Crafting restrictions/Progression tree

[xX_IllumireKt( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)Xx 0]

Hello TFC community. I've just made this account now but have been following this project since mid 2012 and so far love everything about it and know that the devs work hard on the only mod for Minecraft (excepting addons/shaders and such) that I think I'll ever play again.

 

And now that my introduction (so I feel more welcome and part of the community) is complete, I can move on to the topic.

One thing that I've wanted for a while is a system in which crafting is "restricted" perhaps including such things as dreams and events leading to 'discoveries' giving you the ability to craft such an object as is displayed in the discovery. Maybe a use for gems in a 'research table' or other kind of workstation requiring higher-grade gems for better lenses. Researching an item on an Exquisite lens may yield recipes using that item further down the technology tree. There could be a new side tab in the inventory with a list of items you can craft, and items you need to craft before 'discovering' another one. Maybe more experience points would amount to 'life experience' allowing more 'dreams' to show up, maybe giving a need for sleep in smp (although I'm sure some kind of rest would be implemented in the future, coupled with body heat). Perhaps some of this could be integrated with the new 'skills' system.

Basically, you can't craft things unless you have knowledge of them (which could be passed to other players as 'inventions').

 

Just a thought, thanks.

[Khalkists 10]

On this subject, I feel we can slow the rate of progression utilizing something that already exists within the game.

The mod has skills which currently don't do too much. For smithing, you should have a minimum skill threshold to properly utilize a metal and a certain category of armor.

 

So, a lowest level smith may only be able to work bronzes properly. They would get normal durability for all bronze level items.

This same smith could craft ingots, and work higher level materials for much faster skill progression, but until his smithing is up to snub, the items he makes will have significantly lower durability. They won't be disabled, just probably less useful than bronze for the time being.

 

More or less, this is a sort of artificial slowdown in progression. This would slow progression while expanding the importance of skills.

[Kittychanley 1,002]

Welcome to the Forums!

 

I realize this might be an oversimplification, but it sounds to me like you want something similar to the Thaumcraft research system. In my experience, these artificial barriers really don't add much to gameplay other than frustration and tedium for anyone who isn't a brand new player. After you've played the mod for a while, you already know the majority of the crafting recipes and processes by heart, but with a system like this you are completely blocked from being able to utilize that knowledge on a new playthrough until you "unlock" the barrier.

 

For Thaumcraft, I will admit the system was really cool and fun the first time I played. I was unlocking brand new things that I had absolutely no previous knowledge about, so I was just excited to go through and see what all there was. However, the next time that I started a new game, I already knew what I was aiming for, and the mentality was more along the lines of "Ugh, I have to go scan this, this, and this so I can unlock the thing I want."

 

Much of the progression in TFC already has the artificial barrier of cost. Bloomeries require the two metal anvils, and then the bronze to make it. Blast furnaces require graphite and kaolinite, and then a LOT of wrought iron.

 

As for skills, there isn't really a good way to implement what is being suggested without also introducing a system that just requires grinding. If a player has already found enough copper and bronze materials to get to wrought iron, they really shouldn't have to smith a bunch of random stuff just so their skill level is high enough to make the tool worth making. What we're really trying to avoid is a skill system that results in "Do this action X amount of times in order to be able to do Y." As the system is currently supposed to work (I say supposed to because it's buggy in 78), all tools have a base durability based on the material that they are made of. A wrought iron pickaxe will always be better than a copper one, because the material itself is better. Smithing skill just adds to that base durability. This way, players aren't punished if they decide that they don't want to specialize in smithing, but the players who do decide on that specialization are rewarded with tools, weapons and armor with higher durability.

 

Skills are still important because players who decide to specialize in something else can still trade/get tools created by players who have the higher skill. For example: player A focuses on cooking, while player B focuses on smithing. The two players decide to work together so that player B makes all of the tools, weapons and armor for the both of them, while player A makes all of the food for both of them.

[xX_IllumireKt( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)Xx 0]

Welcome to the Forums!

 

I realize this might be an oversimplification, but it sounds to me like you want something similar to the Thaumcraft research system. In my experience, these artificial barriers really don't add much to gameplay other than frustration and tedium for anyone who isn't a brand new player. After you've played the mod for a while, you already know the majority of the crafting recipes and processes by heart, but with a system like this you are completely blocked from being able to utilize that knowledge on a new playthrough until you "unlock" the barrier.

 

For Thaumcraft, I will admit the system was really cool and fun the first time I played. I was unlocking brand new things that I had absolutely no previous knowledge about, so I was just excited to go through and see what all there was. However, the next time that I started a new game, I already knew what I was aiming for, and the mentality was more along the lines of "Ugh, I have to go scan this, this, and this so I can unlock the thing I want."

 

Much of the progression in TFC already has the artificial barrier of cost. Bloomeries require the two metal anvils, and then the bronze to make it. Blast furnaces require graphite and kaolinite, and then a LOT of wrought iron.

 

As for skills, there isn't really a good way to implement what is being suggested without also introducing a system that just requires grinding. If a player has already found enough copper and bronze materials to get to wrought iron, they really shouldn't have to smith a bunch of random stuff just so their skill level is high enough to make the tool worth making. What we're really trying to avoid is a skill system that results in "Do this action X amount of times in order to be able to do Y." As the system is currently supposed to work (I say supposed to because it's buggy in 78), all tools have a base durability based on the material that they are made of. A wrought iron pickaxe will always be better than a copper one, because the material itself is better. Smithing skill just adds to that base durability. This way, players aren't punished if they decide that they don't want to specialize in smithing, but the players who do decide on that specialization are rewarded with tools, weapons and armor with higher durability.

 

Skills are still important because players who decide to specialize in something else can still trade/get tools created by players who have the higher skill. For example: player A focuses on cooking, while player B focuses on smithing. The two players decide to work together so that player B makes all of the tools, weapons and armor for the both of them, while player A makes all of the food for both of them.

Thanks for the reply.

 

I guess the limitations similar to Thaumcraft are a bit stumping and irritating, but the thing is that I'd like a way that civilizations can advance in a more prolonged state. The skills idea sounds sufficient for some of my point and that's perfect, you devs continue with the great work. But sometimes when I play TFC I kind of wish that the stages lasted longer, for example I make a thatch hut, I throw my logs and clay in and in about 3 TFC days I have copper saws. With my new crafting capabilities, much is simple following that, with pro-pick use and gathering of house-building materials. Of course there is large cost for further metallurgy and such but that's fine. I guess maybe basic inventions like steam could do with tech-trees and stuff. Maybe I just want something past the whole progression curve, I don't know. If that's it then some of the addons I'm seeing could quench my thirst.

 

"Skills are still important because players who decide to specialize in something else can still trade/get tools created by players who have the higher skill. For example: player A focuses on cooking, while player B focuses on smithing. The two players decide to work together so that player B makes all of the tools, weapons and armor for the both of them, while player A makes all of the food for both of them."

 

And I guess the multi-player civ-advancement ideas are what I really like, colonies and trade, factions and more. Sometimes I feel as though artificial systems are the way to go about allowing this but that can't be right.

Maybe if people were realistic about it and just traded things for items like gems, then a currency could develop. I mean, what the hell are you going to do with a green papery slip anyway? Trade it, that's what.