Is anyone else fed-up every new game being a crafter?

jim5000 · 29 Jul 2021 at 01:18

It seems that since the Minecraft revolution, every new game that sounds interesting comes out with huges amounts of complex crafting

Examples -

Valheim
Tribes of Midgard
New World
Ark
Don't Starve
Subnautica
Cyberpunk 2077
Etc.
Etc.

There are many more but I can't list them all here as as soon as I find out they are crafting games I lose all interest. It seems that the crafting element is encroaching into all other genres, be they FPS, RPG, Action, Survival, strategy.

I really have no interest in crafting as a game activity, but it really seems like the mechanic de jure for all new games. There's rarely a preview I read that does say 'this game features crafting'.

When did gaming become harvesting a load of wood, to make planks, to make benches. Harvesting a load of stone, to make grinders, to sharpen your sword which you had to make by mining ore and smelting in a smelter that you built with wood and stone,ad infinitum.

It's not so much that crafting exists, just the fact that it seems to be creeping into all genres of PC gaming.

Has anyone else had enough of the crafting mechanic?

Rroff · 29 Jul 2021 at 01:36

What I do find tedious is how many games have an implementation which is unrewarding and arse backwards to work with - which seems to be too many games these days and I just end up not playing them.

Personally I don't mind crafting mechanics in a range of games, even FPS, etc. if it is well thought out, optional to progress and rewarding and intuitive to use - sadly that is more the exception than the rule. I find it enjoyable to dip in and out of crafting if a game does it well as I feel like.

arc@css · 29 Jul 2021 at 02:00

I haven't played that many games with crafting mechanics though when I see media showcasing upcoming titles, I tend to find it does not interest me.

Kronos · 29 Jul 2021 at 06:09

I hate crafting with a passion and for the most part it is stupidly complex and adds very little to the game.

fastwunz · 29 Jul 2021 at 06:50

Too complex and too much grind

The_Arbiter · 29 Jul 2021 at 07:09

I like crafting when done well, but new AAA games don't tend to be for me. All the OP ones listed i've never heard of or just don't care.

dave28 · 29 Jul 2021 at 07:19

It was cool when i first seen it but wearing thin on me in some games. As is looting draws for junk and looting every body

d_brennen · 29 Jul 2021 at 07:24

Crafting that makes some kind of sense is fine by me (I'm thinking Breath of The Wilds cooking) but making bullets from junk (Cyberpunk) is not

Mollari · 29 Jul 2021 at 08:03

Crysis 1-3 remastered should be available soon. No crafting there

Haggisman · 29 Jul 2021 at 10:20

As some others have posted, it depends how it is implemented.

Where it's one of the core mechanics driving the game (and done well), then I have no problem with it, e.g. you've listed Subnautica, but the whole point of the game is that you're stranded on an alien planet with no resources - it makes sense that the majority of the game revolves around collecting and building what you need to escape. The crafting (and need for new resources) also drives the need to explore deeper (and so unlock more of the storyline). It also helps that it's not particularly grindy - basic resources are everywhere, and easy to get, none of this "chop down 48 million trees just to build a basic shelter", and even the end-game resources are relatively plentiful when you can actually reach the correct areas.

Compare that to e.g. Cyberpunk (which I loved), and the game wouldn't really have been any different if there was only basic weapon/armour modding.

adolf hamster · 29 Jul 2021 at 12:58

depends on the game.

if there's a decent canonical reason why you'd craft your own stuff rather than just buy it then that's understandable. for example subnautica it's kind of the point of the game- explore to find resources and blueprints, craft new stuff, use new stuff to explore new areas etc. and you can't just buy things given you're stranded on an alien world.

what i'm not a fan of is, for example, having to craft things like ammo belts/backpacks etc in a world where such things would be readily available to just buy (i'm looking at you ac and fc series), especially when it's relatively essential gear (eg the ability to have more than 1 gun) rather than baubles and minor improvements that aren't really essential to the game (eg red dead)

Tombstone · 29 Jul 2021 at 13:02

The only thing I am fed up with at the moment, is every other game being a battle royale.

ttaskmaster · 29 Jul 2021 at 13:12

jim5000 said:
Cyberpunk 2077

I played this game several times through... but it still took me a few minutes to remember what the crafting even looked like.
Honestly, even on Hard, I never needed any of it. I'm not exactly good at these sorts of games either, I just bought or picked up decent weaponry and pretty much cakewalked the game combat.

I don't mind crafting if, as with Cyberpunk, it's optional.
It's when you get it in things like Elite, where it's pretty much essential if you want to survive merely stepping outside your front door, that it becomes a ******* game-killing drag.

Dg834man · 29 Jul 2021 at 13:14

Doesn't bother me but i hate item durability crowbar that breaks after clubbing ten mushy zombies fuuuuuuuuu.

BUDFORCE · 29 Jul 2021 at 13:20

Missed out Fallout 4 on that list.

I personally liked the crafting element of that.

Gengar · 29 Jul 2021 at 13:42

Glad other people feel the same. I have no time or patience for crafting and similar game mechanics.
The few exceptions I enjoyed/tolerated:-
BOTW making potions.
Skyrim - enchanting weapons

I love cyberpunk 2077 but have not even looked into the crafting sub menus.

Character levelling/skill tree/perks is also another thing that is starting to take over non RPG games too and can also become over complex.

The reason I think some developers put these sorts of mecahnics in games:-
1)Makes the game "bigger"
2) Appeases game reviewers who would complain the game was to shallow if it didn't have such a mechanic in it.
3)Trendy (currently)

StrongSad · 29 Jul 2021 at 14:08

I enjoy crafting games. However, I always seem to do the minimum as I am as creative as a potato. I love Ark crafting and Subnautica especially. However, No Man Sky is just meh and Cyberpunk just seemed like a level up process.
One of the reasons why I don't play Elite is the constant grind to find stuff to craft in order to compete.

I think there is a time and place for it but only if it is enjoyable and not a massive grind fest.

adolf hamster · 29 Jul 2021 at 14:27

Tombstone said:
The only thing I am fed up with at the moment, is every other game being a battle royale.

urgh, tell me about it. i feel the same about multiplayer in general, why put the effort into writing a storyline, hiring a bunch of voice actors and animating npc's when you can just make a blank map and sell as many copies.

Dg834man said:
Doesn't bother me but i hate item durability crowbar that breaks after clubbing ten mushy zombies fuuuuuuuuu.

meanwhile every gun will last forever and never jams ever even if it's made out of scrap metal by a demented plumber.

Bluecube · 29 Jul 2021 at 15:03

Factorio is killing my time like there’s no tomorrow but the point of the game is crafting and very little else. Brilliant game if you like that sort of thing! However, I don’t like crafting where it’s not the sole aim of the game. Skyrim and Fallout 4 have quite a bit of crafting and I’ve rarely looked at it nor do I have any interest in doing so.

SPG · 29 Jul 2021 at 15:31

Crafting sucks, I hate games with crafting. I refuse to craft anything in most games. The only time is even slightly possible is ok is when its in the normal progress of play and you gather the bits as you go and it only need 3 bits to the recipe.

Elite Dangerous has one of the suckiest worst crafting gameplay mechanics its worse than a Korean MMO and they have the raw cheek to call it content.... N