Cooking stone

[rklenseth]

Not Here...

Well, take the hidescraper for example.
I built it because I thought it could be used to turn hide into leather.
I still suspect that is the case, but since I don't know what it has to be combined with I really have no idea...
And that is the irritating part, because IRL there is probably many ways to turn hide into leather, and therefore it makes little sence that I must sit here an guess the ones being implemented.

Well, hopefully someone in Cantr will find out eventually so that you aren't irritated anymore.

Perhaps, your character should experiment and then he can claim the discover as his own.

[Pirog]

But I don't want to have to do that.

Take another example, with ship building.
You can pretty easily check up on the internet what the different ships are like...but how am I to know if the programmers have made the same judgement as I or others when it comes to the ships speed and cargo ability?

And that is a situation where you don't really feel like building all of the ships and trying them out for personal experience...and there is also no logic in building a ship by the name without knowing what kind of ship it is...in that case is should be the other way around, because the name really isn't important.

[rklenseth]

But I don't want to have to do that.

Take another example, with ship building.
You can pretty easily check up on the internet what the different ships are like...but how am I to know if the programmers have made the same judgement as I or others when it comes to the ships speed and cargo ability?

And that is a situation where you don't really feel like building all of the ships and trying them out for personal experience...and there is also no logic in building a ship by the name without knowing what kind of ship it is...in that case is should be the other way around, because the name really isn't important.

You don't so like the inventors of old in the real world, you will need to experiment and figure out the nature of the world that your character lives in.

You can also, talk to other characters and see what they know and when you find out then compile a book so that future generations will have a resource to look back on too.

[Spectrus_Wolfus]

this is meant to be a role laying society simulator not a game you can win if it was tyhe latter it would have 500 ebsites with people telling you everything you can build what it does and what you need to make it. all of the people who would be in a position to make a site like that but know they won't because the entire site would be an indirect CR breach. look through the forum for post's by people asking what something does or what they need to do something and the answer will just aboiut alway's be find out ingame and that's the way i for one like it.

[Pirog]

But I don't see the inventors of old building a totally random ship blindfolded and then guessing if it would go faster simply because it has a different name

For example I would like a short desciption like "a fast ship with a very limited cargo capacity" or something to the ships...so that you at least have a clue of what the names stand for.
Noone would build a ship without knowing if it was going to be a fast ship or a slow one with a large cargo space...

Spectrus>

I don't see it the way you do.
with small descriptions it would be fair for all, in difference to how it is now, when all the old players know the mysteries of the game and the newbies don't have a clue.
Don't get me wrong, some things should be discovered by the characters in-game...but the examples I have given is illogical not to understand from the characters perspective.

[rklenseth]

Well, the thing is, Pirog, that the old players' characters had to find out everything as well. And the Resource Department is adding new things every now and then. I think very few places have figured out how to make iron or steel under the new requirements. I don't think newbies are at much a disadvantage. You see, perhaps if more documents were written in game about what tools do etc... then they will be able to find out a lot easier. So now they could look up what a hide scraper is and then they will know. If it isn't on there then they ask or try to figure it out themselves.

None of my characters at this time know what a hide scraper is or what it does or how to use it. They may over time.

Anyways, I have been toying around with this idea. Perhaps, tools should just come as descriptions. What it looks like and what it is made out of. Then players can dynamically name each tool for each character. I also like the idea of not knowing how to make something until you have the materials in your inventory or you see one in real life. I think this would give more of feel of inventing something. So if a place has never seen a bellow and no has made it but a character happens to ave the correct materials in his or her inventory then he can make it. He makes it then he is credited with the invention. Then places can claim the technology for their own. They can either tell other places what materials are needed or even show them the object. I am really beginning to like the sound of a system like that.

[Nick]

I built a wheelbarrow. Still havent foudn out what it does.

[Nick]

Not Here...

Well, take the hidescraper for example.
I built it because I thought it could be used to turn hide into leather.
I still suspect that is the case, but since I don't know what it has to be combined with I really have no idea...
And that is the irritating part, because IRL there is probably many ways to turn hide into leather, and therefore it makes little sence that I must sit here an guess the ones being implemented.

Oh! I know what a hidescraper is for!

[new.vogue.nightmare]

I do think a short description should be in order...if you're making somethng, don't you at least have an idea of what it looks like? Nobody makes boats by randomly smacking wood together--they at least know the general shape, and from that they can deduce the properties of the craft. And yes, you should ask around what boats do--that's the benefit of going to a town with experienced shipwrights.

[boomhaeur]

I agree with the sentiment that some items need descriptions more than name, mostly the larger stuff that requires significant resources & time to make.

I would include boats, buildings and other vehicles in those groups. They don't need to be specific descriptions in the sense that "It is a boat that will hold 10 people and 100,000g of cargo" but an approximate idea would be good.

I think the viewpoint is this is information our character would be able to see or plan. My character would know he was going to be one of two people and would want to carry as much food and supplies as possible - so he would build an appropriate boat for that goal. Right now it's hit or miss that you build the right boat.

The descriptions should be limited only to descriptions of capacity and performance but not use. That distinction ensures people need to learn how to use items but also don't spend a lot of time building something that won't fit needs they knew they had.

[Junesun]

Boomhaeur: I definitely agree there. The names can often be misleading and that is very annoying when you build big things...
I know of a town who thought that a "digging machine" was for digging stone... if it is not something obvious, why does the other digging machine come with the addition "clay (digging machine)"? I mean, if there are so many things people may want to dig, why not at least call those machines "stone digging machine", "clay digging machine", "sand digging machine", ...

Sometimes it's the English that isn't clear: one of my characters still thinks that a "curing tub" is for curing (healing) sick characters.

Judith

[Lone Wolf]

Lets put it this way. When you were young, did you know how a car engine worked? This is the point. In the begining we didn't know how to do things we had to learn. This game is based on RL but not present RL. We need to find out what things are for first. You can sometimes ask in a town and they may beable to tell you. Soon towns will all know what is needed to make Iron and how to make steel. But by then there will be so many other things to figure out we will all be busy

[Mavsfan911]

well...a fur scraper is kinda obvious...hence the name
wheelbarrows are a little more tricky but still have a use

[Chrissy]

Dare.

Are you sure?

Chrissy

[Meh]

No. Not sure at all. You people scare me.