Balance Tweak - Repair Toolkits v1.1 addon - DoctorX Call of The Zone mod for S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat

Rebalances repair efficiency through both the drag & drop method and the repair UI, makes both repair toolkits single-use and reduces their weight and value accordingly.

Assuming vanilla or AO3 trading and mission requirements, broken items:

• cannot be sold below 70%
• will not be accepted for missions below 50%
• will not be accepted for Nimble's missions below 80%

Repair kits are relatively cheap and common, particularly in my package; selling repaired items is very profitable if you pick the right items to repair and the right method for the job. Not everything is worth repairing, but the things that are, are definitely worth repairing.

Differences between the two repair methods in this addon:

DRAG AND DROP

Requirements:

• toolkit
• one broken item (condition requirement: between 25% and 75% condition)

Result:

• 10% condition repair (condition repair limit: up to 75%)
• additional 10% from Mechanized Warfare achievement
  

REPAIR UI (double-click or right-click Use on the icon in your inventory)

Requirements:

• toolkit
• one broken item
  
• another item to use as spare parts
  • identical item
  • parent item (an AK-74M can be repaired using its parent, an AK-74)
  • scope or sight (a TRG-22 with a TARS scope can be repaired using another TARS scope)

Result:

• 15% condition repair

Mahzra's Traditional TOO MANY WORDS / "development log" section

The repair UI does not benefit from the Mechanized Warfare achievement, but it also does not care about my carefully thought-out balancing limitations on the drag & drop method. And you know what, that's totally cool! You can use spare parts from another item to bring an item back from the almost dead, and you can use spare parts to put the finishing touches on a repair, getting it over that 80% requirement Nimble has, or even repair it up to 100%.

It even works with my in-game lore reasoning about your guy being an idiot with tools. With just the repair kit, he can't do much until a mechanic teaches him about repair as a reward for getting all three mechanic toolkits, and even then it has limitations. But give him another item to take parts from, and there you go.

Item repair is a fun, rewarding process that is very profitable indeed, particularly if you're using AO3, which has ridiculously expensive weapons.

Also, you get more money for completely kitted out weapons than for the individual parts, like weapon + scope + silencer + grenade launcher. It's not a huge increase all in all, but you may want to hold off selling looted weapons immediately. It pays to wait until you've restored, accessorized and decorated them.

There's a technical reason why this is the case that I'm not going to bore you with. Just keep in mind that a scoped weapon's base value is higher than its individual weapon and scope base values. This is true, and in your advantage, when you sell your weapons. The higher base value means you get more money for it. It is also true, and in your disadvantage, when you have your weapons repaired by a mechanic. Its higher base value then means the mechanic will you charge you more to repair it.

Slap shit on when you sell it

Rip shit off when you have it repaired

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UPDATE V1.1 - There's a Repair UI?

I patched the repair UI that apparently exists and was broken.

Drag and drop just does 10%, with the Mechanized Warfare achievement it does 20%.

Double-clicking (or right-click Use) also works, but does not benefit from the achievement bonus (and I have no idea how to make it benefit from it) ... but you can use spare parts from similar weapons or armor to gain an additional 5% of condition.

So you can get a little more condition out of repairs early on, but you have to give up potential candidates for later repair that is more efficient.

--

V1.0

It bothered me that it was so easy to repair guns up to 100% for very little investment and make a buttload of money. Also, buttload is totally a word, red squiggly line. Up yours.

Back to the addon. In my view, my characters are random assholes coming to the Zone for profit, mostly. Most of them barely know which way to point their gun. And they can fix a totally ruined piece of relatively delicate mechanical equipment? To perfection? In the field? Without instruction?

Pfffrt. Suuuuuure.

I don't know about you guys, but personally, if something in the house breaks that's more technically involved to repair than a loose toilet seat, I call a Guy. Until said Guy arrives, the duct tape will have to hold. I have a ThereIFixedIt kind of approach to DIY.

Repair kits now have one charge. Your guy breaks all the tools when he uses them.

Repair kits now only work on items that are at 25% or more durability. Your guy can not repair an item that is FUBAR, if you'll pardon my french. You'll need to pay a technician a fortune to get that restored.

Repair kits now only repair items up to 75% durability. Your guy can maintain items. He cannot fine-tune or tune-up or whatever. You'll need to pay a technician (quite possibly a fortune) to get the most out of your weapons and armor.

There are a few factors to keep in mind, though. First of all, repair kits are quite common in CotZ. You find them in unmarked stashes all the time, at least the gunsmith kits. The Loner starts off with one right from the get-go.

Secondly, the Mechanized Warrior achievement already doubles the repair kits' efficiency. If I knew how, I'd also make it expand the repair kits' use conditions to 15%-85%, but sadly, I don't.

Thirdly, CotZ has muggings, which are great. I love to hate getting mugged. The best thing to do to counter the mugging mechanic is leave stashes with basic gear behind you like bread crumbs, so you can get back on your feet quickly and hopefully get your gear back. To be successful in CotZ, it's wise to always have a backup strategy. Put at least one emergency stash in every level.

You know what you can't stash? Money. You know what you don't get back after tracking down your stolen gear? Money. The bastards spent it all on drugs, booze and women in the 10 minutes it took to track them down.

So another thing this addon does is make you spend money. Expensive gear stays expensive. Gotta think about your investments.

Wow, went on a bit of a ramble, there. Hope you enjoy the tweak.