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Zrakle wrote: »

Although I cannot see the big picture - here are a few ideas from my limited viewpoint:

1) As soon as it becomes possible - wipe server and require a fresh start of actual expectations. I think true Data is needed to adjust things properly - not the data that is affected by node advancements and other erroneous inputs from the dev team to advance certain aspects. This should make gathering/harvesting an equal priority to adventure types - assisting the crafters and reducing one of the skills required to level.
2) Keep hunting as an AH skill but maybe change the killing of certain mobs to a loot option scenario - like choice of glint or carcass - along with the other drop items as in emblems, runes - etc etc.
3) DO NOT put items on vendor - make it so food is needed from a cook, scrolls are needed from a scribe, salves are needed from an alchemist and weapons and armor are needed from the appropriate crafter. Maybe keep quests and drops available - but do not make them a higher quality than uncommon.

1. People could still try all the novice professions, they would just have to demote one (losing progress) to get another. But that would require travel to a trainer at least
2. 7 professions is enough to do roughly 2 crafts at a time, maybe 3
3. Valuable resource nodes wouldn't always be picked up, as people wouldn't have all the gathering skills. So they would get funneled to the people who have chosen those crafts.
4. Over half the server would likely still take mining just for the income. But it would still lighten the gathering a bit for mining, and a lot for hunting and flax
5. Fuel might have to be vendor buyable, as not everyone could cut trees
6. It would better prepare people for what's coming with apprentice crafting and higher. The a-ha moment when you realize that processing is important

Elemenohpe wrote: »

I have to agree with a lot of the points you have made here. I started playing MMOs with Everquest in 1999. I enjoy a good game where it takes work to achieve things. I love that feeling when I've accomplished a challenge and then reap great benefits. However, I'm not getting that with crafting right now.

Between resourcing from my husband who is focused on gathering and funneling items to me, some help from guildies, and myself I've made it to level 5 in scribing. I've made sure I'm leveling scribing with full xp node buffs, xp scrolls, and a scribe shirt. Yet my alchemy, for processing scribing materials only, without buffing it in anyway or paying attention to xp node buffs is level 14. My gathering skills are around 12/13. So crafting definitely has some pain points that needs to be addressed in it's xp rate gain, amount of money, and/or mats it takes.

With all of the various economic systems (one of those systems is definitely artisanship) that are in play here, Intrepid should really have someone on their team that is either an economist or a behavioral economist. Having an economist will help them more appropriately identify the pain points in the game's economy while a behavioral economist will do the same but also have more understanding of human psychology of what people are doing, why they are doing it, and how to nudge people or the game in the correct direction for a healthy economy and happy player.

Just because people are screaming for more copper in the game doesn't mean the best route to fix the problem is for them to add more copper to the game like they are doing. They may seriously need to change how much copper is needed and how far it is getting players in all of the other systems it is involved in to balance it out. Eventually, people aren't going to want that copper as much and then there will be too many copper spawns taking place of move valuable mining spawn points. They may also need to consider that people have to choose their first 5 Artisanships starting at the beginning and you just can't do the other ones. So if you don't choose mining then you don't mining, freeing up resources to the people that are.