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what is the best inventory system in crpg?

  • Monocled and best of all text-based list inventory

  • Shitty grid icon-based inventory

  • Worse of all absolute dogshit tetris grid icon-based inventory


Results are only viewable after voting.
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Codex Year of the Donut
q7AJMPK.png
ughhh it looks like a financial statement
wowza look at da pretty colors!!!
 

Nifft Batuff

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Wasteland-3-Satoshis-Mysterious-Case-Guide.jpg

The only way to understand what I am carrying is to check the objects one by one. Good luck if you need to find a specific object.
 

Serus

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List conveys more information in the same amount of space than tetris and you can imagine what the items look like instead of having to look at often poorly-drawn images that likely don't even match what you see on the character when you equip them. Icon is clearly worse than the other two options and not worth discussing.
Disagree. Image can convey a lot of information if done right and can take less place than text, not more. The fact they are "often" badly drawn only means that most games are crap even in graphic design. Hurrah, you discovered that most games are shit! Welcome to the Codex!

Also you are not Rusty so quit with the "not worth discussing" bullshit. That's what this thread is fort - discussing it. Rusty is an exception, he is the only one allowed because he was dropped on the head as little child.
 
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List conveys more information in the same amount of space than tetris and you can imagine what the items look like instead of having to look at often poorly-drawn images that likely don't even match what you see on the character when you equip them. Icon is clearly worse than the other two options and not worth discussing.
Disagree. Image can convey a lot of information if done right and can take less place than text, not more. The fact they are "often" badly drawn only means that most games are crap even in graphic design. Hurrah, you discovered that most games are shit! Welcome to the Codex!

Also you are not Rusty so quit with the "not worth discussing" bullshit. That's what this thread is fort - discussing it. Rusty is an exception, he is the only one allowed because he was dropped on the head as little child.
exactly what is this image conveying?

I can already read the argument now: "nooooo!! that's not the right kind of perfect-in-theory icon system that has unique icons for thousands of unique items!!!!"
you guys seem ridiculously butthurt that images are obviously worse and you have zero defense for them, but prefer them anyways because "muh grafx". Just admit you hate having actual information in an RPG and move on.
 

Darth Canoli

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Identifying items becomes a chore after mass-armageddoning Dragonsand and such. Especially if your Identify Master is not the same as your Merchang Master.

Sure, it didn't do everything perfectly but you have to know where it came from to appreciate the work put into inventory management, shopping and paper dolls from M&M 6.

20 years later, nobody did a better job, even the ones ding a good job usually fail because of engine/assets optimization.

Ideally, you should do everything (particularly the execution speed) M&M VI does and:
  • Auto-loot on dungeon exit, auto loot after combat outdoors and/or with auto-loot options like gather this and not low quality non-enchantable equipment.
  • Auto identify equipment when looting with the higher skill.

Then, it'd be perfect.
 

DJOGamer PT

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Now, if you combined it with weight limitations, and the squares in the grid represent volume, so that the player can't stuff the inventory full of relatively light items that are of large size, you get the perfect inventory system.

Not to mention it would mostly fix the broken economy of RPG's
As that is an an issue caused by the fact that the PC can hoard shitton of items without any worries, since most inventories aren't finite grid systems
 
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I don't see what the issue is with giving each item an individual weight and volume statistic. You don't need inventory tetris to represent this.
 

DJOGamer PT

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  1. Volume is a scalar measure of physical space, so a physical representation will always be more intuitive to work with than a statistical one
  2. (more of a continuation of the previous point) Videogames are a visual medium, therefore the experience is improved by a more visual design as the icon-based tetris grid
  3. Tetris grid allows for a higher complexity of logistics that none of the other systems can match, which overall leads to a superioir degree of resource management
 
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  1. Volume is a scalar measure of physical space, so a physical representation will always be more intuitive to work with than a statistical one
  2. Videogames are a visual medium, therefore the experience is improved by a more visual design as the icon-based tetris grid
  3. Tetris grid allows for a higher complexity of logistics that none of the other systems can match, which overall leads to a superioir degree of resource management
but I'm playing an rpg not a bag managing simulator

also, lmao at "more intuitive", inventory tetris is the most unintuitive garbage ever designed. You have to manually reposition your entire inventory the moment you move anything to free up space. Intuitive! Far more intuitive than a simple number!
 

smaug

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All prestigious codexers should have voted Tetris Grid Based.

I’m a proud graphicswhore!
:positive:
 

DJOGamer PT

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but I'm playing an rpg not a bag managing simulator

Item managment as always been a major component of RPG's due to the genre's focus on looting
It's only natural that an RPG that strives for a overall higher complexity and engament of gameplay mechanics, should also do the same to its item managment

inventory tetris is the most unintuitive garbage ever designed.

You clearly never played RE4, because otherwise you wouldn't say that
And you only have to reposition your entire inventory if you are a slob that lacks any organisation
 
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Item managment as always been a major component of RPG's due to the genre's focus on looting
It's only natural that an RPG that strives for a overall higher complexity and engament of gameplay mechanics, should also do the same to its item managment
A major components of RPGs is also exploration, but I don't expect to manually tie my character's shoes. If your character is incapable of putting items into a bag, maybe they shouldn't be adventuring?
I must have missed the inventory tetris I was required to play when I played D&D. Alas....

You clearly never played RE4, because otherwise you wouldn't say that
I'm glad we're now citing RE4 for RPG design.
 

JarlFrank

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Steve gets a Kidney but I don't even get a tag.
Try to portray this inventory system in text only, it will be a lot less intuitive:
DL-113_v3.10.jpg

blackshirt.jpg


As you can clearly see from the very intuitive iconography of this inventory, there are slots for armor, helmet, gun held in your hands, and facial equipment on your character.
There are also several additional inventory slots based on what armor/accessory you're wearing. Notice the holsters on your belt? They only hold pistols. This is depicted by the empty slot having a holstered pistol icon, making it clear that it's a slot for pistols. Makes sense, right?
Slay's outfit allows him to carry two pistols in his holsters, one knife, a rifle slung over his shoulder, and two launchers in his backpack.
Meanwhile Cate's backpack has different slots than Slay's, allowing her to carry a sidearm and a couple of tools in there. One of her holsters also has a slot for an SMG.

It's a complex inventory system where equipping different vests and backpacks allows you to carry different things. But it's depicted in the most intuitive and easily readable ways possible.
 
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Try to portray this inventory system in text only, it will be a lot less intuitive:
DL-113_v3.10.jpg

blackshirt.jpg


As you can clearly see from the very intuitive iconography of this inventory, there are slots for armor, helmet, gun held in your hands, and facial equipment on your character.
There are also several additional inventory slots based on what armor/accessory you're wearing. Notice the holsters on your belt? They only hold pistols. This is depicted by the empty slot having a holstered pistol icon, making it clear that it's a slot for pistols. Makes sense, right?
Slay's outfit allows him to carry two pistols in his holsters, one knife, a rifle slung over his shoulder, and two launchers in his backpack.
Meanwhile Cate's backpack has different slots than Slay's, allowing her to carry a sidearm and a couple of tools in there. One of her holsters also has a slot for an SMG.

It's a complex inventory system where equipping different vests and backpacks allows you to carry different things. But it's depicted in the most intuitive and easily readable ways possible.
but what do any of those images mean? They're just icons. They don't convey anything in RPG terms.
you can't possibly know without hovering over every single one individually, it purposely obscures information.

ool9u4ngtzs41.png

(not actually CoQ, but it's a nice mockup)

From a single glance I can see:
  • how much damage a weapon does
  • weapon penetration values
  • how much damage each type of ammo does
  • what material an item is made out of
  • the quality an item
  • whether an item is modded
  • the weight of an item
  • the charge of batteries
  • the charge of batteries inside an item

Holy shit it's like RPGs should be about giving you information rather than obscuring it behind pretty graphics. Saying you don't prefer list-based inventories is saying you hate information.
 

DJOGamer PT

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If your character is incapable of putting items into a bag, maybe they shouldn't be adventuring?

Item managment is the responsability of the player, not the computer

I'm glad we're now citing RE4 for RPG design.

The point was that game has an inventory system that would work wonderfully in a single character RPG you knob
But fine.
If you want to be this much of a bitch boy, here's an RPG example:

image.png


organiza-o.png

With just one glance I know exactly everything I have and where everything is
If I want to know specifics I just need to select said item and the window on the right will inform me of everything
Clean, tidy, easy to read, intuitive, visually appealing, simple and actually makes resource managment engaging by forcing the player to make important decisions.


Meanwhile in the list example you gave I have to read every line of that cluttered mess, from begging to end to know what I have - which in the end I still won't know, since you're not showing all types of items
Also despite having stats in front of the item's name, it clearly still doesn't show them all since you have options there to expand on those details (so it muddies up the screen but it can't convey all information).
Messy, cluttered, difficult to read, ugly, boring and barely demands the player to make smart sacrifices regarding his resources.

And that is one of the better text-based list inventories
Here's your average list inventories bro:

 
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whydoibother

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I like stuff like this:
Attache-Case-Fully-Organized.jpg

deus-ex-human-revolution-inventory.jpg

But the game has to be balanced for it. Unlike Human Revolution, where before every hard fight you will find the BIG GUN, and before every sniper section you will find the sniper, etc.
Inventory budgeting is fun and rewarding, when things have vastly different weight/volume, and when you have to think about what you want to bring. Abundant loot, scarce inventory space is my jam.
 

HoboForEternity

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Steve gets a Kidney but I don't even get a tag.
Tetris grid is excellent, but only for specific case/genre. Survival games obviously benefit from grid based inventory, and so is imsim like deus ex. Any games where the loadout matters, it add a layer of strategy within inventory. Like subnautica or darkwood for example, you explore, have some bandages or maybe iron ore in subnautica, you find gasoline, or maybe a diamond mineral, the decision on which item in your inventory to be sacrificed in favor of the new items become a crucial part of the thought process and it is mostly good.



Now in the context of majority of RPG, if you are gonna have dozens of weapons, potions, traps, scrolls, then a combination of list and icons plus good placement of tabs and sorting is the best i thought kcd's is pretty good
 
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PillarsOfEternity%2B2016-01-10%2B19-08-32-08.jpg

Pillars of Eternity 1 has a good inventory. Entire party unequipped inventory is visible with equipped items displayed for the selected character. Summary character sheet on the left. Very efficient and clean. I'm a little ambivalent about the stash. I like not being bothered by crafting crap, but I also think simulating encumbrance adds value.

Ultimately, inventory functionality is secondary to item design. Betrayal at Krondor doesn't simulate weight, but instead uses size as the approximation for encumbrance. It works because BaK doesn't have a lot of redundant items or crafting bloat. The survival aspects like needing rations, ropes, torches, etc. also feature in the decision process, because inventory is now involved with how you play the game, rather than an abstract loot carriage.
iu


Get the items correct first. Then design inventory UI.
 

Taka-Haradin puolipeikko

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On inventory tetris: I wish more games took the X-COM approach, where you can actually store items in more places than your black hole of a backpack. Because, you know, shoulder straps, belts and boot straps are things.
Cataclysm: DDA does something similar with text format.

Another thing that X-com gets right is that every type of item is recognizable at glance.
 

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