This has been brought up before, but I’m bringing it up again. Because I believe it is something that needs to be changed.
We need incentive to go to the various racial cities to make use of them. Each has all the crafting sites, a bank, a trading post, etc. all in a close area, similar to Lion’s Arch, but they lack incentive to use beyond that.
One of the reasons I use LA, for example, is easy access to 3 jumping puzzles. I park my alts in LA and run the puzzles when I’m feeling bored. When I’m done, I don’t need to leave LA at all.
Additionally there are the five (rather useless) racial Asuran Gates (another item that needs to be radically changed so it has some strong incentive to be used), so if I am really wanting to save that 3silver, I can use a gate to get to one of the other cities. Even then, I’m likely looking to go elsewhere, and will just waypoint anyway.
Some suggestions, off the top of my head, to possibly make the cities more attractive:
1. Crafting/XP bonus or boost percentage for using crafting stations in your racial city.
2. Much lower waypoint fees to access the city your home is in. (where “much” means 50% of current costs to get to LA)
3. Add games or puzzles to the racial cities that give loot equivalent to that of the three jump puzzles in LA, but are only per race (i.e. humans only for the ones in Divinity’s Reach, etc.).
I’m sure there are other far better ideas that players have, but it would be nice to see some tangible incentive to visit ones hometown.
Where are my gem sales? I want gem sales! Nerf EVERYTHING!