Crafting/Refining Skills

[rljs29]

I hope this gets the attention it needs because it’s very crucial to our enjoyment of the game. @Kay @Tosch @TigerCr4ne @MelodySparks @Lobsang @Lane @Luxendra @TrevzorFTW

TLDR@bottom

Crafting needs to be reworked, and by that I don’t mean reverted to its original state. We need a better system that will level up along with our characters. Right now we can level up multiple accounts from 1-60 in a few weeks and still not be finished with leveling up Weaponsmithing and Furnishing on just one account.

The reason behind the latest nerf to XP was because we were “wasting” our time and T1 resources crafting just T1 items that would only be salvaged. Well, right now I’m level 60 clad in full Faction gear because of how long it’s taking me to reach a level in crafting that would allow me to replace this gear. If the reason for diminishing XP granted by low tier items was to force us to use our crafted gear, then high tier items should give a lot more XP so we can level up faster and make use of those higher tier items.

Something needs changing. The amount of crafting materials required is unfathomably high, the amount of refining agents is on a scale beyond imagination; impossible to attain in any reasonable time. Reaching a meaningful level in crafting so we can make use of endgame gear takes a ridiculous amount of time. So long that it makes the reason for this nerf nothing but a ploy.

We are all being time gated by low yields for refining materials. We are being time gated by the extremely rare drop rates from Orichalcum veins, Ironwood trees, and Beasts. We are putting in our time by farming these things. We are putting time in OPR and Elite chest runs (which are now a lot more difficult) to increase the extremely time consuming watermarks. There is no need to lengthen something as simple, and endgame critical, as crafting.

Endgame should be enjoyment, not another grind. After a reasonable amount of time we should all be taking part in Wars, OPR, Expeditions, farming to craft and increase wealth, maybe Elite chest runs, getting ready for the next major expansion, not grinding the hell out of crafting and refining skills. It makes no sense except to time gate.

I’m reaching a level of burnout I’ve never experienced before in my 20+ years of playing MMOs. And I’m sure I’m not alone.

TLDR;

Crafting needs to be reworked. Either increase the amount of XP granted per craft by a very large amount, or reduce the XP requirement to reach higher levels.

[Dustbone]

I agree. The crafting system is cool and all - for a week.
Then you get to the fucking grind of it. It’s not fun nor interesting. It’s make 11,000 swords until you can make something useful.

I wish I was exaggerating that number.

A very simple, quick, and easy bandaid fix that would alleviate the grind right now would be remove steel from the starmetal recipe. That breaks up the tiers between high and low level, would be very simple to achieve, extremely quick, and would drastically change the tedium.

It’s not a permanent fix, but it would make it immesurably better until a real solution is found.

[rljs29]

Server population makes everything even worse. Farming for materials takes much too long so that’s out of the question. I ran out of quests to do so that means no more income. The quests left to do are impossible to solo and there is nobody else to help. OPR happens maybe once in my server now, so that’s a lot less income, meaning I can’t buy the crafting materials anymore. Honestly…I don’t really know what else to do in the game. I logged off and just went straight to Netflix, hoping something changes because I love the game.

[Talindor]

I can also think of Quest-NPCs for the crafting system. Similar to the Fishing-Quest line, only much more detailed and with daily quests as an alternative to the 65+ areas. Just a suggestion.

[rljs29]

Daily quests are always good. Anything that will enrich the gaming experience is a plus.

[Dizzigies]

I get it and the grind is real, but do you really want everyone running around with 200 of each profession? I am on a low pop server and I feel like I have half the server on my friends list because I am one of the few people who can do real high end armoring. I am also 150+ furnishing with the Hope Storage Chest which is still super rare.

It wasn’t exactly a pleasure to raise those professions, of course, but I am glad I did it and it feels somewhat rewarding knowing I’ve helped people get some of the gear they were after. You also have to remember that the game is about 2 months old. Is it reasonable to expect that you should be able to complete everything in that amount of time?

[jcosiosantalla]

I grinded these last fewdays Jewelry expecting this was an HONEST company that did not break a core feature of their game and essentially permalocked me from crafting professions becuse I chose to focus on the story lol

[Norry]

Something needs to be done. Good suggestions, use them, don’t, but do something to adjust crafting to be far less grind than you have made it. I’ve quit leveling crafting skills in their current state.

[rljs29]

I wouldn’t mind at all if everybody was running around with 200 on everything. Why would I mind? How exactly would that affect me? Everybody would be too busy having fun elsewhere rather than burning time, money, and energy crafting useless items nobody will use. Everything in this game is governed by RNG, so we would all be on a somewhat equal footing. The current system only benefits those who own a company or get plenty of money from a company. In layman’s, it’s only beneficial to the rich, and it keeps them richer because only they get to craft those legendary items everybody wants. How is that fair? How is it fair to keep one or two people in a server rich? People will talk about the economy’s health, but don’t realize that it’s only a very small number of people who get to see real numbers in their coin purse, while everybody else fights for resources to increase their crafting. Right now there are zero motes in my server’s TP. Zero. Nada.

Like I said earlier, this game is governed by RNG. There’s so many possible combinations of things that it’s almost impossible to finish the game. But how am I supposed to get there and enjoy it when crafting is time gating me into burnout?

But as it is right now, I’m done. I actually am finished with the game. I have achieved completion. The giant time gates in crafting have let me know that I am fully finished with the game. There is nothing fun about running around for days farming for mats, and spending thousand of coins from the little bit that I get from Faction missions and OPR, just to increase 10-15 levels on crafting.

[FEKITOdesigner]

even after the changes, the creation of T3 products is the most profitable investment in the ratio of effort / profit

[Dustbone]

do you really want everyone running around with 200 of each profession?

It wouldn’t affect me in the slightest.
If we aren’t supposed to all be able to have 200 in everything, why the fuck can we all get 200 in everything?

[Oriondunn]

There are AGS posts stating cash shop conveniences will be sold in the future to ease the burden of time of those that don’t have the time. …

Get what you wanted? boosts…

[Dustbone]

This? This is from the alpha.
It was always the plan. I’m sure AGS could have made a fun system if they wanted to. But they didn’t. In fact, they made the grindiest system they possibly could.

But it gets better, when they realized it wasn’t grindy enough, and people were actually getting to the end of it, they decided “shit, we didn’t intend for people to actually be able to do it. Slow it down more.”

AGS never wanted you to max any profession. You were supposed to get bogged down in the grind and buy their boosts.

Don’t be surprised if very shortly theres a “new and exciting” crafting tier, 215. But to get there, it’ll be longer than 1-200 combined. I bet I can even make a prediction on exactly how they sell it.

“Introducing: Masterwork crafting. Each level past 200 will increase both your minimum and maximum gearscore quality up to a maximum of 600 for the dedicated craftsmen.”

Then you find out this new change they made to crafting that makes earlier tiers give reduced exp. Weaponsmithing 201? Welp, orichalcum is now below your tier. Best get ready to make 15,000 orichalcum swords!!

That’ll be 5,280,000 iron ore. Chop chop.
…Or you can buy this super sweet crafting xp boost.

[rljs29]

P2W will drive me away permanently. I’d rather they just implement a subscription. I’ll gladly pay for that than pay to increase my crafting/refining skills.