I start this thread because I want to say the names of metals and crafting system is really confusing.
I feel like there should be made some changes.
There is a silver bar
Then you mix silver with iron an and create silver alloy
Then you compact 10 silver alloys and call that compacted silver alloy
Then you refine it to refined silver alloy
and finally to machine silver alloy
When new player wants to craft “Machined Silver Alloy” he may think he just needs 1 silver alloy and put it in various machines, while he actually needs 10.
I think this system seriously needs a change because even to me it is complicated and I check recipe like 10 times before actually crafting something. I propose changing…
silver bar - stays - silver bar
silver alloy - changes to - enriched silver (the same way when you mix iron an coal you don’t call it Iron alloy but steel, but let’s keep the name)
compacted silver alloy - changes to - compacted silver
refined silver alloy - changes to - refined silver
machined silver alloy - changes to - machined silver
I used to hate these metal recipes. I’ve gotten used to them now. In fact, I’ve found I like the design behind them - the constant need for lower grade metals to make the best metals (titanium) - keeps all ore relevant.
EDIT: I’m fine with name changes if it helps curb confusion.
Yeah, the design of mixing Silver with iron, Gold with Copper is awesome. But on the other hand I don’t like crafting batch compacted, refined and machined because of the leftovers, but for the sake of the whole crafting system I can live with it.
rock >> stone >> refined rock (!) >> decorative rock (!)
wood >> timber >> refined wood (!) >> decorative wood (!)
last two in line are made of stone and timber but are called rock and wood - was always bugging me (of course this is small thing so never bothered to make it into a topic or anything)
Although, I will say I too get annoyed by inconsistencies like this. It leads to confusion and is unnecessary. Similarly, the use of trunk instead of wood is a mild pet peeve of mine, as nobody asks for x color or x amount of trunk, they ask for wood. Then, as you suggest, wood turns into timber, and then that timber is refined, it should be refined timber. It is no longer raw, unprocessed wood.
sure it would be more aligned with everyday vocabulary of average user if the game called them two wood and leaves
actually, if it comes to trunk, the full name is wood trunk (i.e. ancient/lustrous/twisted wood trunk) making it unnecessarily long and confusing, so more simplified (and intuitive) version of activities would be:
chop wood, craft timber, refine timber and decorate timber
But carbon enriched iron is not called alloy because it isnt an alloy, it’s iron with carbon impurities (aka steel). An alloy is what you get when you melt down and blend two or more metals which is exactly what silver alloy, gold alloy, and titanium alloys are. The naming convention used here is literally accurate.
A new player may be confused, but they may also learn something about metallurgy that they may have not otherwise.
Though, realistically, iron does not typically bind with silver or gold or titanium in the real world (silver + copper = sterling silver), especially not in the 1-1 ratio seen in boundless. Much more logical alloys (bronze), would make for some interesting tool progression rather than silver and gold, but the fantasy vibe of silver and gold tools seems to take priority.
Not to be that guy, but steel is an alloy and usually contains more than just iron and carbon as far as I know.
On topic tho, I like the process and I think its pretty easy once you see how its laid out, I just hate having all the extras from all the different steps floating around in my storage.I think a built in way to see the process trees and skills required would be nice. There is [THIS] but having that info in game would be nice and help clarity.