Static vs. random reasure chests

[Hassat Hunter]

@ Gromnir;

True, it takes developer time to add loot-tables.

 

But personally I think that that's worth it, especially compared to, say, more wilderness areas.

More replayability, more different loots to adjust to. It's all good for a game I think. Especially one meant to be replayed.

 

I do agree a fully random system like KOTOR2 is just really bad though. If that's the only alternative I would prefer fixed. But there are alternatives. Time-consuming ones. But IMO well worth the benefits.

[Wolfenbarg]

I can't see drops being more valuable than more areas in a game like this. This is going to be the kind of game where the world is the story just as much as the plot. Better loot doesn't contribute a whole lot to that... it certainly wasn't necessary in Baldur's Gate.

[nikolokolus]

@ Gromnir;

True, it takes developer time to add loot-tables.

 

But personally I think that that's worth it, especially compared to, say, more wilderness areas.

More replayability, more different loots to adjust to. It's all good for a game I think. Especially one meant to be replayed.

 

I do agree a fully random system like KOTOR2 is just really bad though. If that's the only alternative I would prefer fixed. But there are alternatives. Time-consuming ones. But IMO well worth the benefits.

 

For an ARPG where the goal of the game's primary mechanic revolves around loot drops and clicking that mouse is almost akin to pulling the lever on a slot machine in the hopes of getting a rare item (like in Diablo II or Borderlands). I just don't think randomized loot is going to do much for me in a game that relies on a lot of scripted story elements and doesn't even directly award experience for killing characters.

 

That's not to say that some people won't find enjoyment in this game primarily for the shiny loot, but I suspect its replay appeal will not be loot driven for the majority of players.

[Dayen]

I don't mind random loot. I derive a lot of chuckles out of Skyrim's wacky drops.

 

Those rare moments where you get something you'd actually want to use are made far more special by the intervening nonsense.

 

With that said, D&D works poorly when all loot is pulled from a table via random generation. Ideally, the system would be able to recognize that a particular character is undergeared and place loot that provides a direct and immediate benefit to the entire party by redressing a weakness of one party member.

 

But that's a lot of work for the development team, so uhh...something to keep in mind for the sequel, Obsidian?

[Hassat Hunter]

That's not to say that some people won't find enjoyment in this game primarily for the shiny loot, but I suspect its replay appeal will not be loot driven for the majority of players.

Well, some people (also due to the objective XP) are saying combat stategy takes a backrole.

 

I'm not especially looking for fancy loot finds. It's more to the effect that not all loot can be found in one game, that you cannot predict your shiny weapon to be found somewhere. That if your entire build hinges on finding a two-handed sword +5 in the beginning game, since it's a fixed drop it might turn predictable.

 

There are several BG2 guides that advise builds based on when loot is found, or as said before, because no kantana +x is ingame while other weapon types do have it. That would be... bad. Just shafting certain builds due to it's placement. And even if the katana +x was ingame, and a fixed find, that could affect builds too, knowing pre-determined when and how to acquire.

 

I think it would be a lot more interesting if that wasn't possible. That builds should be made just to work overall, not dependent on fixed loot (since your two-handed +5 might suddenly be a katana +5). Roll with the punches, adapt to what the game gives you in that specific ply. And it would be fun if your second play you could still be surprised by items you've never seen before, that might radically change your tactics. Keeping the second game very fresh. Sometime pure fixed can't deliver. And pure random will probably take a piss on :/

[LadyCrimson]

For these types of games I'd say I tend to like a mixture. Super important things and a lot/most of high level gear could always be in the same place/shop, don't mind that, but not *all* the best gear. And of course a large part of random could be, as someone else said, for the lesser smaller thing (potions, scrolls, gems/vendor trash, low quality gear).

 

Or another type of occasional random I tend to like is where this chest will always spawn one of three pieces from this armor set (for example) but it's random which piece.

 

Definitely don't want full random ala Diablo/Borderlands style. I like that just fine in those games, but that's a different gameplay/style of game. Even so, in a game like Eternity, if it's completely hand-placed and predictable, it's really really boring, on replay, knowing exactly where to rush to to get exactly what item you want for your Warrior/Mage/whoever to wear as soon as possible. I like at least some level of unpredictability, loot-wise.

 

P.S. if all the "best" stuff is predictable, it better be a big whup-can of a fight to get it. (or expensive so you can't buy it all in one playthru etc...something)

[Pegasus Organs]

Great ideas all around. I like the idea of certain chest having a random sampling of a certain set of armor. That's exactly the thing.

 

Chests must matter.

 

When you open a chest, especially a hard to find/hard to open/hard to get to one, you want a minimum of at least something memorable, if not wildly useful. Sure, barrels

and pots can have all the random garbage you'd expect to find in an RPG, but you want too much randomness. The whole loot obsession was born out of the Diablo and Sacred

type games. Ones more attuned to mindless clicking and little to no story. The thinking (wo)mans RPG needs to have smart drops/gear.

As for actual drops from enemies, I've always liked the idea of finding the things you would expect to find on them. IE, you can skin/harvest monsters for body parts, and sense

making gear from humanoids. From that, you can then extrapolate that named enemy NPCs carry named gear, to a certain degree. At least better gear than their underlings.

It's the type of thing many of us came to expect from the Infinity engine games.