Stalcraft Needs Progression, Not More RNG: A Proposal for Artifacts and Upgrade Systems
Hi, Before discussing any of the ideas below, I want to make something very clear:
-This is not a post asking for free gear.
-This is not a post asking for easier progression.
-And this is definitely not a post asking for the game to remove grinding.
Stalcraft is an MMO. Progression is supposed to take time. Endgame equipment is supposed to be difficult to obtain. Rare artifacts are supposed to be valuable.
Most players understand and accept that. The problem many of us are experiencing is not the existence of a grind.
The problem is the feeling that, beyond a certain point, progression becomes increasingly disconnected from the amount of time and effort invested into the game.
That said, let's begin:
- A Hybrid Artifact Progression System That Rewards Both Luck and Time Investment
The goal is to solve what I believe is one of the biggest progression problems in Stalcraft: A player can spend dozens of hours farming and still feel like they made absolutely no progress.
The issue isn't that top-tier artifacts are difficult to obtain. The issue is that progression often feels completely tied to luck.
In my opinion, the ideal system should keep rare artifacts valuable while ensuring that every hour invested contributes toward a long-term goal.
- Core Design Philosophy
Progression should come from three different sources:
- Luck
Finding the artifact you need.
- Farming
Accumulating resources that gradually move you closer to your goal.
- Economy
Spending rubles and resources to prevent inflation and maintain market value.
Luck should accelerate progression.
It should never be the only progression path.
1.1 Artifact Acquisition
This part remains unchanged.
Players can still:
- Find artifacts.
- Buy artifacts.
- Trade artifacts.
- Earn artifacts through gameplay.
The excitement of finding a rare artifact should remain exactly as it is today.
Rare drops are one of the most satisfying moments in Stalcraft and should not disappear.
1.2 Resonance Fragments
Every artifact in the game can be dismantled.
Dismantling grants Resonance Fragments.
| Artifact Color | Fragments |
|---|---|
| White | 1 |
| Green | 3 |
| Blue | 9 |
| Purple | 27 |
| Red | 81 |
This immediately creates value for every artifact found in the world.
Even bad drops contribute to long-term progression.
No farming session becomes completely wasted.
1.3 Guaranteed Artifact Crafting
Fragments can be used to craft a specific artifact.
The required amount should be high enough to preserve market value.
Example:
| Target Tier | Required Fragments |
|---|---|
| White | 100 |
| Green | 300 |
| Blue | 1,000 |
| Purple | 5,000 |
The player chooses exactly which artifact to create.
This system does not remove RNG.
Instead, it acts as a safety net for players who are consistently unlucky.
Finding the artifact yourself is still much faster.
But farming eventually guarantees success.
1.4 Color Evolution
The current enhancement system is one of the largest sources of frustration because players invest huge amounts of resources and can still fail repeatedly.
My proposal:
Color upgrades should be guaranteed.
If the player has all required resources, the upgrade succeeds.
No RNG.
No downgrade.
No frustration.
White → Green
| Requirement | Amount |
|---|---|
| Artifact | 1 |
| Green Minerals | 50 |
| Anomalous Dust | 250 |
| Rubles | 100,000 |
Success Rate: 100%
Green → Blue
| Requirement | Amount |
|---|---|
| Artifact | 1 |
| Blue Minerals | 100 |
| Anomalous Dust | 500 |
| Rubles | 200,000 |
Success Rate: 100%
Blue → Purple
| Requirement | Amount |
|---|---|
| Artifact | 1 |
| Purple Minerals | 350 |
| Anomalous Dust | 1500 |
| Rubles | 750.000 |
Success Rate: 100%
Purple → Red
| Requirement | Amount |
|---|---|
| Artifact | 1 |
| Red Minerals | 1,000 |
| Anomalous Dust | 2000 |
| Rubles | 5,000,000 |
Success Rate: 100%
1.5 Artifact Quality
The true endgame should not be color. It should be optimization. Each artifact has a quality rating.
| Tier | Quality |
|---|---|
| Defective | 50-60% |
| Stable | 61-75% |
| Refined | 76-90% |
| Perfect | 91-100% |
When evolving color:
- Quality is preserved.
- Quality slightly improves.
Example:
Blue Helium 72%
↓
Purple Helium 74%
↓
Red Helium 76%
This prevents players from losing months of progress.
1.6 Legendary Artifacts
Legendary artifacts should remain extremely rare.
I do not believe they should become easier to obtain. However, I do believe they should become predictable.
Current problem: Players often feel that obtaining a legendary artifact depends almost entirely on luck or massive wealth.
Instead, legendary progression should be long but guaranteed.
Red → Legendary
| Requirement | Amount |
|---|---|
| Red Artifact | 1 |
| Gold Minerals | 1.500 |
| Anomalous Dust | 10.000 |
| Catalysts | 20 |
| Rubles | 20,000,000 |
Success Rate: 100%
Expected Benefits
- Every farming session contributes to progression.
- Reduced frustration from bad RNG.
- Increased value for all artifact drops.
- More consistent long-term goals.
- Better balance between casual and hardcore players.
- Stronger sense of achievement through gradual progression.
Potential Drawbacks
- Artifact market prices would likely decrease.
- Existing progression systems would require rebalancing.
- Veteran players may reach endgame faster than intended.
- Fragment values would need careful tuning to avoid flooding the economy.
- Reworking the Advanced Tools System Into a Progression-Based Upgrade System
I want to start by clarifying something: This is NOT a proposal to make +15 equipment easier to obtain. This is a proposal to make +15 equipment feel earned through gameplay rather than being almost entirely tied to exponential resource requirements.
One of the biggest progression issues in Stalcraft is that many players eventually reach a point where upgrading their equipment no longer feels rewarding. The further you go, the more resources are required, while the actual increase in power becomes smaller and smaller.
As a result, many players don't feel like they're progressing toward a goal. Instead, they feel like they're feeding resources into a system with no visible finish line.
2.1 The Core Problem
The current progression curve scales exponentially.
Every upgrade level requires significantly more resources than the previous one.
The result is a system where:
- The cost increases dramatically.
- The power gain increases marginally.
- Progress often feels disconnected from actual gameplay.
In my opinion, upgrading equipment should be tied to two factors:
- Investment of resources.
- Experience gained while actually using the equipment.
A weapon should become stronger because the player uses it.
Not simply because they accumulated enough currency.
2.2 The Mastery System
Every weapon and armor piece gains Mastery Points.
Mastery represents real experience with that equipment.
Points are earned by actively playing the game.
Example:
| Activity | Mastery Points |
|---|---|
| Common Mutant Kill | 1 |
| Common NPC Kill | 2 |
| Veteran NPC Kill | 3 |
| Wild North Enemy | 4 |
| ClanWars/ Battle Sessions | 5 |
The equipment itself accumulates progress over time. This means every farming session contributes toward future upgrades.
Even if no valuable loot drops. Even if no expensive resources are obtained.
Progress is always visible.
2.3 Maximum Mastery Requirement
Each item can accumulate up to:
15,000 Mastery Points
These points are used as upgrade milestones.
Example:
| Upgrade Level | Required Mastery |
|---|---|
| +11 | 2,000 |
| +12 | 4,500 |
| +13 | 8,000 |
| +14 | 11,500 |
| +15 | 15,000 |
This creates a progression path where players naturally improve the equipment they actually use.
2.4 Reworking Advanced Tools
Currently, lower-tier tools lose much of their value in late-game progression.
My proposal is to make every tool tier relevant.
Instead of relying almost exclusively on Advanced Tools, every tool contributes toward upgrades.
2.4.1 Technical Value System
Each tool provides Technical Points.
| Tool Tier | Technical Value |
|---|---|
| Green Tool | 1 Point |
| Blue Tool | 2 Points |
| Purple Tool | 4 Points |
| Advanced Tool | 8 Points |
To reach +15, players need a total amount of Technical Points. The player decides how to obtain them.
Example Upgrade Requirements
Option A
150 Advanced Tools
150 × 8 = 1,200 Technical Points
Option B
300 Purple Tools
300 × 4 = 1,200 Technical Points
Option C
600 Blue Tools
600 × 2 = 1,200 Technical Points
Option D
1,200 Green Tools
1,200 × 1 = 1,200 Technical Points
Mixed Example
100 Advanced Tools = 800 Points
50 Purple Tools = 200 Points
100 Blue Tools = 200 Points
Total = 1,200 Points
Alternative Fixed Requirement Version
If a point-based system is considered too complex, a simpler version could be implemented.
Maximum requirement to reach +15:
| Resource | Maximum Amount |
|---|---|
| Green Tools | 500 |
| Blue Tools | 350 |
| Purple Tools | 250 |
| Advanced Tools | 150 |
This still keeps every tool tier relevant while preventing extreme resource inflation.
2.5 Benefits
a. Every Hour Played Matters
Players progress through gameplay, not only through economic accumulation.
b. Lower Tier Content Stays Relevant
Green, blue and purple tools maintain value throughout the game's lifespan.
c. Reduced Frustration
No more feeling that hundreds of resources disappeared with no visible progress.
d. Better Sense of Progression
The weapon improves because the player actually uses it.
e. More Diverse Farming Routes
Players can choose which content they want to farm based on the type of tools they need.
If you've made it this far, thanks for reading. I hope we can share our thoughts in the comments! 😄