[DEV1006, DEV1018] How to improve retainers?

I was thinking about market wards.

Being a NPC, it's possibile to add some nice feature to a retainer.

1. to send message through the NPC pearl. For example "Master, I sold XXXX"

2. to register /tell messages from players. We can use that for request of items, offers for items...
3. to give some information about the master or other. For example "I have 50 goldsmith, if you need something /tell me" or "items are +1"
4. to buy. We can put a max offer for an item and a player can directly sell it to the retainer.
5. Able to synthetize ingredients (when it is not possible to fail).
6. a better structure in the inventory. more subcategories (ALL, armor, weapons, crystals, plants, leathers...)
7. I don't think we really need 3 market wards. We can fuse these together. The problem can be the loading time.

Others?

OBS: Fix your tags. the dev tag must be at tag list and not at title...and separated by comma. Just put a [suggestion] or something similar at title. Fix this for your feedback to become valid. ^^

This is a good idea. IMO SE should turn retainers your arm at cities.

- Retainers having baazar message would be awesome. 3 lines, like XI has, is more than enough for some custom info regarding the shop.

- You should be able to use Retainer list to communicate to them...just like if was a NPC LS. Being able to add/remove items at baazar from distance would be awesome (and logic...you do "can" tell a retainer what to put in baazar with a LS).

- Retainer list should also be used for an actual temporary character change. Retainer have inventoruy and gil, so we could just "possess" the retainer a bit to walk wit it around the market ward (market ward only. You can change wards with the retainer but can't leave the market ward), allowing you to use search and even buying stuff from other retainers or trading with other players. Once the player change back to his character, the retainer should reset to the ward and position he was.

Let them actually level up somehow, like they're all supposed to since they all say "level 1" but nothing every happens.

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Originally Posted by Mr_Gyactus

I was thinking about market wards.

Being a NPC, it's possibile to add some nice feature to a retainer.

1. to send message through the NPC pearl. For example "Master, I sold XXXX"

2. to register /tell messages from players. We can use that for request of items, offers for items...
3. to give some information about the master or other. For example "I have 50 goldsmith, if you need something /tell me" or "items are +1"
4. to buy. We can put a max offer for an item and a player can directly sell it to the retainer.
5. Able to synthetize ingredients (when it is not possible to fail).
6. a better structure in the inventory. more subcategories (ALL, armor, weapons, crystals, plants, leathers...)
7. I don't think we really need 3 market wards. We can fuse these together. The problem can be the loading time.

Others?

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That's an easy one.... remove and replace with an AH.

Everything in one spot... no need to run around.
Never look for an item again, go walk to the retainer just to realize someone just bought it before you.
No more instability as the game wont need to render 50 retainers in one place anymore... just 3-4 NPC in a builing/counter...

Easy, userfriendlly, faster, etc etc etc... AH for the win!

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Originally Posted by Rentahamster

Let them actually level up somehow, like they're all supposed to since they all say "level 1" but nothing every happens.

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I agree. Retainers can be used for some gambling minigame, for example races or card games, or they can level up selling things. levelling they can gain skills, improve the storage, acquire cosmetics.

While this thread
http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...ath-Companions

...isn't specifically about retainers, I believe at least the cosmetic/personalization improvement suggested could and should apply to retainers as well.

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Originally Posted by Abriael

While this thread
http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...ath-Companions

...isn't specifically about retainers, I believe at least the cosmetic/personalization improvement suggested could and should apply to retainers as well.

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I agree 100%! Retainers should be customizable...not only dressing the stuff he's selling, but being able to change its default armor too. IMO retainers should be an advanced version of the fellow NPC from FFXI, being not only usable for battle but also to deal with anything regarding the city it is since it also has inventory and gil.

I even sent them suggestions about a way for retainers to become leve giver for the player so the guildleve system would really become an "wanted board" but, other than current leves and eventual new faction leves, being 100% player-made. Like you assign the material and a retainer to place a leve. When someone complete it, he goes to the inn, deliver to the assigned retainer and that's it.

A Safe Zone for Retainers out in the field:
the retainer will not participant , just carry a basket or something to hold more items then sort into storage after.

Retainers are Helpers, so temporarily magical summoning them next to you would be a nice feature, however this probably can't be used more then once a day or twice per day. They don't have to participant in battles or gather directly with us players(maybe in the future they could) just having them nearby so we can pass/take items in storage right then and their, more so then having to teleport/running back to a city to get to them.

also when logging into the game FFXIV have a Picture/Info of Retainers somewhere in there with our profile as well.

Implement Housing and make the retainer my house keeper XD

Seriously, I love your suggestions, particulary the NPC linkpearl :D

Yes, I like the idea of having messages sent to you indicating when something has been sold. What would be nice is a history that gives you a list of what you sold, when you sold it, and for what price. If possible, let me graph it.

Give the retainers the ability to level up based on how much money they make (or other factors). Put in specific algorithms in place to prevent gaming of the system (e.g. putting up a whole bunch of items and having a friend buy it all at once and give you back the money)

Upon level up, a retainer's appearance can change, it can have increased item capacity, it can have increased bazaar capacity, it can sell things for less tax, etc.

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Originally Posted by Rentahamster

Yes, I like the idea of having messages sent to you indicating when something has been sold. What would be nice is a history that gives you a list of what you sold, when you sold it, and for what price. If possible, let me graph it.

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And to whom, pleeeasse XD

Let me view my selling history from my personal Lodestone page, and let me manage the inventory of my retainer via the webpage as well.

If my items sell while I'm not online, I'd like to have the option of going to my Lodestone page and putting up more items for sale.

I think they should fix the "want" feature with the retainers. its crazy that u have to have the item in your inventory to seek the item

Add some kind of "Comment" window on the retainer for us to leave a message of some kind.
Much like FFXI's Bazzar message.

Ooh and i want my huge garka to look suspicious.. maybe whistle, smoke a cigar,
wearing a leopard patterend winter-coat with a pink star sparkling top hat.
Sugar-daddy!

I love these ideas. But I love the idea of the retainer system in general too. My wish list, some of them already said:

Ability to post message on my retainer that is visible to people browsing
Ability to increase number of sell slots through quests
OR Option for Retainer to automatically put items up for sale if they run out and exact same item is in retainer
Ability to receive NPC linkshell message when stuff is sold
Ability to make my retainer wear what I want them to, not have them randomly wear stuff
Ability to make retainer wear stuff that is NOT for sale
Ability to see at minimum "Week Average Price" in search for items that no one is selling

Ability to Blind Auction items w/ reserve price (I.E., Retainer accepts bids for 3 days, highest bid wins if reserve is met)

Hey look at that... Bazaar and Auction House all in one... what an idea! <.<

Ability to Target retainer bell and summon with click/button press
Ability to transfer items between retainers without having to put in my backpack first
Ability to switch between retainer views without having to exit and re-use bell every time
Market Ward crashing fixed
Ability to distinguish NQ from HQ
Ability to summon retainers in camps and hamlets
Option to list items for sale/buy/repair on lodestone
Option to display full inventory of retainer on lodestone (this would help LS "banks" alot)
Add one "Account" Retainer per account, allowing shared space between characters

Things that I think that should NOT be added:
Ability for retainer to actively automatically shop for you (makes it too easy for RMT to control the market)
AH as a replacement for retainer/markets - I'd like to see integration and get best of both worlds
Ability to summon retainers anywhere


I think thats it!

Make an auction house!! its sooo much better then this retainer thing.. the auction house in ffxi was so much more convienent. If i wanted a item i'd go into armor or whatever it was i needed select it and buy it.. what's up with this searchin around and going to different rooms to find what you need.. way to time consuming. This game needs a auction house for sure.

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Originally Posted by Lienn

- Retainer list should also be used for an actual temporary character change. Retainer have inventoruy and gil, so we could just "possess" the retainer a bit to walk wit it around the market ward (market ward only. You can change wards with the retainer but can't leave the market ward), allowing you to use search and even buying stuff from other retainers or trading with other players. Once the player change back to his character, the retainer should reset to the ward and position he was.

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Could really come in handy when you're not in the city and want to buy/sell things with your retainer^^

I'm hoping they put in quests that involve your retainer.

I have my idea...

1. add the Auction house system

2. remove all ward zones

3. retainers are the one who can contact you to the AH system, they still have an ability to be your storage and you can call them in every town and camps for storage and manage your AH

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Originally Posted by Joe_Cool

I'm hoping they put in quests that involve your retainer.

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Now that would be absolutely fantastic- just a little bit of fun. Then again, one of my retainers sounds like a complete stalker so a quest involving her may be quite terrifying indeed. >.>

i like the sound of this.

it looks and feels very unnatural to have a bunch of retainers just standing there in a creepily long room. it looks nothing like a real bazaar.

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Originally Posted by Evangela

I have my idea...

1. add the Auction house system

2. remove all ward zones

3. retainers are the one who can contact you to the AH system, they still have an ability to be your storage and you can call them in every town and camps for storage and manage your AH

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Retainers

• Leveling up a retainer can mean larger inventory spaces for them and more space to sell a number of goods. To level your retainer, sell a number of goods and earn a number of gil in return to other player characters over time to level them up. Although, friends cheating and buying items from each other back and fourth may defeat this purpose entirely.

• Customize Retainers Appearance: Instead of making us take up selling space to personalize our retainers look and uniqueness, enable us to use our own items instead to customize their look without putting them up for sale for 999,999,999,999 (EX: Retainer in full Templar gear selling a full inventory box of animal hides and skins in the Tanners Row).

• Enable more retainers to be purchased (for a price), along with more inventory space for them (200 slots) <-- Suggestion over the players 100 spaces