Revolution! I was thinking about this very very very long time, but only today I got this.
And there:
What you doing when mining/crafting?
(sorry for quote)
When i craft(more than half of the time when i am connected) it is simple :
Using hammer on minerals, watching craps on youtube for 5 minutes, then use hammer again, watching crap on youtube, etc.. So as you can see it is not really playing... it's loosen time. But i love this game so keep mining
This is how is crafting right now, it could be really better, but i can't imagine staying in front the game without go out of it for the amazing cooldown.
There's is:
You're a crafter/fighter. You have 110% small guns, 90% repair, 70% science.
You thinking: "Damn it! Again mining this damned minerals and ore for gun, which I'll waste in PvP or unlucky encounter with gang of maniacs in metal armor, damned alloys, time wasting! I lose my Real Life time (which is most important, 'cause we're not immortal) for... mining ore and minerals??? WTF? I want to play Fallout, not "Minecraft"!"
So...
1) You opening Fixboy.
2) You pressing on 5mm AP ammo.
3) It says: It'll take you to wait
(you can do whatever you want this time, kill critters, even die or suicide with bombs in NCR *I'll try to explain with my poor english below) X minutes and get Y exp
(which will be consumed, so you'll not get any XP till limit), but you have damned low outdoorsman
(for current mining type, it's a chance to meet someone, so it makes mining a bit slower), so you'll need to wait more Z minutes! And then, when X+Z minutes expired
AND you earned Y exp, you need to come to any workbrench and you can get this damned ammo in your inventory and be happy, because you spent your time by
PLAYING this game, not stupid alt+tabbing every 6 minutes.
*1) So, you simply getting crafting CD for 5mm AP for 35-36 minutes (can't remember exactly... it was long time ago...) instantly, and till it gets 0, you
CAN'T pick other items to craft. So you can do whatever you want this 35-36 minutes.
2) About XPing, as I suggested before, you getting too much XP for crafting. This is opposite!!! You'll sacrifice earned XP for item. I mean, for example 5mm AP ammo gives you 420 XP. So, you need to get 420 XP after CD starts, and then when you get it, you'll start getting XP agan like normal play. So, to craft a gun, all you need is go kill critters/do quests/any way getting XP + wait till CD while you doing that, and then you going to any workbrench/machine/workbrench with add. tools, and getting your item!
About:
"They will abuse it with damned alts! They will start CD for every alt, and then fast get this XP!"
If it's possible, just freeze CD if character is offline.