Expected crafting progression?

[WangChi]

Obviously we don't know what the "second half" of the crafting system is going to look like, but I wanted to pose a question I've been thinking on crafting:

If I can't craft GS/raid/epic quality items with the crafting system - why craft? (Especially when it takes 3TR's to build up enough crafting levels to actually make anything of end-game value)

If I can craft GS/raid/epic quality items with the crafting system after my 3rd or 4th TR - why craft? (I should already have GS/raid/epic items from my 2-3 previous lives by now)

As I got to thinking about this, I really started wondering how many "build guides" we would see for toons that read:

"Ignore crafting all together, it only costs more plat and/or TP than you can possibly make from it and by the time you can craft anything truly useful, better GS/raid loot/epic items are available. You are much better off selling your loot to the foolish crafters who will pay more for it than it is worth or dumping it to a vendor."

Am I the only one that sees this possible outcome in the current system?

[kcru]

"Ignore crafting all together, it only costs more plat and/or TP than you can possibly make from it and by the time you can craft anything truly useful, better GS/raid loot/epic items are available. You are much better off selling your loot to the foolish crafters who will pay more for it than it is worth or dumping it to a vendor."

Am I the only one that sees this possible outcome in the current system?

As it stands now, I think that's the most likely resolution.

If they adjust XP and resource requirements, and expand the system such that you can tack more effects (and/or bigger-then-normal effects) onto an item with special loot rewards so that a high end crafted item is at least a serious consideration over any other thing you could aquire, THEN maybe it has some promise.

Right now, seems a dead end.

[Beldain]

Thats actually how crafting ends up in most MMOs, unless there's eventually something thats competitive situationally with raid loot - those of us who are diehard craft junkies will end up paying every last copper we can get to make new items, then sell them for a fraction of what we invested, hoping that eventually it will pay off. It never does, but we don't learn. =) EQ1 was exactly like that, then for a little while raidworthy gear was craftable and those of us who toiled for 6 years were finally rewarded... EQ2 was better balanced, with spell scrolls for scribing being primarily crafted.

[Lyetisha]

I tend to disagree. I've always found a way to reliably make credits/gold/currency from crafting =D