Quality of Resources and Goods

[Sarah]

1. Resource Quality
All locations could have a set quality level of their individual resources (some places a character could access "high-quality" stone, other places would have crappy stone). You could still build with the poor stone (also taking into account the skill of the builder), but then the end product using that stone could not be high-quality either. This could further stimulate trade, without completely screwing places that don't trade.

Of course, the quality level should be able to fluctuate depending on the skill of the character. Use an average to figure the overall quality if multiple people of different skill levels are working on the same project, or it could produce separate piles of resources with different qualities. My problem with that is the cluttering of inventories and object pages. A possible solution could be to group all of a said resource in a place together, without a quality description (or maybe just an average), but have a button to view more detailed information and separate the different qualities if wanted.

2. Item Quality
Take into account the quality of the goods, time and effort spent (there should be an option for that [similar to the repair time option], so we'll have the option to spend a lot of time to produce something nicer or to hastily make something that isn't as good - effort should highly affect tiredness), and skill of the manufacturer(s). Deterioration and rot rates should be very dependent on the quality of the item.

The disadvantage to this is to characters like John Woodhouse in Quillanoi, who claim to produce "first-quality" goods. Of course, "first quality" is relative to what you compare it to . . . And I guess pre-existing objects could just be mid-quality?

I would very much like to see more specialization and more effects of the skill system. Currently, I don't see much benefit to someone who specializes in one area, other than maybe finishing a project faster. These specialized workers are quite necessary, and the current system doesn't seem to promote this importance as much as it should.

Comments? This is quite a bit shorter and less detailed than what I had originally, so maybe people will actually read it . . . (I'm personally not likely to read long suggestions )

[madwun]

I remember someone suggesting the use of different types of stone, like Granite and Marble, and wood could be oak and maple. I thought that would be a good little addition to the game. It would be a lot simpler than your idea, I think, at least.

[The Sociologist]

All locations could have a set quality level of their individual resources (some places a character could access "high-quality" stone, other places would have crappy stone). You could still build with the poor stone (also taking into account the skill of the builder), but then the end product using that stone could not be high-quality either. This could further stimulate trade, without completely screwing places that don't trade.

Sarah, on the face of it this sounds like a good idea, and on the face of it I should be one to approve. However, trading in the game is already at a very poor level of development, with people hesitating to trade anything at all since they seem unable to compute prices. Introducing the above might just increase the level of uncertainty so much as to undercut even those who do try to develop price lists.

A possible solution could be to group all of a said resource in a place together, without a quality description (or maybe just an average), but have a button to view more detailed information and separate the different qualities if wanted.

Sounds too complicated, I'm afraid.

I would very much like to see more specialization and more effects of the skill system. Currently, I don't see much benefit to someone who specializes in one area, other than maybe finishing a project faster. These specialized workers are quite necessary, and the current system doesn't seem to promote this importance as much as it should.

Well, at least we seem to agree that the current skills system doesn't achieve anything. But the problem is that we already have tailors and similar in the game who roleplay what they are. Assuming even that there is currently a "tailoring" skill, and I doubt that, people simply ignore it.

Were you to suddenly make such farcical randomly-assigned "genetic" skills more visible via the end-product, it would just cause heartache. The same as the heartache caused to the hunting characters out in the badlands who suddenly could not hunt.

As far as I'm concerned, the current skills system is an abortion. The less impact it has on the game, the better. Were it to go away, that would be better still. That is all there is to be said.

[Surly]

I remember someone suggesting the use of different types of stone, like Granite and Marble, and wood could be oak and maple. I thought that would be a good little addition to the game. It would be a lot simpler than your idea, I think, at least.

That's my idea. (not that others haven't said it as well... but I specifically used the granite/marble example.)

I have noticed that recently, my views seem to coincide with the Socialogist's... and this is no exception.

On the face of it, I like the idea. But I do think it is too complicated... and the game is becoming too complicated already. What I would prefer would be a variant on current resources... for example
Resources (Fictionaltown):
Potatoes
Carrots
Stone (marble)

THis of course applies to stone/wood more precisely, but only because they are vague categories at the moment. This brings some much needed variation to some of the most common resources around. And of course allows for huge displays of wealth when a king has a marble palace on an island with no marble...

Sarah, on the face of it this sounds like a good idea, and on the face of it I should be one to approve. However, trading in the game is already at a very poor level of development, with people hesitating to trade anything at all since they seem unable to compute prices. Introducing the above might just increase the level of uncertainty so much as to undercut even those who do try to develop price lists.

Several of my characters have a very good idea of the prices/value of goods. Others do not. THis is a fair reflection is it not, of RL?

Anyway, my point is that differentiating common resources is a much safer way of changing this than bringing quality into it.

SUBNOTE:

As far as I'm concerned, the current skills system is an abortion. The less impact it has on the game, the better. Were it to go away, that would be better still. That is all there is to be said.

Couldn't agree more. Poorly thought out and consequently poorly implemented (not the actual programming... it has been implemented very well, I'm sure. But due to poor planning, the programming seems ineffectual)

I'd be more than happy to discuss ways that it could be modified so it actually means something... but I suspect the chances of that are quite slim...

[Nick]

All locations could have a set quality level of their individual resources (some places a character could access "high-quality" stone, other places would have crappy stone). You could still build with the poor stone (also taking into account the skill of the builder), but then the end product using that stone could not be high-quality either. This could further stimulate trade, without completely screwing places that don't trade.

Sarah, on the face of it this sounds like a good idea, and on the face of it I should be one to approve. However, trading in the game is already at a very poor level of development, with people hesitating to trade anything at all since they seem unable to compute prices. Introducing the above might just increase the level of uncertainty so much as to undercut even those who do try to develop price lists.

Besides, Cantr has a history with things like this.
With our luck, the highest quality stone will have the same properties as it does now.
It would only get crappier.
Just like when tiredness was added, old efficiency levels were what corresponse to 0% tiredness now.
When handicaps are added to the game, thought should be taken to balance it out.