There is a not-so-eloquent post about how the likely end state of most characters will be having all of their gear be cracked and say “Fractured” on it, and how that might be demotivating. I think most of the replies misinterpreted that or just failed to address that point.
I think it does make your gear and crafting in general less desirable to have all of these negative terms associated with it, like Fracture, Instability, Damaging, Destructive, etc. I think it would be nice and very low-cost to simply replace these terms and change the negative connotation into a positive one. Here’s an idea on how to do that:
Rename Instability to Charge–every time you refine an item with a shard, it “charges” it. This reinforces the idea that the item and your character are becoming more powerful.
Have four states that an item can be in once you start refining it:
Charged - has been refined and can be further refined
Fully-charged - renaming of Minor Fracture
Over-charged - renaming of Damaging Fracture
Inert - renaming of Destructive Fracture
I feel like these terms are actually more reflective of the item’s condition, since fractured implies that it’s falling apart when in reality it could be an epically powerful item that’s simply maxed out. They should also show up on the item’s info in place of the “Fractured” text, which will make it easier for people to quickly check the state of the item.
I just bought the game a few days ago and barely touched the crafting system, so please let me know if any of the above doesn’t make sense. I believe the rest of the terms can remain the same. In fact, I think it will actually make “Rune of Shattering” less ambiguous once you get rid of similar words like fractured, damaging, destructive, etc.
The terms are fitting as “Fractured” means no more crafting. “Damaging Fracture” means no more crafting and loss of strength (affixes lose ranks), and “Destructive Fracture” means no more crafting, and item loses all strength (all affixes are removed)
now your new terminology could open up something like “Charge” means the item gains xp/power by infusing it with shards, “Fully Charged” means item can no longer be charged with normal items, and “Over Charged” Item reaches its max potential and cannot be charged at all.
at this point the RNG items can be used to reroll affixes which could cause loss of charge (allowing you to re charge). breaking down fully charged and over charged can give more shards or a chance at a special item that adds an affix.
so much can be done with a crafting system but the system we have is nothing short of korean MMO/Mobile Game Enchanting. only difference is that EHG isnt selling us success chance items and repair items.
“Fractured” is less ambiguous than “Fully Charged”. I don’t think terminology really matters here, because some of the most powerful items in PoE have bright red “Corrupted” tag in them. I’ve never heard anyone having problems with that.
Hmm… I am no friend of this trivialization. Should we also call enemies “not so good friends”, weapons “tools” and warpath “piecepath”?
Call the things by its names. This genre is called hack and slash and not fondle and feed.
Also I’m of the opinion your suggested terms are confusing. I’d imagine something completely different when I read “overcharged” then what it really would mean.
You get a “no” from me on this suggestion. Or perhaps call it “minimal consent”.
I don’t care and if they want to call it “Warp 9”… okay. This isn’t something I’m confronted with a lot of times. If every fractured item was displayed as a pink panda on my char it would bother me but another word in an item tooltip? Nah not realy. There could be an item ingame that call me names and I would’nt recognise it :D. From my point of view there is no need for a change but the oppions are intresting so far :).
Terminology is not the best indeed, but we need to remind ourselves from time to time, that this is not a finished product.
The actual state of the game is quite rough, with many placeholders set to prove ideas, features and direction for certain aspects of the game.
Surely the way Eleventh Hour Games has worded Crafting thus far is not the best but, while periodic patches are still trying to fix tooltip text errors and typos (and I still know of a few existing to date) there will come a point when Crafting will reach its full features and have many things changed.
For now keep strong, keep testing and keep on suggesting and discussing matters.
I agree that the naming system would feel better if the terms were changed. Fractured means broken to me, and I don’t like to have all broken gear all the time. I know that is not what it means in this game, but the connotation is still there in the back of my head.
