So, about World of Warcraft. I’ve been playing it about 6-8 months now, and I’ve just now encountered something that largely pulls it into question.
I’ve always been annoyed at the seeming lack of any real economy in World of Warcraft — the auction houses seem poorly implemented (no history, extremely expensive to list expensive items for extremely short times, and so on) and there is no “shop” functionality. That said, at least it is something, and as much as it annoys me that it is so incredibly limited, it could be worse.
It just got worse. I just discovered that for each manufacturing profession in the game, the best stuff is bind-on-pickup when you create it. That is, as soon as you create something it is bound to you, specifically, and you cannot sell it, trade it, or otherwise move it around.
Words cannot convey the depths of my contempt for this fact. Not only is it clearly styled to completely forego the formation of anything approaching a real economy, but it also largely restricts reasonable choice-of-profession. You want to be a blacksmithing mage? All well and good until you try and make the special, high-end stuff — then you can’t use it. Should’ve been a warrior blacksmith. Want to be a druid tailor? All well and good, but you really should have been a leatherworker.
Tying professions to a specific class or to class-abilities is out-and-out ridiculous, particularly as it isn’t made clear during the process (i.e. the “Blacksmithing” trainer doesn’t bother looking at the young mage and saying “Are you sure? You won’t be able to use some of what you can make, and neither will anyone else.”)
Not only that, but because the item is soulbound to the creator immediately upon creation; what is the point of learning the pattern? You can create as many as you like after you learn the pattern, but why create more than one? The entire money-sink is for you to learn the pattern, build one item, and then ignore that pattern forever.
I can frankly say that of all the idiocies and foolish things I have encountered over the years, this takes the cake as the single most bone-headed design that I have ever seen.
May 16th, 2007 at 1:47 pm - Edit
I disagree. I think it makes perfect sense. The only way I could see of making this system *better* would be to have some mechanic that precludes you from EVER using these weapons. Say the skill to craft them and to wield them are mutually exclusive. Then it would be PERFECT.
Besides. The ability to craft multiple instances of the same weapon that’s only equippable by you would be incredibly helpful. What if you forget your +3 flail of laziness in your other trousers? This way you can craft a different one for every occasion so that you can avoid awkward social situations like the following:
[At the latest WoW High Roller Country Club meeting]
Waiter: More caviar, sir?
Moneybags McSnooty: I say, Lieutenant Remi! I was just commenting to my good wife, Dierdre, about your new magical ballista-proof hatpin.
Mrs. McSnooty: Indeed! I would ever so love to see it!
Lieutenant Remi: Sorry, I forgot it at home.
Mrs. McSnooty: Why I never!
Moneybags McSnooty: How dare you insult me by coming to my party in anything but your finest!
[McSnooty shoots Lieutenant Remi with a single-shot duelling ballista]
May 16th, 2007 at 2:00 pm - Edit
P.S.: Maybe you should try playing Eve. I hear it has a real economy.
May 16th, 2007 at 5:05 pm - Edit
Moneybags McSnooty can have my children
I agree totally with you, Zinc… Remi…
I think, not that I have answers
I hope they change the crafting system yet again, although sadly, it went from being pointless, to being to power full, yet still limited. They don’t want to piss off people who raid by making crafted items the negate the hours the spent getting their T5+ But they also want non raiders to be able to get epics. It really makes no sense. And I agree the “market” in wow is very limited. I hope that they add to it in future patches. For now I will live in my little realm of mocking my fellow guildies
On a side note, I want to own a shirt that not only requires that you know how to sew to wear it, but requires you to be a grand master seamstress.
Moneybags McSnooty: “Oh dear, your shirt is falling apart”
Lieutenant Remi: “One moment, let me just sew it backup, these fancy shirts require constant upkeep”
May 16th, 2007 at 5:32 pm - Edit
If only EVE wasn’t so full of significant other problems, I’d be all over that. Fortunately, I’ve already learned my lesson from CCP!
Surely you aren’t suggesting being patient and trying to get the system changed Regor? OMG weird. I’d much prefer to rant about it.
On the upside, Andrew’s post making light of the entire thing sits very well.
May 16th, 2007 at 7:30 pm - Edit
I suggest that you start spamming everyone on the server telling them to demand a crafting reform!