Syndal wrote:
This idea sounds okay..but it seems a bit pointless, and what about the EQ that has colors in like it's short desc or whatever it's called, like "<worn on body> a plate of spiked black armor"(just making that up).
At least two ways to go about this.
1) Disallow any eq that already has a color code in the name, room-name or description. Only "fresh" equipment could be colored. The color added after the "a", "an" or "some" that usually accompanies such items ("a wooden sword", "an ivory bracelet", "some iron chainmail".
2) Parse the eq's name, room name and description for color codes and names of colors, and remove them. Place the new color code and color name in their place.
The first is a LOT easier. If such items do not exist in ready abundance special shops could be placed in towns, or wandering merchants added, with them in their lists.
As to expense, why not make it that the "expense" part of making the coloring (if done by players and not an auto-coloring NPC)? Lead-based could cause temporary to permanent loss of intelligence or wisdom if a failure was reached during its creation. Beetle-based could be obtained only by killing specific deadly beetles. Plant based could use otherwise poisonous plants, with that as a risk. If done by an NPC script it could just be a simple charge, as with repair or resize.
There is certainly no greater value
mechanically to personalized colorings on equipment, only a role-play value to the player. Increased player interaction (seeking someone to color equipment or gathering needed resources with others) could also be an added bonus.
Anyway, I only responded to Thuban's question because the study of ancient (and not so ancient) crafts has always been a hobby. I am in no way advocating for or against adding the ability to color items, just stating my opinions.