To: Dark Amaranth
Apologize for the storm interruption when I was planning to make a more complete reply.
Although to a lofty expert I may seem to be utterly ignorant, I do have a long enough history of RPG gaming to have learned the fundamentals. I even imagined (before encountering Inquisition) that I had a great deal more than the fundamentals. Hubris, no doubt. However, if you had read my original post, you might have seen my assertion that I have studied Wikis, Wikias, walkthroughs and videos. That should have hinted that I have spent lots of time on every single reference you recommend. The fact that I did not glean the information from them that may be hidden in them is my fault. I also know exactly how the creation and upgrading of equipment is done. The one thing that I have not and do not understand is that none of the "found" equipment my characters use, and ALL of which have better armor rating or weapon DPS than ANY of the schematics in the creation bench, ever appear in the upgrade machine. Possibly I have missed the point that what is found cannot be improved, and only things I have created are available for modification. Since anything I could create (I have scores and scores of schematics) would have a lower armor rating or weapon DPS than what I am already equipped with, it has not seemed reasonable to me to create a "worse" item than I already have. An outstanding example of frustration is this example: There is a Youtube video which purports to show how to crate the "best staff in the game." It required starting with Iron Bull's companion quest (successful) followed by several other war-table missions. After completing those there was the "payoff" mission that would deliver the needed schematic. Unfortunately, after all the time wasted, I opened the war table and discovered that the "payoff" mission does not exist. Hours wasted for nothing. This is the sort of thing that makes me wonder why I am wasting my time on a game whose design appears to be the frustration and infuriation of the player with a huge dose of boredom thrown in for good measure. And I actually paid money to get this program! Foolish, for sure.
I am sure that you can see that everything in your post is something I know, have seen or have done. Which is why my dilemma is not advanced by your undoubtedly well-meant post. Accepted solution? By whom and by what psychotic criterion?
My lack of experience with forums means that this series of conversations has been an eye-opener and puzzler. I had no idea that instead of helping out a fellow gamer for the satisfaction of sharing experiences, the forum is a dog-eat-dog competition for glory and rank and bragging rights, all run by some shadowy clique who decide what is an accepted answer and award points. Personally, people like that I would not ask for advice about dishwashing detergent. To be fair, there does seem to be the occasional unselfish poster who seems to want to help and not for ulterior motives. I wonder if this is the sort of attitude that drives people who participate in "social media." I can't say since I have never even looked at one. And I am definitely getting the message that like Dorothy observed , the forums "are not Kansas any more." I should probably "call the whole thing off."
Thank you for taking the time and effort.
Tschüss,
A.
