I hate crafting systems in RPGs. I'm wondering if I'm alone on this, and also looking for thoughts on what would be necessary to make a good crafting system, or whether adding a crafting system is just an unsalvageably bad idea.
I haven't really analyzed this too much, but let me present a few problems I have with crafting systems.
1) They're boring. I haven't played an RPG in which a crafting system is fun in and of itself. Almost invariably, the actual crafting requires no input from the player, but simply putting items on a workbench or using some kind of crafting menu. It's not that crafting is actually unpleasant, but it's much less enjoyable than combat, exploration, or conversation and much less satisfying than developing a character (this is probably a matter of taste -- I can imagine someone getting the same enjoyment out of crafting a sword as I do out of leveling up my characters). Given that it's not as fun as other RPG activities, I would simply rather be doing them.
2) Crafting systems are almost invariably awkward. Necessarily, they require some inventory management (selecting components, etc.) but it seems like there's never a good interface for this. The Witcher's alchemy system had an atrocious interface, NWN2 & MOTB were nearly as bad, and the list goes on. If you're not going to make crafting fun, why couldn't it at least be easy and painless?
3) Crafting grossly imbalances a game. This one is less universal but more damning than the others. It seems that crafting is extremely tough to balance, and that often hurts other aspects of the game -- which I consider inexcusable for a system that isn't fun in and of itself. The worst offenders here of games that I've recently played are NWN2, MOTB, and Wizards and Warriors. In each of them, it's extremely easy to craft items that are far better than anything you can find or buy. This has two negative effects. First, it strongly encourages the player to use the crafting system, which I would rather be able to happily ignore. Second -- and worse -- it eliminates much of the fun of exploration and combat, two key traditional RPG elements. Why bother exploring that dungeon or undertaking that dangerous quest if you can certainly craft yourself a weapon that's far more powerful than whatever rewards you might find? Wizards and Warriors is particularly awful in this respect, since the entire plot of the game revolves around finding and obtaining a legendary sword powerful enough to defeat an evil immortal -- but when I actually got the sword I was disappointed (and shocked) to discover that I had already enchanted myself some weapons for every character that were twice as powerful as this epic heavenly artifact. What the fuck?
Some games do a better job with crafting systems than others. The Witcher's alchemy system was actually decent -- not for the system itself, which was just as bad as most, but because it was integrally tied in with gameplay. The requirement to pursue formulae actually did add something to the game, and it was a good way to make character knowledge an important game mechanic. Thankfully, The Witcher did not offer weapon or armor crafting, removing most of the balancing issues. Of course, it was still burdened by an awful crafting interface and the fact that actually crafting was not fun and was actually kind of annoying, requiring you to find a campfire or inn (because of course a professional monster slayer is incapable of making his own campfires). Similarly, Darklands' alchemy system was good -- once more because you had to seek out formulae, sending you on trips between cities and effectively becoming a major quest.
Is that the requirement for a decent crafting system? It must require in-game knowledge (or, presumably, rare ingredients), thereby giving you additional in-game goals, things to search for, and problems to solve? That does seem like one reasonable thought. But is there any way to make crafting fun by itself? I have no idea -- no thoughts are coming to me. It seems like a prime place for a minigame . . . but on the other hand I hate minigames. What can be done about this? Or are crafting systems even necessary? Do their problems outweigh their limited benefits? I tend to lean towards this option, but I'm unconvinced.
Anyway, I'm interested in your thoughts and suggestions.
I haven't really analyzed this too much, but let me present a few problems I have with crafting systems.
1) They're boring. I haven't played an RPG in which a crafting system is fun in and of itself. Almost invariably, the actual crafting requires no input from the player, but simply putting items on a workbench or using some kind of crafting menu. It's not that crafting is actually unpleasant, but it's much less enjoyable than combat, exploration, or conversation and much less satisfying than developing a character (this is probably a matter of taste -- I can imagine someone getting the same enjoyment out of crafting a sword as I do out of leveling up my characters). Given that it's not as fun as other RPG activities, I would simply rather be doing them.
2) Crafting systems are almost invariably awkward. Necessarily, they require some inventory management (selecting components, etc.) but it seems like there's never a good interface for this. The Witcher's alchemy system had an atrocious interface, NWN2 & MOTB were nearly as bad, and the list goes on. If you're not going to make crafting fun, why couldn't it at least be easy and painless?
3) Crafting grossly imbalances a game. This one is less universal but more damning than the others. It seems that crafting is extremely tough to balance, and that often hurts other aspects of the game -- which I consider inexcusable for a system that isn't fun in and of itself. The worst offenders here of games that I've recently played are NWN2, MOTB, and Wizards and Warriors. In each of them, it's extremely easy to craft items that are far better than anything you can find or buy. This has two negative effects. First, it strongly encourages the player to use the crafting system, which I would rather be able to happily ignore. Second -- and worse -- it eliminates much of the fun of exploration and combat, two key traditional RPG elements. Why bother exploring that dungeon or undertaking that dangerous quest if you can certainly craft yourself a weapon that's far more powerful than whatever rewards you might find? Wizards and Warriors is particularly awful in this respect, since the entire plot of the game revolves around finding and obtaining a legendary sword powerful enough to defeat an evil immortal -- but when I actually got the sword I was disappointed (and shocked) to discover that I had already enchanted myself some weapons for every character that were twice as powerful as this epic heavenly artifact. What the fuck?
Some games do a better job with crafting systems than others. The Witcher's alchemy system was actually decent -- not for the system itself, which was just as bad as most, but because it was integrally tied in with gameplay. The requirement to pursue formulae actually did add something to the game, and it was a good way to make character knowledge an important game mechanic. Thankfully, The Witcher did not offer weapon or armor crafting, removing most of the balancing issues. Of course, it was still burdened by an awful crafting interface and the fact that actually crafting was not fun and was actually kind of annoying, requiring you to find a campfire or inn (because of course a professional monster slayer is incapable of making his own campfires). Similarly, Darklands' alchemy system was good -- once more because you had to seek out formulae, sending you on trips between cities and effectively becoming a major quest.
Is that the requirement for a decent crafting system? It must require in-game knowledge (or, presumably, rare ingredients), thereby giving you additional in-game goals, things to search for, and problems to solve? That does seem like one reasonable thought. But is there any way to make crafting fun by itself? I have no idea -- no thoughts are coming to me. It seems like a prime place for a minigame . . . but on the other hand I hate minigames. What can be done about this? Or are crafting systems even necessary? Do their problems outweigh their limited benefits? I tend to lean towards this option, but I'm unconvinced.
Anyway, I'm interested in your thoughts and suggestions.