Glorious Alpha Two Testers!
Alpha Two Phase II testing is currently taking place 5+ days each week. More information about testing schedule can be found here
If you have Alpha Two, you can download the game launcher here, and we encourage you to join us on our Official Discord Server for the most up to date testing news.
Alpha Two Phase II testing is currently taking place 5+ days each week. More information about testing schedule can be found here
If you have Alpha Two, you can download the game launcher here, and we encourage you to join us on our Official Discord Server for the most up to date testing news.
-Artisanship-
Yor_Ogre
Member, Alpha Two
Disclaimer: This is constructive feedback about current state of alpha 2 early game crafting. (1-10)
Firstly, there are many issues that are intertwined, with crafting in generally, that will shape the core game play of AoC. I just want to cover;
-Player introduction to Artisanship
-HUD issues/concerns
-Progression
The new player experience is the most important part of keeping artisans interested in crafting/gathering. As of 2/24/25 crafting is pushed into the player experience very early and is tied with one of the most important early game items, your first mount. This puts a lot of importance on leveling your artisans and using artisans as part of level progression.
The first problem with the introduction:
-The player is not being treated like a new player.
Right now, the introduction is you talk to a guy who tells you to use a axe to chop trees. The axe in question is not shown to you and the character window is not shown where it is equipped. For players who have a basic understanding of how survival crafting games are this is not a problem. For first time MMO players or players in general that are new to this environment, this is a problem because they will not have the knowledge or expectations for this system.
Once you collect wood the next portion is refinement which gets into our next issue:
-HUD is messy and lacks detail.
The HUD is going to be the most important part to any aspiring artisans journey and explaining the terminology and how mechanics work is key.
(Ashes of Creation)
I had great difficulty navigating this window and I have many other crafting games under my belt. To a new player this must be a nightmare where they have no core knowledge of what anything on this window represents.
I want to give a comparison what a crafting menu looks like from a game called Final Fantasy 14 and New world.
(Final Fantasy 14)
(New World)
Comparing these windows, the craft/synthesize is clear and set apart, The needed materials are next to or near the crafting/synthesize button, both menu's are detailed with bits of information relevant to the item. They both have a natural eye movement that flows across the menu that gives the player a general sense of what they are looking at. When I look at the AoC crafting menu, its very centered in the middle and doesn't explain or show what I should be looking at.
*I also want to make a note here the current crafting time is not a new concept but does not engage the player in the act of crafting when crafting takes 1-10 minutes depending on how many items you are crafting. I understand that its a set it up and come back to it later system but this is an MMO and shouldn't feel like a mobile game. Also add a slider for the amount of items being crafted! I never have just 5 of one item.
The last thing I want to point out is the Progression:
-Materials are to randomized and can screw up your direction.
What do I mean by direction? Lets say you crafted your first herbalist novice tool, you hear from a friend that south of the map in the desert region there is poppy everywhere and is a good spot to gather and level. You level and progress all the way to level 10 in herbalism and are ready to craft your next tool, the Apprentice leveled tool. The problem now is, it requires a wood that is not located in that biom. A new player, 1. does not know where this new material is since they did not find it on their way there, 2.Moved to this new location because of how storage currently works. The amount of travel time just one player has to make is unreal. (Note: I do not know how the devs are going to handle storage but as of right now it is very tedious to craft. With the amount of inventory space you are given and the lack of guide or in game prompt for where to go, new players are going to land in this trap.)
I want to thank anyone who has gotten this far in the post, this was really long and could still be longer if I didn't limit my scope to just the beginning portions of crafting. I know AoC has more time to bake in the oven and I hope I can do my part for my fellow players for requesting QoL changes that make the game feel great to play.
P.S. Steven, I'm not an economist but please don't limit Artisans to only two grand master ranks. Players are greedy and will find a way to ruin it somehow.
Firstly, there are many issues that are intertwined, with crafting in generally, that will shape the core game play of AoC. I just want to cover;
-Player introduction to Artisanship
-HUD issues/concerns
-Progression
The new player experience is the most important part of keeping artisans interested in crafting/gathering. As of 2/24/25 crafting is pushed into the player experience very early and is tied with one of the most important early game items, your first mount. This puts a lot of importance on leveling your artisans and using artisans as part of level progression.
The first problem with the introduction:
-The player is not being treated like a new player.
Right now, the introduction is you talk to a guy who tells you to use a axe to chop trees. The axe in question is not shown to you and the character window is not shown where it is equipped. For players who have a basic understanding of how survival crafting games are this is not a problem. For first time MMO players or players in general that are new to this environment, this is a problem because they will not have the knowledge or expectations for this system.
Once you collect wood the next portion is refinement which gets into our next issue:
-HUD is messy and lacks detail.
The HUD is going to be the most important part to any aspiring artisans journey and explaining the terminology and how mechanics work is key.
(Ashes of Creation)
I had great difficulty navigating this window and I have many other crafting games under my belt. To a new player this must be a nightmare where they have no core knowledge of what anything on this window represents.
I want to give a comparison what a crafting menu looks like from a game called Final Fantasy 14 and New world.
(Final Fantasy 14)
(New World)
Comparing these windows, the craft/synthesize is clear and set apart, The needed materials are next to or near the crafting/synthesize button, both menu's are detailed with bits of information relevant to the item. They both have a natural eye movement that flows across the menu that gives the player a general sense of what they are looking at. When I look at the AoC crafting menu, its very centered in the middle and doesn't explain or show what I should be looking at.
*I also want to make a note here the current crafting time is not a new concept but does not engage the player in the act of crafting when crafting takes 1-10 minutes depending on how many items you are crafting. I understand that its a set it up and come back to it later system but this is an MMO and shouldn't feel like a mobile game. Also add a slider for the amount of items being crafted! I never have just 5 of one item.
The last thing I want to point out is the Progression:
-Materials are to randomized and can screw up your direction.
What do I mean by direction? Lets say you crafted your first herbalist novice tool, you hear from a friend that south of the map in the desert region there is poppy everywhere and is a good spot to gather and level. You level and progress all the way to level 10 in herbalism and are ready to craft your next tool, the Apprentice leveled tool. The problem now is, it requires a wood that is not located in that biom. A new player, 1. does not know where this new material is since they did not find it on their way there, 2.Moved to this new location because of how storage currently works. The amount of travel time just one player has to make is unreal. (Note: I do not know how the devs are going to handle storage but as of right now it is very tedious to craft. With the amount of inventory space you are given and the lack of guide or in game prompt for where to go, new players are going to land in this trap.)
I want to thank anyone who has gotten this far in the post, this was really long and could still be longer if I didn't limit my scope to just the beginning portions of crafting. I know AoC has more time to bake in the oven and I hope I can do my part for my fellow players for requesting QoL changes that make the game feel great to play.
P.S. Steven, I'm not an economist but please don't limit Artisans to only two grand master ranks. Players are greedy and will find a way to ruin it somehow.
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