Feedback:User/Arghore/'Custom' Crafting
'Custom' Crafting | |
|---|---|
| User | Arghore |
| Categories | Items Mechanics |
So far the information about crafting spans the following Mechanics:
1. You use Raw materials to create Crafting materials (possibly through a recipe & a bench);
2. You use Crafting materials to make Components (through a recipe & a bench);
3. You use Components to Assemble an item (through a recipe & a bench).
I would like to suggest atleast one addition to this mechanics to foster a certain level of item customisation by crafters (and a possible 2nd).
-add 2!- Through the use of different Tools (templates & malls) each component can be made to have a different design/look.
-add 3!- Combining these different looking, but otherwise similar, components a crafter can make different looking items, and thus provide a 'custom' design. (2nd. Through the use of different tools (stiching paters, ornament/texture) each item can be given a different finish/look.)
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-a!- The tools are part of the workbench interface, and a choice for a certain tool (by pull down menu) effects the design of the output component, while keeping the recipe the same. which will reduce the amount of recipies needed, as well as reduce the likelyhood of needing illogical recipies to accomplish different looking items.
-b!- Upon choosing a crafting discipline the 'base' tools for this discipline are unlocked at the bench and a crafter can make items in the design linked to these tools (obviously these tools and the linked designs can be different based upon the race of the PC). Upon traveling the world the player can unlock different tools by 'learning' to use them at a crafting trainer, can have them dropped from foes, bought through karma, find them at the end of a dungeon, get them from a reward chest, or w/e other way to have players unlock these tools. Giving crafters another way to distinguish themselves from eachother.
-c!- New tools can be used on all components the tools are for. This will give crafters incentive to craft low level items in new designs, mainly because there is a market for looking different. Which in turn will reduce the need to keep crafting 'vertically', aka. keep crafting with ever better materials to increase the skill level. A crafter can craft X different looking items, in a similar stat range, instead of X times the same item. With X being the amount of tools available to this crafter.
-d!- For every component that has a different design to it, the options in the assembly phaze grow exponentially, enriching the crafting system, while the actual work put in is basically saving all the various combinations in the modeling software. Seeing all components are likely to be modelled individually anyway, the amount of extra work seem rather limited (though somewhat tedious) for an ever increasing return in crafting 'freedom' and customization.
-e!- ArenaNet can easily add new designs to crafting components by adding new tools, instead of adding a new recipe. Which mainly comes in handy because at some point all the logical recipies will be taken, and one thus has to resort to illogical silly recipies to create components, which i personally realy dislike.
-f!- 2nd. As suggested a similar tool system can be used to add a finish/texture on an item, or a decoration.
-!- A visit to local crafts(wo)men can yield a ton of different tools (used in the actual crafting process) to be linked to different designs. Further increasing the 'believability' of the crafting system, as well as slightly educating players on various IRL crafting disciplines.
-!!- I feel the need to stress that different crafting disciplines would obviously need different 'tools' to accomplish the same level of customization. Where metal working would use different hammers, chissles, possibly pincers and molds; a woodworked might use one kind of hammer, different chissles, knives and files; leather/cloth workers would use different kinds of needles, templates, scissors, and (possibly also for finishes) different kinds of stitching. As such each discipline can be provided with a different set of tools to accomplish different looking components, which when combined yield different looking items. (2nd. Which can then be given a different kind of finish through the use of other 'tools' or 'methods linked to tool')
-!!!- This suggestion will make the crafting process more interesting to potential crafters, beyond the 'puzzle' for the various recipies. It has a nice potential to spurr personal quests to reach crafting trainers in all corners of the world, and provide karma rewards for dungeons. Aka. provide a lot of crafting content and customization options to players with a high cool factor, though with rather limited effort (though somewhat tedious - saving all possible combinations of components in the modeling software).
