Allow metal tool heads to be smelted

[Gazz]

Smelting (used) tools is a balancing consideration so I wouldn't go there.

The not-yet-attached metal tool heads, however, are basic inventory items. If I can cast it for 100 units, I should be allowed to smelt it for 100 units.

[Jeremy McArthur]

Eh?

[John Martinez]

On 3/23/2020 at 4:04 AM, Gazz said:

Smelting (used) tools is a balancing consideration so I wouldn't go there.

The not-yet-attached metal tool heads, however, are basic inventory items. If I can cast it for 100 units, I should be allowed to smelt it for 100 units.

If you get back an amount of metal equal to the remaining durability percentage, then from a game perspective its not particularly unbalanced to be able to break down old tools and recast them. Personally I feel like there should be some sort of repair mechanic in the game. The ideas that tools just "break" and nothing can be salvaged from them is a little strange considering how much detail into "realism" some of the other game systems go into.

[Sparkle Kitti]

5 hours ago, John Martinez said:

If you get back an amount of metal equal to the remaining durability percentage, then from a game perspective its not particularly unbalanced to be able to break down old tools and recast them

I don't think durability should be used to determine the amount you'd get back, It would really defeat the purpose of having this ability. 

I can see a system where the item has a lifetime durability that is reduced slightly with each recasting. That way you regain your tools' durability but you can only do it so many times before you'd need to cast a new head. 

Or it could be set up where to recast it you need to add more of the metal to make up for the amount lost to use. Like maybe to recast a copper tool, you need the old tool and an added nugget to get enough metal to cast it.

Another option would be for a repair function where the tool has slightly less durability each time it's repaired. Until at some point it's no longer repairable and then you can melt it down for a smaller amount of the raw material. In this situation I'd say use the anvil and forge for this rather than a new block.

[Yukihira_S]

Usually, IRL a tool brake down for 3 reasons: the handle breaks down, the head does or the binding between the part fails. This aspects may be simulated by using probabilities: every time you use a tool there is a chance to break it. In this case, when a tool breaks down you may obtain scrap metal (which can be resmelted) and a stick In case the head brakes down; a tool head in case the stick is broken and both the parts if the binding fails.

Obviously this implies to get rid of the classic "durability points" system. 

[Gazz]

Either way you put it you're dealing with a can of worms of varying player expectations.

That's why I made the suggestions specifically for tool heads. Simple, useful, and no arguments.

[Streetwind]

Yeah, I see no downsides to this suggestion either.

[Jameh]

Yes, the whole 'What to do with half-used tools' aside, being able to melt down tool heads that have not been made into tools is a no-brainer in my opinion. +1

[The_Lazy_Warlock]

This seems very doable, I'll likely add it into the next version of Lazytweaks.

Once I sit down and figure out the rest of my whetstone mod I'll also add in an extra feature that lets you disassemble a tool and re-smelt down the head (since whetstones can recover a tool's durability).