KoA: Reckoning - Answers from the Team

Dhruin

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The latest Reckoning Answers from the Team is up on their forums:
Hey guys, I have a question about weapons in Reckoning. Will weapons degrade over time, and need repair? If so, how quickly do they degrade, and what system is used to repair them (Blacksmithing, perhaps)? Also, will unique items degrade? Will we lose the use of our loot if we choose not to invest in the Blacksmithing tree? Thanks! – By Baseblgabe

A: Your favorite new piece of gear won't completely break or vanish, but all weapons and armor will eventually require repairs to stay effective - including unique and player crafted ones. And while they do degrade, you'll be able to get through several quest or dungeons before your new sword needs to be sharpened. To repair them you have two options – use repair kits or speak to a NPC. Anyone can use a repair kit regardless of their skill choices, but if you choose to invest in Blacksmithing, each kit you use will restore a higher amount of the equipments max durability. The NPC blacksmiths can be found throughout the world, and will gladly fix your gear in exchange for some of your gold! – By Andrew "Andre" Frederiksen, Producer
More information.
 
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I don't really like equipment repair in a single player game, don't see the need to drain gold from the game as there is only one influence on the economy, namely me/you.
 
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As long as the implementation is right - I actually prefer equipment degradation. It adds to the immersion and economy, but it shouldn't be "constant" degradation. I'd suggest something where weapons stay effective until you get below ~25% of durability - where it should be reduced by a significant amount (but not be unusable) - and then it should eventually "break" at 0% - but not in a way that can't be restored.

I remember Oblivion, where it was a nightmare - because it would constantly decrease - meaning you'd have to repair at all times to stay effective.
 
Sometimes it's a psychological thing - some people don't like degradation, but are happy with a base item that temporarily performs better after being 'sharpened'. That can be a better way to provide the same kind of money/skill sink.
 
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I don't really like equipment repair in a single player game, don't see the need to drain gold from the game as there is only one influence on the economy, namely me/you.

I'm in the opposite. I'd like to see more MMO specialities like repair, crafting and reputation being transferred into SP games as well. I even seriously wonder why no-one did it so far.

It would imho just add another layer into the game experience and make it more fun. I think it could be fun just to craft our own items in SP, assumed there are enough receipes and individual combinations vailable.
 
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Actually equipment degradation and reputation existed in sp rpgs before mmorpgs existed but it would be good to have more rpgs with those elements. Crafting though I think originated in mmorpgs and I would like it in more sp rpgs.
 
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I was mining in Skyrim today and it got me thinking about this mindless busywork crap. In none of my pen and paper RPG's has there been a session where the party made mining checks over and over again to accumulate ore. By that same token, I've never ran a game with weapon or armor degradation either. I really have no problem with these simulation elements existing in RPGs, as I play tons of games with them, but I'd really prefer they remain optional. I've never been thrilled at the realism when my armor broke in Might and Magic. Watching my good items be whittled away to nothing in Diablo was frustrating. I'm not fond of any of the crafting in Skyrim, and really wish I could just hire someone to turn my dragon droppings into armour. How often does Elric have to repair damage to Stormbringer? Did Caramon learn blacksmithing on the side during the Chronicles so he could upgrade his armour? Does Frodo need to hunt and skin and tan leather to replace his cloak every few battles because it keeps getting torn? No. No. No. If I wanted to play The Sims with wizards, I'd play The Sims Medieval.

That is all.
 
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I don't mind weapon and armor degradation, it just gives you another thing to keep your eye on during your travels. Just keep a couple repair kits on you at all times. Or just make sure to visit a smith often enough to keep your gear in good condition. No big deal.
 
I was mining in Skyrim today and it got me thinking about this mindless busywork crap. In none of my pen and paper RPG's has there been a session where the party made mining checks over and over again to accumulate ore. By that same token, I've never ran a game with weapon or armor degradation either. I really have no problem with these simulation elements existing in RPGs, as I play tons of games with them, but I'd really prefer they remain optional.

I'm a bit active in the orums of Ulisses, the holder of the TDE license.

There, I learn a lot on pen & paper RPG groups. And their diversity is stunning.

There *are* indeed groups which do nothing but build op a town, do farming and harvesting - between adventures. Heroes actually uy houses for themselves somewhere and some even feel drawn into Aventurias matters, this living worl.

Others on the other hand meet just for adventures and more or less split after them again. And others just do adventures like a point-to-point connection.

There are minor talents available in TDE that most groups just don't need - like farming, for example, or smithing, or masonry. Cooking. Leatherworks. Mining. Yes, they exist ! What you see in the Drakensang games is nothing but a fraction of what's available ! (The Realms Of Arcania Trilogy was before the 4th edition and although there were similar talents, too, they were never used in the game either.)

The *real* problem is, imho, that it depends on the personal or group's playing style.
And the real problem s that developers of games decide which kind of playing style the player should perform. Like fighter/explorer in BG. No social role-playing, please.
The games just don't allow that, although there do exist players who might want it.

And developers are imho restricting the player's playing style imho far too much. Bethesda is one of the few companies which offer almost everything.

There indeed are players who would love social interaction, and others who would love crafting and others who would love to do farming (seeing how everything grows !) and mining. Neither developers nor gamers shoul assume that only because they love or like a certain playing style, others don't. This is just not so.

Bethesda allows almost everything. But MMOs allow aspects that only very, very few SP games allow as well : Crafting, especially. Don't know about farming (in the sense of growing plants, not in the sense of "getting items"). It's imho a shame that MMOs are so much combat-oriented like the rest of all C-RPGs is.

Imho a good developer shuld allow as many playing styles as possible, to attract a broad mass of players.
But this also means both work & money.
 
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