Forums » Crafting and Gathering

Not Your Normal Wardrobe System

    • 19 posts
    June 9, 2016 3:22 PM PDT

    In a lot of games out today there is some sort of cosmetic wardrobe system. A system that that allows a player to cover up the calico mismatched appearance of the items they actually have equipped. Some systems allow you to save the appearance of any item you have obtained, other systems it’s a costume, or a combination of both.

    Instead of the aforementioned systems I would like to offer a system that incorporates both the adventure sphere and crafting sphere into the wardrobe system. Whereas players can design their own armor appearance and then have it crafted. As players venture out into the world they are going to come across different regions of the world, different dungeons, and may encounter items from both present and past eras.

    Say a player starts out on one continent, as they travel from village to village they will see shops, here they may be able to obtain a sketch of the armor they like, as they travel on into the vast world they may uncover some ancient armor in some far reaching dungeon and again obtain a sketch of the item. This continues on thorough a player’s travels and adventures. Basically you have jotted down all the unique craftsmanship of armor types across world and time. A player then can open up a GUI to view all the different ornate armor sketches they have acquired. The GUI will also allow the player to come up with their own design based off the many different sketches they have acquired.

    Once inside the GUI window a player may select Heavy Medium Light Armor. From there the player will select armor slot: Head, Shoulders, Chest, Wrists, Hands, Legs, Feet. Once Slot is selected the player may then select various looks and styles that will appear in the display window. Once the base style is selected the player may move on to ornamentation (engravings, crests, runes, spikes etc.) then on to color palette Primary, Secondary, Tertiary coloring of armor. Player can move back and forth between base style, ornamentation, and coloring until desired look is decided upon.

    The GUI will also support a rag doll so that the player can view each piece of armor on their character all at once. While looking at the rag doll portrait the player may not like how one piece does not match quite right with the rest and may go back and select that slot and change it a bit towards their liking.

    Once a player has designed how they want their appearance to look like they then save their sketch, which places a sketch scroll for each slot in their inventory.  The player then can take the sketch scroll to a designer NPC, hand over the sketch and some coin (sink) and the NPC will give them an armor schematic and components list (repeat for each armor slot).   

    So then the player then has to track down each of the components to make the armor, some components will come from gathering/harvesting while other components will come from different crafter professions (crafter interdependency). Once the Player has acquired all the components he then takes his schematic and components to a crafter who can assemble them (Black Smith Plate Heave, Outfitter Leather Medium, Clothier Cloth Light). The crafter then assembles the item for the player and they now have a piece of gear that the appearance they want.

    This system gets adventurers out looking for armor appearances across the world so it’s not just about what drops and what stats, it may be total junk but still hold value in vanity. It also keeps the crafters tied into armor appearances vs just having an item mall costume or skinning your item with another item one found someplace.

    Actually, maybe there is not a schematic NPC, maybe there is a schematic crafting class. Whereas, a player would have to take their sketch to another player to get there schematic and crafting components list.  

    Maybe the item crafted from the schematic isn’t just a wardrobe item maybe it is an actual slot item that you can work with the crafter to get the right stats on for your build. Or, maybe a crafter can take an existing stat item that you already have and retool it to look like your sketch.

    As far as appearances go, as stated before players would have to adventure to find them all. Developers could develop sets for regions, specific races, dungeons, raids, events, and expansions based on associated lore and culture themes.  A player may find a breast plate in an area, and decide to try to find the complete set, or just move on.

    Anyways, I think this is a more involved and interesting way of keeping both the adventurer and crafter tied together in the wardrobe system.

    Opinions, Thoughts?

    • 263 posts
    June 9, 2016 3:43 PM PDT

    As we discussed this the other day, this is actually a very unique idea and i am 100% in support of this as a option.

    This gives the Player Adventuring Class the feeling of doing something and designing something very unique. It opens up further Crafting Trades that haven`t been done before like the Architect / Sketcher / Schematition

    This also offers a way to control the Economy and make the Economy have a Value in unique ways. The Blueprints could be sold if you were to optain a double for alot of coin. This also adds other interesting things to collect in Terminus.

    Also the Idea of having the Player design his dream Armor and then having to go to a Crafter that gives him a Building List of components to gather or name him a Price to build it. Maybe add the Components in diffrent Tiers making some not so simple to optain or only certain % Drop rates depending on Level of Design.

     

    This would also mean that there would have to be alot of Blueprints out there to bring uniqueness to the designed Set of armor. One could add Designed By (NAME) and Crafted By (NAME) to give both players recognition.

    This makes crafters have a major role within the shapeing of adventuring. Also as we spoke about the experimenting or reforgeging of Stats to fit the new Armor piece is also a cool idea. Simular Systems were done in other games but this was also done as a way to retract currency from the game by having NPCs offer this. But i feel that this is something crafter should do. It can cost you even if control cashflow is important i wouldnt disagree to even pay a small sum each time i try this.

    This would even benefit Guilds each Member would be able to design their unique Armor Set and then having Guild colors or Emblem added to the Mix will make Guilds really exclusive and appeal majestic because each Guildmember would look diffrent but by wearing the same colors and emblem of a guild would mean it would look awsome marching into town all in Black and Gold Colored Armor with the Guild Signa it would create a view of awe!

     

     

     

     

     

     

    • 643 posts
    June 10, 2016 10:05 AM PDT

    I think this is a terrific idea and a perfect example of what a new and fresh injection of ideas can be, while not compromising the integrity of what we want Terminus to be.

     

     

    • 76 posts
    June 10, 2016 12:14 PM PDT

    I think a great part of EQ was that you couldn't always tell if the monk in the party had on a Fungi or Rawhide Tunic, but you knew it was one of the two and when they busted out the T-Staff it was easy to identify :) You could walk through town and know exactly what caliber of gear they had simply based off their appearance.

     

    With that said, I am kinda indifferent to the idea. I personally wouldn't sink any in game currency into this, but I’m sure plenty would.

    • 19 posts
    June 10, 2016 9:06 PM PDT

    People play games for various reason, aggression release, escapism, competition, relaxations, or just entertainment etc. Everyone has their own reason for playing. That said the mechanism of which we experience and intereact with the game world with is our character/avatar. In the MMO genre we use our charactar/avatar in many ways but it all boils down to interacting with the game environment; systems, mechanics, dynamics, the rules and conditions of the game world. However, what makes it fun, engaging, and entertaining is the sense of power and pride from our accomplishments and advancements. This is why I am a firm believer in Class Development first content to match the classes second. Classes should feel heroic and powerful, classes should have a have a theme that appeals to either darker or lighter side of the paradime in which people want to escape into their fantasy land. Likewise a player should feel accomplished and rewarded from their hard work. Along with the major things it is also the minor things that people can gain a sence of accomplishment and pride from.  For some its downing a raid boss for others its just acquiring a new shiny for their respective lvl bracket. People like to express this wether it being coming up in chat with a link or parading through a conjested city. People take pride in their characters. Yes not everyone cares about whether or not their armor matches, but most do want to look impresive.

    In Vangaurd during beta I remember Brad specifically chiming in on similar forum discussion with a flash back to EQ and stated to the effect something similar that accomplishment of a player was identified with what peices of armor he had adorned and he wanted to breathe that life back into Vangaurd. Where if a person had a certain look or wielded a certain weapon you knew that they had accomplished defeating the most powerful of raid bosses in the world. 

    Well this system allows for that, certain sketches can only be obtained from raids, certain sketches can only be obtained through exploration and travels to distant lands, while others are easily obtained through starting city and race/class culture and lore.  Maybe not at the begining of Pantheon but definately in the future people will know that you have traveled great distances and fought your way to the depth of hell and back and defeated the most difficult content Terminus can throw at you. At the same time your armor can match and not be a hodge podge of differnt scribles and colors. 

     


    This post was edited by xaices at June 11, 2016 7:03 AM PDT
    • 308 posts
    June 11, 2016 3:12 PM PDT

    I like this idea, but i think instead of an NPC or a new crafting class the schematic should be done by the crafting class that would do final assembly. and there should also be a way for the crafter to regulate item level.

     

    also i think that it would be neat if you could deconstruct armor to gain the schematics for that armor.

     

    to add on to this thought this should be done for real armor with stats, not appearance armor that glosses over what you are actually wearing. armor skins are dumb.


    This post was edited by Gawd at June 11, 2016 3:16 PM PDT
    • 40 posts
    July 14, 2016 7:14 AM PDT

    There is certainly some merit to the idea as long as certain skins are locked. You don't want to see the noobs running around with the cool raid gear you spent months to get after all.

     

    Another thing is that you also could add racial skins (like dwarven chainmail) that only could be crafted by characters of that specific race. 

    Preferably should a piece of armor be 3 parts you merge together for a more unique look (the DM tool in Biowares Neverwinter nights were like that), a color theme you set and the option to add the crafters personal rune or heraldic mark.

     

    It is some work to add though but it certainly would make the crafters happy to add a bit more customization.

    • 264 posts
    July 16, 2016 11:24 AM PDT

    I think this is a very good Idea. 

    • 7 posts
    August 1, 2016 2:25 PM PDT

    Excellent origianl idea.  Crafting is a huge part of the game for me. THis adds a unique twist to something I really hope will find its way ito this game, indepth and unique crafting.

    I loved Vanguard's crafting sysstem in many ways.  It was not perfect but I like the idea of "weaving" thinsg together to make items that have not yet been seen.  So I might be the only oe sellig a Necklace ofr grand Stamina as I am the only one to figure out how its made.  All other necjklaces might be magical adorns or resists or whatever until someone figures out how to make somehting special.

    • 613 posts
    August 4, 2016 10:57 AM PDT

    If it allows for more customization and crafting is a great way to help and engage people in it. I like this idea.

     

    Ox