Comments on: Crafting isn’t a necessity http://www.epicslant.com/2009/02/crafting-isnt-a-necessity/ MMO design and industry commentary with a high end twist. Fri, 30 Jul 2010 03:36:23 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: WCPI Spotlight « breakfast at war http://www.epicslant.com/2009/02/crafting-isnt-a-necessity/comment-page-1/#comment-286 WCPI Spotlight « breakfast at war Wed, 25 Feb 2009 20:20:40 +0000 http://www.ferrel.me/?p=469#comment-286 [...] our first week, we’ve chosen to feature Ferrel’s article on crafting over at Epic Slant. It was a great trip down memory lane, recalling past ways of going about [...] [...] our first week, we’ve chosen to feature Ferrel’s article on crafting over at Epic Slant. It was a great trip down memory lane, recalling past ways of going about [...]

]]> By: Ferrel http://www.epicslant.com/2009/02/crafting-isnt-a-necessity/comment-page-1/#comment-271 Ferrel Tue, 24 Feb 2009 21:02:27 +0000 http://www.ferrel.me/?p=469#comment-271 I still am not convinced really. This seems more like a conditioned response more than anything. I understand the twinking angle but I want to point out that, for instance, in EQ1 it didn't actually help that much. Originally you could get banded and much later on fine plate. Other than that crafting wasn't a big asset to twinks. Most of that gear was hand me downs from higher characters. If you didn't offer crafting but made those basic sets (like ring mail and bronze was in EQ1) you'd have the same effect. I don't see any real relation between the two more than anything else. Ultimately crafting became an elitist thing where a few really amazing items were tossed in for them and them alone. Anyone who wanted said item had to craft up for just one piece. I consider that poor design. I think crafting lingers simply because we had it before. I like crafting as "the extras" as long as "the extras" don't change from "slight advantage" to "absolutely necessary." A great example is the WoW potions fiasco. Raids became dependent on having them. Players had to farm massive amounts of junk just to raid. It raised the costs of business and reduced the fun factor. That isn't a good thing in anyway. Crafters might have benefited slightly but everyone else suffered. I just don't see it. I think a player economy means you trade the items you find on adventures that you can't use. EQ1 is the shining example of this with the East Common tunnels and the bazaar. Most of the goodies sold were not crafted. Not even close. I still am not convinced really. This seems more like a conditioned response more than anything. I understand the twinking angle but I want to point out that, for instance, in EQ1 it didn’t actually help that much. Originally you could get banded and much later on fine plate. Other than that crafting wasn’t a big asset to twinks. Most of that gear was hand me downs from higher characters. If you didn’t offer crafting but made those basic sets (like ring mail and bronze was in EQ1) you’d have the same effect. I don’t see any real relation between the two more than anything else. Ultimately crafting became an elitist thing where a few really amazing items were tossed in for them and them alone. Anyone who wanted said item had to craft up for just one piece. I consider that poor design.

I think crafting lingers simply because we had it before. I like crafting as “the extras” as long as “the extras” don’t change from “slight advantage” to “absolutely necessary.” A great example is the WoW potions fiasco. Raids became dependent on having them. Players had to farm massive amounts of junk just to raid. It raised the costs of business and reduced the fun factor. That isn’t a good thing in anyway. Crafters might have benefited slightly but everyone else suffered. I just don’t see it.

I think a player economy means you trade the items you find on adventures that you can’t use. EQ1 is the shining example of this with the East Common tunnels and the bazaar. Most of the goodies sold were not crafted. Not even close.

]]> By: Korrow http://www.epicslant.com/2009/02/crafting-isnt-a-necessity/comment-page-1/#comment-270 Korrow Tue, 24 Feb 2009 20:38:08 +0000 http://www.ferrel.me/?p=469#comment-270 I disagree. I believe crafting is an essential function of the PVE game of a good MMO. Are the items always the best available? No, but this is an acceptable median. Crafting in most MMO's tend to get you better items quicker and with more certaintity then with raids. Take EQ1 for example, a lot of the crafted stuff was useful as you leveled, and mass money could be made during the leveling. Sure at max level the gear was sub-par to the gear of raids, but crafted gear could be used for one big aspect... Twinking. I think the crafting balance hinges on the balance of Twinking in the games. Games where twinking is possible.. crafting thrives, when twinking is not possible, crafting suffers. I disagree. I believe crafting is an essential function of the PVE game of a good MMO. Are the items always the best available? No, but this is an acceptable median.

Crafting in most MMO’s tend to get you better items quicker and with more certaintity then with raids.

Take EQ1 for example, a lot of the crafted stuff was useful as you leveled, and mass money could be made during the leveling. Sure at max level the gear was sub-par to the gear of raids, but crafted gear could be used for one big aspect… Twinking.

I think the crafting balance hinges on the balance of Twinking in the games. Games where twinking is possible.. crafting thrives, when twinking is not possible, crafting suffers.

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