So, in effect, crafting isn't a joke... its just you don't know how to do it so you perceive it as a joke.
The 6 buttons are crafting events and if hit collectively and at the correct time can speed up the progress of your item while maintaining durability.
The "floaty" green and red numbers are your key.. once they pop, press your collection of 3 buttons (1-3 or 4-6) to build progress or durability
The crafting event that appears will only appear once your floaty numbers have shown.. its at that point you know what order to press your 1-6 buttons in
Try the wiki for a crafting write up - you can find it here