Revision 1

Overview

Crafting in Rooted is a core gameplay system built around the recovery and repurposing of objects from the pre-war world. The workbench serves as the primary crafting station, and the Survivor Guide acts as a repository for all learned blueprints. The system is tightly integrated with salvaging, where broken items are dismantled for parts that then feed into new constructions.

Crafting categories

Items in Rooted's crafting system fall into three main categories:

Progression

Crafting progression in Rooted follows the natural flow of exploration. Early in the game, players discover villages and gain access to basic objects and simple blueprints. As they push further into more dangerous territory, they encounter more complex items and advanced materials. This progression is not governed by an experience point system or skill trees; it is driven by what the player finds and where they explore.

The progression from simple to complex items mirrors the game's zone difficulty. Forest areas yield basic materials for entry-level crafting. Village exploration provides access to more varied components. Downtown and urban areas, despite their contamination hazards, contain the advanced materials needed for the most sophisticated crafted items.

The Survivor Guide

The Survivor Guide is the player's crafting knowledge base. When a new blueprint is discovered through exploration, salvaging, or experimentation, it is stored in the Survivor Guide for future reference. This means that crafting knowledge accumulates over time; once a player learns how to build something, that knowledge is permanently available.

The Survivor Guide also serves as a planning tool. Players can review available blueprints before setting out on an expedition, identifying what materials they need and where those materials are likely to be found. This connects crafting to the exploration loop: the Guide tells you what you need, and the world tells you where to find it.

Item condition and salvage yields

Item condition is a significant factor in the crafting ecosystem. When salvaging broken items, the condition of the source object affects how many and what quality of materials are recovered. A well-preserved item yields more useful components than one that has been severely degraded by time and exposure. This adds a layer of assessment to the salvaging process: not every broken item is equally valuable.

Crafting and base building

The crafting system is closely linked to base building. Many structures and furnishings for player camps are built through the crafting system, including storage chests, workbenches, and defensive installations. Similarly, electricity and automation systems require crafted components. The workbench itself needs to be placed within a camp or shelter, creating a circular relationship where the base supports crafting and crafting supports the base.