Active forum reader for any game I’m playing, a post in the EQ2 Crafting forums got me to thinking. As mentioned before, I’m an avid participant in crafting – it’s always my primary mini-game when not leveling. EQ2 has my favorite system to date. Yes, it takes time – almost equivalent to character leveling which is why for many players, it is the game. With anything that takes that much commitment to advance, people aren’t likely to change mid stream. It wasn’t uncommon in World of Warcraft for players to power level a profession simply to create particular Bind on Pick-up (BOP) items then switch back to their “real” gig. You don’t hear players doing that in EQ2.
Because crafting in EQ2 takes work, changes to any profession are taken very seriously by players. The forum post that got me thinking this weekend was one mentioning that Provisioners (create food and drink) need an increase in the number of items created by each combination. A quick explanation of the process for non EQ2 players is that in addition to harvesting or buying the components needed to craft an item, you have to interactively make the item. There is no auto-pilot option. To create a pristine (perfect) item you have to apply profession specific skills to facilitate the production process while also successfully counter-acting random process problems. If you don’t you run the risk of producing an inferior product which impacts its value or completely failing, losing all of your components, some of which can be expensive. That said, any changes that impact the market for your hard won produce, is likely to incite passionate comments from players.
So as much as I sometimes wish I could create more items in less time, my current tier of items aren’t making me rich as it is now. Anything that would dump more of these items into the market is likely to cause a drop in prices. I’m already in the volume profession where my money is made by creating more of items which cost less than some of the other crafted goods where the components to create a single item are rarer and expensive, resulting in fewer items but those produced cost a lot of coin. I’m starting to roll an alt character explicitly for crafting the high priced items I desperately need (skill upgrades) but can’t afford to buy. However, being in the Provision profession as my first love, as cooking is in real life, I’m terrified of changes that might drop the bottom out of the market.
From what I gathered, increasing the results of cooking combines has been a long standing request – by some I suppose. It was increased during the last crafting revamp from 1 to 2 items per session. My T3 items, the few that sell, only sell for 55 to 75 silver. I’m not personally interested in creating more that cost less. I can imagine that the top tier, T9 can be going for3 to 5 gold? I don’t really know and am not on the computer with EQ2 to check. I worry that any changes could have a negative impact until the market resettles itself, if ever. How do the developers analyze the potential economic impact of game changes? Does EQ2 employ economists like Eve Online? Modifications that nerf your crafting profession in EQ2 are every much as painful as a class balancing/nerfing. From things I’ve seen happen in EQ2 and other games, sometimes it appears as though statistical analysis wasn’t done before a change went in or are some things impossible to fully predict?
Case in point, EQ2 EOF expansion introduced two new secondary professions – tinkering and transmuting. I’ve never done either since none of my characters have leveled very far until now. One of those professions utilized Adept scrolls normally used to upgrade your spells/abilities in the crafting process. Well the prices of Adepts skyrocketed when the expansion released pushing the cost of spell upgrades out of the reach of low level players. The prices were so ludicrous that I abandoned leveling for a while – can’t solo with crap skills and farmed for Adepts and rare items instead. I wish that I hadn’t rolled that character on that PVP abomination, Nagafen or I’d still be rich. I made SO much plat as a level 27 player endlessly farming those coveted items and selling them to players trying to power level those new professions. Had the developers foreseen what that change would to do the economy for other crafting professions needing those same components? Did they realize it would also move necessary upgrades out of the reach of new/low level players? The market has certainly stabilized since then but the prices for those components remain higher than what they had been pre EOF.
I’m on the cusp of breaking into T4 crafting for the first time ever. As much as I like the crafting, there’s no denying that it takes time. I’d hate to see any changes which might, however inadvertently, decrease the value of my goods. I’m really having a good time in EQ2. A big part of the enjoyment is tied to crafting in order to make money for baubles since I'm not a big quester.
It's surprising how many times developers fail to see how a small change can cause ripples in the economy. When crafting epics were introduced, Lvl 80 players required a couple of tier 5 rares for their quest, and that sent the cost of those skyrocketing too. Any poor newbie would have felt the pinch as they suddenly could not afford rares for their spells and gear at that tier.
Posted by: Mythokia | July 28, 2008 at 12:29 AM
Actually this is one of the reasons I got out of FFXI and got into EvE. The economy is much more robust in EvE. Interestingly even with an economist on board "things can go wrong". Case in point: the shuttle incident.
One of the things I like about EvE is that with few exceptions we usually know ahead of time what's coming out in a patch. So the traders tend to go all tea-leave-y on us. For example we now know there is an upcoming "speed nerf" which should affect the balance of the ships in that the whole "nano" issue should be reduced. This has had a predictable effect on the economy. Certain ship prices are going down, others are going up. Smart traders got in on the changes early and are making a mint, the rest are bemoaning their lack of reaction speed. Note that it's all speculation at this point in time, the changes hit sisi (test server) today so fine tuning of the new price points will take place over the next week.
This is to point out that these changes aren't necessarily bad, they just are what they are, and the idea is to take advantage of them when they arise. Admittedly easier to do in an economy game like eve instead of a crafting game like EQ2, but the principal applies.
Posted by: Letrange | July 28, 2008 at 10:15 AM
@Mythokia - There are aspects of the way spells are given that I'm not fond of in EQ2. Constantly replacing existing spells versus being given a higher tier of the same spell for example, I found VERY annoying at first. I do however see how it supports the Sage profession with a constant need for Spell Scrolls. That being the case, I wish they'd find a way to be more careful about destabilizing the economy at the lower levels because spell upgrades are so vital and when they push them beyond your reach, they are basically gimping newer players.
@Letrange - the economy is one of the things I really enjoyed about EO although I never fully participated beyond making my funds via salvaging. In fact, trying to play more of an economic game in EQ2 is born out of how fascinated I was by that aspect of EO. I capitalized last time I was around for a change that impacted the economy but that was born out of an inability to compete with the going prices to purchase what I really needed.
I try to look ahead and plan but unlike EO some things that go down you're just going to deal with as they come. In WOW I would take note of when new armor was being released (Arena) or PVE dungeon sets so that I could farm up lots of enchanting components since the prices would go thru the roof the day those items hit the live servers. Then there was the profit from performing those enchants too. That was pretty sweet when it rolled around.
Posted by: Saylah | July 28, 2008 at 10:51 AM
This is the reason I turned into a rares dealer..
I took everything I found and sold it, and quit crafting period.
The monetary input compared to time input equaled me being child slave labor.
I then found the hot commodities market of rares sales on the Broker, and made a fortune.
You can too.
Order my book now. I also show you how to sell "Stolen properties" confiscated by Hot Elven Police Women toting handcuffs.
Posted by: Openedge1 | July 28, 2008 at 12:49 PM
I usually hate crafting in MMO's, but I have to admit that I really liked EQ2's system. It's the only MMO where I actually went out of my way to farm components so I could craft armor for myself and my friends.
It's my belief that most MMO developers don't take the games economy into consideration when they make changes (whether those changes are loot drops, the crafting system, or whatever).
They fail to realize is that the economical side of the game is a great part of the fun for some players.
Maybe that's why EvE Online is still ticking after all these years?
Posted by: Jason | July 28, 2008 at 12:51 PM
@Open - Haha, you had me going there for a minute. I hadn't noticed the name. When I came to the "I have guide" part I thought, "oh snap" a spammer got through then I saw it was you. :-P
@Jason - the economic side of EO is very broad and appealing. I think that even more players will be lured into it's clutches once there is ambulation to enhance playing the trading/market site of the game.
Posted by: saylah | July 28, 2008 at 08:20 PM