I want crafting in Echoes of Emain to feel like a game in its own right. Players should feel like they belong and have an impact, with no pressure to do anything else. A player could grow only wheat and still feel like an important part of the community. Here are some of my design ideas and considerations:
On Crafting:
- All long-lasting buffs will come exclusively from player-made food or player-made potions. Classes could still have battle buffs that last for the duration of a fight, but a health bonus lasting 20 minutes, for example, would come from something a player has crafted. Becoming a master crafter capable of making the best food and potions should take meaningful effort.
- BiS (best-in-slot) gear for PvP will always be player-crafted. There may be equipment drops here and there, but putting together a great set will require a crafter. The idea is that PvPers bring back materials from the PvP zone, which crafters can use to upgrade or craft top-tier armor and weapons. Those materials could drop from other players or be awarded for completing objectives.
On Exploration:
- I want the world to keep changing while still feeling comfortable and familiar. One possibility is to shift where resources appear, so there isn’t one fixed gathering route. Less-explored areas could have richer resources. The idea is to make venturing into an area exciting, even if it felt empty before or you’ve seen it a thousand times. There could always be something new to discover.
- A more radical idea is to change mob behavior based on how often they’re killed. Perhaps the camps with the best loot are the ones players haven’t touched in a while! Meanwhile, mobs in frequently attacked camps might become more organized and dangerous. There’s a delicate balance here: finding suitable camps and gathering spots should still feel relaxed, rather than becoming a stressful search.