Unclear Rationales

[Prolix]

There are a few things I do not really understand about why some things are the way they are. I do not really have a problem with how they are but they seem counter intuitive.

Why is it harder to make a stock than an ingot? I can see that it might be more difficult to get a particular quality from a larger mold but all you are doing is pouring molten ore into a vessel.

Why is it harder to use a master crafted tool? it would seem that it would have better balance and generally do a better job on easy tasks and allow more difficult tasks to be undertaken.

Mostly I just put these questions down to implementation details but I do wonder sometimes about the logic.

I also wonder why kran are allowed to eat money that only comes from one level of the realm. I suppose it is not really like currency systems today.

Certainly not a big deal, but I would like to hear some thoughts.

[Xanthan]

There are some interesting oddities that need to be rationalized.  I've wondered about us carrying around molten metal, and why it doesn't harm us, nor cool down.

[Candy]

Yes, and I've wondered why food doesn't rot, but that's not so much a complaint as it is just pointing out a fact

[Dajoji]

Hmmm... I see this thread is aimed at being constructive but it still remotely reminds me of someone... 

[Candy]

 , I know, but, that...made my day. XD

The nitpickiness is for a good cause! ^^;

[Prolix]

Hey I'm not that fat and I don't do comic books.

Sometimes it is like this here.

[Dajoji]

I said "remotely"

[Socius Rockus]

Why is it harder to use a master crafted tool? it would seem that it would have better balance and generally do a better job on easy tasks and allow more difficult tasks to be undertaken.

I think it's the same with giving a big nub a or a   

Sure a PC does more, but you gotta know how it works

[Draklar]

I think it's the same with giving a big nub a <GB> or a   <PC>

Sure a PC does more, but you gotta know how it works ;)

He's comparing items of different production qualities, not different functions.

[Socius Rockus]

  I know, I thought I PC games are way better then GB games. (as in graphics, size ect.)
A master crafted tool is different then a general tool. Perhaps a Master crafted rock pick has another weight distribution that makes it 'in the right hands' more useful. You have to learn to use it.

(PC games often feature more then 8 buttons, hence the comparison. It does a better job, though have have to have 'more skillz')

[Draklar]

Perhaps a Master crafted rock pick has another weight distribution that makes it 'in the right hands' more useful. You have to learn to use it.

It's the other way around. Better quality tools have a better weight distribution, making them easier to use. If you think of heavy rock picks with devastating power, but only usable by impressively muscled dudes - that's what we call poor quality item in the real world.

And PC isn't a gaming console. Plus, it's as easy as GB in use - you just push the "power" button. All the rest belongs to the operating systems, which obviously vary in their complexity. If you compare PC with actual modern gaming consoles, some of these can, in fact, be harder in use than Windows.

Anyway, you really need to learn to differ between "different quality" and "downright different".

[Socius Rockus]

>.> I didn't say anything about huge colossal rock picks  I thought I was clear for once!

Master crafted and normal can both weigh +- the same, and still be different in handling.
If a normal pick would have it's center of gravity in th middle, and the Master crafted one is way up front I bet it's a different swing.
(though I wouldn't know if that for the better of the worse)
And who knows, maybe it's magical enchanted, like a 'fire' short sword

<.< Sorry for making my comparison too hard to understand, I give poo about details in them
 

[Velh Krome]

As long as this discussion is still about Planeshift and not yet totally off yet, some note to add:

Firstly, I agree, "master crafted items" in the given definition could be easier to handle - but since that phrase is pretty rough there obviously are other definitions as well, and its nothing said about which would fit the mentioned rock pick ingame. I dare to shoot Windows and Linux as examples - In fact I consider Linux more evolved and advanced than Windows, take it as an equivalent to "master crafted" if you want. More powerful and versatile, but harder to control or handle.
Back to Planeshift, I just like to look at the Mastercrafteds, when used with a certain and special technique, to be more efficient, while common picks just have an average efficiency, no matter how you swing that thing. Making Mastercrafted requiring less skill than common ones would of course be plain stupid, because it would mean the common ones would have to be added a requirement at all - so telling a newbie to take that hell of a quest to get his first rock pick he would be able to use would be nonsense.
Mastercrafted Rock Picks should have some skill bonus, like Mining +10, the same time require certain skills, I could think of a combination of Agility and Strength (or a mix of physical and mental stats), for keeping it straight and easy.
Sidenote: Are those Mastercrafted Hammers useful for smithing meanwhile, or still bugged? Same would apply here of course.

As for the ingots and stocks, actually a good question - I could only think of it may be more difficult to have the product as pure, perhaps also about keeping right temperatures or some such, just more experience. I wouldnt mind hearing officials comment on that.

Money is another nice point - given in the setting is that richest merchants introduced their own currency, platinum coins, worth of 1k or so - now, I would recommend to either correct that, deleting it from any description that is, or make platinum rare as its meant to be (at least according to the mentioned texts - cant get arsed to link to it though). As it is at the moment it conflicts (or just 4 of 5 people belong to the richest people).

Thanks for taking the time to read this, now you can go back nitpicking about Game Boys and PCs, quality per se, neater looks, nicer sounds or whatever.. =P

[Draklar]

If a normal pick would have it's center of gravity in th middle, and the Master crafted one is way up front I bet it's a different swing.
(though I wouldn't know if that for the better of the worse)

If something has its weight distribution worse than that of an average quality tool, you can be certain it's not a master that made this item.
If a tool has a proper weight distribution, you need less strength to use it. You also don't need as much skill to hit a point that you've chosen to hit.

Poor quality items are heavier (even if they have the same weight) to swing and much less accurate.

I dare to shoot Windows and Linux as examples

How is this comparable? These are completely different, not similar systems. To start with, Windows was designed to be user-friendly, while Linux was supposed to give an advanced user a bigger control over their system. If you want a good example, imagine two versions of Windows:
One utterly cluttered with bugs (sure, laugh) and one that is completely secure and bug-free. This will represent poor and good quality products. Which do you think will be easier in use?

[Socius Rockus]

Master crafted; Crafted by a master
Maybe it's just a lousy snob thing for miners, like an Hummer for urban life.
Maybe it's not tweaked yet
Maybe it's crafted by a master for a master and requires more knowledge on how to use
Maybe it's magic
Maybe we don´t know what Master crafted means
Maybe Master crafted means NFN (Not For Nubs)
Maybe Master crafted is an easter egg referring to MC Hammer
  I think that sums up all our deductions of Master Crafted stuff so far