlocked, i have few Bouy writs that i cant do until i get, but i cant afford spending 250k gold. what i like to see those new writs can see what motifs we learned so far.
so far, no one buys those writs due to limited vendors or no one want them since some may have them too and might not able to craft.

this is dev's major design flaw, most of players trying not to hoard or packrats. many want to finish as they go and consume asap.

i had post on other topic about wanting the Hidden Chest maps need updates for better random items.

its the complete opposite. It encourages people to go and get those motifs. It should never only give you writs you can do. its a master writ - what you are saying is you arent a master so the writs should be downgraded. a proper master would improve themselves, not the other way around. Master writs are fine as is.

SoLooney · December 2017

i get lazy with surveys since i only do them once i run out of mats for writs. i would be welcome to having hirelings do surveys