The shop should only sell base level weapons, which unlocks each new type as you progress through the levels.
Once you buy the weapon you want, you take it to the blacksmith, where you can upgrade its tier for more damage and better stats, and place attachments and perks to shape it for your playstyle. You can also alter its appearance here (weapon skins).
Upgrading your weapons costs a little bit of plasteel, diamantine and a bunch of dockets, each of which increases in cost depending on the tier upgrade and the perks and attachments you want.
If Fatshark wants to make it more interesting, they could add some additional materials that could be gathered in the game world, but don’t make it too grindy. The highest resource cost should always be dockets.
This way, we could circumvent the dumb RNG shop entirely and players would be able to make exactly the weapon they want.
Well, this is how Vermintide worked more or less. The RNG loot boxes were just crafting materials (except for the occasional red item).
Since the game is not even finished yet, and should not have been shipped, it’s impossible to tell how the shop and the crafting work together. I can understand them wanting to move away from the base formula, but there is no excuse for letting this game ship before crafting was finished and the game is hurting for it.
Imagine if that’s how it had been set up at launch. You would have something to work towards once you hit max level. Gearing up to progress to the harder difficulties.
Indeed.
It would give players something to work towards from the start.
Eventually FS could add unique branches on their upgrade tree for some added variety and special weapons too, with some unique materials required for them in order to incentivise more playing.
I see your sarcasm, but honestly?
FS could still earn money on this. If it’s a system that works, it would help their review score and lead more people to buy and play it.