Crafting

[Thaelis]

Hello,

I read in the description of the Craft skills that you need a smith hammer and a workbench to do crafting. However, nowhere seems to sell the hammer, not even the smith.

I asked another player and they said as far as they know crafting is non-functional on BGTSCC. Is this true?

If so, you should probably write this somewhere obvious on the Wiki or in the Craft skill descriptions (sorry if it is there and I missed it but I looked everywhere I could think of!)

Thanks

[Maecius]

Hi Thealis,

There is currently very limited crafting in BG:TSCC (wands, potions, scrolls, a reagent-based system where you can turn shells and mandibles into potions and gold, etc.). We plan to have some sort of crafting system in place by the end of 2019/start of 2020. But just what we'll go with has not yet been decided.

[Darksaber]

I happened on a server before I came to BG:TSCC that had a very good crafting system. So it's definitely out there. That server was small and only had players in the single digits but it had a very good crafting system. I think if BG:TSCC took over on crafting, it would be great instead of good. NWN 1 servers had some really neat crafting systems as well, one of which I remember was thayvian crafting on Amia. I think this would open up a whole new universe for us once the devs get around to implementing it.

[Aspect of Sorrow]

I have a framework that I developed about a year back which is highly configurable now that the interfacing behind it is fast. Just needing to scope out the UI side of the fence. Administrators set ceilings and let it go, nothing else necessary from mapping, item / blueprint creation, etc.

[Agog_Fr]

The huge problem with crafting, it's it tends to transform a RP server, into a MMO server.

It tends to remove the power of DM on the technical power of PCC, to give him to them.

Sometimes, crafting create even more technical power gap between farmers and casuals. Which is bad for many reasons.

And it tends to make every characted try to have UMM skill universal, because there are so good items to use (wands especially) that EVERY class can use every low-mid level spells.


Removing the diversity of class is a crime to the RP.


So Crafting can be a trap. I saw this problem rising and exploding in two french servers.


I think a balanced crafting system require a NON CROSSPATH magic usage (only wizard can use wizard spell, only priest can use priest spell etc.), which is very hard to do.

[V'rass]

Other server i play on crafting does not detract from rp, it is and begets rp in itself. It also makes for a very very effective gold sink, depending on your build you may need to spend literally trillions of gold over a year or more to get yourself fully geared up. Not to mention the gold you have to spend on enchanting... that can often cost several more trillions heh. Point is crafting does not have to detract from rp... you just have to do it right and regulate it.

[Agog_Fr]

Fatally, a crafting system involves farming, which implies that players who do not have the desire or the time to do it, are harmed compared to farmers.

Inevitably, players are more or less forced to do crafts, and the energy they put in is put outside the RP.

I saw this on all the servers I've been to.

In addition, the technical power that the players will have, will be removed from the control of DM. Which is a big problem.


That was my humble opinion.

It is very very hard to make a craft system that does not lead to the MMO and anti RP excesses I mentioned.

[V'rass]

People who don't want to farm or craft don't have to, they can purchase directly from the farmer for raw resources or directly from the crafter for finished goods. Most crafters are also merchants who sell their goods to others. On that server the entire economy is centered around crafting, there are a few shops here and there selling a small number of +2 items but almost everything higher then that has to be specifically crafted by you or someone else for you. You wont find anything better then normal or +2 for sale anywhere... you have no choice but to get involved in crafting even if the rp is merely asking a crafter to make it for you or checking the various merchants for already crafted stuff for sale. It seems odd at first but i find that economic rp does grow on you lol. Certainly feels more alive and immersive then the economy compared to here.

[MadSeer]

People who don't want to farm or craft don't have to, they can purchase directly from the farmer for raw resources or directly from the crafter for finished goods. Most crafters are also merchants who sell their goods to others. On that server the entire economy is centered around crafting, there are a few shops here and there selling a small number of +2 items but almost everything higher then that has to be specifically crafted by you or someone else for you. You wont find anything better then normal or +2 for sale anywhere... you have no choice but to get involved in crafting even if the rp is merely asking a crafter to make it for you or checking the various merchants for already crafted stuff for sale. It seems odd at first but i find that economic rp does grow on you lol. Certainly feels more alive and immersive then the economy compared to here.

But you're essentially trapping every last one of your players in that system, which is generally not a good design decision. Everything around the system will be based on farming, whether players farm for ingredients or players farm for gold to buy the crafted stuff. Everyone loves crafting if it's part of world and character building, not everyone loves crafting if it's the only or generally most efficient way to being relevant in DM encounters.

A crafting system focused on flavor, RP augmentations and DM interactions would be more interesting in an roleplay setting and remain a gold sink without penalizing anyone that doesn't participate.

In-game economy controlled by players is guaranteed to turn the game into an MMO, as already mentioned and most of the RP that will stem from it will be drenched in meta. Essentially, the server roleplay experience would become the Marketplace subforum.

[V'rass]

I disagree, the server runs fine with this system and nobody at all is complaining about it feeling MMO or that they are being forced into anything. The amount of items crafted ensures that anyone can get eventually get what they need without having to take part in anything other then going up to a merchant stall and buying what they want. Its not at all the slavery system you seem to interpret it as. Sooner we get crafting here the better. The rp it will generate will more then make up for any negative effect it (might) cause.

[Blackman D]

you guys are talking like it will be the end of the world

the suggested crafting systems will not make items "stronger" than whats already available, so if you struggle now you will still struggle after the system gets added; same if you do fine without out it you will do fine with it

it will generate crafting rp but thats wanted for obvious reasons and it will generate a new player market which is also fine

id have to disagree that it will take anything away from the DMs, crafting does nothing to diminish DM power, it only enhances player customization... a DM will still kill you if they see fit

as for the casuals not being able to gain anything, well if you are not gaining anything now because you dont play that much then nothing will change so....

a crafting system is needed badly tho but yea dont panic like thanos is on the way or somethin

just let it happen

[Rainy]

I remember people spending an insane amount of hours grinding resources in nwn1 servers, so I really disagree it won't harm RP, it was probably the most miserable aspect of gameplay and it's not easy to balance it in such a way that grinding will remain optional, be it for gold or for resources. Of course it depends on the implementation, any problem that can be solved by an autoclicker or any activity that can be handled by alt-tabbing a few times between youtube videos should simply not be implemented at all. A system that truly does away with that garbage might work, and include any built-in limits deemed necessary on the power of the items produced.

On the other hand, noob question: are those enchanting spells functional in any way at the moment?

[Winterborne]

They are not.

[Agog_Fr]

+1

Off course Crafting hurt the RP.
Crafting is is moving the cursor from less hardcore RP to more MMORPG gameplay !
You think more and more about leveling, farming, crafting, being powerfull, than RPing and creating things.
It gives to farmers a technical advantage over the persons who are not.

I would prefer an RP crafting system. Like on DM Events, a Ranger may craft a wonderfull bow.
Or a fighter could craft a decisive sword to slain a particular ennemy, with the right DM supervised elements : crafting skill, ingrediants and metals.

[Winterborne]

I think you need to understand a few things

1) this is not a hardcore RP environment.

2) DMs don't reward items anywhere near as freely as you are implying.