Let us craft from Retainer Inventory

[Renytenz]

I expect the auto-sorting to solve most of the issues with finding the items among the pages of the retainer's inventory. I do not mind crafting using the retainer's inventory as well, but if I can at least almost intantly find the item I need from the retainer, and NOT spend much time putting the items in the retainer's inventory in the first place (pages 1-2 will be for fish, ok, now lets put all the fish in their correspoding slots, all done by hand..) then it will all be ok.

[ARRExplorer]

Let me add some arguments why not having a seperate crafting material stash (think Guild Wars 2) is just stupid, a waste of time and actually having that kind of stash is NOT dumbing down anything.
I want to play FF 14 ARR the ROLE PLAYING GAME, I do not want to play FF 14 ARR's 'Inventory management let's-frustrate-the-player' subgame.

The crafting part of the game IS about making 'interesting decisions' about ... well ... CRAFTING ... not about where I have put my crafting materials and not about moving materials around to and from my backpack using retainers that are only available in certain area's nowhere close to the crafting area's. Retainers are there to buy and sell stuff, not to be used as storage space because we simply do not have anything better at the moment.

[ARRExplorer]

You can switch to any Disciple of War\Magic\the Land by switching gear and off you go having fun with that 'role' (remember ... ROLE playing game ...).
But when you want to play a Disciple of the Hand you first have to [a] check what you are going to need for whatever you want to craft, [b] go to your retainer(s), [c] find the materials and transfer them to your backpack, [d] do your crafting, [e] do [a] to [d] again if you decide to do some more crafting with other materials etc. and [f] go back to your retainer(s) and UNLOAD your backpack again. Notice that ONLY at point [d] you are actually crafting, the rest is just a waste of precious time.

About precious time. I work and have a life offline that doesn't involve FF 14 or any computer game. So when I actually play a game like FF 14 I want to have fun. So I do not like it when I have to spend time on boring micro-management that has nothing to do with the core gameplay and doesn't improve my skills etc. at playing my character.

[ARRExplorer]

I'm starting to reach the limit of my patience. My goal was to level up my character in all Disciples simultaniously but that simply isn't possible because of the bad inventory functionality (not just the crafting materials!) ... which is rather stupid in a game that at it's core is completely about having ONE character that's able to do everyting.
I really like this game, I really like the core ideas ... but I'm out if the inventory functionality doesn't improve soon.

PS: I had to split my reply into three parts since you're limited to a maximum of 1000 chars per reply.

[Ronyx]

Yeah I would like to be at least be able to craft inside the inn. Calm, no spams, lag free.

[Wobble]

/fantastic love this

[Kletian]

I'd love the inventory to resemble the material melding menu.

[Esmian]

I read the thread title and went through the first page worried that a good idea might actually have unanimous approval. I'm glad that this community never lets me down.

WTB super super realistic inventory management system with encumbrance relative to each race's size. Being able to carry more than 5 lbs as a Lalafell is way too casual for me.

[gamersince1976]

Add my name to the "Yes Please" column. Leveling Leatherworker, Carpenter, and Weaver at the same time was tricky enough. Throw in a little Botany so I don't have to buy every mat. In the middle I tried to level Culinarian. You can guess how well that worked out.

I don't think inventory space and sorting functions add a "casual" element at all. It's needless busywork as it it. The only way to offset the cost of crafting is to sell mats and goods in the market. Which you can't do when you're constantly in your retainer's inventory.

[Khaap]

Guild Wars 2 Nailed this correctly. It took a little while before you could craft from the bank direct but that was added eventually. Along with the deposit from anywhere and the super sorted bank with its materials deposit it made quality of life a lot better.

As an avid multi-crafter I feel like I'm playing a mini game of picture puzzle, re-slotting the retainers inventories!