What purpose does the durability system actually serve?

[Boiledteabag]

Using terraria as an example we can see how to make a game that people enjoy without durability by giving you the option to put your overflowing resources into items to make things look pretty like copper bricks, walls etc.

Don't even mention to me the 20% chance not to lose durability on tools/armour you can spec into, because I will tell you right now 20% is a joke when you are forced to constantly be collecting materials just to repair stuff. If it was 50%? yeah that would be alot better.

I guess people with way too much time wont mind re-grinding to repair gameplay loop but personally it is not fun for me.

Remove the durability, add in copper/tin/iron bricks and walls. And if you REALLY feel you are lacking an incentive for players to explore your game then add some more secrets/lore locations around.

It is actually getting to the point where I'm considering cheating the durability to not go down so I can start properly enjoying the game.

Edit: and before anyone mentions ranged weapon balance, just add recipes using those materials to craft ammo. copper, tin, iron bullets etc.

Maybe javelins or throw-able spears, quite literally anything but a durability system that forces us into a "got to go back mining or I wont be able to repair my breaking tools and gear"

[Lorska]

I assume the whole durability system exist for a different reason.
Not to make you go mine more (you'll always have some left over for your various crafting needs anyway or you should get some for future needs anyway) but to make you return to base more. Repairing durability is like the only thing that makes you come back considering how easy it is to just stock up on absurd amounts of food.

Though it's not a very interesting system I got to admit.
The fact that it's so cheap and easy to do just shows that It's unnecessary tbh.

[jim01q]

The durability issue goes away once you get drills if you don't mind afking and leaving your game running overnight cos you end up swimming in ores.

But yes I found it incredibly frustrating when I was at the tin stage.

[Myrkana]

in 5.5 hours I made it to iron with very little issues. Im playing with one other person and we're both outfitted easily. We just beat the 3rd boss and are overflowing with food and have extra for any tools we want now.

How are you finding it difficult to get enough for one person?

edit: up to 11 hours now and still having no issue with durability. Its easy to keep enough stuff to repair your stuff with and picks easily last enough time to fill my inventory with. Im on the scarlet pick and I carry an iron with me for easier blocks. When I get to the green area I use the scarlet almost exclusively and have drills set up to get more scarlet ore from 2 nodes.

[ignis]

Originally posted by Lorska:

I assume the whole durability system exist for a different reason.
Not to make you go mine more (you'll always have some left over for your various crafting needs anyway or you should get some for future needs anyway) but to make you return to base more. Repairing durability is like the only thing that makes you come back considering how easy it is to just stock up on absurd amounts of food.

Though it's not a very interesting system I got to admit.
The fact that it's so cheap and easy to do just shows that It's unnecessary tbh.

You do know you can (and should) carry repair station with you, right?

Durability is nothing but annoyance.

[Myrkana]

Originally posted by ignis:

Originally posted by Lorska:

I assume the whole durability system exist for a different reason.
Not to make you go mine more (you'll always have some left over for your various crafting needs anyway or you should get some for future needs anyway) but to make you return to base more. Repairing durability is like the only thing that makes you come back considering how easy it is to just stock up on absurd amounts of food.

Though it's not a very interesting system I got to admit.
The fact that it's so cheap and easy to do just shows that It's unnecessary tbh.

You do know you can (and should) carry repair station with you, right?

Durability is nothing but annoyance.

Durability is a nonissue. But I wouldnt take a repair station with me, then Id also have to have the bars to repair.
By time my durability is gone my inventory is full. Not sure how people are going out to find ore and stuff and making it more than 1 pick most of the time. The ore sparkles from quite a bit away, you dont have to dig that much to find quite a bit of ore.

[wesnef]

Originally posted by jim01q:

if you don't mind afking and leaving your game running overnight

Except that this is a completely assinine concept. There should never be any incentive to do that with a game.

[JoeySparkz]

Some games present their PVE challenges differently than others - a durability system is not 'unheard of'. The purpose it serves is to provide the challenge, the realism, the struggle. If it's not for you, there are plenty of games without it (like you mentioned, Terraria).

I'd counter with- if you look at any major RPG title, durability exists and is a completely viable avenue to restrain player activity. Food basically doesn't matter that much because you can't die from it, and durability is currently the only other mechanism in the game that helps in the perception of time and progression.

Players need challenge and struggle if you want a meaningful connection, unless of course it's some sandbox game you're envisioning, which may players would disagree with for Core Keeper's general direction.

Durability is only an annoyance to those without the virtue of patience and an appreciation for the struggle to get to where they're going (where's my instant gratification, anyway???)

[!?!]

Originally posted by Lorska:

I assume the whole durability system exist for a different reason.
Not to make you go mine more (you'll always have some left over for your various crafting needs anyway or you should get some for future needs anyway) but to make you return to base more. Repairing durability is like the only thing that makes you come back considering how easy it is to just stock up on absurd amounts of food.

Which is why, in terraria, people famously never build bases they routinely return to because without durability, why would they?

[Watchmaker]

In this case, it's used to make up for lack of content.

[Boiledteabag]

Originally posted by JoeySparkz:

Some games present their PVE challenges differently than others - a durability system is not 'unheard of'. The purpose it serves is to provide the challenge, the realism, the struggle. If it's not for you, there are plenty of games without it (like you mentioned, Terraria).

I'd counter with- if you look at any major RPG title, durability exists and is a completely viable avenue to restrain player activity. Food basically doesn't matter that much because you can't die from it, and durability is currently the only other mechanism in the game that helps in the perception of time and progression.

Players need challenge and struggle if you want a meaningful connection, unless of course it's some sandbox game you're envisioning, which may players would disagree with for Core Keeper's general direction.

Durability is only an annoyance to those without the virtue of patience and an appreciation for the struggle to get to where they're going (where's my instant gratification, anyway???)

Its not about the instant gratification, I'm just a stuff pockets to the max and return kind of player.

so durability, having to dedicate my inventory to half a bases worth of stations etc just really sucks out the fun of going on long trips and coming back to empty it all.

Anyway I started using cheat engine to freeze the durability now so its all good.

[Boiledteabag]

Originally posted by !?!:

Originally posted by Lorska:

I assume the whole durability system exist for a different reason.
Not to make you go mine more (you'll always have some left over for your various crafting needs anyway or you should get some for future needs anyway) but to make you return to base more. Repairing durability is like the only thing that makes you come back considering how easy it is to just stock up on absurd amounts of food.

Which is why, in terraria, people famously never build bases they routinely return to because without durability, why would they?

You never made a main base/home on terraria? you are weird man. half the fun was making your own home base, sure you made mini-bases to respawn quick at bosses like skeletrons etc.

But people def had main bases, some of the are quite cool tbh.

[Boiledteabag]

Originally posted by jim01q:

The durability issue goes away once you get drills if you don't mind afking and leaving your game running overnight cos you end up swimming in ores.

But yes I found it incredibly frustrating when I was at the tin stage.

So its either use cheat engine to bypass having to play with "gotta repair my ♥♥♥♥ over and over" simulator or play the game and suffer with my slots being filled with materials and stations reducing my carry back space for loot.

OR leave my PC on 24/7 because those drills gotta go brrrrrrr brother.

I think I'll stick with cheat engine freezing durability until the developers make it less tedious.

[!?!]

Originally posted by HammyBread:

Originally posted by !?!:

Which is why, in terraria, people famously never build bases they routinely return to because without durability, why would they?

You never made a main base/home on terraria? you are weird man. half the fun was making your own home base, sure you made mini-bases to respawn quick at bosses like skeletrons etc.

But people def had main bases, some of the are quite cool tbh.

No this never happens because there is no durability, people just run around forever.

[Boiledteabag]

Originally posted by !?!:

Originally posted by HammyBread:

You never made a main base/home on terraria? you are weird man. half the fun was making your own home base, sure you made mini-bases to respawn quick at bosses like skeletrons etc.

But people def had main bases, some of the are quite cool tbh.

No this never happens because there is no durability, people just run around forever.

Ok, now you're trolling.

So you say durability is good because it gives you a reason to go home? That's got to be the weakest copuim filled reason I've heard. Because the only reason you should be returning is if you are near death or pockets full.

[!?!]

Originally posted by HammyBread:

Originally posted by !?!:

No this never happens because there is no durability, people just run around forever.

Ok, now you're trolling.

So you say durability is good because it gives you a reason to go home? That's got to be the weakest copuim filled reason I've heard. Because the only reason you should be returning is if you are near death or pockets full.

No I just I hate spelling out sarcasm because I think it insults peoples intelligence.