So I was having this idea while getting sniped on crafts for gear I’m specialized in.
Instead of the first and fastest person to hit Start Order, what if a crafting order had a wait window set by the requester beginning from the first person to hit Start Order in which all crafters able to hit Start Order were able to do so, and the one with the highest skill to craft that order wins. RNG decides if two or more of the same skill apply.
Example:
Player A requests a Primal Molten Breastplate through a Guild order, includes all the materials and a commission, sets a minimum quality of 4. They allow 48 hours for the craft to be started, and 4 hours for the wait window.
Players B and C are both Blacksmiths in the guild. B has fully committed to armor smithing and has 325 base skill in that item. C is still learning but has unlocked the Primal Molten Breastplate and has a skill of 225. Both are able to meet the minimum quality requirement. B will however craft it at quality five, C may inspiration and still not reach quality five.
C logs on a few hours later and agrees to Start Order, the timer begins counting down from four hours. If Player B logs on and agrees to Start Order within that time, then Player B will be the one chosen at the end of the four hours.
Player B receives a notification (mail?) that they can craft the item and have 40 hours to do so before the order is cancelled automatically.
For guild orders up to four hours wait period to see if a better crafter can do it, for public orders only up to five minutes.