New Colorful Bags?

[Veril]

Here's an easy way to do it, that requires no code changes.

1. Hand in Bag to C. in the bazaar. this gives you a token
2. Take Token and put into loom with a dye (using the existing dyes). Combine (oooo, tradeskill combine here). This gives you a "coloured" token.
3. Give token to C. in the bazaar, she then gives you coloured bag.

The above shows one way of doing it, Now, this isn't quite right as the names of things aren't correct and the style doesn't feel right.

We have a new NPC "BagMeister"

You hand in your bag, (along with say 10pp * wt reduction the bag is), and he gives you an item in return called "an undyed hand made backupack" (and some text saying I've prepared your bag to be dyed).

You then take the undyed item to a loom and dye it there (trivial of 100+ 2*wt reduction) (on failure you get the undyed bag back) (on success you get "blue dyed hand made backpack")

You go back to "BagMeister" and hand him "blue dyed hand made backpack" (& 10pp * wt reduction %) and he then hands you back a hand made backpack that is blue (and some text saying that's he's finished it).

Oh, I'd add in 1 new dye, a neutralising dye. This turns the "coloured" bag back into the base uncoloured bag.
Rather than using existing dyes, you could add in some "leather dyes", but it would seem better to reuse these range of dyes that exist in the game.

[Queletan]

The only problem with the first option is that it doesn't fit in to game logic (yes it would be a simple option, but for game play it doesn't fit) you get a token - in essence a 'claim check' for a bag (much like a coat check) to dye it and then be handed back a different bag would be illogical, yes it would be an easier way to do it, but the dev's are concerned with stuff making sense, so that is probably not an option they would consider.

The second choice would work quite well, but I think Ngreth said he has a very limited graphic choice to work with, so it would be unlikely that we could dye things like Tink bags.

Personally, I'd be happy with vendor sold bags (like the Trader bags) in 4-5 different colors, and (while probably impossible) different colors for each of the trader bags (I have nothing but tradeskill bags in my character inventory atm).. At the same time, I don't really need the colors (I know where all my tradeskill stuff is) but it would be handy I think.

Q

[Sukrasisx]

I'll throw in my two coppers on this topic.

I think the main reason we're all drooling over these bag icons is for bank slots. We all have overflowing banks, and the colors would help keep track of what's where. As such, we're only really interested in 10-slot bags, and preferably giant-capacity bags. Bag weight and weight reduction isn't important there. The colors could also be useful for inventory bags, but then weight matters. I think organising my bank is more important anyway.

Presumably each colored bag requires a new item number, and Ngreth has mentioned elsewhere that those are a semi-limited resource, so I doubt we'll see ALL bags in ALL colors. Thus it'd be nice if the colored bags that DO come into the game cover most uses. That means probably 10-giant-slot bags.

Converting an existing bag to be colored is a lot more complex than just adding a recipe for a new colored bag, especially since (a) you can't put the old bag into a t/s container to dye it and (b) dying the tokens doesn't "make sense", as others have pointed out. You could do it easily with a quest NPC, but where's the fun in that? We obviously want to MAKE these colored bags! Someone mentioned the idea of having an NPC who takes a bag and gives you back a "bag ready to be dyed" non-container item; that's a little clunky but could work. But is it necessary? If these are mostly for bank use, then I have no problem with tossing out my existing Deluxe Toolboxes and Trader Satchels and whatever other 10-slot containers I'm using. So again, it makes a difference if these are going to be WR bags for inventory use, because then I'm more concerned about what to do with the bags I've already got, and coloring an existing bag becomes more attractive.

If somehow the method does end up using an NPC where you give a bag and some dye, the turn-in should have the flag that says all the items need to be handed in at once. Otherwise some people will pull pranks using unwanted multiquesting: I turn in a dye vial but no bag, then leave. Next person turns in a bag and a dye, the NPC takes the bag as completing my unfinished turn-in and gives back a bag dyed with MY dye color, then eats your dye and holds it for the next customer!

It would also be good if these bags weren't too expensive to make, or at least if there were one type that's cheap. I.e., colored Leatherfoot Haversacks would be cool, but I hope there are colored bags that are easy enough to make that people would sell them for no more than a few hundred plat, if that much. Remember some of us will want to buy about 20 of them!

If you go with new recipes to make colored bags frmo scratch (rather than coloring existing bags), there are lots of possibilities and I won't try to weigh in on that front. It might even be possible to use skills other than tailoring. (Obviously the dye itself is probably brewed. But then perhaps apply the dye to something in a mixing bowl to get dyed thread that is then used to make the bag?)

Another option I didn't notice explored much is having a new container which is a bag that can change color. So there'd be a new recipe that makes this new item, "Chameleon Bag". Put a vial of dye in the Chameleon Bag (with nothing else), click combine, and it consumes the vial and the bag and gives you a new Chameleon Bag of the new color. Any time you want you can repeat the process with a new dye vial. If there aren't enough types of dye already in the game to cover all the colors, the combine could instead use a Vial of Prismatic Dye plus something else to select which color; there's a bunch of colorful powders for sale on those Research vendors... Anyway, the main downside I see to this "combine in the bag to change the bag's color" approach is that if it ever gets extended to a type of bag that people might carry in inventory, then having the "combine" button in the bag (when you're using it as a general container) is somewhat distracting.

[Liwsa]

Dyeing a token makes no sense? ROFL since when does it HAVE to make sense. I see, it makes sense for a level one char 1 minute old to have a sense heading skill of 200 right?

Things don't "always" have to make sense. Does it really really matter HOW the bags get dyed or is the important thing the fact that they do get dyed?

Not trying to start trouble but folks seem to be trying to justify the HOW when IMO the fact that it just gets done is the important thing NOT HOW it is accomplished.

Hand a NPC a bag and a dye and get back a dyed bag. Alot of new items in database(bags of all colors available) but a ton of coding no.

[Eanelder]

Here's an easy way to do it, that requires no code changes.

1. Hand in Bag to C. in the bazaar. this gives you a token
2. Take Token and put into loom with a dye (using the existing dyes). Combine (oooo, tradeskill combine here). This gives you a "coloured" token.
3. Give token to C. in the bazaar, she then gives you coloured bag.

Dying a token or any existing bags isnt an option. Ngreth has already stated that it will be new reciepe. They wont be changing existing bags.

It is going to be additional recipes... no converting existing bags.

[Ngreth Thergn]

while "dying a token" is a possible solution, it is one I refuse to use. Sorry, but I flat out refuse. I will even fight my bosses hard on that one.

[Artemisia]

Why not make colored bags a tinkered item? That be just the thing those pesky gnomes would come up with?

[Maevenniia]

Um ..tinkering?

no. Bags are tailored.

go make an extra-super-deluxe-toolbox, or something

[Neebat]

More fun solution:

Have the dye be a quill or a bottle of ink.
Attach a script to a bag so that simply closing the bag with the ink inside would trigger a message saying "The ink has spilled out and stained your bag irreparably."

[Ngreth Thergn]

More fun solution:

Have the dye be a quill or a bottle of ink.
Attach a script to a bag so that simply closing the bag with the ink inside would trigger a message saying "The ink has spilled out and stained your bag irreparably."

heh.

but... there is no script hook for closing a bag.

[KyrosKrane]

Not to mention the multiple screams of agony from people who think they're just storing the dye for later use, then get a rude shock when they hit escape or back away from the banker...

[Zopharr]

I'd go with Quichon's basic idea:

HQ Bear Skin + Backpack Pattern + Dye of given color = Hand Made Backpack of given color [Except make them 'giant' capacity - I'd assume that since the items need to be added to the database anyway, changing capacity would be relatively minor.] Use the old fine plate dyes from years ago.

Or make it something a little more exotic - HQ Rockhopper hide, crystaline silk, etc. But all items in the game.

Maybe have two types of bags (since there are two sets of icons). One in maybe the 80-120 difficulty range, giant capacity, no weight reduction, made with items that can easily be hunted in the 30s or 40s - help budding tailors. [Higher skill level offsets the 'giant' capacity] The second set would be essentially colored leatherfoot bags for the high-end tailors to sell - maybe just add dye to the existing recipe.

Having hultiple steps - alchemy combine of 'mixing' dye + skin + various herbs, etc to make a 'colored HQ skin' would be nice, but would add to code too much.

Zopharr

[Artemisia]

Catweasel sais here

I was just thinking the very same today. There are seemingly many things that could be done for storage that many would appreciate. Crafted boxes like EQ2 with 20 slots, rented bank space that is accessible to a character or account, quests for more bank slots or specific types of bank slots. Inventory juggling is a frustration and if there is any lore, it escapes me.....my garage is packed and my car is on the drive!!!

I like this idea a lot I got 8 toons and4 of those are just mules with tradeskill items. So why not make the colored bags, a quest or tradeskill item with 15-20 or..... slots?

[Ddemons Ddemise]

I like the .... slots idea :P
Cause you know we all want a 0.0 weight 100% weight reduction 5 digit slots colored bag...
on the other hand, a 10000+ slot bag would be a pain wouldnt it? Can you imagine trying to find anything? :P

[Ngreth Thergn]

We have gone over the slots many times
For various reasons, more slots in bags is a horrendously difficult, and actually dangerous code change. It can firmly be blamed on the original coders of EQ.

(this is in no way a promise) We are much more likely to get more bank slots again, or maybe a special "filtered" bank tab, or even "guildbank" like interface for your bank.

BUT I am not likely to be able to get a "just for tradeskillers" extra bank space through either realistically. (just code wise this is easier than making bags larger)