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Crafting stations
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Crafting a Nightblade weapon at a weaponsmithing station in the Winstead node in Alpha-2.[1]
There's going to be a number of different types of selectables that you can incorporate as part of the crafting process; each of them having unique results as part of the stat block for the weapon, but also increasing the quality, predicated on the quality of the selectable that you're contributing.[2] – Steven Sharif
Crafting stations (also referred to as Crafting benches) are workstations located on freeholds or within nodes.[4][5][6][7][8]
- Recipes have slots for required and selectable crafting materials. Adding higher rarity selectable materials increases the rarity of the crafted item.[9][1][10] Choosing different selectable items can also result in crafted items with different statblocks and unique properties.[2]
- Different tiers of crafting stations represent the quality of the items that can be crafted.[7]
- Higher tier crafting stations are unlocked with node progression.[11]
- City (stage 5) nodes may have one Grandmaster crafting station.[12]
- Metropolis (stage 6) nodes may have two Grandmaster crafting stations.[12]
- Players can only craft up to journeyman level on freeholds.[13]
- Upper-tier crafting benches within a node are accessible by its citizens.[14]
- Top tier crafting stations are present at all node types, however Academic nodes offer additional bonuses to crafting performed there.[15]
- Higher tier crafting stations are unlocked with node progression.[11]
- Crafting stations can pull inventory from a player's personal storage and warehouse storage from the node that the crafting station is in.[16]
- There is no limit to the number of players that can use a crafting station at the same time.[17]
- Crafting stations are distinct from processing stations, which are used to process raw materials into processed goods (crafting materials) at nodes or on freeholds.[5][6][18][19]
- Q: Can crafting stations be mobilized / moved and can they be placed anywhere in the world?
- A: It depends on the crafting station. There are going to be different tiers of crafting stations that represent the quality of item you're looking to create within that specific profession. There's going to be crafting stations that can be utilized by players within their freeholds and then crafting stations that are resigned only to the development of particular nodes, within particular areas, or particular buildings... There's a wide variety of those things to make it a more dynamic experience and something that caveat how players decide to build the world and what the value of those things are.[7] – Steven Sharif
 | Some of the following information has not been recently confirmed by the developers and may not be on the current development roadmap. |
- Legendary crafting benches are present in the Academy unique building of Metropolis (stage 6) Academic nodes.[20]
List of crafting stations
- Armor smithing stations
- Laboratories
- Ship workstations
- Smithies
- Textile mills
- Weapon smithing stations
- Woodshops
Crafting mechanics
First look at the work-in-progress Alpha-2 crafting UI by Colby Marchi.[21]
This one is showing the base needs that we were establishing to get this system in-game and usable as soon as possible. So right now, our crafting does work in game and it's all functional and we're building out the functionality as we go to expand; and based on what we test.[21] – Colby Marchi
The developers will be seeking testing feedback on the addition of a gameplay layer to crafting that determines the outcome based on the player's performance.[22]
- For example, if you're creating a sword, and you are crafting that sword, you will have an interface- a gameplay layer that you will see and you will begin to hammer actually that sword into an appropriate outline. And your performance there can help influence the outcome of that craft.[22] – Steven Sharif
- It is likely that Star Wars Galaxies inspired crafting mechanics will be present in Ashes of Creation.[23]
- Without getting into too much detail I will say that it's likely that you will see some inspiration surface itself in that regard.[23] – Steven Sharif
- Previously it was stated that repetitive skill-based crafting mechanics, such as mini-games, are not an intended part of the crafting experience.[23][24]
- We did discuss that type of a feature where the skill of the crafter would grant a greater window of skill-based type crafting. So the higher master level you have of crafting a certain item, the greater your potential to impact the quality of that item might be... The concern obviously that we have when going into developing this type of system is that we don't want what is a fun - for lack of a better term - mini-game to be something that becomes repetitive and makes it monotonous... If when we start to flesh out the crafting system and we take a look at that interaction of melding crafting, the actual activity of making something, there is room in the design sheet for different iterations of that particular action; and we may see something come about that can be skill oriented, but that's something that's going to require a lot of testing and different iterations from a design standpoint.[24] – Steven Sharif
Recipes
Alpha-2 Nightblade recipe.[26]
When players are looking to create different items in the game they're going to need to go out and either purchase, or get drops of recipes, or trade with other players; and when they acquire that recipe, like I have here: it says Nightblade. I can use the recipe and I will learn a Weaponsmithing recipe for the Nightblade. So, I have a recipe book that I get to keep. Essentially I learn these recipes once.[27] – Steven Sharif
Crafting in Ashes of Creation is recipe-based, but there may be RNG when crafting "risky items".[28][29][27] Previously it was stated that there was no RNG in crafting.[29][27][30][31][32]
- Recipes that are obtained must be committed to a player's recipe book (by right-clicking on the recipe item). This "consumes" the recipe item and unlocks the ability to craft the item in question.[27][33]
- Artisans must have the required artisan certification to learn recipes at that level (or lower).[34]
- Recipes can be traded or sold prior to them being committed into a player's recipe book.[35][33]
- In most cases learned recipes are permanently added to a character's recipe book, but in certain unique cases there will be a "charge count" where learned recipes will disappear from the recipe book after a number of uses.[27]
- Once a recipe is learned, it cannot be shared with other characters, including alts.[36]
- Recipes have slots for required and selectable crafting materials. Adding higher rarity selectable materials increases the rarity of the crafted item.[29][37][9][1][10] Choosing different selectable materials can also result in crafted items with different statblocks and unique properties.[2][38]
- These are the things we want to explore on [the] crafting side, where we introduce maybe new stat lines, or a different proportion or ratios of stats at certain tiers; and when you craft these items using better materials, the rarity of the item increases. For demonstration purposes we're using legendary, but basically when you use a higher tier than the recipe is intended for- so we could technically build this item with common copper and zinc fragments, then that would produce an uncommon item. But, since we're showcasing this at legendary tier, you can move up the tiers and have the stats increase.[1] – Mike Han
- Recipes may have an XP component, where crafting that recipe multiple times can level up the recipe and unlock better results.[37][40]
- Something unique in our crafting system [is] where we want to have recipe XP of some sort; and then those sub-recipes could [be] earned by leveling up your recipe, which means that you have to craft the Nightblade multiple times to level it up to have a better result. The sub-recipe could be from a vendor recipe or world drops like we said earlier, but the idea is one type of item can have potential to be multiple different outcomes.[40] – Mike Han
- While selectable materials offer a wide degree of customization, crafting results must lie broadly within the realms of the recipe's definition; and so cannot be arbitrarily customized.[41][39][42]
- Q: Will players have the ability to innovate within the crafting system creating unique items or designs? If so, how much customization can players expect when it comes to crafting their own gear or items?
- A: There are statically defined an array of results that can come out of a particular recipe; and your ability to unlock those results is predicated on what composition of resources you contribute to crafting that particular weapon type; and so in that sense, yes crafters will have the ability to uniquely create certain types of the recipes results, based on how they're contributing resources to it. The result has to have a corresponding recipe definition; and so in that sense it isn't completely customizable to the point where the player gets to uniquely create these particular items, but rather they are discovering what creations are possible with each recipe type.[41] – Steven Sharif
Molds
Molds are a type of crafting material in Ashes of Creation.[44]
Crafted items
Crafted items (also referred to as Completed items, Finished goods, or Final products) are items produced by crafter artisans using crafting stations.[45][5][6][46][7][8]
- Completed items can be accessed by players in warehouses at any node regardless of citizenship or housing ownership.[47][45][48]
- Crafted gear is considered best-in-slot in Ashes of Creation.[46]
- Previously it was stated that crafted items will be on-par with boss dropped items.[49][50][51]
- Crafters will be able to assign different skills/abilities and stats on gear.[52][53]
- Master crafters will be able to influence several (but not all) stats on their crafted items.[52][54]
- Crafted gear in the game is the best gear... One thing that I'm not a fan of is that you develop a crafting system in a game and you've spent a lot of time making this from a material and resource perspective. All the tables that you can receive, all the connectivity in the economy and how crafting is associated with the game; and then you undermine the crafting entirely by presenting a separate route of gear acquisition that is on-par with the crafting efforts. So here you have these people who are acquiring all of the resources getting, all the recipes, leveling up their professions and then everything they make is less or equal to anything you could just have chosen the easier path of and gone down the questing and received the best gear. So what we do focus on is that crafters make the best shit. Excuse me, the best things.[46] – Steven Sharif
- The rarity of crafted items will be commensurate with the effort required to gather, process and craft the items.[51]
- Stats on crafted items will vary based on the item's rarity.[55]
- Gear appearance is influenced by the rarity of the crafted item.[56]
- That plays into our crafting system in and of itself. The idea is for those stats to be variables that can be dictated based on the mastery level of the particular crafter; and the higher they become a master of those professions, whether it be for armor or for weapons or for accessories, they're going to have some agency and put their mark on essentially what items they're introducing into the economy.[55] – Steven Sharif
- Crafters are able to influence what their crafted items will look like.[52][57]
- At the moment, harnessing corruption to warp items into demonic or decayed things is not on the cards.[58]
- A crafter's name is embedded in the items they craft.[59]
- We believe that every item that exists in the world should in some way reflect its creator. As such, there will be extreme versatility in our crafting system – giving crafters the ability to create unique items that represent their strengths and weaknesses.[60]
Upgrading items
Enchanting is not an artisan profession in its own right. Scribes create scrolls that can be utilized by different professions to create enchantments relating to that profession.[61][62]
- Enchantment scrolls can be sold on the open market.[9][61][63]
- Enchanting does not increase an item's level requirement.[64]
- You don't really push a particular item's level requirement or the identity of that item. You can enhance it, you can add enchantments to it, but it's still the item it is.[64] – Steven Sharif
Repairing items
Blacksmithing concept art.[65]
For example: if you have an iron sword and then the sword gets damaged from use, you have to use more iron to repair it; and what that does is... make sure that there's significant sinks in the game for base materials so that you are creating a scarcity and demand that's present on the creation of higher goods as well as supplying the necessary decay components for the world.[66] – Steven Sharif
Item repair can be achieved through consumables, vendors, and artisans. All of which cost crafting materials.[67][68][66][69]
- Q: Is it possible for a player to get stuck with broken gear if there are no repair materials or artisans available nearby? Will repair always be a quick and easy trip to town, or is it something we need to prepare for?
- A: If you don't repair your gear you're SOL. That's a problem. There are going to be repair options that you can acquire that might be consumables for you to have out in the field; and then there are going to be vendors that you can utilize to repair and/or crafters that you can utilize to repair as well.[67] – Steven Sharif
- 0% durability will unequip items, increasing its repair cost.[70]
- Damaged gear can be reforged at a player stall using a portion of the materials that were necessary to craft the item.[71][72][66]
- There may be additional constraints for repairing "very unique items", such as having a crafter and recipe to effectuate repairs. This is subject to testing.[73]
- There is no limit to the number of times an item can be repaired.[74]
- There will be ways to repair destructible structures (such as walls and gates) and also repair (or re-craft) siege weapons that were damaged during sieges.[75] This is a long term design goal that was not present during Alpha-1.[75]
- There's a lot of ancillary activities that can be had during sieges... It's obviously strategy and tactics and raid-versus-raid components, but also you want to have individual contributions where players can do things during the siege to aid in the greater effort so to speak; and it doesn't require you having 50 people by your side to effectuate that influence over something. So repairs are great ways to do that. Repairs for walls, repairs for gates, being able to spawn and essentially craft the designs for specific types of siege weapons to provide those to the team.[75] – Steven Sharif
Crafting professions
Artisan progression
| Artisan level | Artisan certification | Profession limit per character |
|---|---|---|
| 1-10.[78][79] | Novice.[76][80] | 22.[76][77] |
| 10-20.[81][79] | Apprentice.[76] | 5.[76][77] |
| 20-30.[81] | Journeyman.[76][13] | 4.[76][77] |
| 30-40.[81] | Master.[76][13] | 3.[76][77] |
| 40-50.[81][82] | Grandmaster.[76][13] | 2.[76][83][77] |
Artisan progression occurs based on experience (repetition of tasks) as well as achievements of certain benchmarks within each artisan branch (Gathering, Processing and Crafting).[85][86] Progression in each artisan profession is per-character.[87][88][89][90]
- All 22 professions, the players get to be novice of; and then it starts narrowing from there. So, after that you'll only be able to be apprentice of five things. You can be a journeyman in four things. You can be a master in three things; and you can be a grandmaster in two things. So you'll need to narrow, but you can also diversify to support the professions that you want to first push further in.[77] – Kory Rice
- Progression to each "tier" within a profession grants skill points that can be utilized in a character's artisan skill tree.[92]
- Artisan certification quests must be completed to gain proficiency in that tier of artisan progression.[85] Completing certification unlocks benefits for that profession, such as artisan tools for gathering professions and recipes for crafting professions.[34][93]
- There are limits to the number of professions at each certification tier across the three artisan branches.[76][83][94][77][95] For example: a character may only ever be a Master in up to 3 professions and Grandmaster in up to 2 professions across all artisan branches.[76][83]
- Grandmaster artisans can max out their entire profession skill tree, but a character can only be a grandmaster of up to two professions.[96]
- Achieving an artisan certification in a profession also implies that the character also achieved any lower-tier certifications up to that point.[97]
- If you are grand master in that profession you can max out the entire tree. But you can only grand master 2 things.[96] – Kory Rice
- Choosing a specific path in the skill tree allows the player an opportunity to specialize in a certain area. This encourages player inter-dependency, enhancing the artisan experience.[25]
- Artisan progression does not directly relate to progression in a character's adventuring class, but is designed to be complementary to character progression.[98] Additionally, there are requirements that take into account dangers, locations, toolsets, and surveying options that are level dependent.[99][100][101]
- Characters gain XP as they progress their artisan professions, but it should be expected that some artisans will have significantly higher artisan level than their adventuring level.[102][93][99]
- Choice of profession does not affect a player's stats.[104]
- Artisan classes and their professions are not affected by a character's religion, or class.[105][106]
- Race likely won't affect the artisan system.[105][106] Certain influences may instead be housed in a background selection that isn't intrinsically tied to race.[105]
- When it comes to balancing a system that's something that we do during testing phases. When it comes to architecting the system itself and identifying the areas in which certain certain professions excel, where they interact with ancillary systems, their interconnectivity across the artisanship system as a whole, the important part there is to identify how that the interconnectivity lives with the other professions in the artisanship system. And what type of reliance you have on particular professions to complete the path of crafting or introduction of new items into the economy.[88] – Steven Sharif
- Q: In regards to character level and artisan level. We know that currently there are two separate things. That being said, what prevents a player from staying level one and partying up with a level 50 player to then gather level 50 resources in the high zones? That way, anyone who wants to take those resources will have to kill the gatherer who is level one and get a large amount of corruption for killing a level one as a level 50.
- A: Gathering higher level resources requires significant advancement within a particular profession for that gatherable resource. So, if I'm a Miner and I want to access the highest possible mineral, I need to be a master miner; and in order to achieve the master minor status I am going to be gaining adventuring level experience through that process, because many of those quest lines, many of those achievements are facilitated through quest lines. Some of those quest lines interface with adventuring difficulties that are out in the wild at certain levels. So that's going to predicate me- that's going to be a predicate for me to achieve a certain level in order to complete some of these quest lines and achieve that master status. So you will you will likely not see the ability of a level one alt character having the access to high level mineral mining, or any other type of gatherable out there.[99] – Steven Sharif
Visuals
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See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Video, November 30, 2023 (59:21).
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Video, November 30, 2023 (1:01:04).
- ↑ Video, August 31, 2023 (45:06).
- ↑ Blog: Exploring the Boundless Opportunities of Freeholds.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Livestream, April 7, 2023 (31:49).
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Livestream, January 30, 2020 (1:38:26).
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Livestream, May 12, 2017 (1:00:18).
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Livestream, November 30, 2023 (1:38:47).
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Interview, October 20, 2018 (17:31).
- ↑ Interview, July 19, 2020 (6:38).
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Livestream, December 19, 2023 (1:49:28).
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 Development Update with Freehold Preview.
- ↑ Podcast, September 29, 2021 (4:43).
- ↑ Livestream, December 19, 2023 (1:50:51).
- ↑ Livestream, July 29, 2022 (1:17:33).
- ↑ Livestream, November 30, 2023 (1:26:16).
- ↑ Livestream, June 30, 2022 (1:08:02).
- ↑ Podcast, April 11, 2021 (40:20).
- ↑ Blog: Know Your Nodes - Scientific Node Type
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 Livestream, February 24, 2023 (39:43).
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 Livestream, October 14, 2022 (35:22).
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 Interview, February 7, 2021 (45:41).
- ↑ 24.0 24.1 Podcast, May 11, 2018 (27:20).
- ↑ 25.0 25.1 Livestream, May 10, 2017 (6:12).
- ↑ Video, November 30, 2023 (3:15).
- ↑ 27.0 27.1 27.2 27.3 27.4 Video, November 30, 2023 (3:49).
- ↑ Livestream, April 30, 2024 (1:03:57).
- ↑ 29.0 29.1 29.2 Livestream, November 30, 2023 (1:58:55).
- ↑ Interview, March 27, 2020 (9:00).
- ↑ Livestream, May 5, 2017 (20:41).
- ↑
- ↑ 33.0 33.1 Interview, February 7, 2021 (37:26).
- ↑ 34.0 34.1 Podcast, December 3, 2023 (17:10).
- ↑ Livestream, July 3, 2024 (2:05:03).
- ↑ Livestream, November 30, 2023 (1:57:38).
- ↑ 37.0 37.1 Livestream, November 30, 2023 (1:54:37).
- ↑ Livestream, May 26, 2017 (5:25).
- ↑ 39.0 39.1 Livestream, January 28, 2022 (1:19:48).
- ↑ 40.0 40.1 Video, November 30, 2023 (1:02:15).
- ↑ 41.0 41.1 Livestream, November 30, 2023 (1:56:01).
- ↑ Interview, February 7, 2021 (38:15).
- ↑ Video, August 31, 2023 (46:26).
- ↑ Video, August 31, 2023 (45:50).
- ↑ 45.0 45.1
- ↑ 46.0 46.1 46.2 Livestream, June 30, 2022 (1:18:55).
- ↑
- ↑ Interview, September 10, 2023 (47:13).
- ↑ February 8, 2019 - Questions and Answers.
- ↑
- ↑ 51.0 51.1 Livestream, May 10, 2017 (14:45).
- ↑ 52.0 52.1 52.2 Livestream, November 30, 2020 (1:05:22).
- ↑ Podcast, August 4, 2018 (59:58).
- ↑
- ↑ 55.0 55.1 Livestream, December 22, 2020 (1:15:01).
- ↑ Livestream, November 30, 2023 (1:40:11).
- ↑ Livestream, May 24, 2017 (24:19).
- ↑
- ↑
- ↑ About Ashes of Creation.
- ↑ 61.0 61.1 Livestream, May 27, 2022 (1:20:00).
- ↑ Livestream, May 26, 2017 (51:37).
- ↑ Livestream, May 17, 2017 (58:55).
- ↑ 64.0 64.1 Livestream, March 26, 2021 (1:15:57).
- ↑
- ↑ 66.0 66.1 66.2 Interview, July 19, 2020 (51:11).
- ↑ 67.0 67.1 Livestream, September 27, 2024 (2:05:38).
- ↑ Interview, February 7, 2021 (13:14).
- ↑ Podcast, 2017-05-13 (25:55).
- ↑
- ↑ Interview, July 29, 2020 (16:46).
- ↑
- ↑ Livestream, May 28, 2021 (1:53:04).
- ↑ Livestream, September 30, 2020 (1:01:45).
- ↑ 75.0 75.1 75.2 Livestream, May 28, 2021 (1:04:29).
- ↑ 76.00 76.01 76.02 76.03 76.04 76.05 76.06 76.07 76.08 76.09 76.10 76.11 76.12 76.13
- ↑ 77.0 77.1 77.2 77.3 77.4 77.5 77.6 77.7 77.8 77.9 Video, November 30, 2023 (37:12).
- ↑
- ↑ 79.0 79.1 Video, November 30, 2023 (9:36).
- ↑ Livestream, June 30, 2023 (50:07).
- ↑ 81.0 81.1 81.2 81.3 Podcast, December 3, 2023 (14:14).
- ↑ Podcast, December 3, 2023 (2:53).
- ↑ 83.0 83.1 83.2
- ↑ Video, November 30, 2023 (23:20).
- ↑ 85.0 85.1 Video, November 30, 2023 (16:40).
- ↑ Interview, February 7, 2021 (36:38).
- ↑
- ↑ 88.0 88.1 Livestream, April 29, 2022 (1:13:00).
- ↑ Livestream, July 26, 2019 (1:09:46).
- ↑ Livestream, May 24, 2017 (32:07).
- ↑ Podcast, December 3, 2023 (10:22).
- ↑ Video, November 30, 2023 (26:38).
- ↑ 93.0 93.1 Video, November 30, 2023 (36:00).
- ↑
- ↑
- ↑ 96.0 96.1 Podcast, December 3, 2023 (6:23).
- ↑
- ↑ Interview, October 14, 2024 (8:49).
- ↑ 99.0 99.1 99.2 Livestream, April 7, 2023 (1:00:55).
- ↑ Livestream, October 28, 2022 (1:32:38).
- ↑ Livestream, July 31, 2020 (1:31:11).
- ↑ Podcast, December 3, 2023 (15:05).
- ↑ Livestream, September 27, 2024 (1:46:39).
- ↑ Livestream, July 18, 2017 (37:25).
- ↑ 105.0 105.1 105.2 Livestream, February 24, 2023 (1:18:05).
- ↑ 106.0 106.1 Livestream, August 28, 2020 (2:05:21).
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