Storage idea- “Racks” (Examples weapon rack, wardrobe, rune book…) a single rack that can be placed in your house that allows access to your “Home storage”. Home storage would have to be added but as the game naturally progresses this could grow with you to acomadate the ever growing inventory need. multiple tabs start with about 5-10 per weapon/armor/rune types, just like how inventory has tabs but more in depth for a specific category, such as “katanas” in the weapon rack, “leather helms” in the wardrobe.
Chests are difficult to manage and moving them is a pain, especially if you wanna organize alot. (The more work the computer can do the less the player does and hence more time playing and not managing) Having a home storage puts them all in one place and the rack simply allows you access to this (no rack no access, but its still there), and the racks can be moved to decorate to your liking. “Simple” but effective. Keeping the house engaging and custom.
Home storage would only be accesible while in your home and would need an option added to store all similar just like a chest has.
House storage upgrade system can scale with town upgrades at the carpenter, but maybe in smaller increments. Example being slots 11-15, and 16-20 both need pine planks/ copper ingots to upgrade. Then slots 21-25, 26-30 need iron ingots/spruce planks… continuing to upgrade as the game progresses. keeping it linear and not out of hand right from the get go. This would also give us yet another reason to farm up low level resources and want to venture out to the previous explored areas and not “skip” through. I know it’s intentional that you want us to reexplore these areas and truly appreciate them for the masterworks that they are. one of the reasons I love this game.
Having chests as a backup option is much more sustainable than a primary method. Also much how in rpg setting you feel your character growth, you also no longer need chests and as you expand your home get a second feeling of accomplishment like “I earned this storage and removed those chests full of runes”.
The home storage would also fit just fine with interface that is seeing stored goods in chests with recent patch.
I would personally consider this the biggest possible QOL fix to the game as there is SO MUCH time I spend orginzing my gear. You have a vision for this game, I have a vision for all the cool loot you put in this game and I have to manage.
This keeps items in your realm, Pre house option can be something like “send home” at finley? to help before you have a house and chests. chests can still be used just not mandatory. My main concern currently is how HEAVILY managed chests are by the player. I can just go to my runebook and go to the “1 handed” tab and see my options. Trying not to write a novel but I can go more in depth on this if needed. If you made it this far thanks for reading.