Cain on Games - Tim Cain's new YouTube channel

[Infinitron]

I have talked a lot about encumbrance and carry weight mechanics in other videos, so I have collected all my thoughts in one place.

 

[Necrensha]

Tim keeps mentioning ''the economy'' as if it was something that devs have any control over.
If items weight a lot and you can only carry a select few, I'm sure that more than one player may decide to simply take 5 additional trips back and forth to sell everything.
It would be better to make loot rare and more valuable while keeping a reasonable amount of the weight system, instead of doing the usual move of flooding you with garbage and then expecting the players to decide which one of these 29 enchanted axes that you got on the first 5 minutes of the dungeon is worth using.
Nevermind the part where this type of design forces you to have a dedicated mule cause your twink wizard boy can't hold more than 2 scrolls in his pathetic arms without breaking down into tears, that's another issue with linking the weight system to strength.

 

[Sweeper]

If items weight a lot and you can only carry a select few, I'm sure that more than one player may decide to simply take 5 additional trips back and forth to sell everything.

 

[Naraya]

I have talked a lot about encumbrance and carry weight mechanics in other videos, so I have collected all my thoughts in one place.

This hits SO hard.
I'm definitely a retard with regard to hoarding stuff (especially potions/consumables and scrolls) in cRPGs and never using it. I just can't.

I'm playing through BG right now and not having a bottomless bag almost physically hurts me.

 

[KeighnMcDeath]

RIP OFF THAT BAND AID AND USE THAT SHIT!!!

USE IT NOW!!!

 

[Odoryuk]

I have 34 Megaelixirs and I ain't using them, no siree, don't even ask

 

[KeighnMcDeath]

MEGALICKERS!

 

[Melcar]

I have talked a lot about encumbrance and carry weight mechanics in other videos, so I have collected all my thoughts in one place.

This hits SO hard.
I'm definitely a retard with regard to hoarding stuff (especially potions/consumables and scrolls) in cRPGs and never using it. I just can't.

I'm playing through BG right now and not having a bottomless bag almost physically hurts me.

I was like that for the longest time. BG EE at least has a potion bag and scroll case.
SCS sort of fixed the problem for me, as the advanced AI and roll fudging in higher difficulties sort of forces you to use your consumables even if your characters are well equipped or haver uber stats.

 

[Wesp5]

Tim forgot another solution that Troika used in Bloodlines: the inventory is almost limitless, but there is not that many stuff to pick up in the first place !

 

[rojay]

RIP OFF THAT BAND AID AND USE THAT SHIT!!!

USE IT NOW!!!

Heresy!

 

[La vie sexuelle]

Tim forgot another solution that Troika used in Bloodlines: the inventory is almost limitless, but there is not that many stuff to pick up in the first place !

Personally, I've always felt that Arcanum was the spiritual successor to Fallout 2, and Bloodlines was the spiritual successor to Arcanum.

Unfortunately, that meant a tradition of stupid but convenient inventory-equipment systems.

 

[Wesp5]

Unfortunately, that meant a tradition of stupid but convenient inventory-equipment systems.

For me coming from Doom and Half-Life Bloodlines had the perfect inventory system: a real inventory for special items and a weapons-converted-to-ammo system like in the FPS. No need to collect weapons and sell them to stupid vendor machines!

 

[La vie sexuelle]

Unfortunately, that meant a tradition of stupid but convenient inventory-equipment systems.

For me coming from Doom and Half-Life Bloodlines had the perfect inventory system: a real inventory for special items and a weapons-converted-to-ammo system like in the FPS. No need to collect weapons and sell them to stupid vendor machines!

When it comes to ammo and specific types of weapons, yes, but what I meant was that the equipment in this game is an abstract chute, which differs from the Fallout one only in that it has compartments.

 

[Infinitron]

I talk about "flow", that mind state where ideas and work efficiently happen.

 

[Infinitron]

I talk about a setting design technique where you make a single change to an otherwise familiar setting, and then you imagine all the effects that one change would have.

 

[rojay]

Somebody needs to have an intervention with the dude. He needs to stop.

 

[Infinitron]

I talk about a fun mechanic for a computer RPG: withholding knowledge of the players' powers and letting them figure it out.

 

[Necrensha]

That's kinds like becoming a jedi on Star Wars Galaxies, an excellent way of making all the autists and minmaxers buttmad.
I applaud any idea that will increase the global levels of anger.

 

[KeighnMcDeath]

He talks too much.

 

[Drakortha]

His IP idea is shit.

You spend half the game figuring out what your power is. And it turns out it's a Fallout 4 perk.

 

[Gilius Thunderhead]

Tim keeps mentioning ''the economy'' as if it was something that devs have any control over.

They do. They just suck at it, usually.

If items weight a lot and you can only carry a select few, I'm sure that more than one player may decide to simply take 5 additional trips back and forth to sell everything.
It would be better to make loot rare and more valuable while keeping a reasonable amount of the weight system, instead of doing the usual move of flooding you with garbage and then expecting the players to decide which one of these 29 enchanted axes that you got on the first 5 minutes of the dungeon is worth using.
Nevermind the part where this type of design forces you to have a dedicated mule cause your twink wizard boy can't hold more than 2 scrolls in his pathetic arms without breaking down into tears, that's another issue with linking the weight system to strength.

The mule is a good RPG mechanic as long as it's conceptualized as such, not as a necessity due to bad game design (e.g. the game economy relies on the player selling junk). Do I take the sports car or the pick up? Maybe my character requires more inventory space than others because he has to craft stuff, use throwing items, or switch equipment frequently.

There's also perks like Pack Rat for people who really want the inventory capacity and that maybe don't have a lot of STR, which unfortunately is a dump stat for many builds in Fallout.

Completely agree on games that shower you with enchanted items that are all the same. D:OS really annoyed me with that crap. I'm OK with sorting through loot that has no value and can't be sold(at least for most characters). Maybe there's a character that needs to collect steel pipes, while others can just ignore them.

 

[Sweeper]

He talks too much.

Somebody needs to have an intervention with the dude. He needs to stop.

Notice how both Roguey and Infinitron rated your well thought out, and absolutely correct post as NO.
Are you beginning to notice a pattern friend?

 

[KeighnMcDeath]

uh... they're saying he doesn't talk enough and they want more? Maybe they want his secret pillow talk and an invitation to his parlor for "luvy time?"

 

[Infinitron]

I talk about my attending PAX 2024 in Seattle over the long Labor Day weekend.

 

[KeighnMcDeath]

I bet that axe never was used in a single rat.