Inventory as a hostage

Danikat · January 2019

If I had ESO+ my bank and inventory would be almost empty.

Most my characters keep about 15-20 items in their inventory (consumables, lockpicks, soul gems, maybe a spare weapon) so they have plenty of space free for drops, even without fully upgraded bags. They don't need inventory space for their equipment because they're wearing it and because I stick to crafted sets and don't follow FotM builds I don't feel the need to keep loads of spare sets I may or may not use one day.

Materials are split between the bank, my crafter's inventory and a storage chest. I do need to organise them because I keep forgetting which materials go in which place, but that's a problem I've created rather than one caused by the game. It would be very easy to set up a sensible system which is easy to remember, I just haven't done that.

My crafter keeps about 30-50 empty slots in his inventory - enough to hold items for writs, and anything I want to sell in the guild store (since he manages that too) which is why it varies so much. The bank holds whatever won't fit in the chest and his inventory and even though I'm 4 upgrades short of maximum bank space I always have plenty of room for everyone else to dump their loot into it.

The only time I have a problem is when I'm playing a lot without logging into my crafter to clear stuff out, and again that's a problem I've caused and it's easy to solve.

(I do have to watch for 'item creep' with certain things. At one point I had a mule whose inventory was almost entirely full of treasure maps because I kept dumping them there telling myself I'd use them "one day" and never doing it. Similarly I've found my bank full of consumables I'll probably never use just because I pick them up and put them in the bank and assume I'll use them sooner or later but most are actually useless. Then there was the time I found over 1,000 soul gems on my account...which even with 7 characters is excessive.)

Solidus2 · January 2019

Wildberryjack wrote: »

They're not going to give up the craft bag as a sub perk, it brings in too many subs as many sub just for it. I'm one of them. I don't mind the sub however because I easily spend twice this going out to eat ONE time, so to get an entire months entertainment for such a little $$$ is fine to me. I mean you get unlimited hours per month to play, at your leisure, anytime of the day or night. You get other perks too like the crowns, bonus xp, and access to all DLCs. For the price it's a massive bargain really.

Ladies and Gentlemen. This.

I guess some of us just have different views of "value" in this life. To people saying they can't afford a subscription: How do you afford everything else? You've already invested in the equipment, the place, the time to play. What is $15 a month? There is literally nothing else in your life that cheap that gives so much entertainment value. Make a sandwich for dinner ONE night a month instead of ANY SINGLE meal from a restaurant, subscription paid.

There is nothing I can do, any place, that will give me the sheer number of hours of entertainment this $15 gives me. *shrug*

Skwor · January 2019

Solidus2 wrote: »

Wildberryjack wrote: »

They're not going to give up the craft bag as a sub perk, it brings in too many subs as many sub just for it. I'm one of them. I don't mind the sub however because I easily spend twice this going out to eat ONE time, so to get an entire months entertainment for such a little $$$ is fine to me. I mean you get unlimited hours per month to play, at your leisure, anytime of the day or night. You get other perks too like the crowns, bonus xp, and access to all DLCs. For the price it's a massive bargain really.

Ladies and Gentlemen. This.

I guess some of us just have different views of "value" in this life. To people saying they can't afford a subscription: How do you afford everything else? You've already invested in the equipment, the place, the time to play. What is $15 a month? There is literally nothing else in your life that cheap that gives so much entertainment value. Make a sandwich for dinner ONE night a month instead of ANY SINGLE meal from a restaurant, subscription paid.

There is nothing I can do, any place, that will give me the sheer number of hours of entertainment this $15 gives me. *shrug*

QFT

RodneyRegis · January 2019

Ok cool. But you are then restricted to however many ALTs unless you buy crowns? Not that I really need 15 Alts of course!

FilteredRiddle · January 2019

While I am an ESO+ subscriber and feel like I could not play without it, I recognize that I am also a hoarder, crafter for my multiple guilds, and generally do things which over-utilize the craft bag and extra space. However, I know multiple players - including those who spend nearly as much time in-game as me (hint: that’s a lot) - and they’re not subscribers, yet they get along just fine. They idea that you need ESO+ to successfully play ESO simply is not true. If you want to play like I do, then sure. However, I chose to play that way; ESO does not require a subscription, in order to be successful. Saying anything else is patently false, and ignores that a player wants all of the convenience (i.e. something conducive to ease) without wanting to pay the convenience fee. There’s a reason toll roads, skip lines at amusement parks, and other convenience methods cost extra.

Nestor · January 2019

I have two points to make here:

ESO Plus has not removed my inventory issues. I need more bag space. Yes, I am a horder and proud of it.

You get what you pay for in this world. If your not happy with the non sub experience with the game, then subscribe.

josiahva · January 2019

Petoften wrote: »

This is a topic I can see both sides.

In principle, I support subscriptions for MMO's. Continued development and expense paid for fairly as the best and fairest model, over crippling features to re-sell the player with a 'free to pay' mode as I call it. But the market has spoken and many players pick the 'free to pay' over the subscription even if they complain about the harm to the game that design causes.

So I have some sympathy for games trying to find a way to make subscriptions work in this market and how hard that is.

Having said all that, I wanted to play and enjoy ESO casually, not have a subscription game. It's better than I expected and I've played quite a bit.

On the subscription, ESO has seemed to find a pretty persuasive angle of holding inventory hostage as pressure to subscribe - with lots of icing on the cake if you do. The 'crown' model seems especially well designed at making it easier to swallow.

But most players I've seen answer the question why to subscribe answer the crafting bag - i.e., a functional inventory system. So on the one hand, I'm glad to see something to get subscriptions, on the other there's something I just don't care for about having a practically unplayable game because of an intentionally designed inventory problem, unless you limit loot a lot.

The game - and I this is mostly insidious, with a slight aspect of a compliment to the word - has really added the pressure on this inventory. Things to gather everywhere, with hundreds of items, in every land, in every dungeon, in crafting rewards, all of which is a nightmare without a crafting bag and automatically handled with one.

I tried playing without a subscription and it was pretty crazy - it felt like half my time was on inventory. When I'd do daily writs, for each one, I could be selling items to the merchant temporarily to make room, running to the bank to store the rewards, etc.

Before I began playing ESO, I asked one question in a forum, 'can the game be played ok on inventory without the subscription', and was told yes. I think I was wrongly answered, unless as I said, you don't want to craft or collect large amounts of items you are handed.

Where I'm heading with this is to say, it seems like they're playing a dangerous game, by making the game almost unplayable without a subscription if you want to get much of that loot, driving players to be more likely to just quit playing - which might make some financial short-term sense in a buy-to-play, but doesn't help the product long-term.

But on the other hand, where would it be with a low subscription rate. So there are no easy answers. I'm both disliking the design and seeing ways it is well done and sympathetic to the need.

It would be easier if the marketplace had subscriptions as a standard, and ESO just had to compete with other subscription MMO's. It's a great game and would do well. But its competition is a lot of free to pay high-grind games that unfortunately get a lot of players.

You have played quite a bit, but its "practically unplayable"? Come on now, be real, inventory management is a pain without(even with) the craft bag, but honestly, if you maintain your inventory its not that bad. The vast majority of theings you pick up you wont be keeping anyway.

Hotdog_23 · January 2019

I have ESO+ and need more storage but one thing I think would help is if blacksmithing clothing and woodworking would get the same treatment as jewelry to where you only need 5 mats to store and not the 10 now.

This alone would save 20 slots.

GarnetFire17 · January 2019

Lightspeedflashb14_ESO wrote: »

Turelus wrote: »

Protossyder wrote: »

Lightspeedflashb14_ESO wrote: »

i have not had eso plus for 3+ years, i have had very little in the way of inventory troubles. i have 10 toons with 200 inventory and max bank, 240. every toon has around 130-150 in their inventory and the bank has ~230. plenty of room. just do not keep junk and or every bit of scrap you pick up.

My Alkahest alone would take the whole bank and half a toon xD. But I would probably only keep 2-3 stacks if I didn't have ESO+

Exactly, if you're not using the materials why not turn them into gold as that's easier to store.

i only have one stack in my bank of Alkahest, for writs, i sell the rest at a vendor, usually around 100g per dungeon run. this is what i mean, you really don't need more then that one stack, poisons are useless in pve and in pvp, a stack of 200 makes 3200 poisons (enough poisons to have one go off every 10 seconds for almost 9 hours). meaning you can wait to have them till you use all 3200 of the rest and just buy the Alkahest when you need it. be smart with your inventory and you have plenty of room. don't pick up junk or horde.

and if you are on the pc, this addon saves a ton of time- https://www.esoui.com/downloads/info97-Dustman.html

I takes a lot of time to manage your inventory like that, time you could be playing actual content and I have been doing that since well before the craftbag. I do it because refuse to pay 15 dollars a month for any video game. That price is ridiculous to me. It's managable without a subscription people are right to be salty about the craftbag being behind a pay wall because being forced to subscribe just so you don't wast hours making room in your inventory constantly is not cool.

tamrielwinner · January 2019

eso+ is not a requirement

Mintaka5 · January 2019

Petoften wrote: »

It would be easier if the marketplace had subscriptions as a standard, and ESO just had to compete with other subscription MMO's. It's a great game and would do well. But its competition is a lot of free to pay high-grind games that unfortunately get a lot of players.

This right here. ESO has a corner on the market. I thought BDO or FFXIV could give me the same experience but they didn't.

I wish this game would give subscribers more benefits other than just infinite craft bag, the ability to hold more transmute crystals, and extra housing slots. They could make more money by incentivizing the subscription package more, and pull down the prices on crown store items, so more people could buy them.

My theory is, they have an infrastructure in place that is too expensive to change, so they can just provide us cookie-cutter account features, and crown store items, therefore easy money.

FinneganFroth · January 2019

I made it until 2017 without ESO+ with no problems. Now I subscribe because I have extra income and I enjoy the benefits. However, it's not a deal breaker.

Jazz_Funk · January 2019

Even with ESO+ inventory management is taking up way too much of my game time and is starting to spoil the game for me.

MaleAmazon · January 2019

Speaking as someone who subbed from the beginning.. I think they stay on the right side of things money- and ethics-wise with ESO+. They tread close to the line sometimes, but...

Fact is, yes it is a functionalilty, but you can work around it. And it is stuff that would take up space in a single-player game (remembers tough Fallout 4 packing decisions

). And, when I played in a more serious manner, no way I could do witohut the craft bag. The extra bank space is essential too. And given how much time I spent on ESO when I played more seriously, trying to get emperor etc *shudders to think about it*, seems pretty fair. I get DLC too, got a bunch of crowns when they went from subscription to free-to-play / ESO+, now get free (="free"

)stuff and crowns to spend in the store. I won´t spend a penny on crowns in the future, so it actually seems kinda fair to me.

If / when I play less, I just cancel the subscription. Since you get to keep everything you have in your craft bag, just not cram more stuff into your magic sack, yeah it does seem fair to me.

I pay 6x as much every month for my bus pass.

theyancey · January 2019

There are a ton of good reasons to sub and the craft bag is a big one. However you can play this game just fine without it.

AcadianPaladin · January 2019

Getting ESO+ was an easy decision for me. Not due to inventory considerations but more based on the nature of how I play games. When I deem a game as a suitable home for my elf, we embrace it, play only that one game and stay there for years. It is not unusual for me to spend 3-6 years playing exclusively one game. At the moment that is ESO. With only one game that I play daily, the value I receive from ESO+ is solid and it makes for an enjoyable, cheap hobby.

It is neither cost nor inventory considerations that will move me on from ESO; rather, it is most likely the frustrating nerfs to skills and playstyles that invariably make the game less fun with each 'update/patch'.

Mr_Walker · January 2019

Without inventory bag the game is... poor.

If I could buy it in CS I would, along with "chapter" or "story" dlc, and they can stick the new dungeons. Would not miss them one bit. Blech. Sick of being punished in RDF because I'm a subscriber.

Sylvermynx · January 2019

Wildberryjack wrote: »

They're not going to give up the craft bag as a sub perk, it brings in too many subs as many sub just for it. I'm one of them. I don't mind the sub however because I easily spend twice this going out to eat ONE time, so to get an entire months entertainment for such a little $$$ is fine to me. I mean you get unlimited hours per month to play, at your leisure, anytime of the day or night. You get other perks too like the crowns, bonus xp, and access to all DLCs. For the price it's a massive bargain really.

Exactly this. As entertainment goes, this game is cheap at twice the price. A year's worth of ESO costs me less than running the 80 or 140 mile trip to the local municipalities to "entertain" ourselves.

Not to mention that this time of year, you have to get really selective about WHEN you go.... Week ago yesterday, we had to do the 140 mile round trip to pick up our truck which had to have fixes - it was supposed to be a mostly clear day, no snow. Well, guess what? The roads were crap, it snowed the WHOLE round trip, and I was exhausted by the time we got home because most of the return trip was at 30 mph due to roads and visibility.

So, ZOS gets my money, husband is happy watching his tv, and I don't have to drive anywhere for a while. Too bad that can't be for the rest of the year..... but into each life a little rain must fall!

Solidus2 · January 2019

It makes me happy to see quite a few other people happy about subscribing and supporting the game; those who find the value fair overall. I expected far more attacks on our sentiment. I really do like this game, and so far, everyone I've played with.

Sagz · January 2019

My only real complaint regarding inventory is the limit on transmute crystals.

I have over 100 geodes in my inventory, and am maxed on the crystals. I cannot bank them to transfer between characters, and I cannot transmute on all my characters, not to mention I am running out of stuff to transmute, and to just transmute to decon seems a little tedious for something that should not really have a cap n it.

It would be like having 1 million cap on gold or a 1 million cap on AP you can have at any time between all your characters combined before having to spend it to buy stuff so you can decon.

Zathras · January 2019

I'm going to leave this post here, from this thread. The availability of storage, if you don't want to pay for a sub, really is quite enormous. You need to be more organized, but everyone does if you have a large amount of items to stash.

No one is being held hostage. Craft bags were late to the game, so we all managed before that. Yes, it's awesome as another form of storage, but let's not pretend like it's game breaking to not have it.

To quote the linked post:

- 15 characters with in-game gold or crown purchased bag upgrades (up to 140 each character) = 2,100 slots
- Mount bag space upgrades (15 mounts x 60) = 900 slots
- Personal bank space (with upgrades & ESO+) = 480 slots
- Home storage bins = 360 slots

Total: 3,840

Even subtracting the ESO+ bank space, that is still a lot of storage. I have all crafters, and pre-Craft Bag I didn't have any problems with space, or sorting. The Craft Bag saved me from having to physically do a bank-and-dump run (which is nice), but that's more of a QoL perk than anything.