[dev1016] Post 1.20 HQ Crafting

[Sorel]

HQ Synthesis Revamp Planned for after Patch 1.20

We are planning a revamp for HQ item synthesis from Patch 1.20 on. Currently, there are multiple qualities of HQ items, which can get confusing. To fix this issue, we plan on separating these items into normal quality (NQ) and high quality (HQ). NQ and HQ items will have clear differences in quality. Also, the synthesis process for HQ items will be changed as follows:

HQ Cobalt Sabatons
├　HQ Cobalt Plate　×　3
├　HQ Cobalt Rings　×　1
├　HQ Boar Leather　×　1
└　HQ Electrum Ingot　×　1

Basically, in order to synthesize an HQ final item, HQ versions of every ingredient must be used. Players are guaranteed to synthesize HQ items if all the ingredients used are HQ. However, it will be very difficult to obtain HQ versions of all ingredients.

In addition, there will be higher level synthesis recipes that use “Cobalt Sabatons” as an ingredient. In this case, if “Cobalt Sabatons HQ” is used as an ingredient along with other HQ ingredients, an even higher level HQ item can be crafted. We believe that this system is easy to understand and will provide a nice challenge. Also, there will be synthesis recipes that require both “items that are obtained through drops only” and “items that are obtained through gathering only” which will clearly have a higher demand. This will establish a healthy relationship between fighters, gatherers, and crafters, in which the three must properly allocate roles to collect the items necessary for synthesis.

I am on the fence about this particular crafting change. The advantage of it is that it increases the inter-reliance of crafters, gathers, and adventurers in order to create HQ equipment.

The disadvantage I see is that no matter how skilled or experienced a crafter is, she will have 0% chance of making HQ items without the HQ raw materials from gatherers, or HQ refined materials from other crafters.

I would have thought a system that was maybe a little less "all-or-nothing" would be better. But there is time for changes to be made. The Development Team is not planning on implementing this until after Patch 1.20 ... which is at least 2 months away.

So it might be in everyone's (i.e. players, developers) best interest if we discuss this now.