See also Tinker recipies should only show from a certain level

Add data ROMs which the player can find to add extra tinker recipes. This could be done:

  1. As ROMs which the player has to [U]se to add to the list of known recipes. We could also add corrupted ROMs with a chance of deleting known recipes (or resulting in a damaged item being created etc.)
  2. As ROMs which must be carried by the Player
  3. As ROMs which must be items on the station. This would allow a variable list of (level appropriate) recipes at each station by adding the ROMs in the <Items> section
the_shrike 18 Jun 2017:

This doesn't make much sense. The tinkers are a faction based around experimentation and engineering. Why on earth would they need other people to give them designs?

I agree with the base idea of varying recipes, but there are better ways to do it (quests, and using the destiny system). At present, the recipes ingame aren't competitive enough to be worth this anyway: you'd just make them even more "never used".

johnbwatson 18 Jun 2017:

I like the idea of making Tinker recipes vary by station and level, but they'd have to be useful first. Making content harder to access can be an improvement, but only when it's worthwhile to use at all.

0xabcdef 18 Jun 2017:

During one post-stream session, I mentioned the idea of being able to buy (stolen) corporate blueprints or customized recipes from the Black Market.

the_shrike 18 Jun 2017:

@Watson: I've got some design notes for the Tinkers sitting around. I'll see about typing them into a more solid revamp proposal.

giantcabbage 18 Jun 2017:

This doesn't make much sense. The tinkers are a faction based around experimentation and engineering. Why on earth would they need other people to give them designs?

They don't need people to give them designs. But if someone does find/give them a design - why can't they use it?

I agree with the base idea of varying recipes, but there are better ways to do it (quests, and using the destiny system). At present, the recipes ingame aren't competitive enough to be worth this anyway: you'd just make them even more "never used".

Note - I'm not suggesting the removal or limitation of the existing recipes. This is a proposal for a way to add extra recipes - and mostly aimed at mods. Currently mods can only add recipes by adding them to the global data on the tinker sovereign which requires writing some (simple) code. An advantage of pulling recipes from ROMs (i.e. ItemType with tinkerRecipe attribute) is we can use the existing item generation (criteria, level distribution curves, etc.) to control how/when recipes become available.

  • Standard (available everywhere) recipes remain as global data
  • New (random) tinker recipes are defined as static data on ItemTypes which get added to tinker stations via an appropriate RandomItem tag in the StationType. These can be virtual items so they won't show up on station destruction.
  • New (found) recipes are defined as static data on ROMs which the player can find / buy such as blackmarket recipes (@0xabcdef), or faction specific weapons - e.g. the player could find the specs for a Centauri CLAW and then be able to build an improved tinker version.

So mods would have multiple options for adding new recipes:

  • Add them to the global recipe table on game start
  • Add them to the global recipe table as quest reward
  • Add them as virtual items so they’re added to tinker stations by the RNG
  • Add them as ROMs which the player can find as RNG treasure (or quest item, or trade)

and of course: