This might have very well been covered already somewhere in the 90+ pages, but I've gotta ask: How hard would it be to make procedurally generated items?
It would be very cool if item makers at the farm could craft unique items (saved directly in the save game, not pulling from the item files) that randomly chose from a number of positive stats/traits (based upon the creator's skills) and negative stats/traits (based upon the creator's lack thereof). Give each trait and stat a value (negative value for negative effects), maybe add a base for item type (which would be randomized), and keep the item if it ends up positive overall.
Then it checks the value of the item, and if it's positive, the item is produced.
So a failure from a 20-skill craftsman would look like this:
Shitty item rolls "Underwear" type (Requires Item skill >= 15, +5g)
Shitty item rolls sub-type of "Granny Panties" (requires Item skill <= 20, -5g)
Shitty item rolls 1 positive stat (on a skill-based range of 1-2)
Shitty item rolls 0 positive traits (on a skill-based range of 0-1)
Shitty item rolls 2 negative stats (on a skill-based range of 1-4)
Shitty item rolls 1 negative trait (on a skill-based range of 1-2)
Positive stat roll: +8 Charisma (on a skill-based range of 1-10) (+120g)
Negative stat roll: -2 Love (on a skill-based range of -1 to -10) (-20g)
Negative stat roll: -5 Agi (on a skill-based range of -1 to -10) (-50g)
Negative trait roll: Adds "Retarded" (requires Item skill <=25, can't have "Quick Learner") (-150g)
Shitty item stats/description: +8 Cha, -2 Love, -5 Agi, adds "Retarded". Value: -110g.
Value is negative, so our "Granny Panties of the Derpy Playa" is discarded.
A success, on the other hand, would look like this:
Good item rolls "Helmet" type (Requires Item skill >= 35, +30g)
Good item rolls sub-type of "Kettle Helm" (requires Item skill >= 45, +0g)
Good item rolls 3 positive stats (on a skill-based range of 2-4)
Good item rolls 2 positive traits (on a skill-based range of 1-3)
Good item rolls 1 negative stats (on a skill-based range of 0-2)
Good item rolls 1 negative trait (on a skill-based range of 0-1)
Positive stat roll: +4 Obedience (on a skill-based range of 4-12) (+60g)
Positive stat roll: +9 Magic (on a skill-based range of 4-12) (+135g)
Positive stat roll: +12 Happiness (on a skill-based range of 4-12) (+180g)
Positive trait roll: Adds "Half-Construct" (requires Item skill >=50, Intelligence >=60) (+350g)
Positive trait roll: Adds "Broken Will" (requires Magic skill >=40, requires "Psychic") (+150g)
Negative stat roll: -2 Obedience (on a skill-based range of -1 to -5) (-20g)
Negative trait roll: Removes "Elegant" (requires Refinement skill < 20) (-50g)
Good item stats/description: +2 Obedience, +9 Magic, +12 Happiness. Adds "Half-Construct", "Broken Will". Removes "Elegant". Value: 835g
Value is positive, so item is named (procedurally, based upon largest positive/negative valued stat and trait, in this case "Kettle Helm of the Gleeful Android" or "Android Kettle Helm of Glee" (happiness being the highest stat, 'half-construct' being the highest trait.)
It could also randomly pull adjectives/nouns from a third, plugging it into 'Adjective Item of the Adjective Noun' or 'Adjective Noun's Item of Noun' (so, 'Broken Will' being the third most valuable (let's say its 'noun' and 'adjective' values are "Victim's" and "Broken", respectively) would make it "Victim's Kettle Helm of the Gleeful Android" or "Robotic Kettle Helm of Broken Glee", or some such thing.)
Randomizing the name wouldn't be necessary, 'acourse, but it could add a little bit of fun and variety in the items you make. (Imagine your surprise when your slave runs up to you all proud and excited one day, telling you "Master, Master, I made an item!" and handing you a +int +retarded "Glove of the Ingenious Idiot")
If you wanted to get nuts with it, you could add 'dominant traits' to the description as well ('It is inlaid with fiery gemstones' for Attack+, 'Just being near it makes you feel stupid' for Int-, etc)... as well as 'enhancement adjectives' (Minor/Lesser/[normal]/Greater/Legendary) depending upon the stat values... or get really unnecessarily-complicated and build the 'enhancement power' into the random names (so Happiness+ nouns would be "Contentedness/Happiness/Glee/Unrestrained Jubilation", depending on the stat value)
You could also make it even more complicated by giving the sub-types of items stats or limitations (such as 'granny panties have a max of 1 of each type of stat (posstat/negstat/postrait/negtrait), giving them inherent stats (such as 'granny panties have a base of -2 cha'), or limiting which stat types and traits go on which items (such as 'metal helmets don't get +magic, cloth helmets don't get +combat' or '"Adds One Eye' only applies to Hat and Helmet items').
This is all fun ideas that are getting way ahead of myself. I think a basic item system (random generated, basic randomly-generated names) would work best.
Oh, with regards to Item type/sub-type, in case it isn't apparent from the examples, the idea would be to have a minimum skill to make each type, and then a range of sub-types chosen with various names and price effects (with shitty subtypes being grown out of, and good subtypes grown into)... so when your girl hits a high level, they'll start making fancier underwear and dress types, instead of still making the same generic clothing that they started with.
I would be more than happy to volunteer my time to do some of the legwork, if the idea seems sound to the powers-that-be: I made this account specifically to help out with this. I've been following and enjoying this game for a while now, and would love the opportunity to contribute some mothafuckin' spreadsheets. (Trust me; I live for this shit.)
