Universal Crafting Set Stations

TheGamerSeal · June 2022

Hello, everyone. I'm... not sure where I should post this, so I'll just post it here in the hopes that it'll be placed in the right area - if this isn't the right area.

So, I had recently visited a guild officer's crafting hall to complete some master writs, and I'll admit I was overwhelmed by the amount of stations that lined the place - it felt like a grocery store aisle. Some time after I had left, I had an idea: universal crafting stations.

The idea is to begin a transition from individual crafting set stations to newer stations that allow players to access multiple item sets from a single table. I believe this would bring some immediate benefits, the first of which would be a greatly increased furnishing capacity for player homes (now, you can have your crafting stations AND a furnished home!); another benefit could simply be described as convenience - with universal set stations, you wouldn't have to play a game of "where did I put that table" because your four set stations are just right there, ready to use!

The method I thought of would be to allow players to trade in their crafting set stations for a partial refund, and give them the option to buy new stations that are separated by trait number. As an example, a 3-trait blacksmithing station would be generally affordable since it encompasses the fewest amount of sets, but a 6-trait woodworking station would be much more expensive since it encompasses all sets from 3-6 traits; and of course, max-trait stations would be the most valuable since you can make anything with them.

Picture entering your "crafting hall" after you've gone and traded in ALL your set stations, and you place down a brand-new max-trait set station for each item type. You interact with your new table and select a set from a dropdown list when you want to craft something. Set stations will also remember the last set an INDIVIDUAL CRAFTER used, so they can still work for guild halls; if you keep your tables set on Law of Julianos, you won't come back to it later and see that someone changed it to Hunding's Rage. One thing I want to mention about set stations is that players who already have a massive collection of tables, such as in their guild's crafting halls, will pretty much be able to trade in every set station they own and walk away with four max-trait tables; I would leave it up to the developers to determine costs and currencies for these tables, but I would imagine the currency would be in writ vouchers - the idea is to encourage players to downsize to the four convenient tables and have them not wanting to keep their army of tables. Below, I've created a rough design of what I have in mind, but obviously some improvements could be made on it, such as the dropdown menu being moved outside the UI box so it doesn't obstruct anything. Thanks for reading my idea; I hope this reaches the creative team!

TaSheen · June 2022

This sort of thing has been brought up probably a hundred or more times over the years. So far, hasn't happened. So far, ZOS hasn't said a word one way or the other.

I'm not really expecting this to happen. If it does, wonderful.

Vaoh · June 2022

Yup this is a very popular request.

It would be a massive deal for guild halls since it would free up hundreds of slots for those sorts of homes

Necrotech_Master · June 2022

this is something thats going to be needed eventually, there will come a time when there will be more crafted sets than you could fit inside of a guild hall

at 4 stations per set, you could only fit a maximum of 175 sets into a house if you consumed all 700 slots of a notable house

(since not in game doing a rough check) there are at least 71 crafted sets in game currently (including the ones from high isles), which is getting close to halfway to the hard cap

if they dont add any additional sets (like when they added the crafted sets to cyrodiil), that would be 6 sets per year, so it might still be another 15 years out before we hit that hard cap, but its going to get more and more difficult every year, and eventually the only feasible guild hall house for crafting will be the coldharbour one, or another equally large open flat house with no extra furnishings

edit: corrected calculations, thanks @TaSheen for pointing that out lol

TaSheen · June 2022

5 stations? I'm only having 4 of the sets I use a lot: blacksmithing, clothing, jewelry, woodworking?

AcadianPaladin · June 2022

Agree that we need to transition to one master attunable crafting station for each of the four crafting professions affected (blacksmithing, clothing, jewelry, woodworking).

The addition of jewelry crafting and the relentless addition of new sets has caused the current system to dramatically outgrow its expandability. Full service guild halls now resemble table warehouses with no end in sight.

Just a bit of ingenuity could achieve numerous solutions to potential transition challenges from 'sea of tables' to one table per profession.

Necrotech_Master · June 2022

TaSheen wrote: »

5 stations? I'm only having 4 of the sets I use a lot: blacksmithing, clothing, jewelry, woodworking?

woops ill make corrections, happens when your brain is fried from a day of work lol

TaSheen · June 2022

Necrotech_Master wrote: »

TaSheen wrote: »

5 stations? I'm only having 4 of the sets I use a lot: blacksmithing, clothing, jewelry, woodworking?

woops ill make corrections, happens when your brain is fried from a day of work lol

Heh. At least I don't have that issue any more!

Amottica · June 2022

A simple question. How much is this shiny new crafting station going to cost?

Consider the costs for the current stations and the one for this suggestion provides many times over the benefit. It ain't gonna be cheap.

TaSheen · June 2022

Amottica wrote: »

A simple question. How much is this shiny new crafting station going to cost?

Consider the costs for the current stations and the one for this suggestion provides many times over the benefit. It ain't gonna be cheap.

And it shouldn't be. If guilds can "turn in" the stations they already have, it should be at a major discount on price they paid - 10 or 15 percent. Otherwise, where's the point for ZOS to do this at all? ZOS is not going to give away anything - their whole basis is "get as much real world money as possible".

THAT is the bottom line.

AcadianPaladin · June 2022

I'm confident the devs have enough ingenuity to devise a reasonable transition from old to new on this. Just one possible approach off the top of my head:

The master table for a profession should cost no more than a normal table. Once set up, the master table automatically converts all your known existing attunable tables into its drop down menu. Then, going forward, you would buy a 'token' from the master writ vendor and your 'deliverable' would be the ability to add another crafting set to that profession's master attunable table. The cost of the tokens would be basically the same as the current cost of an attunable table.

TheGamerSeal · June 2022

Amottica wrote: »

A simple question. How much is this shiny new crafting station going to cost?

Consider the costs for the current stations and the one for this suggestion provides many times over the benefit. It ain't gonna be cheap.

Ah, yes, as I said: someone who has gone through all the effort to have every set crafting station added to their home should walk away from selling those stations with the amount of currency required to purchase these new set stations. I suppose, then, that the cost (for a max-trait station) would be leagues above the Transmute Station our favorite mer Rolex Hlaalu sells. However, lesser trait stations will be much easier to acquire.

I suppose an alternative method could be to buy two 3-trait stations, combine them to make a 4-trait station, and continue on to max-trait after 8-trait.

TheGamerSeal · June 2022

AcadianPaladin wrote: »

I'm confident the devs have enough ingenuity to devise a reasonable transition from old to new on this. Just one possible approach off the top of my head:

The master table for a profession should cost no more than a normal table. Once set up, the master table automatically converts all your known existing attunable tables into its drop down menu. Then, going forward, you would buy a 'token' from the master writ vendor and your 'deliverable' would be the ability to add another crafting set to that profession's master attunable table. The cost of the tokens would be basically the same as the current cost of an attunable table.

I believe that as long as the developers can create some system that adds a dropdown menu to craft sets, any method of acquiring said stations would be accepted. Pardon my echoing years upon years of gaming feedback, but what players want more than anything is accessibility and quality of life.

Amottica · June 2022

TaSheen wrote: »

Amottica wrote: »

A simple question. How much is this shiny new crafting station going to cost?

Consider the costs for the current stations and the one for this suggestion provides many times over the benefit. It ain't gonna be cheap.

And it shouldn't be. If guilds can "turn in" the stations they already have, it should be at a major discount on price they paid - 10 or 15 percent. Otherwise, where's the point for ZOS to do this at all? ZOS is not going to give away anything - their whole basis is "get as much real world money as possible".

THAT is the bottom line.

And it is a good question as to why Zenimax should do this at all. They will not do it for free and will consider it a service worth the return in revenue.

Case in point, Zenimax added amazing assistants, the banker, and merchant. Limited functionality but well worth the price. Only thing I have purchased. They added more bankers and merchants with the same functionality. Instead of allowing us to turn in the old assistants or purchase a skin they are selling these new models at full price.

The point is there is a history that supports what I am suggesting would happen if Zenimax offered an upgraded crafting station.

Also, not all the crafting stations were purchased with crowns which is another reason there will not be a "turn-in" to get a discount.

So expect to pay big bucks for these new stations if they ever become available. I am not arguing against anything here. Just pointing out the likely path this would take.

Amottica · June 2022

TheGamerSeal wrote: »

Amottica wrote: »

A simple question. How much is this shiny new crafting station going to cost?

Consider the costs for the current stations and the one for this suggestion provides many times over the benefit. It ain't gonna be cheap.

Ah, yes, as I said: someone who has gone through all the effort to have every set crafting station added to their home should walk away from selling those stations with the amount of currency required to purchase these new set stations. I suppose, then, that the cost (for a max-trait station) would be leagues above the Transmute Station our favorite mer Rolex Hlaalu sells. However, lesser trait stations will be much easier to acquire.

I suppose an alternative method could be to buy two 3-trait stations, combine them to make a 4-trait station, and continue on to max-trait after 8-trait.

Can you sell those stations now? I expect they are all bound to the player who's home they are in. If we cannot sell them now there is no reason we will be able to anytime in the future. As noted above, not all of those stations were purchased with crowns. Some were purchased in-game. So there would not be a trade-in system for obtaining one from a crown store.

Also, those stations would lose value in-game if a superior station became available.

I would also expect Zenimax would keep things simple and not have any combining of stations. Sounds simple but it would not be.

tomfant · June 2022

I support the idea of a master crafting station each time a new thread is made. Its a good thing to repeat this request from time to time. Might finally get the attention of the devs....

bmnoble · June 2022

Amottica wrote: »

TheGamerSeal wrote: »

Amottica wrote: »

A simple question. How much is this shiny new crafting station going to cost?

Consider the costs for the current stations and the one for this suggestion provides many times over the benefit. It ain't gonna be cheap.

Ah, yes, as I said: someone who has gone through all the effort to have every set crafting station added to their home should walk away from selling those stations with the amount of currency required to purchase these new set stations. I suppose, then, that the cost (for a max-trait station) would be leagues above the Transmute Station our favorite mer Rolex Hlaalu sells. However, lesser trait stations will be much easier to acquire.

I suppose an alternative method could be to buy two 3-trait stations, combine them to make a 4-trait station, and continue on to max-trait after 8-trait.

Can you sell those stations now? I expect they are all bound to the player who's home they are in. If we cannot sell them now there is no reason we will be able to anytime in the future. As noted above, not all of those stations were purchased with crowns. Some were purchased in-game. So there would not be a trade-in system for obtaining one from a crown store.

Also, those stations would lose value in-game if a superior station became available.

I would also expect Zenimax would keep things simple and not have any combining of stations. Sounds simple but it would not be.

Could do something similar to the Champion point slot-able stars. Have the fancy new crafting station have ten slots you can put 10 set stations of the same type eg: you get a fancy blacksmith table, you can slot 10 of your attuned set tables inside of it and access those 10 sets freeing up 9 furniture slots.

Without any attunable tables slotted into the fancy station it works just like a regular craft able until you slot the attunable tables in it.

Should also mention the tables would be bound to the new crafting station, you can't take them out once they have been put in the fancy station.

That way people still need to go and get the attunable stations, while freeing up space in your guild craft house.

LikiLoki · June 2022

this question has been consistently appearing on the forum almost every week for many years. And I, as usual, express my support again. Although hope died long ago.

Holycannoli · June 2022

Yes universal stations with a drop-down menu to choose from unlocked sets the user has access to will become a necessity.

It already is a necessity actually.

Amottica · June 2022

bmnoble wrote: »

Amottica wrote: »

TheGamerSeal wrote: »

Amottica wrote: »

A simple question. How much is this shiny new crafting station going to cost?

Consider the costs for the current stations and the one for this suggestion provides many times over the benefit. It ain't gonna be cheap.

Ah, yes, as I said: someone who has gone through all the effort to have every set crafting station added to their home should walk away from selling those stations with the amount of currency required to purchase these new set stations. I suppose, then, that the cost (for a max-trait station) would be leagues above the Transmute Station our favorite mer Rolex Hlaalu sells. However, lesser trait stations will be much easier to acquire.

I suppose an alternative method could be to buy two 3-trait stations, combine them to make a 4-trait station, and continue on to max-trait after 8-trait.

Can you sell those stations now? I expect they are all bound to the player who's home they are in. If we cannot sell them now there is no reason we will be able to anytime in the future. As noted above, not all of those stations were purchased with crowns. Some were purchased in-game. So there would not be a trade-in system for obtaining one from a crown store.

Also, those stations would lose value in-game if a superior station became available.

I would also expect Zenimax would keep things simple and not have any combining of stations. Sounds simple but it would not be.

Could do something similar to the Champion point slot-able stars. Have the fancy new crafting station have ten slots you can put 10 set stations of the same type eg: you get a fancy blacksmith table, you can slot 10 of your attuned set tables inside of it and access those 10 sets freeing up 9 furniture slots.

Without any attunable tables slotted into the fancy station it works just like a regular craft able until you slot the attunable tables in it.

Should also mention the tables would be bound to the new crafting station, you can't take them out once they have been put in the fancy station.

That way people still need to go and get the attunable stations, while freeing up space in your guild craft house.

There are a lot of things Zenimax could do with this and some are noted in this thread. However, based on actual history which shows how Zenimax, as I noted earlier, works all are unlikely.

So yes, a multi-set station would be a great idea for players who choose to place a lot of the stations in their homes. However, it will likely require purchasing the new station form via crowns or master writ vouchers. Again, history says this would be the likely course of action.

BXR_Lonestar · June 2022

I'm thinking they wouldn't do this because people tend to buy the attunable crafting stations with crowns - either directly, or by using crowns to get gold to purchase vouchers to craft and then buy the attunables that way.

That is the only thing I can think of that would prevent them from doing universal attunable crafting tables, as it makes too much sense to reduce the number of items you need to lay down in guild houses.

Amottica · June 2022

BXR_Lonestar wrote: »

I'm thinking they wouldn't do this because people tend to buy the attunable crafting stations with crowns - either directly, or by using crowns to get gold to purchase vouchers to craft and then buy the attunables that way.

That is the only thing I can think of that would prevent them from doing universal attunable crafting tables, as it makes too much sense to reduce the number of items you need to lay down in guild houses.

Which is also why such a station would have a high price tag of it were to be offered. Zenimax, no company really, gives stuff like this away for free.