[Sindri]

Originally Posted by Tomsdad

Of course they don't because digital watches aren't clock work, and we value digital stuff by different metrics? (just as they did guns)

Yes. It's not a feature of "watches" it's a feature of "clockwork" and clockwork covers other things, like wheellocks.

Originally Posted by Tomsdad

Now you still have answered how that extra functionality can be shown with wheel locks.

I have never attempted to, and need not do so.

Originally Posted by Tomsdad

Saying wheel locks are clock work is a bit abstract to be meaningless. Its not particularly complex clock work so no real scope to have impressive workings in the context of complex clockwork workings. It actually juts a gun with a different trigger mechanism. An inherently simpler thing than a watch.

It's not meaningless at all. They are derived from clockwork technology, also require skilled workers to produce and allow more room for the crafter to showcase his technical skill than a flintlock does.

Originally Posted by Tomsdad

One that was surpassed pretty quickly and had no scope to up it game with extra functionality

Uh, no. No one has come up with something that fits within the granularity of the game. Despite not needing any technical advantages at all faster ignition is totally the sort of thing people will point to as making a technology the correct choice for discerning users who are willing to spare the expense if there aren't other things that make it unsuitable.

Originally Posted by Tomsdad

It also not like we don't have real life to judge them by, if their inherent nature was seen as intrinsically valuable above their utility as guns they would have lasted a bit longer, and well they didn't

If wheellocks don't have a significant downside for the wealthy all that is necessary for their continued presence is for it to be plausible for them to have grown attached to them given the right circumstances.

Originally Posted by Tomsdad

Branding based on internal complexity still has to draw attention to it, and justify why it is a good thing.

No it doesn't. It just needs to allow people to distinguish between items with varying reputation for quality.

Originally Posted by Tomsdad

Don't think anyone has said that have they? Also you haven't addressed the point.

There never was a point to begin with. The status of exterior decorations is completely irrelevant because it doesn't interact with the mechanism, nor would being paramount mean that gaucheness isn't a thing if people haven't yet started replacing random things with solid gold.

Originally Posted by Tomsdad

OK, but since the end result is the same, your going to have to come up with some reason whey weellocks are seen as specifically more worth of status.

Reasons have been produced. You apparently have problems with them and I'm responding to your comments regarding them. Please don't take that to mean that the subject of the thread is "can wheellocks coexist with flintlocks and if so, how". The subject at the start was finding small details to differentiate more the various weapons in the wheellocks and flintlocks category and I remain interested in hearing different perspectives on that. I'm also interested in the ideas being generated regarding other alternate lock technologies.

Originally Posted by Tomsdad

you've already said your setting up your society to inherently see that as a draw

I'm not envisioning a society with a particular obsession for clockwork. It's just a more difficult mechanism to make.

Originally Posted by Tomsdad

But TBH I don't actually get your point as the post I was responding to was talking about difference in mechanism costs.

Your post was talking about proportionality. However proportionality doesn't matter in this context. It isn't how people make decisions in terms of status items.