A question regarding the necessity of most skills

[Archiplex]

Now, from the getgo this is excluding black (Tresspassing->rage etc) and the Industry/Nature (DeepArtifice/DruidicRites) as well as Yeomanry, and if the future if there are any skills such as Lawspeaking or Kingdom-related things.


I kind of question the entire purpose of having a big "LP tax" at the start of each world, and then for every newbie who gets in. The only thing it seems to do is require each person to spend their very first 20-40k lp on skills they HAVE to get in order to progress in the game, LP that is also equally important for abilities (Surv/explo/etc)

Originally, I figured this was in place to prevent new players from being overwhelmed by too many possible choices and crafting options.. When in reality I think it only complicates it furthers (Newbies have to think about whether it's more valuable to rank abilities, or to get skills- which is not immediately obvious to anyone at all.) and isn't necessary anyhow since the discovery system does a good enough job.

I think the industry/nature skills are a healthy thing- they give you a new dimension of choices as to where to spend your LP on (Do I want higher quality, or higher quantity yield for now? Do I want to spend this LP on skills, or save up and make better use of this iron node?)- but the NECESSITY of all those skills that come before it seem very unneeded and feels like a tax to just actually PLAY the game.

And, once you get them it is out of mind forever unless you create an alt or die- which just means it's more punishing for new players getting started since they will have to spend their scarce and valuable LP on skills that are extraordinarily expensive for that stage of the game.

Any other thoughts/concerns about this?

[vatas]

I think most skills aren't too expensive. I also like the lore stuff in their descriptions and some of them now actually contain information how to do stuff. Description of Animal Husbandry contained instructions on how to tame animals since the launch of hafen. Foraging now instructs you to raise your exploration to see better forageables. Obvious for veteran HnH player, but I didn't realize that back in w6 when I first started playing.

For a newbie, unlocking skills gives sense of clear progression and milestones.

[Asgaroth22]

I say, give us more skills. There is never enough skills to be had.
After all, in reality there is always something more to learn.

[Lunarius_Haberdash]

I was thinking the same thing re: more skills. The skill system in Salem made me happy, it was seemingly never ending and had a variety of useful secondary effects. Of course, I'd also love to see the cooking system brought over, preferably with a modifiable adjective rolling along.

IE - Pie Recipe -> Three Berries

If all three of the same kind: "<Berrytype> Pie" if varied "Mixed Berry Pie" with final Q based on that. But that's just one example of the whole kit and caboodle.

[_Gunnar]

I agree with Archiplex.

[barra]

Function skills like swimming/landscaping have reason to remain.

[Archiplex]

Function skills like swimming/landscaping have reason to remain.

Ah yeah, I can definitely agree with swimming- too much of a death trap for newbies early on.

I don't recall any skill being affiliated with landscaping though- nor see why paving/survey flags/etc should be restricted?

I think most skills aren't too expensive.

They certainly aren't to a developed individual, but to a newbie getting started they are where a majority of their LP goes for a good while.

[Amanda44]

I don't think there are too many skills, I would welcome more skills in fact but I do agree they are way too expensive and it is most definitely an issue for new chars. You need to be able to develop your char as well as learn new skills and for a newbie this is virtually impossible and it boils down to a choice between the two, which is just silly and part of the reason that the game becomes slow and tedious. Add to that the confusion as to what to do and it's hardly surprising that players new to Haven get fed up and give up.

[DDDsDD999]

Only real reason I can come up with is jorb likes his flavour text, continues its use because it was in the game in the beginning, and thinks it's a decent way to prevent alt labourers (it isn't.) Whole thing could use a rework, it doesn't flow with the gameplay very well.

[simimi]

Perhaps this game could work fine even without skills or quality, just making villages, fast making characters and fighting for the luls.