Player Plot Biped Crafting Machines

[Knossos]

The 3 March Developer's Desk: “Looking Backward, Looking Forward” included the following statement: *The first major content update for 2011 will focus on an area of the game that we haven’t looked at in quite some time, biped plots! * (presume 2012 not 2011)


Istarian crafters are generally familiar with the Istarian player built Workshops and Shelters and the crafting machines contained within them. Those biped crafters who have been building these Workshops and Shelters for the past year or two have enjoyed some efficiencies in plot crafting functionality following the introduction of the Cauldron Shelter and the Distillery Shelter.


Notably, the Cauldron alone it it's small shelter could be placed on a plot having Confectioner machines to eliminate the need for building a bulky Alchemist's Workshop on that plot. In addition, the Cauldron Shelter can be placed on any plot to serve the needs of an Enchanter for his use of a Cauldron.


As for the Distillery Shelter, it can be placed on a plot having a Leather Workshop to eliminate the need to build a bulky Confectioner Workshop, in order to support tannin production needed for Leatherworking.


Those two new sheltered machines were relatively easy for the devs to introduce as they employed an existing shelter template and the machines fit within that shelter form factor.


Now that the biped plots are coming into focus as an ingredient in a forthcoming update, I would suggest some additional ideas for some further optional standalone machines to offer further improvement in the efficiency of plot area utilization in serving one or several craft schools on a single plot:

1. An optional Cooking Table and Oven standalone for Plots having Confectioner school support and no Leatherworking workshop.
2. An optional Tinkering Machine Standalone for plots having a Blacksmith shop.
3. An optional Casting Box standalone for Plots having Confectioner school support and not serving Alchemists.
4. An optional small Mill shelter standalone to serve Alchemy and/or Confectioner needs on a smaller plot.

The above options will allow more efficient use of real estate for supporting a chosen set of biped Craft Schools. Perhaps other biped crafters will have additional biped plot crafting machine ideas to post here.


Knossos

[Dhalin]

Could just make it so that every machine have a "small shelter/standalone" building.

That way, players could pick-n-mix their machines instead of having to try and ponder out every possible outcome of school mixtures.

[Frith-Rae]

I'm not a biped and therefore not a confectioner...

But I do support the posted ideas here, especially since it adds variety and further individual characters to plots. I mean it would be AWESOME to see a cooking stove and oven and such setup on plots (wether you are a confectioner or not), or a cauldron, or..well..you know whatever. Smaller little buildings to allow for more expression of just who that character is and what they are into.

I know lots of "cooking" dragons who would LOVE to have a lair chamber with an oven/stove mixing table in there...lol.

[AmonGwareth]

The one big problem with adding more of these is that it sort of invalidates the reason to build the other structures. Afterall, why devote the space to a bigger structure (even if it has 2 or 3 machines) if you can build 3 small ones with the same machines and same bonuses.

[Akrion]

The one big problem with adding more of these is that it sort of invalidates the reason to build the other structures. Afterall, why devote the space to a bigger structure (even if it has 2 or 3 machines) if you can build 3 small ones with the same machines and same bonuses.

I had a thought on this Amon.. You know the old machine structures? Such as the old (over-world) smelter? If possible, perhaps their tier could be 4 or 6 instead of 2 due to how much space they take up, and the fact that they're just 1 machine (instead of, say, a blacksmith building with both a smelter and anvil). This will allow players to build higher tier machines with lower tier materials at the expense of how inefficient with space it is (as well as provide incentive to build them since they do look rather neat).

[Dhalin]

The one big problem with adding more of these is that it sort of invalidates the reason to build the other structures. Afterall, why devote the space to a bigger structure (even if it has 2 or 3 machines) if you can build 3 small ones with the same machines and same bonuses.

Maybe the "barebones" buildings give either 1/2 bonus, or no bonus at all?

If you want the real bonuses, build the actual workshops.

If you don't really care about the bonuses and are more worried about getting machines on your plot without having to run to other players' plots, build the bare-bones buildings. Doing so, you will sacrifice your machine bonuses though.

Maybe all such "shacks" that have only 1 machine in them, are all Tier 1 and provide no bonus?

[AmonGwareth]

Maybe the "barebones" buildings give either 1/2 bonus, or no bonus at all?

If you want the real bonuses, build the actual workshops.

If you don't really care about the bonuses and are more worried about getting machines on your plot without having to run to other players' plots, build the bare-bones buildings. Doing so, you will sacrifice your machine bonuses though.

Maybe all such "shacks" that have only 1 machine in them, are all Tier 1 and provide no bonus?

I considered that as a possibility... except that there are already some in the game. So, they would either have to remain an oddity, an exception that breaks the rule, or they would need to be nerfed. Tough decisions.

[Sigi]

In that case, go for the oddity, leave the tiered existing ones the way they are and make the new ones without bonus.

[Guaran]

If you do it, make them provide no bonuses so that there is still incentive to build normal shops.

... This would also mean that the existing small footprint shops, Cauldron and Distillery, should possibly have their bonus removed as well to make it fair...

I do not support adding a mill to a small shack. These need the the windmill for power. (Never mind the ocassional in place in some towns that are outside the normal mill structure.)

[Akrion]

I do not support adding a mill to a small shack. These need the the windmill for power. (Never mind the ocassional in place in some towns that are outside the normal mill structure.)

I'm sure the gnomes could come up with something that wouldn't require wind power. x3 Steam power would work!

[Knossos]

*Wonders what is power source for the stone cutter in the Stoneworking Shop - and how the Windmill blades drive the Millstone without the blades turning?*

Knossos

[Akrion]

*Wonders what is power source for the stone cutter in the Stoneworking Shop - and how the Windmill blades drive the Millstone without the blades turning?*

Knossos

Ahaha. Very good points.