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Phase I of Alpha Two testing will occur on weekends. Each weekend is scheduled to start on Fridays at 10 AM PT and end on Sundays at 10 PM PT. Find out more here.
Check out Alpha Two Announcements here to see the latest Alpha Two news and update notes.
Our quickest Alpha Two updates are in Discord. Testers with Alpha Two access can chat in Alpha Two channels by connecting your Discord and Intrepid accounts here.
Crafting times
innairis
Member, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
The fact that there is 1 minute timers on processing is blatant disrespect of player times. to queue up 50 items you have to check back in an hour and you only get exp from when you pull the finished item.
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However, I think the basic buildings should have a larger queue size than 1. so I can queue up at least 2 different items. I'd also like for the batch quantity not to be this arbitrary 1/5/10/25/50.... I frequently have 7 items and that's 3 separate instances of queuing on a UI that's very much WIP (having to change the 'colour' every single time even though I only have green in my inventory....)
Just remember we have the worst benchs and worst armor atm once empty plots get built up thing should improve.
they do need a UI element tbh that tell u timers on all process and location of the node they are in too so u dont have to go checking up on it every time u hit town wondering if there finished or forget u have 50 timber in a different node just chilling for weeks
I second what you said here. The batch quantities don't really make any sense to me and just becomes a bit frustrating. Please please please change the UI so you don't have to select from a drop down list of the rarity of the item you want to add to the craft, just show us what we've got and let us select it.
I completely agree with the idea of having more flexible queue options for processing, allowing players to set variable batch sizes. However, I believe the current system could benefit from even deeper engagement to make crafting feel more immersive and rewarding.
Right now, the setup allows players to start crafting and then walk away, which breaks immersion and takes away from the active role I’d expect in a game as ambitious as Ashes of Creation. I think there’s great potential here to create a crafting journey that’s more hands-on, particularly in the early stages, and then evolves as players progress. Here’s how I envision a more interactive and rewarding system:
1. Node Crafting Stations:
In the early stages, crafting should require players to remain at their crafting stations, making the experience feel more invested and immersive. But as the node advances, there could be new options for automation and efficiency. For example, a growing node could enable the mayor to hire NPC helpers or specialists at crafting stations, who would assist with tasks, reduce crafting times, and allow for “off-station” crafting. This would let players start crafting and move on to other activities, as a reward for their investment and contribution to node development.
2. Homesteads:
Similarly, at personal homesteads, players could invest in specialized retainers or crafting assistants who could manage production at homestead stations. This would allow for a “progressive crafting” experience at home, with retainers continuing tasks while the player is away. Such a setup provides flexibility but feels immersive and well-earned, rather than being an automatic convenience.
3. Progression Paths for Faster Crafting:
To make crafting more dynamic and efficient, players should have access to a range of tools, such as upgraded node crafting stations, unique artifacts, guild buffs, and NPC helpers that may be hired as the node reaches higher levels or as players achieve specific milestones at their homesteads. These NPCs would support crafting activities, further enhancing productivity and efficiency. These options would allow players to specialize in their craft, feel more invested, and see meaningful progress based on their dedication and choices.
By requiring players to engage directly with their crafting stations initially, the system creates a sense of commitment and immersion, making the journey more rewarding. As players progress, they can unlock more convenience through hard work and investment, achieving a sophisticated and flexible system over time.
I like your ideas, I really do, but this would then need to be balanced as far as the time commitment goes. If I am going to be forced to stay at the crafting window and not go do other things then the crafting needs to be interactive AND the time needs to be reduced. There is no way I am gonna spend 2 hours farming copper nodes to come back to town and spend another hour converting them from ore to fragments. BUT, as you suggest you could eventually have npc's to do the processing once the node/freehold is advanced enough, for those I would keep the long times. Outsourcing takes time, but in the end you get a quality product in bulk quantities.
For me this would be an acceptable solution, otherwise I'm fine as it is now where I can start a long process and walk away. The current job size structure is the thing that really bothers me as we have such limited inventory and I dont often come back with even stacks divisible by 5. Moreover, why would the job sizes not match stack sizes in inventory? It is extremely frustrating to know that I can process 50 trees at a time but that will take two slots in my bag since max stack size is 43, and of course once I start the second stack then I want it to be full which means left overs have to go into my storage.
consider that upgrading to t2 just takes basic goods i dont think its that big of a deal
I see your point—it’s a delicate balance because processing times need to reward commitment without overwhelming players with excessive waiting. Particularly for processing tasks, it makes sense that they would require a fair amount of time, as the end products often carry substantial value. I understand that some may feel the current times are lengthy, but I believe there are plenty of ways to reduce crafting and processing times meaningfully over time.
Through artisan perks, specialized gear or clothing, workstation upgrades, node level upgrade, and hiring NPCs [If Added], for workstations at advanced nodes or homesteads, players can gradually reduce these times as they invest in their progression. Additionally, if introduced, artifacts, node perks, and even guild perks could contribute further to streamlining the process, offering players a range of options to enhance efficiency as they level up.
One aspect I’d like to see adjusted is the crafting time for items like tools—or really any item, for that matter. Currently, some items are crafted almost instantly, which feels a bit immersion-breaking. I’d prefer that crafting times be adjusted so that no item takes mere seconds to create; even a few minutes would add value to the process. Crafting should feel deliberate and meaningful rather than instant, preserving the weight and significance of each item crafted.
Agreed. There's zero reason why we shouldn't be able to start jobs of any size outside of some weird arbitrary design choice that does nothing but make processing and crafting unnecessarily tedious
I'm having a bit of an epiphany. Get your lumberjacking to 10 for fuel. Then start on your chosen crafting path. Trying to level everything before you are level 15 is very frustrating. It seems like it is a waste, but the PvE in Ashes of Creation is a marathon, not a sprint! Get your gathering up selling everything, then when you have that at a decent level, move onto the next. Do one profession at a time!
From a game balance perspective, instant crafting prevents bottlenecks in the economy. Players won't hoard resources due to time constraints, leading to a more fluid market. This can foster a more equitable distribution of goods and prevent monopolies or shortages that could stifle the game's economy.
Additionally, removing crafting times aligns with the fast-paced nature of MMOs, where players expect to see immediate results from their efforts. This can be particularly appealing to newcomers who may find the traditional crafting process daunting and time-consuming.
However, there are potential drawbacks to consider:
Instant crafting could lead to overproduction and inflation if not carefully managed. Players may flood the market with goods, reducing their value and potentially harming the game's economy. Developers would need to implement systems to balance supply and demand, such as crafting costs or resource scarcity.
It could also reduce the value of crafting professions, as the time investment and skill required to master them would be diminished. This might lead to a homogenization of character roles and a loss of the unique identity that crafting specializations often provide.
Finally, the social aspect of crafting may suffer. Players often gather around crafting stations, sharing tips and stories. This communal aspect adds depth to the game world and can be an important part of the MMO experience.
In conclusion, while removing crafting times could streamline the game and boost engagement, it's essential for developers to carefully consider the broader implications for game balance and community dynamics.
I agree they should limit how many different professions you can have. hard limit it with skill points or similar system but getting lumberjacking to 10, isn't processing, it takes 50 minutes to process 50 items for any process so unless you're running from bench to bench every 50 minutes to fill all them up it's non immersive and not fun. you sound like you don't have the faintest idea of what your talking about and you only know about new world crafting. I am talking about the time it takes to level one single processing.
- Custom batch sizes
- Mixed rarity should be allowed.
- Maybe batch sizes can have a maximun value that can be increased with the artisan lvl of the profession.
- Maybe the times can be reduced with the lvl of the profession.
I would like to be able to preload fuel from out of my personal inventory.
In the real world you have bench space to place/store things relevant to the crafted item...
As far as I can tell most of the current crafting process is pocket juggling everything. Which frankly is a terrible user experience. And why I lost interest in crafting in the first 10min of trying. Mabye it gets better at higher skill but I CBF trying to lvl it up to find out because I am that putt off by the novice iteration
The work order que times is fine, I agree with everyone that the 1/5/10/50/100 etc system sucks ass.
I'm going to go out on a limb and say GW2 crafting is leagues better and I don't think its particularity good either...I like that production speeds up with larger amounts of items. I like that it is linked to my personal bank so i don't have to busy walk in between storage places if I forget something.
I understand the current implementation of crafting is rough alpha...But the way it is now better be rock bottom.
Because if this is how its being modeled at a fundamental level I'm going to be a gatherer and avoid crafting alltogether
you gotta remember your basicly using the most basic unupgraded benches atm mayors a little slow with upgrading nodes atm since players are focused on leveling right now it seems and ignoring the node progression part.
They kinda need to make mob dropped gear worst tbh so people would be incentivised to leveling nodes to allow crafters to make the gear instea dof just farming mobs for the drops and ignoring the nodes
Yup, I learned this after I posted that. I have access to 3 slots for stonworking in my home, but I have to go quite a bit further for metal processing.
It's a bit feelsbad at the moment, but should be alleviated once I have processing access at my freehold.