Just a warning but if quality range goes from 80-87 to 40-80 it is likely to make random items in general less useful rather than better in most cases. To start with the average quality would go from 83.5 to 60 meaning around a 30% decrease in performance.

This is true in the context of the Main server. The problem is that many artifacts over the years have been implemented in a way that can't (practically) be retroactively nerfed or buffed in the same way as random loot. So to have Main be sustainable without a wipe we would need to effectively buff the entire game to the point where old items aren't useful, and their new replacements take their place.

This change is effectively a nerf (though mobs will be adjusted to compensate). So if we don't do something to combat old-style items being WAY more powerful, new items will be useless. I've seen this implemented in other games as a "main server" and a "legacy server", though our current Main server would be the legacy. Every X months, the "main server" is wiped (or transferred to legacy). That's the ultimate goal here, though a wipe of Main will likely be necessary anyway. That's why this Q/C change almost requires a separate server to be useful.

I'll also note that item degradation would be twice as fast (along with permanent damage thresholds) for a 40 quality item than an 80 quality item so it full con it would have 50% performance and when taking 20 con damage it would only have 33% of the performance of an equally damaged 80 quality item.

I also agree here. I've been thinking that a better option would be to go with a fixed damage threshold (30 damage) rather than a percentage (IIRC it's 20% right now).

As far as the MUDflation viewpoint goes I'd actually disagree with the cause. The true problem is that once players find all the best gear there is nothing for them to do other than acquire spare sets. If for example players could use resources to improve their gear then they would concentrate their resources into one set of equipment. Normally in RPGs people go up in level and then replace their gear with higher level gear. At the point where it's no longer possible to upgrade gear is when players start getting multiples of same gear instead.

Yes, the ability to enhance items would be nice. The buff system was added a few years ago (which is mainly intended for quest reward-style buffs) but it's very underutilized. I'd like to add more content soon but I also need to finish the RDG and Unity client. Other systems like crafting would also be ideal but can also diminish the importance of finding good loot.

BUT I disagree with the point as a whole. The big issue at hand is stagnation - we (I) can't create content fast enough for the players to always have something new to work for. Procedural dungeons give a bit of a boost to this (once implemented properly) but still requires a lot of investment (even after the code is done) to make enough diversity and reward to keep players engaged.

There's also the fact that progress is still finite. Unless we implement infinitely-scaling gameplay (remove all level caps) you would still hit a wall once you have an item that you've improved either (a) to its maximum, or (b) to the point of diminishing returns like 1-shotting every mob. What's left to do after that wall? Same thing you do now that you've hit a wall at level 110.

I've had this thread open in a browser tab for a few weeks now, and in the interest of having fewer tabs open I just want to say I like your formula a lot, Shroud. I plan to implement it soon.

I can try my archwizard on this, i am building a fast brute logic to overwrite all item_condition* with item_condition 100. But we have also some definitions with item_condition 0 there, for example organics. You want all conditions to 100?

And i think later it would be better to use item_condition null or 0 for default? Also generating items in monster objects, it could be interesting to go into code and make it random there? On shops we need really 100.