Previewing crafts

[manipura]

I wish there was a way to see the mdesc of something, before you crafted it.  Something like a preview command.
So when you're crafting something you haven't made before, or you just haven't made it enough times that you know the details, you can emote more appropriately.

I always find it frustrating to be crafting a new thing (or just something that I don't know all the little details of) and emoting vaguely, only to find that what I made isn't what I thought I was making.

It would also be helpful for those times when someone wants you to make something and they ask all the usual questions (What does it look like?  Are there pockets?  Does it have a hood?  Buttons?  Is it decorated? etc) but you aren't really able to answer them.

Something like:

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craft bone length.sandcloth
You could make...
1) a sandcloth duster
2) a sandcloth satchel

preview bone length.sandcloth into duster

You think you could make...
This black sandcloth cloak is simply designed and looks practical for wear in the sands.
A couple of pockets provide a place to stash small items and a deep hood adds to the
garments practicality.  Down the front of the duster are a few clasps, carved from bone.

[WanderingOoze]

This would be awesome. I've had a few awkward moments where I was crafting, and then Look at the thing
after it's made like "oh, huh....it's a hat? Prooobably shouldn't of emoted out crafting those hinges in such fine detail."

[Reiloth]

This would be awesome. I've had a few awkward moments where I was crafting, and then Look at the thing
after it's made like "oh, huh....it's a hat? Prooobably shouldn't of emoted out crafting those hinges in such fine detail."

You can make that into a chesty hat.

[a french mans shirt]

Yeah, making a dress that you don't actually like with the only cloth that you have doesn't make a lot of sense.

There's a number of crafts whose sdesc do NOT indicate the major details of the craft--- a Kadian hair jewelry comes to mind.

a black and white beaded bracelet

This bracelet has one row of cylindrical black beads, and then one row of round white beads, for a two-row bracelet. Blue dye has been faintly rubbed into curling etchings on the white beads. A thumb-sized curving hook hangs from the bracelet, its etched curls and waves rubbed in the same dye. The point of the hook is intentionally blunt, and would get in the way of manual labor.

Kadian crafts are often like this. Salaari weapons, etc. This has been changed, but there was a set of swords a weaponsmaker could create that counted as piercing rather than slashing weapons, which can kill an uninformed person.

EDIT: That's not a real craft, by the way. Don't mod me.

[ChibiTama]

I like this idea quite a bit. It will help people not waste materials on something they didn't actually want.

[Delirium]

There's nothing wrong with emoting something general and then continuing to emote after the craft is finished.

That's when you can indicate adding all the fancy stuff in the description.

Also good for making "batches" of items, you can just emote setting out piles of prepped stuff for later assembly.

[manipura]

There's nothing wrong with emoting something general and then continuing to emote after the craft is finished.

That's when you can indicate adding all the fancy stuff in the description.

Also good for making "batches" of items, you can just emote setting out piles of prepped stuff for later assembly.

Yeah I know, the emoting isn't really the main issue.

My frustration is more with not knowing what you're making until you make it.  Or like a couple other people said, wasting materials to make something you wouldn't actually have made, if you had known what it was going to look like.
For example, when someone is talking about clothing...  You mention that you can make clothing and there's a variety of things that you could make with linen.
Then the person starts asking, as most people would, about what sort of linen shirt they could get, or what sort of linen dress.
And you can't really tell them the details of the clothing you can make, because you haven't successfully made it before, or it's something you haven't made in a long time and you aren't sure of all the specific details.
It's odd to have a conversation with someone about the various things you can make for them, and then be unable to tell them whether something has buttons or sleeves or pockets or a hood etc.

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The well-off customer says, in sirihish:
"I'm looking for a dress, can you make dresses?  Nothing too fancy.  Something linen maybe?"

The eager-to-please crafter says, in sirihish:
"I can get something made from linen, mmhmm.  Is there a colour you like?"

The well-off customer says, after thinking a moment or two:
"Oh I think something relatively plain is best.  And a colour that doesn't draw attention, black?"

The eager-to-please crafter says, nodding a few times:
"A black dress, linen...I think I can come up with something."

The well-off customer asks, curiously:
"It won't be too fancy, right?  Nothing too ruffly or decorative?"

The eager-to-please crafter says, looking uncertain:
"Uh...well 'fancy' is awfully subjective, don't you think?"

The well-off customer says, with a firm nod:
"I'd really like a dress, so long as it's rather plain and it's a design that doesn't stand out.  Something utilitarian and practical, I don't need people thinking I'm trying to dress better than I am!"

The eager-to-please crafter says, with a bit of uncertainty:
"I can make you a black linen dress and...you can look at it when it's done and see whether it's practical enough for your tastes...?


And then I go make a black linen dress. 
Which happens to have ruffled sleeves and a slit up the side, an embroidered design around the hem and delicately carved buttons adorning it, just because.

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The well-off customer says, peering in disbelief at a black linen dress and the ruffles and embroidery:
"But, but...I wanted something plain!  Something that was practical and didn't draw attention!"

The eager-to-please crafter says, sheepishly:
"I know...but I guess I just added all these adornments that I never mentioned because...I forgot?"

Being able to preview what something looks like would help you decide whether the item is something your character would actually make, or whether it fits what your customer is looking for.
Being able to better emote the details during crafting is just a bonus.

[Armaddict]

I think this is another instance of a utility command for the player that I really can't imagine there being a reason why not aside from coder time (if there is a reason why not, I'd still hear it to agree or disagree, I just can't think of one).  So if a coder wants to do it, I'm all for it.

Bonus being they recently added the list thing for crafting, so maybe someone is already working in the area where this can be slipped in.