Your Unofficial Ideas for Tradeskilling Thread

Was thinking that but left it broad because I was thinking of it in conjunction with something else. Figured a slight change in the current clickys would make them excellent sage craftables on the same level as the hex dolls.

[p]****MOVED TO PROPER AREA**** [/p][p] [/p][p]Hiya![/p][p] [/p][p]First time poster so please be gentle. I am often very frustrated by the fact that I have to fill up my vaults with supplies to make my crafts. Then I'm expected to share the same vault space with my weapons and knick knacks.[/p][p] In real life (yes I know this is not real life) we take down our Frostfell decorations and place them in a storage box until the next year. Guess what, no room. I like collecting some of the knick knacks I find from the years past. What's the problem? No room![/p][p] I have two suggestions that might help.[/p][p]One: Create supply closets that are strictly for harvested items. Two: Storage Chests for those nifty craft ideas that you keep throwing our way for seasons.[/p][p] I know you are always watching for space on the hard drive but this really would enhance the gaming experience. This way your home crafters don't have to keep running back and forth between home, shop and vault to try and find room for things.[/p][p] [/p][p]Anyone need a tree? (Kidding, you can't have it)[/p][p] [/p][p]Khaerie[/p][p] [/p][p] [/p] Didi Forum User Joined: Nov 10, 2004 Messages: 4227 Offline [p]I do feel your pain! I'd love to have some kind of seasonal storage for this kind of thing.[/p][p]A couple tips that I use, which may or may not help you ...[/p][p]1. Buy the biggest strong boxes you can for your bank, obviously[/p][p]2. Larger houses have more house vault space - a house vault is basically just extra bank slots, only you access them by clicking on the door of your house (while you're inside) instead of at a banker. This tends to be good for the house decoration/seasonal stuff you won't want to get at frequently. This chart shows you what houses have how many vaults.[/p][p]3. For house items you want to store, if you have free alt slots, you can just create an alt, buy a house for them, make your main character a trustee of it, and stick all the seasonal stuff in there. I'd suggest naming the alt something that will remind you they're storing things for you, however, to be sure you don't forget and delete the alt without thinking! Don't forget, you don't even have to pay the rent till you want to get the stuff out of the house again ... so you could pay the rent once in January to put your Frostfell stuff in, and not pay a copper again till next December till you want to get it out.[/p][p]4. Since only one character per account per server can sell things on the broker, you can use your other characters' broker space as storage. Get some rosewood strong boxes (or even cheap consignment sales containers, if you have the rares to spare) and stick your items to be stored in your alts' broker space. As long as you don't list any of it for sale, it won't interfere with your main character selling things, and can just sit quietly in storage till needed. Again, access to the stuff isn't very convenient so I wouldn't put things in there you'll want to get often, but it's fine for seasonal storage.[/p][p]5. Rather than buying one 5-room mansion for my main and leaving all my alts in 1-room newbie inns, I buy a 2 or 3-room home for each alt that I play any significant amount. This means more rooms and more house vault space overall, for much less coin and status, giving lots more room to store items in.[/p][p]Those are my tips anyway, perhaps some of them will help you a bit![/p][p] [/p][p]Your ideas are excellent. Some I already do but a couple I have yet to consider and will implement them.[/p][p] [/p][p]I am stating the downside in the hopes that one of the wonderful techs will consider these points.[/p][p]Using these ideas actually use more memory on the server then the two things I suggested. It also takes away from the game play since instead of staying "in character" you have to switch around all over the place and trade back and forth. This can lead to longer delays in play as well as potentially causing difficulties on a technical side for players (I have an old computer) and potentially for servers.[/p][p] I have to wonder how many alts would disappear. This would also leaves room for more fun times with characters that do more then collect dust as well as potentially decrease the database needs. It takes more data to store the character with all that it has, including the rooms, then it would to simply create these two useful storage suggestions. Even one of the suggestions would go a long way in saving space and aggravation for both player and database. Bonus! Less database used would also speed up the game. For you speed jockeys that have the best in computers it may or may not help you. For us slow pokes it might make a world of difference.[/p][p] More feedback, this was great![/p][p] Khaerie[/p][p]****MOVED TO PROPER AREA****[/p][p] [/p]

A few thoughts ... I'd like to see more parity between the tradeskill classes. Obviously, without a major re-write we can't have all the classes have the same number of recipes as a sage, for example, but we could at least start by having the same value crafting spells and damage. The spell difference between a carpenter and a weaponsmith, for example is huge and does make a difference between success and failure (and so, to some, means that they will or won't continue crafting). Also even out the raw usage, so all classes use the same sort of amounts per crafted item (maybe incorporate the return of raws idea mentioned earlier in the thread, but giving the larger returns for the crafting that uses the most raws - a reward system for making pristine). Players chose the craft they wish to follow due to necessity or an actual interest, so I'd rather not have them put off by poor spell balance and lack of raws. A bit of equality please. I have mulled over the idea to have the crafting XP to be pro-rata, i.e. If a sage at level 40 gets 12 recipes and a carpenter gets 2, it would mean that the sage would get less XP per item when compared to the carpenter BUT that if both crafters made all of their recipes they would level up at the same rate. Suspect this might be considered too difficult to code. If all classes did level at the same rate, then the issue of raw usage would be less. I'd echo the ideas mentioned earlier regarding faction based crafting. Just like to add that this could be phased in by letting us craft items that currently exist and are currently bought from factions. i.e. Give crafters more chance for more recipes without the need to design the end product, as they already exist. WOOD WORKER I'd like to see an introduction to items such as musical instruments to be made for Bards, to be used in the charm slots to increase their musical powers (there were drums and flutes pre-nerf, but these were non-functional items). Tailors make Hex Dolls, Jewelers make symbols and the like, so I guess I'm pushing for a Wood working equivalent of those. Obviously needs more thought, so that it's not just bards that benefit, just was an obvious one to pick. (BTW, I know they make totems already - I was thinking of a more permanent item that boosted specific class traits). Maybe a lucky charm that increases critical chance on ranged items? Would help a few more classes. An effigy for priests and a poppet for mages? Or are these items drifting more towards carpentry? PROVISIONER Let them make alcoholic drinks. Bring back chocolate! How about letting them have advanced recipes, maybe not at all levels but as dropped recipes than use an imbue to add that special something. Actually, while on the subject I always thought it would be fun if there were provisioning specific rares, one for each tier maybe. Could be things like mustard, olives, saffron, anchovies, paprika, salt and pepper i.e. something added to make food more tasty. The idea being that it changes the food from being HIGH to SUPERIOR, or you could have it doubling the length the food lasts. Most of all though, it'd make a grind a bit more interesting. CARPENTERS It would be nice if more items were usable, rather than just giving lower rent. Chairs that can be sat in, beds that can be laid upon etc. We have bookshelves where books can be placed (sometimes a bit fiddly, but possible) so how about adding wardrobes, for storing clothes (not for sales, but for personal use)? Cupboards? A chest to store more than old skulls? Sort of links into the earlier post regarding storage space issues. More recipes would be nice, but that can be said for all non-scholar classes. ARMOURERS, TAILORS & JEWELERS Just to repeat the earlier post about letting them make ceremonial type items. Could be linked to the idea of them making faction based items, as some factions sell clothing/armour already. Really just repeating the idea to back up a request for more items to craft, to make crafting more interesting and less of a grind. Taking tailors as an example, let them craft a whole level-1-just-for-dressing-up outfit rather than just the item that slots in the chest section. If all items are worn then you get the end results as now, but have the items made and worn in each of the slots. Would add an extra 12 recipes per 2 that currently exist. SAGE Should a sage be given a non-scroll item to make? Alchemists get to make scrolls plus potions, poisons etc. Jewelers make scrolls plus jeweler, symbols, belts and whatnot. I know sages make scrolls for two class lines, but for variety could they make something else too? Currently the Jeweler make the only tomes, so how about this switches to the Sage and expand the types he can make? I'd like a re-think on the adornments and who makes them. For example, it makes no sense to me that a weaponsmith makes ring adornments. I'd prefer it that either all classes make all adornments OR they make adornments specific to their class (and I'm not sure how this would leave provisioners, but at least it would make some sense). I think that most adornments could do with being increased, from what I've seen so far, to at least make them worth bothering about. At the moment they seem to be a bit love 'em or hate 'em. I'd also like to see an end to the randomness of levelling, as I think this would (in the long run) help bring broker prices back to affordable levels for the less-uber! In reaction to an earlier post I would like to keep the imbued items, and would even welcome an increase. For example, tailors can currently imbue a chest piece to give a random chance of a heal and leggings for a random chance of some damage. How about adding head gear with a random chance of power restore? Shoulder pieces with a random chance to cure disease? Or more types of damage, heat on leggings but poison on on boots and cold on gloves? Just a thought.

Coming up with some good idea in here people =) keep them coming :thumbup:

i'd like to get a set of dur and a set of progress at start, the first 10 levels with no +dur is a HUGE pain.

I don't think it's that big of a deal for the 30 minutes you're in Tier 1

No doubt, you don't need any pristine combines in T1 to level through it in no time. Just make one of everything you can until you hit level 10 and you won't make mucn of the available recipes anyway. The first tier should just be a blur.

if its your main, yes, but my weaponsmith (my only outfitter) still makes my <20 cloth needs. also, it was very discouraging when i started to have to watch my dur slip away and could do nothing about it. it would also help teach people that there are +prog and +dur sets and they are different.

If your WS is making the below 20 cloth, s/he has both durability and progress arts. I don't really have a problem with people getting a full set of arts from the get-go. I just don't see it as a burning issue.

[p] Oh course you, me, and other estabilished tradeskillers (at least one character with tradeskill lvl 20+) do not. It is the beginning tradeskillers and those completely new to the game that need a complete set. When you receive your first free tradeskill levels, I think the chat does mention the progress buffs. When I started there was no mention of them. So for my first 12 levels on my first character, I crafted without them. [/p][p]Try adventuring without weapon, armor, and spell upgrades until you reach level 10. Even the level 6VV skeletons on the colony can kill you at level 9.[/p]

Fuel prices can get to be a significant burden, especially at higher levels. How about letting common harvested wood work as fuel? So you could either buy fuel from the vendor, harvest wood yourself, or buy wood off the board. You would still need say 10 wood/combine so you would need a lot of wood. This would help make common harvested wood worth a bit more, but it would be capped since no one would pay more for wood, for fuel, than the price of fuel from the vendor. People who are willing to put in the time to harvest wood could get a more reasonable return on their effort. It seems like common wood right now is close to worthless.

[p]OK some of the other ideas i have seen are: Tradeskill AA Trees[/p][p]Different procs on weapon imbues ie: cold, heat, poison etc to up the amount of available recipes[/p][p]Tradeskill quests such as the one in the Mara adventure pack.[/p]

Another one that I have heard was lowering the cost of the home tradeskill benchs that you get from the city merchant.

[p]I didn't read the whole thread, sorry.[/p][p]Three basic things.[/p][p]1) We have to be able to craft better things. I did see this mentioned above. At the end of the day, all we are good for is toons leveling up. I get a smattering of weapon orders, usually as folks level their alts into the 60's, but that is it. SOE has had the idea before--we had wyrmslayer weapons in T5, and we had rubicite weapons--yes, I even made one once. To truely be viable, we need to be able to craft legendary-quality gear. Of course these would require uncommon rares either taken off mobs, or harvested, in nasty places.[/p][p] This ability would also help balance the adventurers out by giving another route to legendary gear. Right now toons are dependant on luck--and I continue to wear xegonite plate, my only remaining piece, despite run after run after run through OOB. I would buy something better, but I can't.[/p][p]2) Tradeskilling aa's. I am slowly working my way through the xegonite discoveries--but I made level 70 long ago. It would be nice to be putting that exp to use. The aa could go along with the ability to craft better things--in fact, that would be the only thing that would not be in insult. I basically never fail on pristine any more anyhow. so I don't need aa to help me not fail.[/p][p]So, you combine the existence of raws that can be made into better legendary gear (hard but not ridiculous to get) and the ability of craftsmen to aa exp to reach the ability to make them, and I think crafting will have a much better place in this game.[/p][p]3) A much more radical idea. I will put it in the next reply.[/p]

[p]Here is my 3rd though.[/p][p]Roll back crafting, to a way similar to what it was at the beginning, albiet with some tweaks to properly fix the problems that led it to be changed initially.[/p][p]I have played this game (on and off) since it came out. For those who did not, a brief history lesson: Initially crafters could only make things--past beginner level--made by their primary skill---as a weaponsmith I could make edges, pommels, shods, crossguards, etc, and then all the final weapon combines. I could not make hilts using leather( tailors) staves(woodworker), ornaments(jeweler) or tempers (alchemist). Again, all this past level 10--up to level 10 you could make anything.[/p][p]This created a very interdepenant crafting community, which included a great many players who primarily played as crafters (one of SOE's original promises for this game was that that would be a viable option). Once I finally got rolling I had a crafting partner who had a jeweler, alchemist, and provisioner. I harvested raws with my high level adventuring toon, and made for her the occasional weaponsmith item she needed (stud for certain jewelry, I think) and she provided me with the tempers I needed for every combine, and the jewelry items I needed (ornaments for daggers). The staves and hilts I got in trade from woodworkers and tailors.[/p][p]However, SOE felt the need to change things--and they probably did need changing. Every class was too dependant upon alchemists for one thing--many crafters had alchemist alts, and most alchemists were sick of making tempers, and if you had to buy them off the broker you could not afford to craft, flat out period over. So SOE brought in the new tradeskilling recipes, requiring new skills--thurmagy, etc--which allowed every crafter the ability to make basic subcombines needed for everything.[/p][p]Right there is where they put the first dagger in the heart of EQ crafting. They moved from an intense interdependancy to a complete independance, and just killed the crafting community. I know my crafting partner was bummed--I was happy I didn't have to bother her for everything, but she felt useless. (She eventually quit). This is where I think a partial approach might have worked better. They could have allowed an secondary tradeskill class per character. They could have introduced some subcombine recipes, but not all of them (alchemy especially--since alchemists also make spells, I doubt they would have grieved over the loss of the temper market). As it was, they threw out the baby with the bathwater. To be fair, this came at a time when SOE was realizing that EQ2 is not EQ1 in terms of impact on the gaming world--WoW is the big dog as far as $$$ goes (and you can craft some mighty fine stuff in WoW, btw).[/p][p]The second big step came about a year ago, when they decided to get rid of all the subcombines, something I ranted against at the time. Now you just throw raws into the pot and hit the buttons and PRESTO![/p][p]I will grant you that this method does make it easier to fill orders. Someone mails me a xegonite, and some gold, and a scinitillating flower/stone/scale/tooth, and I made the xegonite weapon, the imbue it. Can take me as few as 5 minutes from mailbox to mailbox. But I still miss the old version of crafting, and I think people who really crafted to craft does. It really isn't that bad or hard to sit down on a Sunday evening and make up 20 staves, 20 crossguards, 20 hilts, and some tempers, and with the current state of weaponsmithing orders those will last a month or more.[/p][p]So what do I suggest? Roll crafting back to the way it was when the game started, with several tweaks. The exp gain was tweaked, considerably--leave that tweaked because it used to be an incredibly slow crawl up the levels. Leave in the per 10 level subcombine books, but take enough out of them that there is a reason and a need for different tradeskillers--or else allow there to be better items made by combined work. Example, I can make a stave, and with it make a weapon, but I can make a better weapon with a stave a woodworker made for me.[/p][p]I know these thoughts are radical, and probably will meet resistance, which is why I disconnected my first two suggestions. But these are my opinions on crafting.[/p]

[p]OgrePaladin, pretty much my thoughts as well. [/p][p]Where I would differ is leave everything like it was in the beginning (full interdependency) except allow worts to be made by the stack on a pristine (do it like ammo, 25/50/75/100). A few other things would need tweaked (like every class making their primaries... Scribes had it rough in that they couldn't make their own ink which had to be pristine). Add in the ability to 'buy' subs at a 'shaped' tier from the the wholesaler based upon your status with them (the higher the status, the higher the discount). Return the low yield nodes with the three strike rule.[/p][p]The only thing I would really like to see changed beyond that would be to change crafting to match up with adventurering (ie, you are a weaponsmith from level 1, a armorer from level 1, not an artisan until 9). Then shift the pick the class at the character creation. 95% of all people who craft pretty much know what they are going to do when they create the character.[/p]