Woodworking / Carpenter / Bowyer / Trade

[Ursan]

I sort of mentioned this in a thread about fletching... thought I would try to clarify my thoughts here.

Working wood has many areas of expertise, so it might be that some aspects would require several trades. The main thrust of this idea would be a trade which would allow characters to make weapons from wood.

If the making of crates, barrels and even furniture could be put in as well it might give the trade more life, but I guess that would depend upon code and how fine the magnifying glass of reality got to the idea.

I would envisage the weapon making to be based upon the CONSTRUCT command, since this is already coded for making several raw materials into new items.

The basic raw material would be wood of course, though I would anticipate that a requirement for certain items constructed would be a larger piece of wood.

Progression through the trade would be akin to smithing.... at lower levels you would be making simple clubs and staves.... as you improve in the skill you might manage something more complex...until eventually reaching the pinnacle and being able to craft shortbows crossbows and finally long bows.

As you can see, the addition of other wooden items would stretch out this progression and give more variety.

Given the leap between simple carpentry and crafting a long bow, I might be inclined to think that two conjoined trades would be required. The bowyers trade not being available until you had achieved some degree of mastery in the first.

So, what do you all think? Positive thoughts and suggestions most welcome

[Lea]

Just a little something to add to that is for the larger pieces of wood that would be needed perhaps have some type of logging or have to cut down trees or something like that. It would also give druids something rp out if people try to take to much from the woods.

[Rhelian]

I am and always have been a big fan of the trade system, especially with the mud ecconomy becoming hopefully somewhat slanted towards player-made items and equipment.

I forget exactly where, but there was a thread once about...oh wait I just found it

http://pub88.ezboard.com/fforgottenking ... D=50.topic

Like I was saying, that thread has basic ideas for a few different trades, although the ideas would need to be heavily expanded and dicussed. I like the idea of carpentry and player-made furniture, as well as fashioning wooden items, for example oaken breastplates for druids.

Logging is also an option for people requiring larger sections of wood but I'd think it might cause some hostile RP between druids/elves/rangers and those who want the wood. Perhaps a wood supplier could be implemented in the major towns for people who don't want to spend the time chopping down a tree or it just isn't in their RP to be a lumberjack?

Again, let me say I'm all for new professions that can add to a character's RP and let them have a bit of fun - be it woodworking, cooking, gem cutting, farming, whatever can be come up with, with the aim that all trades are available to all characters and it is up to the character which they wish to learn

I support Ursan's idea whole heartedly

[Blug]

I've done a little bit of woodwork, and while a staff seems simple enough to make, it's one of the hardest things to get right. Everyone wants a good staff that's fairly well even at the top and the bottom with no large bulges or kinks. Someone suggested that beginners would make staves, but while making a staff you have to get the wood, sand it down, get the knots out correctly, and still leave a useful peice of wood about four feet to six feet long, depending on the type of staff you want. Maybe not a grandmaster quality skill in making staves, but it's certainly not something you're just going to be able to do from the beginning, maybe make them...about apprentice?

[Ursan]

Lots of diverse items that we could include here as it seems the Woodworking trade will be broad rather than limited to areas of expertise.

simple items like wooden eating implements.... spoons, bowls, forks/skewers

pipes perhaps

containers ranging from simple open boxes up to crates and jewellery/strongbox designs with hinged lids

Perhaps include carts in this? Low level construction being little more than a wheelbarrow... expanding to two-wheeled light-weight designs later. Would not think that making a full-size carriage would sit well with the limit of the trade

All of the typically wooden weapons... starting with simple clubs, moving on to staves and of course the eventual bow crafting

Bows have a natural progression.... short bows and smaller crossbows being easier to craft than the more powerful types. Long Bows would be easier than Composite bows given their one-piece construction. Heavy crossbows almost as difficult, given the intricate mechanism

Within the weapons, you could include those more usually made of metal... wooden daggers and swords, perhaps calling them practise weapons.

Hmmm, or even make them akin to metal types, but made of lacquered wood.

Wooden armour, laminated forms such as were prevalent in Japan would be an interesting departure for any budding samurai. Make the skill levels similar to armoursmithing... in that you can craft items for some areas of the body more easily than others

Shields would be good.... wooden bucklers, round shields in the Viking style, full shields such as the Romans used... though the proper name eludes me.

Just about exhausted my ideas here> Though again... you could stitch together items from other trades.... wooden jewellery possibly, carvings of animals as RP items that kind of thing

Hope that all helps

[Ursan]

Scroll cases and potion chests

How do I know that they're going to be in more use? Ahh, that would be telling...

[Evyn]

Just along the lines of woodworking... Perhaps player made instruments could be put into this... I think it would be neat to see wooden instruments that arent in the game yet be made by players...created or invented..Just a thought

[Drakenor]

I think that Ursans ideas are wonderful. Like on the chests it would be pretty cool if you could buy gems to insert them into the lid, if you knew Lapidary possibly making some elbaorate gems to set into place etc.

[Tandria]

Player-made instruments . . . now I LOVE that idea!! I mean, a LOT. Could be a bard or rogue-only trade, or perhaps for priests of certain faiths (i.e., Oghma). My bard would certainly have quite the time making her own instruments .

[Drakenor]

On ursans idea, I was thinking about the chest. Maybe you can make a chest or strongbox that can have a slot for a locksmith? So a locksmith can make a lock and you can make the box, or have it made, then a wizard or a thief would have to cast a spell or the thief would have to lockpick it to see whats inside, maybe even have charms set by an enchanter? Would enhance RP

[Cret]

Question about woodworking weapons requiring weapon smithing as well. When creating these weapons would it increase both woodworking and weapon smithing? Or just one of the two?

[Kelemvor]

I would expect both to improve since you require/use both trades in the creation.

And since I can see where this is going... I'd expect players to be making a variety of weapons with the smithing trade, not just those that improve both trades at once.
OOCly, you do need to be repetitive in order to improve, but try to put a vague IC veneer on your activities.

[Algon]

I would love to see a "gather" command come into affect with woodworking. This not being quite the same as logging where you are actually clearing out entire trees, but where you are selecting small pieces of wood from the ground or tree for the specific item you are making.
And perhaps like mine, that the higher your level the different types of wood you can find. Then when making the item say a club...you can gather the wood the make a "Oak Club, or Ash club" something like that.