Soo, i thinked about it, and i want to share my knowledge how to make RNG actually good
Gem Analogy
Gem analogy:
Gem have 5% chances of dropping from rock
Cons:
Takes time to get one
Rock can simply just not drop our gem
This might be annoying way to obtain gem
Pros:
It’s very easy to mine in caves without enemies
You don’t risk anything
Gem also can be obtained via boss fight
Cons:
You need to be prepared
Boss is very hard
Boss can destroy your items
Pros:
It’s quicker
You have 100% chance of getting gems
Good RNG mechanics
Soo, Gem Analogy is great to explain how mechanics should work, see if you plan to add something RNG based, make another alternative way which have differents Pros and Cons but allows players to choose their gameplay style, some may prefer easy but harsh way, when some hard but quick one. I believe i helped you understand how to make your game a little bit better, have a nice day, godbye!
Yes, i agree with you 100%, i wrote this because i was iritated by minecraft fishing was the only way to obtain enchants when obtaining one specific is 1 in 500!!!
Idk if I invented this term, but i made those:
Weak RNG - when RNG can improve or spice up the mechanic but mechanic itself doesn’t depend on it
Bonus item drop (7-12 gold like you said)
Random attacks
Random propertiess of tools
Random events
Random effects
Strong RNG - when RNG is base of the mechanic, usually it makes it annoying and grindy
Random item drop (gem have 1%, rock have 99%)
Loot boxes
Strong RNG can be good as an alternative way to make something, rather than best way of doing something
Pets are great examples of Strong RNG which is made in wrong way, they have sometimes absurd chances of 1 in 1800000000, almost impossible to get even if we will place 100 people and ask them to open eggs for few hours, i’m sure only few pets would drop
Althought Strong RNG is bad, you can make Strong RNG interesting, for example let’s say there is Potion of Luck, and you can obtain it only from Potion Master Boss, potion of luck is nice to speed up some aspects of the game, but it’s not required, it’s: “A nice suprise” rather than “I MUST NEED THAT”