The Meaning of Life, the Universe, and Everything.
Join Date:
6/8/2013
Posts:
47
Minecraft:
SirLollington
Member Details
Anvils can currently be used to repair tools while keeping their enchantments, or to add enchantments to them. Doing so costs a certain amount of experience levels. This is all good, but the current system has some flaws that I believe should be ironed out. This is mainly concerning the level cost cap that is currently in place. The system needs some rebalancing in my opinion.
The Problem
Due to the level cost cap, it is currently completely impossible to repair highly enchanted tools and weapons; however, it is easily possible to add five maximum-level enchantments to a diamond sword, for example, without hitting the level cap. Hence, it is possible to create very powerful weapons/tools, but it is impossible to repair them.
Let's take a diamond sword as an example. It has the enchantments Sharpness IV, Looting III, Knockback II, Fire Aspect II. It is possible to get this sword with a single level 30 enchantment, or through enchanted books and an anvil. The level cost cap does not prevent the creation of this sword. Repairing it costs anything between 41 and 50 levels, depending on what is used to repair it. The level cost cap prevents the repairing of this sword. This is a problem.
Considering that many of these enchantments have a probability of less than 2% of being on an enchanted book, this means that 50 level 30 enchantments, plus the level cost of adding them to the sword, are required per enchantment. Since the sword has 4 enchantments, that equals more than 200 level 30 enchantments on average; getting this sword with a single level-30 enchantment is a one in a thousand, if not a one in a million chance. Point is, getting this sword is a painfully long process. I believe that anyone who actually manages to make this sword, or another similarily powered tool, deserves better than to be forced to destroy the tool within 1561 uses (or stash it away and not use it).
I do believe that the creation of these highly powered tools should be discouraged through a high cost, and it already is as I described above. However, I believe it should not be impossible to repair a tool or weapon. Losing the above mentioned sword is painful, especially considering what it takes to make one; and if a player absolutely wants to spend 50 levels to repair their tools, why in the universe should there be anything keeping them from doing so? It simply puts all their work and effort (and/or luck) to waste, causing nothing but frustration in doing so. The level cost cap, in my opinion, is simply a sorry excuse of a reason to take highly enchanted tools from a player for no reason what-so-ever; and forcing them to resort to weaker tools, or to resort to mob-grinding for days or weeks to restore the tool that they lost to a flawed system.
The Suggestion and Solution
I suggest that one of three things is done;
Increase the cost of adding enchantments to tools, weapons and armor by 50% or 100% to discourage making very powerful tools and armor; leave the repair costs where they are now; increase the level cost cap to 50 levels OR completely remove it. It becomes more difficult to level up above level 30, so reaching level 50 once is the equivalent of reaching level 30 about four times.
Allow the creation of a higher-tier anvil (for a high cost on iron and possibly experience levels) that has an increased or infinite level cost cap; the durability of this anvil could be equal or less than that of the basic anvil. The crafting recipe is up for discussion, though I suggest it taking four anvils and another rare resource (diamonds perhaps?) to create.
Leave the level cost cap where it is, and the level costs where they are right now; but increase or remove the level cost cap for repairing; could also slightly increase the cost for repairing tools if it's more than 40 levels.
EDIT: Notify players that their tool cannot be repaired if they perform a certain action on it; that way there are no nasty surprises and less frustration.
I personally prefer the first option, since it discourages what Mojang (probably) is trying to prevent, while allowing what many players want. It's a good compromise in my opinion.
I think it would be best if we left all our previous discussion (for reference) aside. So with that said. . .
I think every system of repairing and adding enchantments is going to have flaws. Anvils' complicated processes also contribute to the problems I have with this suggestion, but I'll give it my best shot.
I don't see the inability to repair highly-enchanted gear as quite the atrocity that you seem to. I believe the level cap is there so you can make fantastically powerful gear if you want, but you make it with the knowledge that it's going to be gone before you know it; there's no way, not through reaching high levels, nor through wasting resources, that you can get it back. I like that trade-off, at least somewhat.
Like you said, not being able to repair the sword you mention means all the time spent creating it goes to waste, and it causes nothing but frustration; but it's frustration that you have to accept for making such a powerful weapon. Weapons like that, if you ask me, should be stored away for when you really need them (fighting the wither, for example).
As for the mob grinding that you say players resort to, I think similar amounts of mob grinding would result from players repairing their weapons at slowly increasing levels. If everyone knew that you could repair even the highest-level gear, I think a many more players would make said gear, and more grinding would result.
As for each of your fixes,
This seems. . . unwise. Not least of the issues is the uproar that is going to be cause by players who want to add enchantments to their gear, but find it to be newly expensive. This just seems to throw in making gear more expensive to make repairing more legitimate.
I don't think anvil tiers are going to do anything. Anvils are already expensive enough, and making them heavily resource-intensive sounds frustrating. I might prefer giving normal anvils the ability to do what this new tier could do.
Only problems I have with this are the ones I describe above (outside of the spoiler).
None of the suggestions are despicable (for me) I just thought some of them needed special attention.
I really don't think this change (whichever it would be) is a bad idea, but I don't think it would make the system all that much better. I am also presuming a lot about other players (I don't use anvils all that often), so it is possible my entire argument is off.
By the way, just to throw this in, my least favorite part about anvils is that renaming items changes their repair costs. Unless, of course, someone would explain why it is wise.
The Meaning of Life, the Universe, and Everything.
Join Date:
6/8/2013
Posts:
47
Minecraft:
SirLollington
Member Details
I see where you're coming from with this; though it would still be frustrating to players if they expected repairablility and don't get it; especially if they hit the enchantment jackpot and got the sword in a single level-30 enchantment. Solution to the problem? I suggest that Fore warned is fore armed!
Maybe there should be an increased level cap only for tools that were never modified/repaired on an anvil? That way those who get it in a single enchantment can repair their tools at least once, giving the very lucky players a bit more lifetime on their tools than the ones who built it with an anvil.
On the anvil, when the resultant tool/weapon cannot be repaired, it should give a notification that the result will have to be destroyed at some point. That way, players won't get that "April fools, your stuff is doomed" surprise. They will know that they cannot repair their tools and perhaps use it with much more care as to not waste it unnecessarily.
If players are adding enchantments to their tools, this notification would give them the chance to stop improving their tools and keep them repairable; best would be to tell the player exactly how much a full repair would cost, so that they can decide what to add and what not to add to their tools to keep the repair level cost manageable for them.
The only thing wrong with those ideas (that I can think of) is that the anvil GUI would become cluttered. I would love to see this, and quite a few other things, in a large "tutorial update"; by itself, it is mostly unprecedented. Of course, that's no reason not to implement it.
I think most players know what they're in for (here I am presuming again, I have no idea if this is true) through reading the wiki, (how else would anyone know how to use the anvil, or even how to craft?). Another thing is that some people (I know I do) have an inclination to use their valuable gear only when profitable or absolutely necessary. Yet another group of people might catch on that repairing is steadily increasing in price, and so would not be surprised when they can no longer repair. But again, these are no reasons not to add a warning system.
Maybe there should be an increased level cap only for tools that were never modified/repaired on an anvil? That way those who get it in a single enchantment can repair their tools at least once, giving the very lucky players a bit more lifetime on their tools than the ones who built it with an anvil.
Can you actually get enough enchantments, through the enchanting table, that you can't repair your tool once? I didn't know that was possible.
Back with the "old" Enchanting from 1.0.0-1.2.5 This would have been a must-be, but now that you can get level 30 with 160 monster kills and / or 250 redstone ore It doesn't seem to necessary.
I don't think the cap should be raised because, in PVP, overpowered items are extremely unfair, and repairing them over and over would just tilt the scales towards experienced players while the new members would have no chance to even chop a tree down because they'd get killed so easily.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
don't expect me to be on much.
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
The Problem
Due to the level cost cap, it is currently completely impossible to repair highly enchanted tools and weapons; however, it is easily possible to add five maximum-level enchantments to a diamond sword, for example, without hitting the level cap. Hence, it is possible to create very powerful weapons/tools, but it is impossible to repair them.
Let's take a diamond sword as an example. It has the enchantments Sharpness IV, Looting III, Knockback II, Fire Aspect II. It is possible to get this sword with a single level 30 enchantment, or through enchanted books and an anvil. The level cost cap does not prevent the creation of this sword. Repairing it costs anything between 41 and 50 levels, depending on what is used to repair it. The level cost cap prevents the repairing of this sword. This is a problem.
Considering that many of these enchantments have a probability of less than 2% of being on an enchanted book, this means that 50 level 30 enchantments, plus the level cost of adding them to the sword, are required per enchantment. Since the sword has 4 enchantments, that equals more than 200 level 30 enchantments on average; getting this sword with a single level-30 enchantment is a one in a thousand, if not a one in a million chance. Point is, getting this sword is a painfully long process. I believe that anyone who actually manages to make this sword, or another similarily powered tool, deserves better than to be forced to destroy the tool within 1561 uses (or stash it away and not use it).
I do believe that the creation of these highly powered tools should be discouraged through a high cost, and it already is as I described above. However, I believe it should not be impossible to repair a tool or weapon. Losing the above mentioned sword is painful, especially considering what it takes to make one; and if a player absolutely wants to spend 50 levels to repair their tools, why in the universe should there be anything keeping them from doing so? It simply puts all their work and effort (and/or luck) to waste, causing nothing but frustration in doing so. The level cost cap, in my opinion, is simply a sorry excuse of a reason to take highly enchanted tools from a player for no reason what-so-ever; and forcing them to resort to weaker tools, or to resort to mob-grinding for days or weeks to restore the tool that they lost to a flawed system.
The Suggestion and Solution
I suggest that one of three things is done;
- Increase the cost of adding enchantments to tools, weapons and armor by 50% or 100% to discourage making very powerful tools and armor; leave the repair costs where they are now; increase the level cost cap to 50 levels OR completely remove it. It becomes more difficult to level up above level 30, so reaching level 50 once is the equivalent of reaching level 30 about four times.
- Allow the creation of a higher-tier anvil (for a high cost on iron and possibly experience levels) that has an increased or infinite level cost cap; the durability of this anvil could be equal or less than that of the basic anvil. The crafting recipe is up for discussion, though I suggest it taking four anvils and another rare resource (diamonds perhaps?) to create.
- Leave the level cost cap where it is, and the level costs where they are right now; but increase or remove the level cost cap for repairing; could also slightly increase the cost for repairing tools if it's more than 40 levels.
- EDIT: Notify players that their tool cannot be repaired if they perform a certain action on it; that way there are no nasty surprises and less frustration.
I personally prefer the first option, since it discourages what Mojang (probably) is trying to prevent, while allowing what many players want. It's a good compromise in my opinion.-
View User Profile
-
View Posts
-
Send Message
Retired StaffI think every system of repairing and adding enchantments is going to have flaws. Anvils' complicated processes also contribute to the problems I have with this suggestion, but I'll give it my best shot.
I don't see the inability to repair highly-enchanted gear as quite the atrocity that you seem to. I believe the level cap is there so you can make fantastically powerful gear if you want, but you make it with the knowledge that it's going to be gone before you know it; there's no way, not through reaching high levels, nor through wasting resources, that you can get it back. I like that trade-off, at least somewhat.
Like you said, not being able to repair the sword you mention means all the time spent creating it goes to waste, and it causes nothing but frustration; but it's frustration that you have to accept for making such a powerful weapon. Weapons like that, if you ask me, should be stored away for when you really need them (fighting the wither, for example).
As for the mob grinding that you say players resort to, I think similar amounts of mob grinding would result from players repairing their weapons at slowly increasing levels. If everyone knew that you could repair even the highest-level gear, I think a many more players would make said gear, and more grinding would result.
As for each of your fixes,
- This seems. . . unwise. Not least of the issues is the uproar that is going to be cause by players who want to add enchantments to their gear, but find it to be newly expensive. This just seems to throw in making gear more expensive to make repairing more legitimate.
- I don't think anvil tiers are going to do anything. Anvils are already expensive enough, and making them heavily resource-intensive sounds frustrating. I might prefer giving normal anvils the ability to do what this new tier could do.
- Only problems I have with this are the ones I describe above (outside of the spoiler).
None of the suggestions are despicable (for me) I just thought some of them needed special attention.I really don't think this change (whichever it would be) is a bad idea, but I don't think it would make the system all that much better. I am also presuming a lot about other players (I don't use anvils all that often), so it is possible my entire argument is off.
By the way, just to throw this in, my least favorite part about anvils is that renaming items changes their repair costs. Unless, of course, someone would explain why it is wise.
Maybe there should be an increased level cap only for tools that were never modified/repaired on an anvil? That way those who get it in a single enchantment can repair their tools at least once, giving the very lucky players a bit more lifetime on their tools than the ones who built it with an anvil.
On the anvil, when the resultant tool/weapon cannot be repaired, it should give a notification that the result will have to be destroyed at some point. That way, players won't get that "April fools, your stuff is doomed" surprise. They will know that they cannot repair their tools and perhaps use it with much more care as to not waste it unnecessarily.
If players are adding enchantments to their tools, this notification would give them the chance to stop improving their tools and keep them repairable; best would be to tell the player exactly how much a full repair would cost, so that they can decide what to add and what not to add to their tools to keep the repair level cost manageable for them.
-
View User Profile
-
View Posts
-
Send Message
Retired StaffThe only thing wrong with those ideas (that I can think of) is that the anvil GUI would become cluttered. I would love to see this, and quite a few other things, in a large "tutorial update"; by itself, it is mostly unprecedented. Of course, that's no reason not to implement it.
I think most players know what they're in for (here I am presuming again, I have no idea if this is true) through reading the wiki, (how else would anyone know how to use the anvil, or even how to craft?). Another thing is that some people (I know I do) have an inclination to use their valuable gear only when profitable or absolutely necessary. Yet another group of people might catch on that repairing is steadily increasing in price, and so would not be surprised when they can no longer repair. But again, these are no reasons not to add a warning system.
Can you actually get enough enchantments, through the enchanting table, that you can't repair your tool once? I didn't know that was possible.
don't expect me to be on much.