I haven't done the assembly instructions, but I've done the x ingots makes y lines. About 650 lines of steel and the same of plat steel. They need a thorough checking, but it's a start! As for books, I've been thinking spears and quarterstaves in one book, and polearms in a second. Plat steel items would be two more books with the same division, and the race-specific items would have their own book. Honestly I'd love for each race-specific spear to have its own diagram type book, but that's just too many books to add.
Excellent.
About books I would prefer to strip down the number as much as possible, possibly to 2 books (normal stuff, plate steel stuff), if possible (aka the number of items is not too big and it is not too hard to read/use). Reason is when it comes down to make fixes/maintenance in the database I find it easier to perform the task and another reason is I perceived players prefer to change the mind slot (book) as less as possible. Third reason is we need a quest for each book and for me each quest have to be unique and I don't like simple copy & paste quests (so the creative effort and challenge to put in quest writing is a bit more). Aside these consideration is more a matter of "philosophy" than real technical problems.
I can't think of any NPCs who use staves, but I'm sure it'll come to me. I assumed this would all fall under Blades Making, and there's already a skill that trains that, and the combat skill could be raised with the same quest that trains the other skills. Just need to add a branch for staff, spear, and polearms.
this because we hardly have polearms in game. Once they are available this may change, with settings permission, and we can assign some NPC to be a polearm trainer or crafter, etc.
The Academy thing... sounds fun actually. I'll take a look at the moves in that school.
actually you can get some inspiration from the Academy already released, and we have already a full set of quest for a second academy (unreleased, yet), written by Zunna. If you are interested I can let you read them.
We also have a couple of inspiration, draft for 2 more academies: archery and axes, but we haven't had anyone starting the quest writing yet. Fun thing is most of special moves (archery, hammer) are ready rules side, bu we won't release them untile the whole package (which includes their own academy quest) are ready to deliver.
We still miss an idea, draft for polearms completely, so, if you have an inspiration, let us know.