Crafting and books

[Falirie]

I like the idea of three-ring binders and book-bags.  I cannot imagine realistically putting a book-bag into the mind slot.  I can imagine having a set of three-ring binders on each family of skills.  These binders would go in the mind slot and be switched out as needed.  I like the idea of having pages of notes that go in the binders while the original book, with more information, is stored, probably in the library.  Can I wish for a library in Ojaveda? 

Possible breakdown of binder system:

Mining doesn't require a book. 

The skills of metalurgy, blacksmithing and making various weapons seems to be a natural family of skills.  They could go in a Blacksmithing Three-Ring Binder, possibly with original books stored in the library where they can be refered to.

Once implemented, skills related to converting uncut gems to rings and necklaces would be in another family of skills and go in a different three-ring binder, possibly the Jewelery-Maker's Three-Ring Binder.  Gem-Cutting would go in this binder, maybe a few other skills would be needed in addition.

There might be overlap in skills in different binders.  I would think that in that case, the chapters would go in the three-ring binder where the raw material made at a lower level would be used.  Iron stock and steel stock can be made and used in blacksmithing earlier than silver stock and gold stock can be made and could be used in jewelery making could, once gem-cutting is implemented.  Would jewelery-making be a separate skill or would it be under high level blacksmithing?  I'm sure the devs will figure it out.

It seems like this would be realistic, especially if one considers that most people are more likely to have a few pages of notes with the important information about a process written as concisely as possible when actually practicing and once they've done it enough times, are unlikely to even refer to those. 

[Jeraphon]

Three-ring binders were invented in the 1850s.

[Kaerli]

Maybe we should have some system where a character reads a book once and then knows that stuff, eh?

[Natrina]

Hmm, I think the books aren't too bad as they are, though forgetting to change books usually results in great losses, but that's life. Maybe adding some book mastery, as in, after a certain number of uses of named book and a certain level of INT (which is, as least stat description-wise, the stat you use to learn from books), you shouldn't quite need to use the book. Would be annoying to make from the dev part, agreed, but how after a few years of using the same book a guy still can't do it on his own is a bit.. weird, wouldn't be if the guy would be stupid, but otherwise, strange.

[bilbous]

To follow this logic, it should not based on a characters int, rather on their skill level. If it is realistic to say that you can learn nothing from doing the lower skill functions -- melting iron ore, for example -- then it is just as realistic to say you do not need a reference manual at hand in order to do so. I am not suggesting that as soon as you stop getting practice points for the job you do not need the book but certainly five or ten levels later. Also it could be that keeping the book in mind while it is not needed could add quality modifiers to your product.

I am just suggesting that if I have 40 metallurgy, blacksmith and sword-making I really should be able to make a knife handle from base ore without referring to a manual.
Of course once we have houses in which we can have bookcases this 'too many books for inventory problem' (which I do not think actually exists yet) will not be a problem.