1) The Bank
This idea stems from a server controlled banking system. I only suggest this first as an extreme alternative for my second suggestion which I'll discuss shortly. Let's get this out the way first though.
In laymans terms, an NPC/menu system that would allow players to store certain items or a limited number of supplies for a fee. The fee would cover the amount of space required for storage as well as the time you will "rent" said space for. This fee itself will restrict the banks usage to those among the playerbase that have an extensive number of resources that perhaps don't want to put it into a Community Supply Cache or Locker, or perhaps don't even have access to those if they aren't part of a Community Group. The reason I say this is what I see as an extreme alternative is because I don't feel it truely fits in the current setting. In a post nuclear society I highly doubt there would be many groups out there willing to guard other peoples properties when they could easily just take it for themselves.
Now onto what I see as the more sensible idea.
2) The PST (Personal Storage Trunk)
This one would be another Tool that works almost identically to the Community Supply Cache and Locker. Each one would have a limited amount of space for items and resources and the item itself would cost A LOT, to offset it's overuse. The reason I think this one is more suitable is because the "risk" that the Devs are worried about losing in allowing players a safe storage space for items and resources will be maintained. They will still be physically in the world as the chest would need to be placed into the world, and while holding supplies it will be unable to be sent to your inventory. This means the item could be stolen or even worse destroyed if the player is not careful. Hell, if someone wanted to be really inventive they could buy multiple PST's and start their own player ran bank. It's a long shot of whether you'd be trusted but the idea is there.
There are only two big issues I can see with the PST idea. Both stemming from the same problem, disconnecting.
One problem is to encourage their use, the Tool would need to be able to save its contents, similar to how the Car's inventory does now. So maybe its not that big of a problem... Just more key presses for the Devs to impliment.
The other problem would be people keeping the item inside their inventory after logging or a reset. A way of making people make sure they place their PST quickly would be needed to prevent them from hording inside their inventory. Two solutions for this I can think of are A) Giving the PST a heft weight of 100lbs so players aren't likely to be able to pick up any new items. Or B) Somehow adding a timer upon login that upon reaching zero will automatically drop all carried PST's. 10 minutes would do for that I think, giving players plenty of time to at least find/make a temporary shelter for their PSTs.
I have that nagging feeling I'm forgetting something... But more than likely someone else will point out those holes I may have forgotten. Anywho. DISCUSS!
