Ultima Online is all about choices, for every kind of character. You make choices which pets are most useful. You can't have it all.
My fisher has a vollem, a packie and a goat, he's gargoyle so doesn't need a beetle.
My miner has a fire beetle, a giant beetle and a packhorse
My crafter has a giant beetle and a squirrel.
Actually, to toss a spanner in the works, and basically be in disagreement with some posters including the statements above, consider this:
1.) The stable is nothing but a 'container' for pets, it operates in terms of server load the same as any other container, ie stores items with various mods all different (so instead of dci hci + resists, skills etc on an item, you have a container storing pets that have stats as per the pet lore gump) Still pets are basically an item with stats put into a container. These containers are coded to accept x amount of items for some chars and y amount of items for others (y = tamer v skill = slots). The x and y could be any number from 1-???, but for the sake of standard UO containers lets say 1-125. 125 items in a stable is not going to be any different than 125 items in a chest as far as 'load' goes. This 'number' can be changed by a simple change in the number in the x and y position in the code.
2.) A non tamer can only 'handle' certain pets, blue beetles, fire beetles, packies, swampies, golems, vollem and other novelty pets - squirrels etc. (certainly a lot more than 4 if you wish to have just one of each stabled). Some of these need tamers to actually procure in the first instance.
3.) A tamer who has the skills can handle whatever pets they like. Various pets perform certain functions depending on 'targeted hostile' so the choice for tamers is in what pet for what hostile. Tamers also have some pets that perform better in packs of 5. Tamers also have a need at times for the standard pets, beetles, packies, novelty pets etc
I doubt anyone would/could seriously argue the above points as they are basically facts of the game. So........
*Tosses Spanner*
My view: is that the famous 'it's all about choice' argument is totally flawed. It the case of stable slots it serves NO advantage to the game nor to the players in fact it is detrimental to both the enjoyment of players and has a negative effect on overall game play, it is based on 'history' rather than any logical reason as to why there should be a limit. The stable should be viewed as any other container.
The choice should be in what FOLLOWER'S you want when you are doing a particular task. This is automatically limited in that you only have 5 follower slots. ANY character, be they crafters, fighters, beggars or tamers, can only ever have a max of 5 one slot pets out at a time and less for higher follower slot pets, less if your mounted via pet or ethy, less if you want to cast summons.
Consider that UO is losing massive amounts of players, anything that will increase the enjoyment of playing should be the number ONE priority.
Game mechanics should NOT limit gameplay but strive to enhance it. So think again about the 'impact' of the idea of freeing up the stables and look from a different view. Think about the following and the 'impact' it REALLY has on the game, on your characters or other peoples characters. Ask yourself the following:
* Why should anyone be limited in what they 'store' in a stable as opposed to what they 'store' in a chest? Does it really matter? Does it have ANY impact on YOU what I or a neighbour 'stores'? Really?
* Why should any character be limited in what pets they store when they can ONLY use a max of 5 slots worth of pets at any given time? This is where the 'choice' should come into it. Why should anyone care if I elect to store 4 or a hundred horses in my stable? So again, does it really matter what is stored? Really?
* For Tamers, why should they be limited in the number of 'pet weapons' they store, do you think it fair that they can store 16 when a swordsman or archer can store thousands? They can only ever 'use' 5 slots worth at any given time and need to 'choose' what they will fill those 5 slots with, whereas a fighter can carry as many weapons into the field as they like, (subject to weight limit) and switch and swap as they see fit. So does it really matter how many pets are in the stable? Do you care about how many bows that archer has stored at home? ..... no.... well same thing isn't it?
* For the tamers who will say 'we have the skill, we should have more slots' alas, that is also another flawed argument. Your skill allows you to have a choice of all tamable pets as opposed to just the few 'standard' pets, this is the reason you are a tamer. It is more beneficial to you, as a tamer, if all characters could store more pets and has NO negative impact on you or your game play at all.
Why not start thinking outside the square?
Negatives to Game Play on Current Pet Storage Limits:
Limits game play: for all players, if you have the standard 4 critters in stable you can't decide to train up a novelty pet for RP purposes. RP should be a huge part of UO and dragging along your kitty, puppy or other pet shouldn't be limited just because you don't have 'room' to bond and store them.
Limits game play: for all players, as there could be a lot more types of 'pet fights' if people could keep their animals. For those wanting to do player run events, contests on the 'best trained up' critter ie 'best in show pigs, cats, dogs' etc, critter races, etc, people will not toss out their bonded pet beetle to train up a squirrel etc and it is super hard to train up a pet like this unless you can bond it.
Limits game play: For all players. If you are moving house why shouldn't you have 5 bonded packies? Not everyone is a mage who can gate. Why make something really difficult for a player, especially as they can actually buy 5 packies, but can't recall with them. Seriously why should anyone care if they bonded 5 packies 3 yrs ago, stabled them just for this type of occasion? It's not like you can't already have 4 bonded packies if you choose. It does NOT have any impact on you, me or the milkman if the guy next door has them stored in his stable. As for making it 'easy' for goodness sake how petty is it that anyone would care if someone recall's instead of using a gate, you can do it anyway if you want, just not now if you want to have a beetle stabled as well. That is simply pure pettiness.
Limits game play: to all players in just having the 'freedom' to store any pet they are entitled to have and use when ever they want. Allow people to keep their 'nostalgic' pets rather than toss em out, or those pets they may only have a use for once a yr or so. It is no different to storing that 'book' someone gave you years ago is it? What impact does it have for anyone other than the character. NONE.
Limits game play: for tamers as they get their 16 or whatever pets and then have no real need to use that taming skill again unless they want to ditch an already stored pet. And don't give me the 'it's about choice' argument, it isn't valid. You don't tell a swordsman or archer to toss out his weapons once he has 12 of them do you? Why should a tamer have to toss out the weapons of his/her trade?
Limits game play: for tamers as often on my tamer when trying to get the 'perfect' pet, MAY want to tame and store 5-6-7 different colored pets and try to improve on the pet before 'training up' to maximize the pet, trade or swap with other tamers etc. I would of liked as a tamer to tame up multiple lesser hiryus in various hues to train up and sell to the bushido warriors, couldn't do it due to stable slots. Just a LIMIT to my tamers playstyle. The same limit does not apply to other classes with their weapons, they can store, experiment, try to better any of their weapons with no limit.
Limits game play: for tamers as a tamer is never likely to use pack animals due to taking up 5 stable slots. So a lot of potential fun is taken away as to have a pack of 5 hell hounds or 5 frenzied ostards would wipe out most of your slots. While you may want to experiment with this type of pet, most will not toss out their rune beetle, dragon, etc to do so.
as you see ALL LIMITS to game play, activity and enjoyment of UO.
Advantages to Game Play on Current Pet Storage Limits:
None that I can see.
Choice in UO should be on what skills you put on your template, what play style you have pve, pvp, both, whether you will be a merchant, or gatherer, what animal/summons you want to use to fight with, whether you want to get involved in community events, help newbies, it shouldn't be about storage. Most characters will never 'need' 125 pet storage spots, just a beetle, 5 packies, perhaps a swampy and horse, a lesser hiryu, maybe a cat or dog or squirrel or golem. Who cares?
The limit to game play is hard coded in the amount of follower spots. THAT is the bit that effects making choices and hence game play. NOT the storage.
Anything proposed for UO should always start with the premise of IMPACT either negative or positive to the game and players. How many items someone stores in a container (in this case the stable) has absolutely NO impact on anyone other than the 'user'.
The current stable limits have only negative impact to the overall game play. The only argument is the 'I don't need it therefore you shouldn't want or need it premise or the 'choice' thing which is basically a flawed argument. If choice is the ONLY argument you have then consider 'soulstones' and come back to me, if any change to the game impacted choice then 'that' was it. Pet storage is a non issue in comparison, and currently only limits game play.
The animals anyone has should be a choice. Petra, I think it is great that you are happy with what you can have. I would guess that most non tamer characters wouldn't often need or want that many (125) spots, but why even 'bother' to limit them, if they want 6 -12- 20 what does it matter? Surely if it is about choice it should be a positive rather than a negative choice to someone's game play and enjoyment?
It should be about positive choice not negative choice due to a
perfunctory built in limit, especially when that choice is not affecting anyone else's game play nor their enjoyment of the game. The limit is a choice forced ON me and does not enhance MY enjoyment of the game it is only a forced choice based on some obscure historical game mechanic.
Cheers
Are you serious, Kinsalyer has read into your post and his assumption is AWSOME. 4 for a non tamer does NOT effect game play in any shape or form.
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