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Alpha Two Phase III testing has begun! During this phase, our realms will be open every day, and we'll only have downtime for updates and maintenance. We'll keep everyone up-to-date about downtimes in Discord.
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.
Idea for Rewarding Skill Progression in Gathering
PresHarrison
Member, Alpha Two
I wanted to share an idea regarding the gathering system, specifically for players who have reached journeyman level with a particular skill.
For example, let’s say I’m a journeyman in a specific gathering skill, using a rare tool and wearing rare apprentice pants and shirt. When I attempt to gather a resource, I still gather at least 2-3 times as many white resources as colored ones.
I understand that your goal is to reward players who invest time in building up their skills. With that in mind, I’d like to suggest the following:
When a player’s rank is one level higher than the resource they are attempting to collect—or when their skill level reaches a certain threshold (including buffs from clothing, food, and other sources)—there could be an indicator to show whether a resource is of higher rarity. For instance, the resource could glow or have some visual cue that signals it’s of greater rarity.
This idea also feels more realistic. If an expert lumberjack approaches a tree, they should be able to recognize whether the tree is of good quality just by looking at it. Similarly, it would make sense for skilled gatherers to have a way to identify rare resources more easily.
Thanks for considering this idea!
Best regards,
President Harrison (uXa)
For example, let’s say I’m a journeyman in a specific gathering skill, using a rare tool and wearing rare apprentice pants and shirt. When I attempt to gather a resource, I still gather at least 2-3 times as many white resources as colored ones.
I understand that your goal is to reward players who invest time in building up their skills. With that in mind, I’d like to suggest the following:
When a player’s rank is one level higher than the resource they are attempting to collect—or when their skill level reaches a certain threshold (including buffs from clothing, food, and other sources)—there could be an indicator to show whether a resource is of higher rarity. For instance, the resource could glow or have some visual cue that signals it’s of greater rarity.
This idea also feels more realistic. If an expert lumberjack approaches a tree, they should be able to recognize whether the tree is of good quality just by looking at it. Similarly, it would make sense for skilled gatherers to have a way to identify rare resources more easily.
Thanks for considering this idea!
Best regards,
President Harrison (uXa)
1
Comments
This suggestion makes perfect sense from both a gameplay and immersion standpoint. Once a player reaches journeyman level or higher, they’ve clearly invested time and effort into mastering that gathering skill—it’s only fair that expertise should translate into better awareness of resource quality.
The visual cue idea (like a glow or subtle shimmer) would not only reward experienced gatherers but also make the gathering experience feel more dynamic and satisfying. It fits perfectly with the logic that a seasoned miner, lumberjack, or herbalist would naturally recognize high-quality materials in the field.
It’s a small change that would have a big impact on player engagement, skill progression, and the sense of mastery that comes with leveling up. Excellent idea!
If all the high lvl players can just run around and snipe all the valuable materials - this means that basic mats are even less valued than they already are. Which means that newbies/casuals will never be able to get lucky on a spawn and progress their character faster by selling/using a high rarity gatherable.
But with a higher quantity approach (i.e. a master of his craft knows how to gather a material in a more refined way) the high lvl players still benefit more from rare finds, but the profession's rng floor is equal among everyone.
It will happen for newbies but honestly newbies should have much less of a chance than higher rank people.
I'm literally suggesting cut down on the amount of trees you'd need to cut, w/o completely removing newbies/casuals from the artisan/market gameplay of Ashes.
This means they don't straight up see the better trees but the better area to look in.
The only way the suggestion works is with predetermined Rarity (not Static Rarity) which is always a danger-point if anything is sending that data to the Client. Devaluation-Denial behaviour is certainly uncommon in games but it's not so uncommon that it doesn't cause specific stupid forms of frustration/conflict.
That said, I (and afaik my group members) don't like:
The last one might be okay if Ashes received an overhaul in which the second was somehow 'fixed' relative to Crafting, but as it is now...
I'm imagining the nightmare of trying to scrounge up 50 Rare+ Ore because you can't be confident that you will get a Rare Greatsword out of all your work without all the component Ingots in the attempt also being Rare.
One could argue 'but with more Artisanship Skill you could get more Rare+ Ore faster!' and to those people I guess I would concede that if they want no one but the grindiest of grinders to ever have a Rare Grade Brass 2HSword, then sure it's fine.
If enough people consider that to be fun, good. Those I speak for, don't.
I think i can somewhat see your point.
Imagine having Hundreds of People running around to gather Mats and there is just not enough Trees around for them because Everyone is constantly running for Trees 24/7 like a Madman.
Are the People supposed to fight and kill each other over the Trees all the time ? x')
✓ Occasional Roleplayer
I am in the guildless Guild so to say, lol. But i won't give up. I will find my fitting Guild "one Day".
Yes? Like, that's explicitly the point of the game?
They even told us that this was the reason Static Rarity was a thing.
Rewarding players for being more skilled than what they gather is a good idea. I say just add these in increased speed,
increased yield,
add chance for higher quality,