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Best crafting MMOs?
Jestre
Member Posts: 11
Which MMO's have the best crafting features and why? I'm looking for a MMO where one's crafting skills play a vital role in gameplay and the economy of the game.
Comments
Ryzom.
Its hard to explain.
Google it!
MMO migrant.
well, out of the ones ive played the only one i really could personally recommend trying or looking at is eq2, although i dont think the game overall is that great. its okay, just not great.
i can't recommend VG, it has a crafting system but its flawed with bugs, and the rest of game is unfinished, unstable, and flawed with bugs.
I'd say UO, Eve, Ryzom, and possibly Vanguard (don't know firsthand on that one). I would've said SWG no question if you asked before the changes.
You can automatically rule out any game that relies on end-game raiding and contains uber loot drops. (WoW, EQ2, etc). There are a lot of new games on the near horizon. You may be better off waiting for one of those if you plan to really get established in some game as a crafter.
Hands down the answer is Horizons.
While I know some who read this will strongly disagree with me, the game has had a VERY rocky history since release, but things are looking up for it. It is also considered to be the best crafting game by any who have tried it even if they feel everything else about the game is sub-standard. (Look for the interview with Rick Simmons, the new owner, on here to see what the game's future holds.)
So why is Horizons the best?
First, you can level as many different crafts as you want on the same character. Many of these classes are linked so that when you raise one, raising the others becomes easier.
Second, you can own your own plot of land, design the layout of it and build on it yourself. You really are a part of the game world and leave a lasting mark.
Third, many of the past events in the game, and much of the game world itself, required crafters. No other game that I know of (and I've played a lot) lets you build world structures such as bridges.
Fourth, the UI for crafting is one of the most imitated in the industry, and as they say, imitation is the best sign of flattery.
Fifth, because of the system of formulas and techniques, even the most inexperienced crafter can be different from the crafter leveling up next to them. You may be able to make armor that adds to strength because you have that technique, but the person next to you has dexterity because they have that technique. Also, you gain items needed for crafting while adventuring and killing mobs (that's where technique components come from). The adventuring supports the crafting, something that is again often imitated in other games now.
Last, you won't find a more helpful player community than is in Horizons. You'll find parts of the community in other games which are as helpful and willing to get you started, but as a whole, Horizons has one of the best communities I've ever experienced in any MMO. When you do join the game, introduce yourself on the forums (http://community.istaria.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=74), ask any questions you may have already, and you'll be answered within a very short period of time by multiple people.
I could go on and on, but from a purely "make change to the world" standpoint, Horizons beats all others hands down. And lest someone think I'm viewing the world with rose colored glasses, I will admit that right now the player based economy is struggling. Keep in mind that the game has been live for many years now, so the majority of players are high level. This means they don't require armor, weapons or other gear because they either already have it, or know someone who can make what they need (or often can make it themselves.) Making money crafting and selling to other players is difficult if you want to make gear. On the other hand, if your goal is to build structures and help others develop their plots, you'll be able to make coin hand over fist right from day one.
I've experienced crafting in Eve and found it way too difficult to learn and become a part of the society, it is too established of a game and there's no "niche" for new players.
I played AO for a long time, and did crafting there as well, but it's so complex it made my head hurt. And there wasn't any way to leave my mark on the world, crafting was all gear centered.
WoW, EQ and EQ2 weren't hard systems to learn, but again, crafting was centered all around items and gear (at least when I last played). Ryzom was just an odd game all around as far as I'm concerned. I tried crafting there, but there didn't seem to be any logic to where to find the resources I needed, and it was just frustrating.
Vanguard I played at release and it seemed ridiculous to me that you spend hours and hours and hours grinding on items that no one can use in order to level and be just another (insert crafting class) in the crowd. There was nothing unique or special about what I can do.
I know I've rambled on for a long time now. I hope you've stuck with me. When you do decide to join Horizons and give it a try, come to either server (Chaos or Order) and join the Marketplace chat channel. It's a great place to get to know your fellow crafters and see what's happening in the crafting world.
I have to agree and disagree.
Both Horizons and Ryzom crafting are excellent - these 2 are the best I have ever found in games. And I have played a LOT of them (except for SWG, where I have heard that the original crafting was excellent too).
Also, EQ2's crafting currently is an extremely boring grind (just like WOW, and in my current game, LOTRO, sadly), I heard it was nerfed a couple years ago, before that it was much more complex. The idea of the minimgame in crafting is nice in EQ2 though.
EVE online would have a nice crafting system too, but I just can't play that game, I hate harsh penalties. Also, I don't feel like paying subscribtions fees for a YEAR, of r the single purpose of leveling my crafting skills to suitable....well... level. EVE's other problem is that the developers are actually playing as a guild themselves, and they are far from being fair to "normal" players ingame (my buddy plays it for years, he told me this.
DB
Denial makes one look a lot dumber than he/she actually is.
EvE
its so in depth we have saved our "crafting" (construction) jobs in an online exel table just so we can keep track of whats happening.
edit: Im am part of a big 0.0 Alliance which produces supercapital ships (takes weeks or months to build one of these) and an enormous amount of teamwork (hence the exel sheet so we know what each person is doing)
SWG. I'm not sure why people say "before the changes" because the crafting system has never changed.
The system can be quite involved. The majority of stuff you'll need everyday in the game comes from crafters, so crafting plays a pretty important role in the game. The economy is player based, so you have complete freedom to sell anything for whatever amount you want, which means the price of things can vary alot from server to server.
The core to SWG's crafting system is the resources. There's a few hundred different resources available in the game each having up to 11 different stats on them. Different schematics require different resources - some will be rather relaxed and accept anything from an entire class (such as Steel) while others will drill it down and require a specific name steel with quality weightings on specific stats (such as Neutronium Steel, with 50% of the quality being counted from the Overall Quality and 50% from the Shock Resistance). You harvest resources by first surveying for them, finding a large concentration and then dropping a bunch of harvestors down on them. Depending on how well the harvestors are crafted and the type of harvestor used you could get a few 100k stacks of the resource over a spawn time (around a week). Resources shift around, with each spawn lasting around a week until it expires and you'll need to find a new resource spawn to harvest.
From there comes the crafting. Basic schematics usually only require resources, while more advanced schematics require other crafted components, sometimes even made by different crafting professions. When it comes to components (or mass producing final products) you use factories. Factories take a schematic template that you make and mass produce up to 1000 copies of it or until they run out of the resources you used to make the template - whatever come first.
With most advanced schematics you have experimentation lines. Each experimentation line affects a certain aspect of the product, eg you may have one line that affects the mass of a engine, another that affects the speed, another that affects energy rate, pitch, etc. In the case of shipwright you can have up to 10 different experimenation lines. Experimentations vary in success, with the success affecting how many points you need to spend to max out the experimenation line. You only have a limited amount of experimentation points to use (up to 13 for most crafting professions, I think 15 or 16 for shipwright) but each experimenation line is 10 points big so it's up to you how you want to specialise your product.
It's up to you to set up your own shop to sell your crafted items. Usually you place a house and then you set up a vendor inside which you list all your items on. You usually want to get your house into a Player City which gives your customers easy access to your vendors. Many player cities can also improve your odds when it comes to experimenting and make it more likely you'll be more successful (and thus using less points on a line).
That's really only a brief overview of the main crafting system, I could actually go into alot more detail about the whole process (I didn't expect it to be as long as it already is
). There is also the recently added Reverse Engineering system which allows you to use loot items to make attachments that you can then put on the majority of the action related craftables that increase different stats and abilities.
Something similar: My corporation in EVE has an Online Ordering tool (for the in-game browser) so people can order all types of ships / modules / ammunition / drones. They've still got a ways to go in regards to providing T2 items but they're definitely getting there. It's exactly like ordering something from a website: Browse for an item, select the quantity and add it to the cart, keep browsing and add more, place order. It shows a total of what it will cost you and the industrialists go off and build it for ya and set up a contract.
I can't really speak of how it works for an industrialist but I've got to say, as a PvPer, I absolutely LOVE our industrialists for creating that tool.
I never really understood why people feel crafting is so important. I always felt it more like a timesink..perhaps I played the wrong games or perhaps its because I was forever scarred by EQ1 crafting.
Torrential
Torrential: DAOC (Pendragon)
Awned: World of Warcraft (Lothar)
Torren: Warhammer Online (Praag)
usually alot of veterans that retires from PVP find it exciting to craft and socialize and enjoy the calmer sides of the games.
also the the ones that starts to craft in the beginning are most often the richest people after some years so they can dominate the pvp market with allways having the best stuff money can buy.
SWG Bria Light Jedi Knight Awok Pre Patch 9.
Eve Online - Deja Nay
Something similar: My corporation in EVE has an Online Ordering tool (for the in-game browser) so people can order all types of ships / modules / ammunition / drones. They've still got a ways to go in regards to providing T2 items but they're definitely getting there. It's exactly like ordering something from a website: Browse for an item, select the quantity and add it to the cart, keep browsing and add more, place order. It shows a total of what it will cost you and the industrialists go off and build it for ya and set up a contract.
I can't really speak of how it works for an industrialist but I've got to say, as a PvPer, I absolutely LOVE our industrialists for creating that tool.
um if you are talking about the trust shop then LOL cos we are in the same alliance :P
If you're looking for a true hardcore crafting MMO, try A Tale In The Desert. But be warned, this is nothing like a traditionnal MMO (there's no combat), the world and the economy is purely player-driven and everything that exist in the game (except the mineral/vegetal/animal ressources of course) is crafted by players.
The graphics might be outdated, but the complexity of the game is really amazing. Also the community is great and very helpful (at least when I played), it was really a game I enjoyed for a long time.
UO, SWG, Horizons.....
I'll agree with your first statement, EVE does have harsh penalties, and it does take a long time to train up the skills to top level crafting....however..... there are many lower level items you can craft on your way up and you can make money on many of them. Also, to really get into the top levels of crafting, you need to join a good corporation with a well oiled industrial unit so they can take you under their wings and show you the ropes....trying to go it alone will only frustrate you.
I'll say it again...do not play EVE for more than a month or two w/o locating a good corporation to join up with..or the game will not be nearly as much fun as it should be.
Regarding your second point, please don't listen to stories about the developers playing as a guild (probably true) and thinking that somehow this has any impact on the average player.
An alliance I was in just lost a major war..and in fact faces total annihilation but at no point does anyone blame the developers for the problem...its strictly due to superior logistics and combat tactics by the enemy. (and errors on our own part)
I'm not saying improprieties haven't occurred, they most certainly have...but great steps have been taken to correct the problems and few players today can honestly say its having any impact on their gameplay.
Oh yes, to stay on topic.... there is no more detailed crafting game than EVE IMO.....not necessarily more fun...its really a whole lot like work to be honest.... but the detail is remarkable.
Check out this player created guide on how to build Tech 2 components and the associated Moon Mining and crafting that you have to do to create them. www.thebabushka.com/eve-online/
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Horizons crafting was odd.
On one hand you could reach lvl 100 in any crafting skill you want, or all of them. You can build for events, build plots, add items to somewhat customize your equipment.
On the other it is the biggest grind I have ever played. Needing to grab literally thousands upon thousands of bricks to level is just crazy. Spending hours upon hours upon hours doing the exact same task just drove me nuts. I just to be a miner, hundreds of thousands of stone and gems if not millions to level 100, then I just to be a blacksmith and thousands of those same stones that I just dealth with. Absolutely batty.
Venge Sunsoar
Grind games like WoW don't bother with a robust crafting system because they don't think that's why people play and prefer the best gear and money to come from PvE activities. Personally I prefer the SWG/EVE style, I like to know what I'm buying has had a bit of time and care put into it. Plus it means if your tight with a crafter you can get the best gear which they don't put on the open market and keep for friends and guildies
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For many people, at least in SWG and probably the other games with a heavy emphasis on crafting, crafting is the main game and combat is the time sink
I really enjoyed the challenge and complexity of crafting in Auto Assault and have tried the crafting in a few other MMOs in the past few months (SWG, WoW, EQ2, Vanguard). The current SWG crafting is definitely the best of the lot in concept but there's no market for n00bs. Everybody still playing that game is either 80th level or a twink and a new crafter has absolutely no chance against the established crafters with factories.
At this point, I've pretty much given up on finding a good crafting game and just harvest when I want to relax and socialize. Interestingly, I've found harvesting to be more lucrative than adventuring or crafting. It seems guild crafters will pay top coin for the resources they need to make good stuff for their guildies. I guess there just aren't enough guild harvesters out there.
Wurm Online
A Tale in the Desert
Star Wars Galaxies has one of the most complex and elaborate crafting system in any MMo to date.
Not true, try A Tale In The Desert.
death penalties and crafting go hand-in-hand. If items last forever then I dont need you. If I can get my ship blown up, then I need you to build me another.
What harsh death penalty?? We have insurance. We get cash and put it back into the economy.
When we shoot missiles and bullets its disposable / consumable products. we will need more.
you cant be a crafter and not realize this
you're just bashing the game and you never tried it thus your second hand info is straight up misinformed.
edit- ah I did see you have played it but waiting a year to craft.........
WITHOUT A DOUBT. Wurm Online.
I've played ATITID, SWG, UO, Ryzom, etc, everything.
Wurm Online is fucking amazing. Still prolly one of the best MMO's i've played, i dont play it anymore cause i got burnt out playing it 2 months none stop, but i'll prolly be back.
All those MMOs you people listed, suck in comparison to Wurm. Go play Wurm for a week, and you'll understand how much wurm owns in crafting compared to anything else.
For playing a vital role in the economy, I would say UO pre-Age of Shadows. Before AoS and susequent changes, running player vendors in UO was great fun. As for playing a vital role in overall gameplay, I would have to say Horizons with plot building, event driven construction, etc. The one game I thought had kind of a quirky crafting setup that was interesting, but often frustrating due to lack of required components on hand was Earth & Beyond. I remember camping Red Dragon Pirate bases (think that was the name of them) waiting for rare drop equipment in hopes that I would be successful canabalizing it down to get a particular part needed for building another item.
As for the other current games out there that I have played, I cannot strongly recommend any of them to be truthful. I did not like the crafting system at all in Vanguard. EQ2 is okay, I do manage to sell all of the food/drink that I make to other players while leveling, which is more than I can say for most games. I really hate making a bunch of stuff to level and have to dump it all off onto NPC vendors.