What actually is a Rare item, and what makes it just that?

Grihm

Dygz wrote: »

It doesn't change your concept, but...
The devs are designing as if everyone who went through the portals is a hero - which is why we don't start out in peasant clothing or rags (by appearance).

Ok, listen. I hear what you are saying, but a dev cannot force anyone to play in any way really, part from following the rules. Unless they add to the TOS that you MUST play a hero and you MUST go out to combat this and that... it´s up to the player.

I hear what you are saying, but i genuinely do not think it´s meant to be a forced start to play as anything. Yes, it´s a game...yes it has an intro...yes it´s in a world of monsters etc etc...but again... there will be players not that in to fighting. All games have their population of peaceful players.

Let´s agree to disagree on that part, because it´s going off topic.

Dygz

I'm not talking about how people play.
I'm talking about literally how rare they might design rare items.
The devs may decide that since all player characters are heroes, rare = 200/1000 rather than 50/1000.

Grihm

200/1000 is very high, but better than that every other player has everything just by following a Youtube guide.

McShave

Just for clarification, if we compare this discussion to WoW and many other MMOs item quality, that we are talking about Epic items (purple) and not Rare items (blue). If we are talking about rare items being rare, it reminds me of when i leveled to 60 in vanilla WoW and i got my first "rare" item at around level 50. This is ok, but then you have to make epic items even more difficult to find. And then legendaries on top of that would be inconsiderable to obtain.

From here on i will assume we are talking about epic items. you shouldn't restrict an item's drop chance based on the amount that exist in the world, unless it is legendary. If someone gets an item drop from a boss, then other players should have the same chance at it if they beat that same boss. Probably make it low drop chance, but don't make it not drop.

Also as others have posted, a single item drop is not as important as a blueprint for a similar item. I don't think it would make sense if a crafted item of the same level as a rare item drop from the world. Maybe you could have the world dropped item have slightly better stats and be epic, and have the crafted item just be good but not as good and have it be a rare item.

Grihm

McShave wrote: »

Just for clarification, if we compare this discussion to WoW and many other MMOs item quality, that we are talking about Epic items (purple) and not Rare items (blue). If we are talking about rare items being rare, it reminds me of when i leveled to 60 in vanilla WoW and i got my first "rare" item at around level 50. This is ok, but then you have to make epic items even more difficult to find. And then legendaries on top of that would be inconsiderable to obtain.

From here on i will assume we are talking about epic items. you shouldn't restrict an item's drop chance based on the amount that exist in the world, unless it is legendary. If someone gets an item drop from a boss, then other players should have the same chance at it if they beat that same boss. Probably make it low drop chance, but don't make it not drop.

Also as others have posted, a single item drop is not as important as a blueprint for a similar item. I don't think it would make sense if a crafted item of the same level as a rare item drop from the world. Maybe you could have the world dropped item have slightly better stats and be epic, and have the crafted item just be good but not as good and have it be a rare item.

Compare it to the One ring as an example. There are many rings...many powerful rings... but only one specific " one ring ".

I would be good with one specific classification, let´s say Legendary, to be the one true class of drops that are extremely limited and numbered. At least then there are one classification with actual interesting drop chances, instead of something everyone has. Any blueprint of said item should of course not be as good, but miles better than ordinary loot for sure.

dagirem

I think this could be "easly" solved by adding qualities to item.
Let's say rare sword would give your weapons/armour w/e special effect, not like +6 strenght, but something "rare".
That way, u could have "fine/good/excellent/masterpiece" and then another category typical category like" common/uncommon/rare/epic/legendary/mythic etc".

Everything depends on game pace, if AoC wants slow grind / exp, then rare drops should be like in old wow, but u can get them upgraded by blacksmith player.

Murdach

I dont want to throw the OP idea away, but I dont think it's good. Actually limiting a powerful item will feel cool for the few that get it, but will leave the majority unhappy. You are creating potential problem that could destroy the player base. A large quantity of players will farm for certain/optimal gear. You would destroy that core over a minor gripe.

Now, I could see this working with a tweak. Just like the Mayor and Dragon mount system, you could have weapons or gear that is available with rotatable achievement. For example, the person that completes the most Service quests in a Divine node gets to be Mayor, right? What do you get for completing the most Service quests in Military node? Maybe you get to pick from a set of Holy Relics. You get to pick 1 per cycle and the item disappears from inventory after a set time.

This will allow later arrivals a chance at attaining said rare Gear without watering down the rarity.

Grihm

Murdach wrote: »

I dont want to throw the OP idea away, but I dont think it's good. Actually limiting a powerful item will feel cool for the few that get it, but will leave the majority unhappy. You are creating potential problem that could destroy the player base. A large quantity of players will farm for certain/optimal gear. You would destroy that core over a minor gripe.

Now, I could see this working with a tweak. Just like the Mayor and Dragon mount system, you could have weapons or gear that is available with rotatable achievement. For example, the person that completes the most Service quests in a Divine node gets to be Mayor, right? What do you get for completing the most Service quests in Military node? Maybe you get to pick from a set of Holy Relics. You get to pick 1 per cycle and the item disappears from inventory after a set time.

This will allow later arrivals a chance at attaining said rare Gear without watering down the rarity.

Well, i suppose that depends on the creation behind it. Steven said today that there will be certain titles etc that grants you certain things... so i would say, the concept is already in use. He even calls it risk vs reward and not everyone get´s a trophy.

If you put in a legendary item that everyone can get, it´s not legendary.. it´s a partition trophy or a common item only. Just because someone WANTS an item, that´s not a reason to give them away like breadsticks. You still have to level, you have to progress, and you should earn items based on their rarity. Some items are a plenty, others should be down to 1 / server. Just because i am or someone else is not the one getting it, that should not be a reason not to have them. If it´s first found first served, so be it, but Legendary is not common. Just plain math.