[dev1114] Retainers Outside of Market Wards

[lackofwords]

Retainers at the moment are limited to only Market Wards, which is also limited by a retainer occupant cap. It is literally impossible to constantly expand the "dispatched cap" [dev1114] on a given ward infinitely. Allow players to place retainers outside in the open world would allow players to create a pseudo-market wards (flea market) where ever they choose to with their retainers.

Alternatively, limit retainers to certain areas in the open world, such as hamlets, or merchant streets in the town. This way it at least seems like the world has a bit more life to it with user's interactions changing how the world looks. Rather than a depressing small room filled with all the retainers.

I'm only assuming this, but the game would eventually reach a point where bazaars would become similar to FFXI's. Such that, regardless of retainers, people would actually end up using their bazaar to sell useful items for other players, and station their characters at certain high traffic areas.

[tymora]

No.
If you want, just keep your character logged in and stand in the streets.

The Market Wards prevents the possibility of some areas being bogged down due to bazaars.
SE won't be able to implement search functionality for bazaars scattered all over the land.
"Clogging up the streets" does not add more life to the world.

I did suggest the Market Wards be re-designed to make it more lively and nice, instead of looking like a dark, dank room.

[lackofwords]

No.
If you want, just keep your character logged in and stand in the streets.

The Market Wards prevents the possibility of some areas being bogged down due to bazaars.
SE won't be able to implement search functionality for bazaars scattered all over the land.
"Clogging up the streets" does not add more life to the world.

I did suggest the Market Wards be re-designed to make it more lively and nice, instead of looking like a dark, dank room.

To sum it up;
-Retainers act only as a standing bazaars in the open world, no search feature since it is not a Market Ward.
-If regulation is needed limit it to logical possibly player hub locations such as NPC Market Alley or Hamlet Outpost.

So, first I've already addressed that people already do leave their characters standing in the streets. Just take a look at Ul'dah. There's nothing stopping people for over crowding a small location around the repair NPC there, or infront of the stairs. Eventually, even more so if the population rises.

Such that, regardless of retainers, people would actually end up using their bazaar to sell useful items for other players, and station their characters at certain high traffic areas.

Try not to assume what I have not said. I said pseudo-Market Wards. I did not say add search feature for those retainers and have a Market Wards everywhere.

Allow players to place retainers outside in the open world would allow players to create a pseudo-market wards (flea market) where ever they choose to with their retainers.

Having more characters appearing up on a busy street does add the sense that people are actually attributing to the game. Take for example Ragnarok Online which also employed a bazaar type market. Their cities are filled with player bazaars all over the streets. This immediately gives the sense of an environment that is populated with player activities, oppose to a completely empty town with no bazaars.

That particular concept can already be applied to the actual Market Wards for each town, except that the Market Wards are stowed away in a small corner away from the city where people do not normally venture into. In the sense that it is not an area you would pass-by on a daily occasion unless if you were to head out of your way to do so.

As for clutter;
I've mentioned the NPC markets because it is the 'other' type of market in the game, by nature they are usually empty. If you just take a stroll down most of the NPC markey alleys such as Hawkers' Alley or Merchant Strip, you'll normally see maybe at best 2 or 3 people shopping there. Are you given the sense that this area is a bustling busy market street? Probably not, and reason being is because there is no purpose for players to linger there. In fact people don't even walk by there unless if it a necessity to cross a certain path. Such as, how often would you run into Hawkers' Alley if it wasn't the fact it is a necessary path to the ferry docks? or walk down Sapphire Avenue Exchange if it were not the exit path to the east side of Ul'dah?

So, one of my suggestion was if they don't want to have free roaming bazaars everywhere;

Alternatively, limit retainers to certain areas in the open world, such as hamlets, or merchant streets in the town.

Again, in the end it does not matter much, because if it reaches the point where a player decides it is necessary to bazaar with their character left online, they will do so regardless if the retainers are not allowed to be placed outside of the Market Wards. Only difference is if retainers are allowed to be placed outside, it would aid in the creation of more street bazaars appearing up around the world. And if SE wanted to regulate it, they would set it at certain locations instead of allowing the retainers to be anywhere. Such that they aren't all crowded next to a repair NPC.

There will always be Player Clutter.
There will always be Market Wards overpopulation.

[Zenaku]

What about the Data lag we going to get for so many NPC outside? i'm sorry but no if you want to be online selling then put your setting to the lowest and then log in and sell your item.

[lackofwords]

if you want to be online selling then put your setting to the lowest and then log in and sell your item.

Why do people always assume the OP wants some hidden agenda.
Read literally, don't assume or accuse. People already do AFK bazaar. Streets are already cluttered. And there is no way it can stopped from happening.

Since you can't avoid clutter, only solution is to alleviate the clutter. One solution is by allowing players to use retainers else where that isn't as cluttered. If additional regulations are applied to where you can place it, it should distribute the bazaar evenly. Yes, this possibly could end up as more characters models spread across the world, however it is less likely that they are all clustered in a small such as how it is at Ul'dah right now.

As a side effect this would also alleviate the Market Wards clutter since you have to decide where to place your retainer.

Again, for the third time.
You can not avoid player clutter.
You can not avoid Market Wards overpopulation

[Baelari]

Only if I can toggle the display of zombie retainers, so I can actually see the real people playing.

(Seriously, having someone stumble across your character in order to repair your gear would be a nightmare. Think of how few retainers are rendered when you go walking through the wards; you pretty much have to be touching them.)

[Zenaku]

Why do people always assume the OP wants some hidden agenda.
Read literally, don't assume or accuse. People already do AFK bazaar. Streets are already cluttered. And there is no way it can stopped from happening.

Since you can't avoid clutter, only solution is to alleviate the clutter. One solution is by allowing players to use retainers else where that isn't as cluttered. If additional regulations are applied to where you can place it, it should distribute the bazaar evenly. Yes, this possibly could end up as more characters models spread across the world, however it is less likely that they are all clustered in a small such as how it is at Ul'dah right now.

As a side effect this would also alleviate the Market Wards clutter since you have to decide where to place your retainer.

Again, for the third time.
You can not avoid player clutter.
You can not avoid Market Wards overpopulation

Oh no sorry if i came on to strong i just don't want that many NPC outside lagging the area. You can';t really avoid that type of stuff it would lag the zone not just that part.

[lackofwords]

@Baelari; Yeah, the rendering of max character models on the screen is rather low. However, you have to think on larger scale. Since what I'm proposing has either no space limitation since it is in the open world, or the alternative solution is to at least regulate new space.

Think of it this way. Allowing the player more choices to place their retainers would naturally spread out the distribution of the retainers. It's a similar concept of how you have multiple areas you can level up in the game instead of having everyone packed into a single location.*

*(actually it was really bad on launch date when they had everyone packed at the rank 1 camps such as Bearded Rock, Black Brush, and Bentbranch...)

[Baelari]

I doubt people will randomly distribute their retainers. I know I would put mine in high traffic areas: on the steps, by the repair npc, or possibly near Pimelle (everybody's favorite junk-buying npc!).

[tymora]

Allowing the player more choices to place their retainers would naturally spread out the distribution of the retainers.

Quite the opposite will occur.
In Aion, everyone crowded the steps to the AH.
In FFXI, everyone crowded the entrance to Jeuno at either Rolanberry or Sauromugue, later shifted to Upper Jeuno.

You can not avoid player clutter.

True. But one player contributing to clutter is better than one player + 2 retainer.