We Rediscover the Best, Forgotten Hack'n'slash Mechanics
Inspiration, imitation, carbon copy or even plagiarism. Game developers are constantly drawing on the achievements of their predecessors by picking up certain schemes, mechanics. Sometimes, oh horror, in the frenzy of duplication, they overlook some gems.
Table of Contents
- We Rediscover the Best, Forgotten Hack'n'slash Mechanics
- Painter, plasterer, necromancer
- Show me your wares
- Stay awake, explore, level up
- Skirmish on thin ice
- Five swords are better than one
- Nothing about me without me
Show me your wares
It seems that everything that could be invented about loot has already been invented. At least, this is the image of the scrap systems falling out of hostile creatures that game developers give us. Everything they propose is usually either a faithful representation of established principles or their uncreative interpretation. Shall I add something from myself? Nah. Several subtypes of equipment, rarity in all colors of the rainbow, maybe some class equipment, or some more interesting crafting, implementation of the stamina system, just for the sake of variety. Occasionally, someone will pop up with a pitiful novella like two separate slots for each of the shoulder pads, as in the case of Wolcen: Lords of Mayhem . That's it.
And that's when he comes in. Hellbent for leather. The game doesn't give up on what the genre has to offer. On the contrary - it draws handfuls from the formula, but adds something from itself. Something seemingly insignificant, but acting like a pinch of salt in a good dessert - brings out the flavor. We are talking about Titan Quest from the now defunct Iron Lore studio and its loot system.
One assumption - enemies can only drop what they're wearing. Simple and logical. And how much good it brings, how many consequences stand behind the implementation of this idea. What does it look like in practice? When defeating an archer, we have no chance of finding an ax, mace or mage's staff somewhere in the cavernous pockets known from other titles. We can only recover what he had equipped himself with in an attempt to kill us. Some kind of bow, a piece of armor, but of course one designed for ranged combat. It's so logical!
The satyrs will only wear what they strip from the defeated Spartan soldiers, loot and find. One will get a helmet, the other a chainmail, the other will only get an old mace. Skeletons will wake up from their eternal slumber in what they were buried in. Of course, the more powerful ones will appropriate the best items and be covered with iron from head to toe.
How many advantages of this solution could I mention! First of all, it is very immersive. Secondly, it differentiates the enemies we meet. Thirdly, it gives information about what loot we can count on. It is not uncommon to see an opponent from a distance wielding a legendary sword that sparkles in the dark. Occasionally we feel a slow effect caused by damage from an enemy that doesn't normally have this ability. But his weapon does. The limitation of this solution is undoubtedly the physiognomy of the encountered creatures, because in accordance with the principle adopted by the creators, they reject the possibility of obtaining any equipment items from wild opponents, snakes or oversized scorpions (with minor exceptions such as slimes swallowing weapons, which, by the way, protrude from their jelly bodies) . Therefore, a large part of the bestiary are humanoid beings or creatures that used to be humans, who could wield human equipment and freely share it after death.
