We've hit an interesting problem lately. In our Action Adventure/RPG we have a device that consumes items as part of an overall objective that the player must achieve. Some items have a higher value for this device, so that when consumed, they yield a greater benefit. Finding these items that the device can consume constitutes quite a few of our quests. The issue we're battling over is whether or not the "consumables" should have any use. By use I mean modifiers on strength, health, intelligence, etc. On one side it could engage the player in some decision making about what to discard or keep. On the other hand, no one likes to lose a powerful item. There are more items available than the device needs to consume, but not a great many. Should consumable items bestow benefits?

I think if you keep the balance, it would be a good idea. Just make sure that the player won't feel screwed over if they choose the "wrong" one.

I agree. Stuff like that always creates a cool game dynamic.

That's what I enjoy in Diablo II.. by the time I form the Horadric Staff, it's the best weapon I have.. but I have to use the staff later to open up a door to the boss.. and the staff is consumed. I rather enjoy having an object that doesn't just take up space in my inventory. Unuseable objects are nice, too.. they often signify that the object needs to be used for something special if the player isn't clearly told.

Hm, without knowing more details I can't offer a WHOLE lot, but I would say that you're trying to increase the percieved value of these items without destroying the gameplay element of having the device consume them, thus creating an econony for a limited resource (which is good in a game).

When looked at like that, it should be obvious that if you give any effect to the consumables before they are consumed, said effect should be CONSIDERABLY weaker on their own. And by weaker I mean -over time- weaker.

Example: If a consumable is, say a jewel, and consuming it makes your sword deal double damage permanently, not consuming it might make your sword deal 2.5x damage, but this effect wears off very shortly after the power is activated and it can't be activated again for a considerable while. Reusable, and short-term more powerful in this state, but in the long run, consuming the object will benefit you FAR more than just keeping it in your inventory, esspecially if you limit the amount of inventory a given person can carry at a time and you make the jewel "heavy" or otherwise take up considerable space.

Benefits that don't involve consuming the item should NEVER be overall better than consuming the object, and the easiest way to ensure this is make it so not consuming the object only SOMETIMES gives you help, while consuming it CONSTANTLY gives you help. Another option, in the situation of increasing str, int, hp, etc... is to make wearing it give you +1 to a stat, and consuming it give +2 to a completely different stat. Meaning SOME characters, depending on the build, might rather keep it around if the +2 is a stat they don't need but the +1 is a stat they want.

Or, the item could give a +x stat while carried/worn, but when consumed does something SIGNIFICANT in a completely different way.

More details on your specific situation? What kind of benefits do your consumables CURRENTLY offer?

A good option would be to have items custom made to benifit classes. That way if a fighter found an incredible item for a mage class, he wouldn't feel bad about having to sacrifice it.

This way, on each replay of the game, the player's sttrategic choice will be different for different classes. Also, you could work something in about the consumable items representing various disciplines of adventurers... It depends on how well you've already thought all this through. Just an idea.

I think if you played with it, it could be a really interesting dynamic to have consumables bestow benefits. Assuming each class or style of play finds a number of stats useful, there could be many interesting decisions. Do I keep the massive strength consumable, or do I keep both the less powerful agility and health consumables?

As for no one liking to lose a powerful item, I'd be more inclined to say no one likes to get screwed. Give them some indication of how powerful these consumables get, what sorts of consumables exist, and, as far as is reasonable, make all sensible choices effective (but perhaps effective for a different style of play). Also, it'd be nice to be able to keep the consumables around for a bit before deciding to expend them or not. This would allow the player to get a feel for how the different bonuses affect their style of play and be able to make informed decisions about what to "toss". That way, if the player gets screwed, it's their own fault.

It depends on what you decided to do about how items are used used. The device requires X item points as part of the plot and having those items provided benefits adds an interesting dynamic to the game. But the question becomes whether or not to get those benfits you have to consume the item. For instance if there is bio serum that can be injected into the main character to increase there physical abilities by 25% or the serum can be put in the device and count for 10 of the 100 requierd points the player has the dilema of whether to boost their character are activate part of the device. either way the item is gone. The main danger with that approach is that you have to ensure that the player can't use up all the items before activating the device.

Some thing to think about concering the device is, when consumes enough item points parts of it activate and open up new gameplay possiblites.
Such as:
1) short cuts to existing areas
2) entrances to new areas
3) changes to existing areas
4) New items or abilites become available.

Hello all,

Just though i would step in and add some clarification points.

-the game doesnt have a concept of class,*it is part classic adventure after all* you play the main character who has equal starting skills of melee and magic, and both catagories can be expanded by better weapons(melee) finding anchient runes(magic), so, certain items will be better for magic, wherein others better for melee, and still others made for general protection.

-our current plan, is to have items be specific, and the device reward be general...

Crown of the ancient king
{
+6 vitality
+8 strength
}

Consumed by device
{
+5 distribution points awarded
}

in this case, we find when used the item gives alot more + points to certain attributes, but again these are lose when not wearing the item, and are only for vitality and strength.

when consuming the item in the device, you get instead 5 generic points, which you can use for any stat, and are permanent, aswell as feeding the device and working to bring the game to a close.

so, the player would need to decide if they need more vitality and strength at the moment, or if they, for instance, need more wisdom points.

I personaly feel as if this type of game play would be fun. =)


-chances are items that can be consumed by the device cannot be consumed by the player (that is no one time use potions, mostly things like armor, and weapons, amulets and rings) all though, when dealing with a 'use it and lose it' fact for both the player and the device, it does make deciding alot harder (which could be good) since when dealing with a weapon the player could use it now, and discard it later, so i forsee us adding a few 'one time use' artifacts, but in the case of those the benefit between player and the device will be equal, just different *direct use gives you +10 vitality, device gives you +10 mana, or +10 general* this way the user can decide weither s/he wants to improve thier character or speed the game along, but again, this will be seldom, and there will be enough 'non one time use' items to complete the game, it just may make it harder.

Quote:

Original post by EDI I personaly feel as if this type of game play would be fun. =)

Just thought I'd chime in and say I agree :)

Quote:

-the game doesnt have a concept of class,*it is part classic adventure after all* you play the main character who has equal starting skills of melee and magic, and both catagories can be expanded by better weapons(melee) finding anchient runes(magic), so, certain items will be better for magic, wherein others better for melee, and still others made for general protection.

Also wanted to say (this is rather less important) that I hope this does bring in "classes". That is, that spending most of your points on melee, most of your points on magic, or distributing them about equally between the two are all valid options favoring different styles of game play.