Item balancing and additions.

[Jarric]

Not just academic, give fighting in the SCA a whirl.

That's why it's academic, I've never done that =D Sounds like an awesome time though.

 

[Karl XII]

If you want to go that way, better to give the smith some sort of bonus for his culture-related items... everyone decent enough can make decent enough armor/weapons of any type (it's not like they're greatly different technologically or something, it's all the same basic principles), but is better at doing his specific stuff. Maybe limit their ability regarding making masterwork stuff from other cultures.

Actually, they ARE greatly different technologically. These different technologies are driven both by raw materials available (even something we think simple, like iron, varies by region), and the culturally-driven intended use of the piece of equipment. The ancient and medieval worlds were places where mastery of a task was a matter of rote learning with the materials to hand, and becoming a master of making one type of steel into a broadsword in no way means one can make a different type of steel into a sabre. Becoming a generalist was a thing for the future, hence the term "renaissance man".

 

[Karl XII]

Not just academic, give fighting in the SCA a whirl.

That's why it's academic, I've never done that =D Sounds like an awesome time though.

Yeah, well, in a pre-FPS world I had to join the SCA to find out what it was like to swing a sword in armour and join the Army to find out what automatic weapons and explosives do.

(Hint: NONE of it looks like the movies or the TLC/History Channel "documentaries" )

 

[Leifdin]

隐藏

If you want to go that way, better to give the smith some sort of bonus for his culture-related items... everyone decent enough can make decent enough armor/weapons of any type (it's not like they're greatly different technologically or something, it's all the same basic principles), but is better at doing his specific stuff. Maybe limit their ability regarding making masterwork stuff from other cultures.

Actually, they ARE greatly different technologically. These different technologies are driven both by raw materials available (even something we think simple, like iron, varies by region), and the culturally-driven intended use of the piece of equipment. The ancient and medieval worlds were places where mastery of a task was a matter of rote learning with the materials to hand, and becoming a master of making one type of steel into a broadsword in no way means one can make a different type of steel into a sabre. Becoming a generalist was a thing for the future, hence the term "renaissance man".

This depends on a weapon type, general, simple, "peasant" weapons could be probably made by any weaponsmith, while swords were, at least in Viking age, a matter of art. Each part was done separately by a different craftsman. Also, it is known that Frankish swords were the best. However, compared to Europe, Caladria is really small and used to be an empire. So when we take an example of a sabre, each kingdom has a neighbouring kingdom that uses sabres. That's why a bonus on specific items appeals more to me.
Also, this post probably doesn't make much sense in terms of cohesion; I haven't had my coffee yet.

 

[Karl XII]

<< simple, "peasant" weapons could be probably made by any weaponsmith>>

Sure, but we're talking the "culture specific" stuff. Otherwise, what's the point of different cultural traditions being represented?

The limitations also put pressure on the player to decide who to piss off and who not to.

A further thought, don't change the smith's cultural affiliation when a town or castle changes hands. I'd actually go that way with recruiting generally. But I always liked fielding Mongol armies with tons of subject troops in my tabletop wargaming days.

 

[Leifdin]

Yes, but when you live within days of walking from someone, surely you would be able to produce their weapons, wouldn't you?

 

[Karl XII]

Yes, but when you live within days of walking from someone, surely you would be able to produce their weapons, wouldn't you?

It's a suspension of disbelief thing. If you are willing to accept 6 distinct cultures in so small a space, anything about proximity after that is quibbling.