What affects "random" item drops?

[epeeist]

Does anything other than character level affect "random" items found?

 

For various reasons (mostly dissatisfaction with how a character type was working out) I've played through the first bit of the game (being vague since it's not the spoiler forum) about 8 times with different types of characters.

 

Twice, I've played through on the "difficult" setting with characters with an intelligence of 18 (I was doing skill-heavy builds to create characters that once out of the beginning would be able to do almost everything, including upgrade creation, solo).

 

On those two run-throughs, the items found in the opening parts of the game (up until about level 7- seemed to be MUCH better than otherwise. Items found were things like DEX+3 implants, droid oxider, ion carbine, disruptor pistols and rifles, etc. (many other examples of good stuff). Items which were much "better" than those received by lower-intelligence (and thus lower-skilled) characters playing on normal difficulty.

 

Was this just chance which I am misinterpreting as a pattern? Or in addition to level, do any other aspects of a character and/or the difficulty setting affect what random items are found?

[Darth Abomination]

Everything is dependent on level

[metadigital]

Everything is dependent on level

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You may be right, but how do you know?

 

It would make sense to have difficulty factor into the loot drops; and I seem to recall similar results to you; it could also have something to do with the ability scores of the PC.

 

I have no idea about the mechanics of the game itself as I haven't looked under the hood.

[SteveThaiBinh]

It would be nice if the game looked at your abilities and class and threw you items that would be useful. Or at least, it might be nice at first but it would become old very quickly. After all, what business is it of the game's to tell you what kind of character you're developing? I haven't noticed that the game gives me more or fewer of the items my character would want, so at the moment I'm guessing that it's random. You could sit down with a piece of paper and do a proper study, if you like.

[epeeist]

....I haven't noticed that the game gives me more or fewer of the items my character would want, so at the moment I'm guessing that it's random.  You could sit down with a piece of paper and do a proper study, if you like.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Yes, of course the items are random; it's just that at higher levels, they're generally BETTER random items.

 

My question was whether anything OTHER than level -- such as the difficulty setting or character attributes -- affected the "quality" of the random items. One poster said no, but had no data to back up that opinion. Another suggested that similar results had been noticed.

 

In any event, from my point of view there's no real reason not to play on "difficult". Either it will have no effect, or it will have some effect. A no-lose situation and I'll have to keep on wondering. Unless an "official" answer is forthcoming, of course "

[LadyCrimson]

You'd more likely get a (more) knowledgable answer from people who have modded/scripted the game files and probably have a better idea of the game mechanics. Like, the site forum that the KSE editor is hosted on? Can't remember the url at the mo', sorry.

 

At any rate...I've had very high intelligence on several characters and they all got crap for drops early in the game - and I do mean crap - like, almost nothing - and I had one lower level int. character who got 'great' stuff early in the game. And everything in-between.

 

If such things as player stats affects drops, it seems likely it'd be nothing more than a tiny percentage increase chance, meaning, you got 'lucky' to get noticably better stuff twice in a row.

 

It's like streaks of multiple on-base hits in baseball - the chances of getting a lot of consecutive on-base hits are very low - but doesn't mean it never happens.

 

I remember once saving a game just before doing T3's solo bit on Peragus, and re-loading it a few dozen times to see what would randomly pop up in that container behind the door you have to use a mine on - it varied wildy, from great to poor - and his stats always stay the same.

 

Edit - not that a few dozen 're-loads' is a comprehensive enough number to make a serious judgement on...you'd need hundreds or something.

[Darth333]

Yes, it's all level (edit: and luck - dice roll- ) dependent. However, there are different types of containers and depending on the type, they have different scripts attached to them so they spawn items of certain categories. Finally, some containers (and npcs and merchants) have unique scripts attached to them with a specific list of items that you can get you when open /kill , etc...

 

I also noticed that in most cases the random loot is generated when you enter a module for the first time.

 

edit: there is a check to see if Mira is in your party that determines if you'll have rockets or not.

[metadigital]

Yes, it's all level dependent. However, there are different types of containers and depending on the type, they have different scripts attach to them so they spawn items of certain categories. Finally, some containers (and npcs and merchants) have unique scripts attached to them with a specific list of items that you can get you open /kill , etc...

 

I also noticed that in most cases the random loot is generated when you enter a module for the first time.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ah, at last an expert has seen this.

 

Thank you Darth333 !

[Darth333]

Just in case you are interested to look at it from closer. Here is a list of most of the files used for the random loot system. You can view them with Kotor tool and they are located in the BIFs>scripts>source:

k_def_grenspn.nss

k_def_spawn01.nss

k_def_spn_t_drd.nss

k_def_spn_t_empt.nss

k_def_spn_t_jedi.nss

k_def_spn_t_less.nss

k_def_spn_t_more.nss

k_def_spn_t_per.nss

k_inc_treas_k2.nss // main file - other files are attached to containers/npcs

k_plc_it_arm.nss

k_plc_it_arm_h.nss

k_plc_it_arm_l.nss

k_plc_it_arm_m.nss

k_plc_it_arm_r.nss

k_plc_it_eq.nss

k_plc_it_eq_belt.nss

k_plc_it_eq_glov.nss

k_plc_it_eq_helm.nss

k_plc_it_eq_imp.nss

k_plc_it_up.nss

k_plc_it_up_a.nss

k_plc_it_up_l.nss

k_plc_it_up_l_cr.nss

k_plc_it_up_m.nss

k_plc_it_up_r.nss

k_plc_it_weap.nss

k_plc_it_weap_bp.nss

k_plc_it_weap_br.nss

k_plc_it_weap_l.nss

k_plc_it_weap_m.nss

k_plc_treas_empt.nss

k_plc_treas_less.nss

k_plc_treas_more.nss

k_plc_treas_norm.nss

k_plc_treas_per.nss

k_plc_tresciv.nss

k_plc_trescorhig.nss

k_plc_trescorlow.nss

k_plc_trescormid.nss

k_plc_tresdrdhig.nss

k_plc_tresdrdlow.nss

k_plc_tresdrdmid.nss

k_plc_tresmilhig.nss

k_plc_tresmillow.nss

k_plc_tresmilmid.nss

k_plc_tresrakat.nss

k_plc_tresshahig.nss

k_plc_tresshalow.nss

k_plc_tresshamid.nss

k_plc_tressndppl.nss

[epeeist]

Thanks for the authoritative reply!

[Andkat]

Also note that no items are "unique". I had 3 Freedon Nadd's blasters by the endgame (I found 2 in Trayus Academy). I just wish the drops had some logic. FOr example, if you kill a jedi, you should be able to loot his robes and his lightsaber and any upgrades he utilized. Same with a SIth. You should at least be able to loot lightsabers from all jedi opponents (which was done in the intial game).