Map Preview 2: Quality

[Vanigo]

So, when you repair a building, will its quality be affected? (If so, I hope we'll get some nice big buildings to put our smelters and such in to keep their quality high.) And will wall quality affect its durability?

[Jackard]

ps. i like the looks of the new grassland (?)

I think it's too bright. Needs to be a little darker and maybe more green.

you remember starcraft? terrain was supersweet looking in that. starcraft terrain definitely wasnt oversaturated like the current grass, water and dirt, though

this reminds me of it

[kobnach]

Actually, the fact that perception is "gone" is just a bug; we just didn't notice it until the screenshot was up.

As for how quality works mathematically, I can say so much that we're far from sure that we've got all the details right, but from the cursory inspection we made so far, it seems quite functional. It's quite possible that we'll have to revise it a couple of times, but I can at least clarify a few details. First of all, the quality number is limitless in itself.

Second, the new character attributes mostly affect crafting, but e.g. farming takes effect when harvesting/planting crops and trees. When crafting, the quality of the raw material you use is the primary determinant of the quality of the result, but if the attributes that affect the crafting recipe in question are lower than what the resulting quality would otherwise be, they will simply worsen it. That way, it is equally important to level the raw material you're working with and to level your character itself.

Third, crops, trees and silkworms (and, when we've got them, domestic animals) are possible to improve upon each generation, so you can always make them progressively better. Other resources, like clay, soil, water, &c., can only be improved by prospecting. Their quality is strictly determined by the map, so if you want better, you'll have to find it. The quality of hides and other game loot is determined strictly by creature level (and the type of creature).

Fourth, while it's possible to make quite great armor from just a Mordor-bear's hide, in order to make the world's best leather armor, you'll also need, not only good craftsmanship to deal with the leather, but also good wood to make your tanning tubs and good water to fill them with; so in order to make really high quality stuff, you'll need to improve the whole resource tree behind the stuff you're crafting.

I like it. This might keep me occupied for quite a while, if I can find the right location and group of people to do it with. (There's no point trying anything long term otherwise.)

Question about hide quality - how does domestic animal leather compare with wild animal leather? You mention quality of leather being determined by creature level - will carefully tended and improved cows (sheep, rabbits, etc.) have levels in this sense, or will the best hides come only from the depths of Mordor? (Yes, I'm anticipating domestic animals.)

[Jest]

ps. i like the looks of the new grassland (?)

I think it's too bright. Needs to be a little darker and maybe more green.

you remember starcraft? terrain was supersweet looking in that. starcraft terrain definitely wasnt oversaturated like the current grass, water and dirt, though

this reminds me of it

yeah, it does look nice, I just have a fear the the new land types wont blend naturally. I'd really hate to be on the bright and colorful grassland and then all of a sudden it cuts to super dark and brown forest.

[Vanigo]

Oh, god.

Coin quality.

What the hell are we going to do about coin quality? Will they stack? How will we manage their relative values?

[loftar]

Coin quality.

What the hell are we going to do about coin quality? Will they stack? How will we manage their relative values?

Yeah, I know, that's a problem. Right now, we've done it so that combining coin stacks will give the combined stack the average quality of the two stacks being combined (weighted, of course, by the number of coins in each). It is a bit suboptimal, but at the same time, I don't think it breaks the system entirely. It is particularly worthy of mention, however, that the new maps will contain silver and gold mines as well (although they'll be very, very rare indeed), both of which will have "infinite quality", which will likely make the corresponding coins more attractive since they'll obviously be easier to trade with.

[GamingBird]

Coin quality.

What the hell are we going to do about coin quality? Will they stack? How will we manage their relative values?

Yeah, I know, that's a problem. Right now, we've done it so that combining coin stacks will give the combined stack the average quality of the two stacks being combined (weighted, of course, by the number of coins in each). It is a bit suboptimal, but at the same time, I don't think it breaks the system entirely. It is particularly worthy of mention, however, that the new maps will contain silver and gold mines as well (although they'll be very, very rare indeed), both of which will have "infinite quality", which will likely make the corresponding coins more attractive since they'll obviously be easier to trade with.

Let's see, steel coins of varying quality, versus silver and gold coins of fixed quality. At the risk of sounding sarcastic:

Duh, you bet I want payment in gold and silver, save those steel slugs for tricking the vending machine into thinking they're money.

[Jamilian]

Wouldn't it make sence to put the quality of every coin to infinite? NOT of every metal, only coins!
So it would be much easier to give the coins a special value, and any... arrangements like

"100 x quality 1 cast-iron-coins --> 1 x quality 1 wrought-iron-coin" and i.e.
"20 x quality 50 cast-iron-coins --> 1 x quality 1 wrought-iron-coin"

would be unneccessary.

[Frelock]

And then what happens when you melt down the bar and make a sword out of it? No, gold and silver currency with infinite value is the best solution.

[Rift]

if gold/silver have "infinite" quality, are there thigns made out of gold/silver that also have infinite quality or does gold/silver serve a different purpose? i'm asking because unless there was a reason for people to strongly need gold/silver, i doubt it would become a good coinage.