Administrative Role Quartermaster

Greetings fellow stonehearthlings. @Team Radiant great work guys. @Community I noticed at the end of the"building and crafting" video Tom mentioned having a counter so we can know how much we have in our inventory. With that in mind I ask the community what are your thoughts on having an administrative class similar to that of the record keeper in dwarf fortress?

4 Likes

I do rather like the idea - but I wonder how easy it’ll be for people to get into the game that way. It’s one thing to have a nobleman prohibit the sale of garnets, it’s another to not know how many garnets you have until you get a clerk.

I like it and think it is a good idea.
You can still visualy see how much you have in every individual stockpile but this new guy would unlock a tab where you can se what you have in total when counting all the stockpiles. Could also ads som graphs so you can see past amount and such.

1 Like

That is a subject of concern, two different game modes one light on game mechanics and concepts, the other heavier on game mechanics and concepts. I dub them casual and hardcore :grin:

1 Like

Since we’ve been starting to see this with the classes we already know, how exactly would this class level up? If the main purpose is to lock an “Inventory” tab, it doesn’t give the class too much to do–maybe also possibly haul items faster as a perk, but that seems more in the realm of couriers, as they tend to be the deliverers in this type of system. I feel the big struggle would be to give the class a dynamic purpose that changes and develops overtime, as we’re seeing with the other classes.

Also, does that mean if you lost the administrative quartermaster, you lose the access to the tab? I get that the job essentially involves the “inventory”, but I’m not sure how well it’d work. Right now, I’d expect this sort of function either automatically available starting the game (like the “place item” screen) or from a researcher class as an upgrade, as if your settlement has gotten smarter and more efficient overall with storage and accumulation.

4 Likes

Those are valid arguments I pose this, would it be viable to allow this quartermaster the ability to determine the quality, value doubling as an appraiser? Also when caravans arrive act as a broker I think that would add more of a need for this class.

2 Likes

I apologise for the short response, I am at work using a smart phone once my break arrives I will give a much more in depth response to how I envision this class. To play in game.

1 Like

perhaps it’s a result of having not played DF, but I’m finding it difficult to see the practicality of this unit type… I need to promote someone to a class type in order to see how many items I have in stock?

I’m stuck on my phone at the moment as well, so perhaps a better (re)read is in order later today… :smile:

2 Likes

Rightio so stocks without a quatermaster would be of undetermined qaulity. The quantity would be a rough estimate that becomes more inaccurate the larger the stock. (sort of a shared knowledge of the town) as you settlement grows this would become problematic.

As you approach mid-game and trade is in full swing, questing adventurers returning with exciting treasures from nearby dungeons of unknown quality (insert flavour text “this braclet appears to be crafted by master craftsman” needs to be appraised to learn more) (this braclet forge in the fortress Dernesk under mount Forney by Urist Grom son of Gimlee Grom, The braclet made of gold…
) This is where the Quartermaster starts to shine determining the value of not only your items but the buildings and pretty much the entire fortress.

when it comes to trade having a Quartermaster to broker better deals, secure trade orders for you to fill from near by towns. Not having one gimps you in trade due lack of knowledge of your stocks and being ripped off by the shrewd merchant muahaha. Anyways to close this post, would this be a interesting aspect to have in the game?

1 Like

That’s getting into micro managing besides coping DF, Stonehearth isn’t a DF clone, needs to remain unique, just my 2 cents

1 Like

@DF clone: I feel Stonehearth brings enough unique features to not be considered a DF clone, beside the point it is not out of the ordinary for new games to incorporate and improve features from different games.
@micro-managing: I believe Tom and Tony mentioned a dungeon master for tasking and managing the ai of not only the enemy, but also the mundane tasks such as eating sleeping. The quartermaster I feel would be tasked in this way by the dm. Seeking out, cataloging items as they created and stocked, hauling the item to his work shop to properly catalog and appraise its value and details. Returning it to its stockpile.

Just adding this I like seeing less appreciated classes like this in games such as this as it adds life to the world, watching each citizen go about there day to day life creating side stories to enjoy :blush:

1 Like

I agree, it would add another unique class that would increase the flavor of the game

@Leveling up: exp would be gathered during cataloging, at first only the cataloging would be done. As he levels, appraisal will unlock, as he does appraisals that would the main form of exp as cataloging would reach a hard limit. Other unlocks would be better percentiles at bartering and trading.

3 Likes

Lastly bartering better deals would be the last and final way get level up. The last trait to unlock I feel would bring renown to the settlement. Which would bring more trade and higher end contracts. Example of a low end contract would be a request for a shipment of pottery to a near by settlement while a,high end would be something more lucrative such as jewelry and more specific items to be crafted from rare materials which may be gathered from questing :smiley:

I can’t help but think of merchants or traders when I hear these terms; I worry that these actions would get overshadowed by those sorts of classes.

But now I see a little more of the angle you seem to be spinning on the concept. A lot of what you’ve described is like a valuables collector, like an archeologist or antiquer. Perhaps one ongoing function could be the creation of “collections/exhibits”, or even entire museums, of rare items or goods. The Quartermaster (Quartermaster could be the basic starting class, but then upgraded to something like an Archivist; it sounds a little fancier, showing a progression of skill) can then have multiple roles: The first would be more accurate tracking of items, perhaps down to each stockpile–fairly basic and important, it gets learned first. But later, they gain new abilities. By defining an “exhibit,” the Archivist could display specified goods to townsfolk and travelers. The nicer the exhibit and the rarer the items, the higher the value.

A perk of this would be increased morale for your own people, plus higher chances of more migrants and better traders; they could be directly tied into a ‘value-boosting’ class for your settlement, alongside their cataloging basic function. It also gives a reason to have more than one of the class, so you can have more exhibits to present.

This goes pretty far off your original concept, so I’m curious as to your opinion of this idea. I really like the idea of different researchers and archivist classes, but the functions they each provide is going to be the biggest hurdle to their utility and general enjoyment to play with.

1 Like

It is Paploo117 here, Just remembered my original account. Finally at home now actually I don’t have any real issues with anything you just said though they are a bit of what I had in mind. With that stated maybe Team Radiant could use some of the ideas generated in this thread and incorporate them to existing classes. If the community agrees it would be a valuable addition and it would ultimately be up to Team Radiant :slight_smile: it is their dream game after all.

I’ve just had an idea for a perfect upgrade for this guy. “Oops, didn’t see that”. Occasionally, items will pop into existence, having been overlooked during prior inventory checks.

Sort of an administrative screw up alters reality.

I was just trying to imagine how this skill could improve now. Obviously, the items “found” couldn’t be that valuable or memorable, so I thought, “What if they start finding better, rarer items as they level up?”

Then I remembered, being a Quartermaster or Archivist, that would mean they’re actually starting to perform their job worse…

1 Like

Like a proper bureaucracy.

No but seriously, he could just reinspect them, and notice, “wow, what looked like a massive log of 5$ quality, turned out to be 2 45$ logs. Oops.”

1 Like