Crafting/Forging - Ability to make magic items

[giddion]

This is just an initial brainstorm, remember it is not a proposal for speciifc requirments or proceses, just an example.


I would really like to see a system implemented that allows you to make/forge/craft magic weapons/items/Armour/shields/equipment/robes etc...

You would need to unlock certain technologies to gain the ability to perform certain types of crafting/forging/enchanting. With some technologies providing a higher chance of success and better results.

There will be many things mentioned and many things missed but you will get an idea of what I am proposing.



Tech Requirments:
crafting - provides lvl 1 skill, access to Crafting Shop for trinkets
Hunting - provides ability to use animal products with hunters lodge, allows animals to drop items described below
Bronze Working - provides ability to create metal armour and weapons, access to forge
Alchemy - allows ability to combine special resources by way of building Alchemy Lab
Knowledge of the Ether - allows ability to combine magic by way of the Mage Guild

Ancient Chants/Way of the Wise/Way of the Wicked - unlock Specific Slaying Weapon capabilities.

I would like an Armour Smithing and Weapon Smithing tech as a low beaker cost side tech to Bronze Working; used as a pre-requiset for making such Medium/Heavy Armour and Weapons items.

I would also like to see an Improved Crafting tech and an Advanced Crafting tech further down the tree to increase the chance of creating items.


Base Buildings:
Crafting Shop (lvl 1 rings & necklace) **new Building
Hunting Lodge (lvl 1 Robes & Light Armour)
Forge (lvl 1 Medium/Heavy Armour & Weapons )

Additional Buildings:
Alchemy Lab (Access to lvl 2 & 3 items)
Mage Guild (Access to lvl 2 & 3 items)

Note: To use Mage Guild;
For lvl 2 items, must have at least two lvl 3 Adepts with lvl 1 spells in the mana types wanting to use.
For lvl 3 items, must have at least two lvl 6 Mage/Wizard/Conjurer/Druid(2) with lvl 2 spells in the mana type wanting to use.

Increased success rate when using an Archmage/Summoner/Druid(3).


Level 2 items should require "Improved Crafting"

Crafting Shop + Alchemy Lab (lvl 2 rings & necklace)
Crafting Shop + Mage Guild (lvl 2 rings & necklace)

Hunting Lodge + Alchemy Lab (lvl 2 Robes & Light Armour)
Hunting Lodge + Mage Guild (lvl 2 Robes & Light Armour)

Forge + Alchemy Lab (lvl 2 Weapons & Light/Medium Armour)
Forge + Mage Guild (lvl 2 Weapons & Light/Medium Armour)


Level 3 items should require "Advanced Crafting"

Crafting Shop + Alchemy Lab (lvl 3 rings & necklace)
Crafting Shop + Mage Guild (lvl 3 rings & necklace)

Hunting Lodge + Alchemy Lab (lvl 3 Robes & Light Armour)
Hunting Lodge + Mage Guild (lvl 3 Robes & Light Armour)

Forge + Alchemy Lab (lvl 3 Weapons & Light/Medium Armour)
Forge + Mage Guild (lvl 3 Weapons & Light/Medium Armour)


Available Materials:


Metals Resources:
copper
iron
gold
mithril
silver **new resource
platinum **new resource
adimante **new resource


Animal Animal Resources:
bear - paw
wolf - skin
lion - tooth
tiger - claw
panther - skin
ape - biel
spider - venom (requires tech Poisons)
sea monster - skin
sea turtle - shell
Dragon - scale

Depending on the comonality of the above creatures the chance of them dropping one of the above items should vary.


Magic:
All mana types


Special resources:
dye
incense
reagents
pearl (can appear from clam resource or pearl resource)
gems
ivory
marble
silk
gunpowder

Resources and mana nodes should have a chance of producing a usable resource item on that improved plot. This would appear on the map where the resource is, any player could pick it up, take it back and craft with it.


So...
Different combinations of item ingrediants would produce different things...
These are only rough examples I have not put detailed thought into what cominations should create what, or if they are balanced.

Limit of 1 item type per Civ (armour, robe, weapon, ring, necklace), with "Advanced Crafting" allows 2 per civ.
Units can have only 1 item of any type, as long as the unit type allows it (ie, adept/mage cannot use Armour, etc...). Lvl 1 units, max 1 item. lvl 2 units, max 2 items etc...


Level 1 items should be quite simple;
+1 defence -1 attack robe (wolf/panther skin & gold & silk)
+1 attack -1 defence sword (copper & gold & incense)
+1 defence -1 magic defence ring of protection (copper & gold & ivory)
etc...

Level 1 items are common (up to 4 of any specific item per game);
Low chance of success to create
Limited number of different items available in each type (armour(4), robe(2), weapon(4), ring(4), necklace(4))
Items are locked to the unit that first picks it up (cursed), if the unit dies the item lost/destroyed.


Level 2 items are less common;
+1 attack +1 defence - "spiked plate armour" (iron & Lion tooth & reagents & entropy mana)
+2 attack -1 defence - "Blade of Dominance" (iron & dye & ape biel & chaos mana)
etc...

Level 2 items are less common (no more then 2 of any specific item per game);
Low chance of success to create
A variety of different items available in each type (armour(12), robe(4), weapon(10), ring(8), necklace(6))
Items have a good chance to be locked to the unit that first picks it up (cursed), if the unit dies the item lost/destroyed.


Level 3 items should be special/unique;
"Boots of Speed" +2 movement (wolf skin & silver & dye & incense & body magic & air magic)
"Boots of Stealth" hidden nationality (panther skin & dye & reagents & 2 mana types)
"Ring of invisability" (activated ability, removed if any action taken except move) (platinum & pearl & reagents & 2 mana types)
"Dragon Scalemail" +2 defence, +25% fire resist, +Dragon Slaying (Dragon scales & Adimante & silk & reagents & 2 mana types)
"Guantlets of the Bear" +2 Str (I suppose that is attack? or maybe both att/def) (Bear paw + mithril + silk + dye + 2 mana types)

Level 3 items are unique (no more then 1 of any specific item per game);
Low chance of success to create
A variety of unique items available in each type (armour, robe, weapon, ring, necklace)
Items have a small chance of being locked to the unit that first picks it up (cursed), if the unit dies the item is passed to the conquering unit (in a cursed state).



Remove curse should not be allowed, items are genetically bound to the unit. Or something like that...
Could even add potions to the Level 1 or 2 item list for single use bonuses.


There could be a sacrific option for some races/civs, to provide some additional chance of success...
pig
horse
sheep
cow
toads
whale
fish
nightmare
deer
crab


Anyway that will do for an initial brainstorm... If the base mechanics were in place specific item development could occur. Some of the requirments could be an AND/OR statement (this || this && this || this etc...).

 

[Kjaaly]

Wall of text cri..... Oh, wrong game.
Anyway, nice ideas. I definatley think you've got a very good system here, but perhaps it's a bit too complicated? I mean, it's just a minor part of the game (From what I've understood, correct me if I'm wrong), and this system sounds better for a real RPG. Anyway, some of the elements of this will probably be used, if not in the mod, then in a mini-mod.

 

[Vulcans]

sounds like an interesting idea.

I don't know if I want to constantly send my units somewhere to pick up the items. It is enough hassle to rotate all my units in the field so they can all visit a local forge when I get iron weapons etc (I don’t always build forges in every single city). I wouldn’t want to have to constantly send units around to visit tinker shops every few turns when items pop up, with many units each extra command takes more time, and large games tend to drag on at the end, there is a small risk that this could make it take even longer if not implemented in a user-friendly way.

 

[smurven]

i always assumed the items that kael mentioned wanting to do in shadow would be more along the lines of orthus' axe. There wouldnt be many items but they would be sweet to get. I think this would be too tedious to an already micromanagement heavy game. As your empire becomes huge, you cant really spend time managing every city anyways. I would say to make your idea a little more managable, it would be better to just have those things as requirements. You need to have access to copper, or you need to have captured a bear and made a bear cage, etc. Then you can make items, or items can randomly be generated (rarely) on new troops based on what raw resources a city has as a nice bonus (kind of like mutation, but always positive).

 

[giddion]

I do agree what I have said above is overly complex and could be very tedious. But it was just to give an idea of something that is possible.

I would like to see something like this but maybe on a smaller scale. Find X special items bind them together for random special item... Or something...

Just the ramblings of a crazy man I guess.

 

[Vittra]

I imagine with equipment on the way, Kael and crew have their own ideas about the involment level in it all, and seeing how the axe is handled currently, I don't see any reason at the moment to not have faith that it'll be in a user-friendly manner.

 

[Caradoc]

A less complicated way would be to have buildings like the Forge that add the objects as promotions once the conditions have been met. Easy to implement, easy to play.

 

[MagisterCultuum]

I say that they shouldn't aotomatically add the promotions, but allow the unit to choose the promo without the xp cost, like how skeleton/longshoremen/buccaneers crew work. The promotions should have both good and bad effects. (I also think that the metal promotions should work like this)

 

[Rex rgis of Ter]

MAybe add specail ones to certain civs to make them more unique. I'd make Luchurip crafts more powerful then any others. For instantce, Malakim could make a amulet that gives deset attack bonuses.

 

[Marnid]

I am guessing that magic items will be unique or limited in number (like a national or world wonder) and maybe be buildable with hammers in a city (civ method) and/or obtainable from quests or lairs (the traditional RPG method).

But I really like the idea of building customized items (ala Master of Magic).
(In Master of Magic you got to add up to 4 different abilities to your items based on your leader traits and mana access. ) This would require a entire new interface screen though, not sure if it is worth the trouble.


[quote smurven]or items can randomly be generated (rarely) on new troops based on what raw resources a city has as a nice bonus (kind of like mutation, but always positive).[/quote]

That sound like a fun way to do it!, like the Children of Kyolin marks in the Age of Ice. It does add some more randomness to the game though, but would be fine if randomness in other things were reduced (like combat results and great person generation)