Baldur's Gate Do Infinity Engine-style RPGs need inventory constraints?

[Delterius]

Could you guys take a page from Pillars of Eternity and just give us a stash that all of our loot teleports to? It's fucking irritating trying to play through BG1/2 these days with the shitty ass inventory system.

Dear god, please don't. That PoE stash is one of worst new things.

This.

Personally, I'd rather something like an exclusive inventory tab where the bags of every character are made avaiable, just so inventory juggling is made convenient. I doubt there's time for something like that but, whatever you do and by God, never implement the Stash of Holding Xaurip Spears. That thing only made the looting in the game boring all around.

 

[Tigranes]

Could you guys take a page from Pillars of Eternity and just give us a stash that all of our loot teleports to? It's fucking irritating trying to play through BG1/2 these days with the shitty ass inventory system.

Dear god, please don't. That PoE stash is one of worst new things.

This.

Personally, I'd rather something like an exclusive inventory tab where the bags of every character are made avaiable, just so inventory juggling is made convenient. I doubt there's time for something like that but, whatever you do and by God, never implement the Stash of Holding Xaurip Spears. That thing only made the looting in the game boring all around.

I don't understand why there wouldn't be time for something like that. I mean, the whole point of building up to a new IE game for several years was to be able to do the kind of things that modders couldn't do due to resources & hard-coded stuff, right? It's a good start to have basic character information available on the inventory screen, but a toggle to switch to show everybody's inventory at once (like POE) would be good.

A stash shouldn't be necessarily since BG1/2's itemisation was developed around no stash and there isn't a lot of junk in those games compared to others. If there is one, it should be only accessible in towns, instead of magical looting-into-stash like POE, which makes zero sense.

 

[Delterius]

Yeah, past the principle of "I don't like a feature that is basically about carrying junk around", I do agree that the stash is a moot point in a game like this. BG's looting and even the player's economy wouldn't really benefit from lugging around 20 chainmails that are worth 5 gp at the vendor.

I also agree that a global inventory window would be a great addition to the IE games, I'd personally rank it up there with the fabled art sources lost to time. As for why I don't think its really on the table, its because I'd guess they'd have announced something like that by now. Still, would love it if aVENGER saw what he could do.

 

[Infinitron]

there isn't a lot of junk in those games compared to others

Which others?

Baldur's Gate probably has a bit more vendor trash type items overall than PoE does. But it's easy not to think about them once you've trained yourself not to pick them up.

 

[Tigranes]

there isn't a lot of junk in those games compared to others

Which others?

Baldur's Gate probably has a bit more vendor trash type items overall than PoE does. But it's easy not to think about them once you've trained yourself not to pick them up.

Hrm. I think I feel this way because BG1/2 had no crafting other than the exceptional pieces. When you don't have crafting, the only reason to ever pick shit up is money or as equipment. And once you realise the 'lesser gems' are generally like 5gp and not worth picking up, that leaves magical items, scrolls, potions, the occasional exceptional gem. So yeah, you might be right.

In contrast, POE tempts you to pick up all the Xaurip spears through the stupid magical stash teleporter, and you're certainly dealing with a lot more clutter in TES or the Witcher games. I guess my point would be that in BG games, unless you're an idiot picking up every single Ordinary Short Sword (the amount of real life time you spend doing that, you can easily earn more gold in the game by killing shit, genius), you always had enough inventory space to not really need a stash.

 

[Infinitron]

BG also has tons of non-magical necklaces and rings around the place in addition to its gems. And the gems don't get to do double-duty as crafting ingredients like in PoE.

An option to completely disable the stash would be interesting to try out.

 

[ArchAngel]

All the rings and necklaces went into gem bags. But we didn't pick up ordinary weapons and armors and there were no crafting components.

 

[hoverdog]

the only inventory juggling in BG is due to item weight, when you have several characters with low STR, like Imoen as your main thief. Not exactly a huge problem and it does carry some strategic value (low strength heroes cannot use heavier stuff).

that said, for me it was Wizardry 8 that had the best inventory mechanics. Small personal storage for quick use items and party stash, which had its weight divided between all characters.

 

[ArchAngel]

Not really. Party inventory was a list and you could see like 5 items without scrolling.

 

[Irenaeus II]

I like encumbrance rules like any rational RPG player, but I have no problem looting all the xaurip spears and selling them all at however was idiot enough to buy them from me. It feels instant and I don't lose almost any time doing it. Considering I spending money on the Stronghold, it was particularly useful, except in late game as you are overflowing with money like in every game with money I ever played.

Then again, let me repeat: I like encumbrance rules.

 

[Delterius]

A big part of having encumberance rules is that you'll need to actually get a Bag of Holding to (partially) transcend them.

 

[Irenaeus II]

Haha true

 

[Immortal]

A big part of having encumberance rules is that you'll need to actually get a Bag of Holding to (partially) transcend them.

The more casual things are made (Group Stash of Infinity / Unlimited Rest) - The less opportunity we have for things like Bag of Holding / Carry Weight Management or spells like Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion (which I saw implemented in a NWN mod).

Every time something is slashed for "Convenience" games lose something.. You can see this in MMO's too with the over-simplification and over-hand holding they all do now. The result of an entitled culture of man babies who drone on and on about how "I have a job now and don't have time for games that require effort".

 

[ArchAngel]

I like encumbrance rules like any rational RPG player, but I have no problem looting all the xaurip spears and selling them all at however was idiot enough to buy them from me. It feels instant and I don't lose almost any time doing it. Considering I spending money on the Stronghold, it was particularly useful, except in late game as you are overflowing with money like in every game with money I ever played.

Then again, let me repeat: I like encumbrance rules.

So you wasted time on picking up useless stuff because you can, wasted time selling useless items because you can and then spent that money on useless Stronghold?
And you are happy about it?
Idiot confirmed.

 

[Irenaeus II]

I like encumbrance rules like any rational RPG player, but I have no problem looting all the xaurip spears and selling them all at however was idiot enough to buy them from me. It feels instant and I don't lose almost any time doing it. Considering I spending money on the Stronghold, it was particularly useful, except in late game as you are overflowing with money like in every game with money I ever played.

Then again, let me repeat: I like encumbrance rules.

So you wasted time on picking up useless stuff because you can, wasted time selling useless items because you can and then spent that money on useless Stronghold?
And you are happy about it?
Idiot confirmed.

If you weren't possibly relarded and could actually read, you'd have read this:

I have no problem looting all the xaurip spears and selling them all at however was idiot enough to buy them from me. It feels instant and I don't lose almost any time doing it.

But unfortunately you are possibly relarded.

 

[ArchAngel]

Said by the guy that has a second account to hide all his retard-ness of his previous one.

And I did read your whole post, it changes nothing, my points still stands you are just too big of an idiot to understand it.

 

[Irenaeus II]

Said by the guy that has a second account to hide all his retard-ness of his previous one.

And I did read your whole post, it changes nothing, my points still stands you are just too big of an idiot to understand it.

I'm not sure if you are retarded or you just don't know the meaning of "it feels instant". What could possibly be your case?

 

[Delterius]

Whether it feels instant or not does not change the fact that it is pointless.

 

[Irenaeus II]

Whether it feels instant or not does not change the fact that it is pointless.

Careful, you don't want to be considered possibly related:

Considering I spending money on the Stronghold, it was particularly useful, except in late game as you are overflowing with money like in every game with money I ever played.

There is an "am" missing somewhere in the quote. Try to find it.

 

[Delterius]

Whether it feels instant or not does not change the fact that it is pointless.

Careful, you don't want to be considered possibly related:

Considering I spending money on the Stronghold, it was particularly useful, except in late game as you are overflowing with money like in every game with money I ever played.

There is an "am" missing somewhere in the quote. Try to find it.

Yes, but let's bold the actually important part.

When everything comes to pass, the total share of the player's economy remains in the hands of quest rewards and magical items, just as it is in the IE games.

It is quicker an easier to just leave things as they are. Instead of creating a Stash system that allows you to carry 50 Xaurip Spears and assorted junk, put more emphasis on rare and expensive items. Make finding a very expensive jewel the crowning achievement of the early economy, not scavenging junk for clueless NPCs.

And on top of that give the players more convenient ways to manage those meaningful items. Such as a global inventory window.

In other words, learn and improve upon what was best in PoE - the global inventory window - not with what was meh - the Stash.

That, I think, is a better use of development time, IMO.

 

[Irenaeus II]

I think a good way to solve the money overflow problem in PoE would be to be able to build more shit at the same time at the Stronghold (at premium prices, higher cost), since I always beat the game before it is finished!

I like your idea of rare and expensive items too, as I like quest for finding very expensive jewels and the like. Itemization is kinda mediocre in PoE, this is a known issue.

As for BG:SoD, we don't know if there will be money overflow in late game problems, but it's very probable, since I never saw a game where this wasn't an issue.

 

[Jaesun]

All the rings and necklaces went into gem bags. But we didn't pick up ordinary weapons and armors and there were no crafting components.

There were no gem bags in Baldur's Gate. That was added with the Baldur's Gate II engine.

 

[Immortal]

All the rings and necklaces went into gem bags. But we didn't pick up ordinary weapons and armors and there were no crafting components.

There were no gem bags in Baldur's Gate. That was added with the Baldur's Gate II engine.

I thought it was in IWD..

 

[Neanderthal]

The more casual things are made (Group Stash of Infinity / Unlimited Rest) - The less opportunity we have for things like Bag of Holding / Carry Weight Management or spells like Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion (which I saw implemented in a NWN mod).

Every time something is slashed for "Convenience" games lose something.. You can see this in MMO's too with the over-simplification and over-hand holding they all do now. The result of an entitled culture of man babies who drone on and on about how "I have a job now and don't have time for games that require effort".

Root of the whole fucking decline if you ask me. If your strapped for time just play a couple hours, save and come back to it, simple really, much better than demanding a less detailed game that plays itself a lot more.

 

[Irenaeus II]

Root of the whole fucking decline if you ask me. If your strapped for time just play a couple hours, save and come back to it, simple really, much better than demanding a less detailed game that plays itself a lot more.

Exactly, agree 100%. That's what I do usually, play 1-3 hours per work day depending on my schedule. Save and continue next day after work. It's the same as reading a book: You don't have to read the whole book in one sitting!