Dev Discussion - Materials: Less is More or More is Less?
Would you like to see a wide variety of materials that can be used for specific things, or fewer materials that can be used for a wide variety of things?
Since Ashes wants us to go out and explore the world, I think it would be best to have a lot of materials that can be found in different locations. This encourages players to look for new interesting materials and go exploring, it would lead to more caravans to distribute these materials from their source throughout Verra and it weakens a possible "meta" establishing by making supply chains more susceptible to local changes which would make specific gear harder to come by, encourage players to move to get those resources themselves and therefore bring about more change.
I really that having a wide range of different materials will be one of the key economic aspects for Ashes.
Would you like to see a wide variety of materials that can be used for specific things, or fewer materials that can be used for a wide variety of things?
I apologize for my late reply.
I would prefer a rich assortment of materials, as long as they make sense.
A reusable tier system for the different categories of materials, and a certain sense of logic added to material requirements in crafting. Example:
A crude axe could require common wood, metal and fibre.
A high quality axe could require higher tier materials in addition to rare precious metals for adonerments.
Metals and precious metals could be tied into the same character/skill level tiers, where metal is common and precious metal is uncommon or even rare.
Minerals and gemstones could be mined from the same nodes, where minerals are common and gemstones are rare.
Too few materials, too many crossover uses, and too few tiers would cheapen the crafting experience, much like it was in New World, where the same metal was the top tier for both metals and precious metals, used in smithing and jewelry alike.
Less materials for a wider thing seems to be the better choice, it makes the decision making and opportunity cost more significant, deciding what to spend your limited materials on
Comments
Since Ashes wants us to go out and explore the world, I think it would be best to have a lot of materials that can be found in different locations. This encourages players to look for new interesting materials and go exploring, it would lead to more caravans to distribute these materials from their source throughout Verra and it weakens a possible "meta" establishing by making supply chains more susceptible to local changes which would make specific gear harder to come by, encourage players to move to get those resources themselves and therefore bring about more change.
I really that having a wide range of different materials will be one of the key economic aspects for Ashes.
I apologize for my late reply.
I would prefer a rich assortment of materials, as long as they make sense.
A reusable tier system for the different categories of materials, and a certain sense of logic added to material requirements in crafting. Example:
Categories:
Minerals, Metals, Precious Metals, Gemstones, Wood, Fibre, Hide, Bones, Scales, Herbs, Petals, Seeds, etc.
Tiers:
Level and/or skillbased + rarity
A crude axe could require common wood, metal and fibre.
A high quality axe could require higher tier materials in addition to rare precious metals for adonerments.
Metals and precious metals could be tied into the same character/skill level tiers, where metal is common and precious metal is uncommon or even rare.
Minerals and gemstones could be mined from the same nodes, where minerals are common and gemstones are rare.
Too few materials, too many crossover uses, and too few tiers would cheapen the crafting experience, much like it was in New World, where the same metal was the top tier for both metals and precious metals, used in smithing and jewelry alike.