Originally Posted by
Trenchfoot
I don't think anyone is saying take stats off of gear or make gear or stats a non-issue. I know I didn't.
We're saying gear/stats should be a factor, which can then be overridden by superior player skill. In other words, gear/stats will be more important to unskilled players, and less important to skilled players. Nothing more.
It's like a crappy guitar player who blames the fact that he can't play on his cheap guitar. He can't wait to get his expensive guitar, then he'll really be able to play. Or the idea that you can jump higher if you wear the best sneakers.
I think what folks are really afraid of is true competition. Some people can't deal with the fact that someone else might be better at it than they are. They need the math so badly, their game revolves around it, and without it they couldn't pvp to save their life.
Math is great when it comes to let's say masonry or crafting skills. But combat is rooted in competition. It's the one area players should be allowed to shine just because they're good at it, not because they've spent more hours in game macro grinding stats.
We shouldn't be afraid to allow the cream to rise to the top.
@hellaciouss
The Wako kid hung up his guns after being shot in the backside by a 12 year old kid. Sound familiar? That was fictional. But in reality world history has been changed by a single hideously lucky shot. It happens. Even the best of the best should beware the amateur. If you walk around the game world without a single care of ever being defeated, the combat system is a joke. Should it be common? No. but it also shouldn't be out of the range of possibilities.
EDIT: And as far as crafting goes, I am a crafter. Love crafting, love terraforming, love world building, wouldn't give that up for anything. I came to this game with the hopes of having my cake and eat it to. Not necessarily expecting it, but enough to want to pay money to be a part of something that finally has everything I want out of a game (in concept). If they were to nix crafting in favor of combat I would be just as disappointed as I would if they implemented WURM style combat.
I believe a balance can be struck.