Crafting a crafting mechanic
Hello there
I'm trying to come up with a crafting mechanic of my own. I'm trying to make it as creative as I can with plenty of room for player customizability, while keeping it intuitive with materials and processes that make sense from a "realistic" perspective.
I've already let myself be inspired by games like Minecraft, various survival games, Dark Messiah, Fallout, Ultima Online and various other MMORPG's. So far I've got a pretty good idea of the basic stuff, but I'm sure tere's always room for improvement.
What are some of the more entertaining or genius crafting systems you've seen in games you played? Perhaps you even have creative ideas of your own you'd like to share?
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Crafting mechanics are starting to become a bit too clichéd after Minecraft boomed (of course similar systems existed before, it just became more commonplace as a gameplay mechanic after that game). My suggestion would be to look into earlier examples of crafting systems. Adding time to the crafting would be really bothersome to the player. If time has to be added into the formule, I'd say it would've to be done not by the player character itself but either an npc (like a blacksmith in a fantasy/medieval/preindustrial setting) or a machine (post-industrial settings, sci-fi). Overall I feel like item or weapon modification systems are much more fun and less grindy.
Also I forgot in which part of Dark Messiah of Might and Magic there was crafting. I remember it having an excellent melee combat system and a decent levelling one, but I don't recall any crafting involved.
Also I forgot in which part of Dark Messiah of Might and Magic there was crafting. I remember it having an excellent melee combat system and a decent levelling one, but I don't recall any crafting involved.
Agreed, in certain games it just becomes a bit of an unnecessary time sink to slow down player progression. I intend for it to be more of an optional thing for players who prefer the creative "exploration" there is in figuring out combinations of components.
Stuff like an X amount of time really bothers me as well. If anything I'd prefer the time sink to be interactive instead, kind of like Dark Messiah actually now that you mention it.
There's one map where you're able to create an elemental fire sword of some kind I think it was. where you interact with all the different processes of forging it, you smelt the ore into a mold and hammer it manually before finally adding the handle. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zfxutd…
Stuff like an X amount of time really bothers me as well. If anything I'd prefer the time sink to be interactive instead, kind of like Dark Messiah actually now that you mention it.
There's one map where you're able to create an elemental fire sword of some kind I think it was. where you interact with all the different processes of forging it, you smelt the ore into a mold and hammer it manually before finally adding the handle. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zfxutd…
Aaah! I remember that section now. Yeah. It was pretty interesting. It's something Gothic II did as well, with its own twist.
Oh neat! I'll try looking that up.
I suggest that it make time pass. I mean how can you make a freaking axe that can kill a dragon in a silt second?
Also, complex items. I mean, to make sword with a wooden handle. I would need some wood, steal for the blade etc.
Badass things need more requirements, for example in skyrim, you need skyforge to make skyforge stuff, dawngards to make crossbows.
There a skyrim mods called crafting redone, it adds things you may want to look at like Daedric items can only be created at night and gems polishing. www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/…?
Also, complex items. I mean, to make sword with a wooden handle. I would need some wood, steal for the blade etc.
Badass things need more requirements, for example in skyrim, you need skyforge to make skyforge stuff, dawngards to make crossbows.
There a skyrim mods called crafting redone, it adds things you may want to look at like Daedric items can only be created at night and gems polishing. www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/…?
I've definitely already been playing around with the complexity of required item materials and such. But that skyrim mod sounds pretty intriguing 
And about axes killing dragons, it'd have to be a pretty big axe. I try to consider a lot of elements in the game from a slightly more logical perspective. To go dragonhunting you'd likely want to bring some heavy ballistae instead of regular combat weapons.
And about axes killing dragons, it'd have to be a pretty big axe. I try to consider a lot of elements in the game from a slightly more logical perspective. To go dragonhunting you'd likely want to bring some heavy ballistae instead of regular combat weapons.
It doesn't have to be big. The elder scrolls lore says dragon scales are harder than steel, so you will need something that can through all that, I would say a pointy blade of rare some kind, explosives shells or magic.
Of course I just figured since dragons are usually fairly large compared to your average hand-weapon, you'd have to be pretty persistent to get all the way in there and cause damage under the scales with one. Much more effecient to shoot it down with modified siege weapons I'd say.
I just figured since dragons are usually fairly large compared to your average hand-weapon, you'd have to be pretty persistent to get all the way in there and cause damage under the scales with one. Much more effecient to shoot it down with modified siege weapons I'd say.I think maybe portable crafting stations will be handy for simple things: arrows, bullets, boiling water etc. Heavy deadly things needs a bigger forge. Or a small forge that doesn't much skill to make bow or small guns, but you need to be an epic blacksmith to make a big deadly canon.
Also, I think you should make something where you can pay people to craft for the you.
Also, I think you should make something where you can pay people to craft for the you.
Crafting makeshift ammunition and shanks in the field sounds like a great idea actually.
About paying people to do it for you, I've considered having merchants be able to craft things for you for a price. The true reward from crafting on your own, or finding another player craftsman to team up with, would be the freedom of customization in terms of appearance and properties beyond "default" equipment.
I should probably mention the game is supposed to be a multiplayer sandbox. The reason I want a thoroughly fleshed out crafting mechanic is to allow players to have fun and progress with crafting alone.
About paying people to do it for you, I've considered having merchants be able to craft things for you for a price. The true reward from crafting on your own, or finding another player craftsman to team up with, would be the freedom of customization in terms of appearance and properties beyond "default" equipment.
I should probably mention the game is supposed to be a multiplayer sandbox. The reason I want a thoroughly fleshed out crafting mechanic is to allow players to have fun and progress with crafting alone.
You mean like rust, or more sand boxy like minecraft? An mmo or something like borderlands 2?
I think that you have to pay for people to craft for you is enough. The player can, to lower the price, find the item themselves with the choice not to but costs more.
This reminds of sandbox mmo, I don't recall the name. It has a lot customization, I mean you can chose what the sword handle looks like.
And just crafting. You mean like complex blacksmithing?
I think that you have to pay for people to craft for you is enough. The player can, to lower the price, find the item themselves with the choice not to but costs more.
This reminds of sandbox mmo, I don't recall the name. It has a lot customization, I mean you can chose what the sword handle looks like.
And just crafting. You mean like complex blacksmithing?
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Dead Space 3 might be up your alley.
My all time favorite gun I made from scratch in that one was a telemetry spike gun that I modified to shoot dozens of spikes at high speed... with a good ol' grenade launcher strapped to the bottom.
My all time favorite gun I made from scratch in that one was a telemetry spike gun that I modified to shoot dozens of spikes at high speed... with a good ol' grenade launcher strapped to the bottom.
I had a look at it's definitely an interesting source of inspiration thanks!
thanks!