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single player game with rich crafting system

xa52xa52 Registered User regular
edited November 2009 in Games and Technology
I would like to play a single player game with a good crafting system. I assume most of these would be on the PC. I've got a netbook (Eee 1000) but I'm not very familiar with older PC rpgs, so I'd like some suggestions.

-I would vastly prefer something available online (steam, gog, etc). I'm unfortunately not willing to track down $50 copies of games like Arcanum and Planescape.
-I would prefer an rpg or party-based tbs/rts. I'm looking for more of a "personal" crafting system, rather than city building where you create products like anno and settlers games.
-I'd like to do something with the things I craft rather than just trading or selling them. Hitting monsters is the obvious choice here.

Thanks!

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Posts

  • DarkPrimusDarkPrimus Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    Define "rich and/or good crafting system".

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  • xa52xa52 Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    A wide variety of complex recipes with intermediate products.
    Player input affects the output in some recipes (minigames, QTEs).
    Templates in which different inputs in some range result in an end product with different properties.
    I'm sure there are other things that would be awesome that I haven't thought of, since I have a relatively small amount of experience with these types of games.

    The cube recipes in Diablo 2 are too limited. The crafting in WoW is pretty good (and I've heard everquest 2 is better) but the problem with mmo's is that the crafting systems seem to be balanced for the huge player base, and the large amount of time some players spend in-game. I spend a relatively small amount of time playing games, and don't really get much out of the player interaction, so I think I'd get a better experience taking this offline. I'm also sick to death of the mmo shin kicking contests, and I'm just looking for a different kind of game.

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  • HerroHerro __BANNED USERS regular
    edited November 2009
    Hmm, I don't think there's ever really been a game built around just the idea of crafting items.

    Like a Sim City game except instead of building cities you craft items? That's what you want?

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  • HilleanHillean Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    I'd recommend Dark Cloud 2 if PS2/consoles are on the list... or god save you, any of the Star Ocean titles.

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  • Raiden333Raiden333 Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    While it lacks QTEs or minigames in the crafting process, you should check out Vagrant Story for the PSX if you can find a copy. The game has no shops for weapons or armor, it's all what you find and what you craft.

    First of all, there's the affinity system. There are 6 race affinities (Human, Beast, Undead, etc.) and 7 elemental affinities (physical, earth, air, fire, water, light, and dark). If you beat up a bunch of humans with a certain weapon, your Human affinity will go up with that weapon and you'll do more damage to humans. However, for every affinity you raise, there's a chance that 2 other affinities will go down, so you need to keep a varied arsenal.

    There's also 9 types of weapons, from daggers to crossbows to great mauls, each with its own ranking in another affinity system that is simpler and isn't modified through use: Piercing, blunt, and slash. These greatly affect your damage done as well. So while a spear might suck against a walking skeleton, as it would go straight through him, a mace would smash him to bits. The spear would be better suited for piercing a dragon's scales.

    Anyway, now we come to the crafting system. Your weapons and armor can be made of anything from wood (or leather, for armor) to Damascus. When you combine two weapons together into a new one, it takes into account the types of weapons used, affinities you've built up with them, and the materials they're made out of. And you can't just straight combine the weapons, you have to disassemble them, forge the blades together, and choose a grip for it.

    Really, it's the best crafting system I've ever used.

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  • hatedinamericahatedinamerica Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    Hillean wrote: »
    I'd recommend Dark Cloud 2

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  • solsovlysolsovly Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    What are your thoughts on the enchanting system found in the Elder Scrolls series?

    The Gothic RPGS had something more physical. You could take ore, heat it in the forge, take them to the anvil, add vials (for enchantments) and then put them in the water to temper. But it wasn't an important part of the game at all.

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  • HilleanHillean Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    Hillean wrote: »
    I'd recommend Dark Cloud 2

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  • AkimboEGAkimboEG Mr. Fancypants Wears very fine pants indeedRegistered User regular
    edited November 2009
    Not quite as robust as what Raiden just described, but Swordcraft Story 2 for the GBA had a nice crafting system. It's been a while since I've played it, though, so I'm foggy on the details.

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  • UncleSporkyUncleSporky Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    I would look towards roguelikes and their kin. Almost all of them are free, they generally have crap for graphics and a big learning curve but they are very detailed and often let you do some crafting.

    Dwarf Fortress is not a roguelike but it is similar in many ways. It is incredibly hard to learn but once you get into it, it's awesome. The whole point is crafting. It is somewhere in between the personal and "city building" crafting: you have quite a bit of control over what each individual dwarf makes, but they're making stuff for the good of the colony. You can watch a dwarf go grab a quartz stone, walk over to the craftsman shop, and craft it into a quartz cup which can later be traded or sold to the elves. You can chop down trees for wood to craft beds, barrels, arrows, you name it. You can make soap out of traditional soap making materials, rend fat from slaughtered animals, forge swords from their basic components...very detailed sim game.

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  • FremFrem Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    I would look towards roguelikes and their kin. Almost all of them are free, they generally have crap for graphics and a big learning curve but they are very detailed and often let you do some crafting.

    Dwarf Fortress is not a roguelike but it is similar in many ways. It is incredibly hard to learn but once you get into it, it's awesome. The whole point is crafting. It is somewhere in between the personal and "city building" crafting: you have quite a bit of control over what each individual dwarf makes, but they're making stuff for the good of the colony. You can watch a dwarf go grab a quartz stone, walk over to the craftsman shop, and craft it into a quartz cup which can later be traded or sold to the elves. You can chop down trees for wood to craft beds, barrels, arrows, you name it. You can make soap out of traditional soap making materials, rend fat from slaughtered animals, forge swords from their basic components...very detailed sim game.

    Dwarf Fortress is amazing, but I hear it doesn't like netbooks very much. Or was it vice versa?

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  • Mustachio JonesMustachio Jones jerseyRegistered User regular
    edited November 2009
    dwarf fortress is pretty processor intensive, and as such netbooks don't handle it well.

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  • mere_immortalmere_immortal So tasty!Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    The best crafting system I think I've encountered is in Vanguard: SoH.

    Shame its online and hardly anyone plays it due to the horrendous launch, but each item actually takes effort and time to make, not just collect items and click craft.

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  • ZombiemamboZombiemambo Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    Monster Hunter, maybe? There's a ton of stuff to craft.

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  • IceBurnerIceBurner It's cold and there are penguins.Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    Vagrant Story. Its crafting guide on GameFAQs, which is 99% straight data, weighs in at 466KB of plain text. All you make in that game is your personal arsenal of arms and armor for beating the shit out of misguided people and monsters. There are no shops.

    It also features Newgame Plus, and is the only JRPG in the entire history of mankind with a principal cast of only adults (there's one child, but he's a hostage, you can count his appearances on one hand, and he doesn't speak).

    It's also the only Square RPG on PS1 where the producers actually bothered to use cinematography, rather than throw it around as a marketing buzzword.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chO8hTZylA8

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  • Raiden333Raiden333 Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    IceBurner wrote: »
    Vagrant Story. Its crafting guide on GameFAQs, which is 99% just data, weighs in at nearly 466KB of plain text.

    Finally, another disciple!

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  • HenroidHenroid Mexican kicked from Immigration Thread Centrism is Racism :3Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    Raiden333 wrote: »
    IceBurner wrote: »
    Vagrant Story. Its crafting guide on GameFAQs, which is 99% just data, weighs in at nearly 466KB of plain text.

    Finally, another disciple!

    The Vagrant Story crafting system was really elaborate... but it doesn't match the pacing of the game whatsoever.

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  • Xenogears of BoreXenogears of Bore Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    Etrian Odyssey I guess.

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  • HenroidHenroid Mexican kicked from Immigration Thread Centrism is Racism :3Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    EO does not have a crafting system. It's more of a scavange and unlock availability system.

    Henroid on
  • Raiden333Raiden333 Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    Henroid wrote: »
    Raiden333 wrote: »
    IceBurner wrote: »
    Vagrant Story. Its crafting guide on GameFAQs, which is 99% just data, weighs in at nearly 466KB of plain text.

    Finally, another disciple!

    The Vagrant Story crafting system was really elaborate... but it doesn't match the pacing of the game whatsoever.

    How do you mean?

    I thought the game had a perfect methodical pacing for most of the battles (unless you one-shotted everything with battle chains), and I probably spent equal amounts of time fighting and in the workshop.

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  • cj iwakuracj iwakura The Rhythm Regent Bears The Name FreedomRegistered User regular
    edited November 2009
    The Witcher has a whole lot of alchemic mixtures, does that count?

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  • HenroidHenroid Mexican kicked from Immigration Thread Centrism is Racism :3Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    Raiden333 wrote: »
    Henroid wrote: »
    Raiden333 wrote: »
    IceBurner wrote: »
    Vagrant Story. Its crafting guide on GameFAQs, which is 99% just data, weighs in at nearly 466KB of plain text.

    Finally, another disciple!

    The Vagrant Story crafting system was really elaborate... but it doesn't match the pacing of the game whatsoever.

    How do you mean?

    I thought the game had a perfect methodical pacing for most of the battles (unless you one-shotted everything with battle chains), and I probably spent equal amounts of time fighting and in the workshop.

    I mean, aside from figuring out the system for yourself, getting good stuff made was doable after it was practical.

    Henroid on
  • Xenogears of BoreXenogears of Bore Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    AH-HA!

    The modern Tales of games.

    You have to find or purchase ingredients, and have someone "cook" them from recipes you have to find, and you need to go through a "QTE" to get the thing made, and different characters have different cooking stats, and you can "mod" the recipe with sensible extras.

    Also Pokemon and Poffin. Crafting right there. Technically pokemon as a whole is one giant craft a thon.

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  • BoxBox Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    Rune Factory fits.

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  • RainbowDespairRainbowDespair Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    The Atelier Iris & Mana Khemia games are RPGs that are all about crafting items.

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  • LanrutconLanrutcon The LabyrinthRegistered User regular
    edited November 2009
    The next person to recommend Star Ocean 2 dies.

    When I think crafting systems I end up with MMOs >.< I did however like the Dungeon Siege 2 xPac crafting. Lots of material and formula hunting...and then carnage.

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  • mrsnackroadmrsnackroad Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    What about Mana Khemia (PS2)? The first had a pretty good crafting system, and I've heard Atelier Annie (for the DS) has a pretty robust set up for it, once you get past the goal of the game to be the prettiest alchemy princess on the island.

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  • DarkewolfeDarkewolfe Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    Morrowind/Oblivion's alchemy system might work. I never beat the storyline missions because I'm always off hunting for new breeds of mushroom to mix with my flax and pollen.

    Some Harvest Moon game maybe?

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  • WotanAnubisWotanAnubis Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    I've heard Atelier Annie (for the DS) has a pretty robust set up for it, once you get past the goal of the game to be the prettiest alchemy princess on the island.
    Actually, Annie doesn't really give a shit about her looks (except when people mistake her for a guy). She just wants to be the best alchemist ever so that she'll marry the prince and never have to work a day in her life again.

    But yeah, it's all about the alchemy. Gathering stuff so you can combine stuff so you can make better, more elaborate stuff.

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  • CherrnCherrn Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    I remember a long, long time ago, someone posted a video of this blacksmithing sim for the DS that looked super interesting. Like, you'd make various kinds of magic weapons and adventurers would come into your shop and buy them.

    Anyone know what it was called?

    Edit:

    Never mind, found it. Iron Master: Legendary Blacksmith.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVbBWPUv5EM

    Doesn't seem like it's out yet, though.

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  • EdS25EdS25 Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    Others have mentioned Elder Scrolls. In Oblivion you can make potions that do damn near anything. I also really liked making my own spells (the Ball o' Death which simultaneously did all the various types of damage while also inflicting weakness to all those types of damage. If this first didn't kill something, the second always did. Sure it broke the game but it was really fun.)

    Another game that has kind of what you're looking for is Patapon 2. It's not necessarily crafting, more like upgrading your units. But you have to farm all the ingredients, and there are QTE/rhythm games to get the better items that you need.

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  • Zetetic ElenchZetetic Elench Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    Raiden333 wrote: »
    IceBurner wrote: »
    Vagrant Story. Its crafting guide on GameFAQs, which is 99% just data, weighs in at nearly 466KB of plain text.

    Finally, another disciple!

    Fuck yes, dude. Vagrant Story is the Goddamn demiurge of crafting systems.

    It is my favourite game ever made, just edging out Shadow of the Colossus. It's an astonishing piece of work.

    Part of me feels sad that over half of the game was cut, but another part feels that's kind of one of the things that makes it special.

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  • xa52xa52 Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    Cherrn wrote: »
    I remember a long, long time ago, someone posted a video of this blacksmithing sim for the DS that looked super interesting. Like, you'd make various kinds of magic weapons and adventurers would come into your shop and buy them.

    Anyone know what it was called?

    Edit:

    Never mind, found it. Iron Master: Legendary Blacksmith.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVbBWPUv5EM

    Doesn't seem like it's out yet, though.

    All my dicks...I think you know what they are doing.

    I've only got the netbook and a DS for now, but lots of great suggestions otherwise. I'm surprised there hasn't been more non-mmo PC games with crafting. I've heard that the crafting in Arcanum is good, and played Oblivion a couple of years ago (and enjoyed the enchanting and alchemy systems) and assumed there'd be more.

    I think I'll pick up Atelier Annie for now, and probably Rune Factory 2 as well. Rune Factory 1 was ok, but you had to grow and sell about a billion strawberries to upgrade your house before you could craft anything of any use. I heard the sequel improved on the first in several ways, so hopefully this is one of them.

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  • Xenogears of BoreXenogears of Bore Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    err, what? You mine for money in RF1 and can make enough in a single season to buy any possible upgrade, you just need the material.

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  • Page-Page- Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    You say the Diablo 2 crafting system is too limited.

    I suggest you look into mods. There are mods with so many crafting recipes and shit to collect it will make your head hurt. You will spend hours and hours trying to find that one last ingredient that will make the perfect item, only to do it again in 20 levels when you've figured out how to make an even better perfect item.

    Try Eastern Sun and something like Battle For Elements. They're the last two I played and the crafting is very consuming (you can craft using almost anything that drops), especially in Battle For Elements, which somehow managed to make gold worth something.

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  • xa52xa52 Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    err, what? You mine for money in RF1 and can make enough in a single season to buy any possible upgrade, you just need the material.

    You're probably right, I just remember the strawberries the most. I was mildly pissed that I had what seemed like a huge grind to get to the part I was most looking forward to, which I probably did not complete in the most efficient manner possible. Overall though, I did enjoy the game.
    Page- wrote: »
    You say the Diablo 2 crafting system is too limited.

    I suggest you look into mods. There are mods with so many crafting recipes and shit to collect it will make your head hurt. You will spend hours and hours trying to find that one last ingredient that will make the perfect item, only to do it again in 20 levels when you've figured out how to make an even better perfect item.

    Try Eastern Sun and something like Battle For Elements. They're the last two I played and the crafting is very consuming (you can craft using almost anything that drops), especially in Battle For Elements, which somehow managed to make gold worth something.

    I recently installed D2 and Eastern Sun with the intention of doing just that, but I have played entirely too much of the original and can no longer stand to look at it. I had high hopes for a similar mod for Torchlight, but the engine needs some work before it will run well on a netbook.

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