I see all the birds are flown.
The primary focus of Chiaroscuro is roleplaying, but we have elected to enhance the experience with the addition of an immersive, hands-on robust crafting system, developed by Marson at www.rpg-works.net. Our players can make tools, build mines, milk cows, hunt for dangerous animals and forge weapons and armor - and then sell their results for a profit.
Chiaroscuro crafting uses Marson's System 4.0 virtual object system, the evolution of a system that got its start on OtherSpace. To reduce database clutter and the proliferation of real objects within the game, System 4.0 uses a collection of real objects as modifiable templates for virtual objects that are stored as attributes on character objects and in rooms.
The outcome of a crafting attempt is swift, but it deducts from a bank of minutes each player collects while online and in-character. Players can bank as much as 1,440 minutes (or 24 hours) for crafting at any given time. Extra minutes can be acquired through random handouts by the staff to players who are online and in-character, or through a command that allows one character to transfer minutes to another.
Each craft-able object requires anywhere from a half hour to a full day's worth of minutes. It might not take more than a half hour to accomplish a simple task, but building something fairly complex could take 1,440 minutes from a player's minutes bank. However, it wouldn't take 1,440 actual minutes to see the gold mine up and running. The object's creation is rapid.
This obviously requires some suspension of disbelief within the context of the game. We choose to assume that, while it would certainly take longer than an instant to build that mine, it is certainly conceivable that during those hours and days when a player is offline, their character could have been working on this project.
Our goal is to keep the crafting system fairly simple from an interface perspective, limiting the creation of objects through the use of a single command:
+craft <object name>
So, for example, +craft anae stork, if entered while armed with a bow and arrow in an area with an anae stork habitat, could yield an anae stork for butchering. To butcher the anae stork, a player would type +craft anae stork meat.
The result would be meat, plus the byproducts such as feathers, bones and organs. Be sure you have the appropriate skills, sufficient time, and the right tools and components to craft properly. The system will prompt when you need tools and components.
Some items, including different types of weapons, jewelry and armor can be personalized through the use of engraving or embroidering. We aim to keep this simple as well, with the following command:
+engrave <item>=<engraved message>
What can be engraved is limited within the system based on the number of characters an object can hold. Expect small objects to have tiny engravings, while a large chest might have a relatively long message engraved on it.
Once players bag a mankiller bear or build an exquisitely crafted chest, they can make money off it in the following ways:
o Sell items to NPC shopkeepers throughout Fastheld. Players make money based on the default value of the item, but the objects are effectively destroyed.
o Sell items directly to other players. (We prefer this, as it encourages interactive roleplaying too.)
o Put items up for bid with an NPC auctioneer in the Market District. Items are placed with the shopkeeper for a 12-hour bidding period. Other players make bids. If no one bids, the auctioneer buys the item at a cut rate. When the auction ends, the crafter gets paid.
On Chiaroscuro with our robust crafting system, players can do everything from tilling the land to raise crops and cattle to quarrying for marble to manufacturing tools, weapons, armor and clothing.
To check out what items can be crafted, type +craft/list, then +craft/list <category>.
Type +consider <item> to see what’s needed to make an item.----
How It Works
Certain objects can be crafted if you've got the proper equipment, skill, components, craftlevel points, and crafting minutes. It's possible to craft steel plate armor even if you lack the armorsmith skill, but the quality's liable to be suspect.----
The Commands
+craft <item>: This makes an item if you've got the components, equipment, crafting minutes and adequate craftlevel to accomplish it. Making an item of at least Good quality will increase your craftlevel.
+improve <item>: It costs crafting minutes, but allows you to make an item's quality level higher.
+inv: Shows what's in your inventory.
+get <item>: Picks up an item.
+drop <item>: Drops an item.
+consume <item>: Eat or drink a crafted food/beverage to regain energy.
+give <item>=<player>: Gives an item to someone else.
+dump <item>: Destroys an item.
+craft/desc <item>: This costs 10,000 crafting minutes, but allows you to totally customize an item's description.NOTE: Changing the description doesn't change its functionality. Your ODF 50 sword will still be ODF 50, even if you describe it as something more powerful.
+craft/name <item>: This costs 10,000 crafting minutes, but allows you to give a custom name to an item. So, if you want to call your sword by a special name, you can.
+experts: Updated daily, this brings up a list of crafters according to their expertise as either Novices, Journeymen, Professionals, Experts or Adepts. Higher levels of crafting ability add modifiers that can improve the quality of the objects you make. Ranking can degrade over time due to character inactivity
