Poll of the Day > Quick opinion concerning Item Collection Logs in games

(+) Yeah! (+)

Hey gents and Jen,

Quick question: I'm making an item log for a game and it came out really good. There are a maximum of 273 different items to collect, but I'm wondering if your starting gear and items should count towards 100%'ing it or if it should only count for items you find or buy while playing.

As it stands I have it as counting towards the total, but a part of me thinks this may not be the best move.

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EDIT: I should clarify that all the items you can start with can also be found within the game regularly too.

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If you have an item-dex, yes. Granted, you're not really "collecting" those ones but... meh.

Actually, an easy workaround is not just starting with them, and instead being given them near the beginning. #DangerousToGoAlone

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umm... ya, it should count, but it should also be automatically entered into the collection.

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Zeus posted...

Actually, an easy workaround is not just starting with them, and instead being given them near the beginning. #DangerousToGoAlone

You wake up naked, and have to get your clothes/armor/weapons out of the dresser near your bed before you leave the house.

If you go outside naked (because literally every player will try this at least once on purpose, if they don't do so accidentally), automatically end the game with a non-standard game over because you've been arrested for indecent exposure, and have an Achievement pop-up for it.
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Lokarin posted...

umm... ya, it should count, but it should also be automatically entered into the collection

It's actually good game design to do it that way, because then if the player goes to the "collections" tab and sees a lot of blank spaces but they can also see their starting gear already checked off, it allows them to intuitively understand what they're going to have to collect to fill in the other spaces.
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ParanoidObsessive posted...

It's actually good game design to do it that way, because then if the player goes to the "collections" tab and sees a lot of blank spaces but they can also see their starting gear already checked off, it allows them to intuitively understand what they're going to have to collect to fill in the other spaces.

Ok good it already does this :D

You have three picks of five items at character creation, and depending on what you choose it adds to and updates those slots in the item array upon loading up the first level.

The log is four pages with a bunch of squares and they're numbered. When you've found at least one of a particular item its picture will be displayed on the box. If you select it and press the space bar a little pop up appears that has the name / rarity / item type / flavor text / stats / who can equip it / how many you've ever carried. I wanted the boxes numbered this time in case someone ever asked for help (ex I'm missing item #52, what is it and where do you find it?)

I will keep it the way that it is, thanks guys I appreciate the help.

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If its starting gear, then its already been collected. So it comes down to counting it retro-actively, or not counting it at all. I dont think starting it at 5/278 would make any more sense than 0/273.

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zebatov posted...

If its starting gear, then its already been collected. So it comes down to counting it retro-actively, or not counting it at all. I dont think starting it at 5/278 would make any more sense than 0/273.

Different classes have different starting picks so it makes sense in that you'd still have to choose a particular class and then specific items on purpose in order to fill out those log entires (provided you didn't get them naturally elsewhere).

This last bit is practically all I need to complete my demo, that's why I didn't want to screw it up lol

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If there are multiple sets of starter gear and the player will only get one of them and have to find the rest later, then absolutely include all the starter gear in the item log. Even if that's not the case, though, there's really no reason to treat the starter gear any differently from the rest of the items by not counting them. Might as well be consistent.

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I dont see why not. Its gear, so it counts. Especially if theres information about it. Or it can be upgraded Even more so if they can be found regularly in the game, as well and even more so if characters in that game start off with different gear

zebatov posted...

I dont think starting it at 5/278 would make any more sense than 0/273.

AFAIK, he counted the starting gear. So its be like 5/273 already. Not that important, but thought Id let you know
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yes and no?

yes: the items you start with should count automatically
but no: the items you start with should not be important enough to be counted in the first place

I guess if you're counting everything then "important enough" doesn't matter

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I'd say yes. You are making something like an encyclopedia after all.

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Arkinum posted...

I'd say yes. You are making something like an encyclopedia after all.

Yeah it doesn't unlock anything. There might be an achievement to 100% it but roughly half the items are sort of rare and I think hunting this would drive people insane.

Thanks, everyone!

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Holy crap, when could we directly upload pictures to GameFAQs??

Here's a screenshot of what this all looks like:



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Black_Crusher posted...

Holy crap, when could we directly upload pictures to GameFAQs??

Not sure how you've missed it all this time, since people constantly do it >_>

But idk, maybe like a year? Feels like it's been around a long time.

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Zeus posted...

Not sure how you've missed it all this time, since people constantly do it >_>

But idk, maybe like a year? Feels like it's been around a long time.

I figured they were linking a picture from imgur or something, I never noticed it was direct but this is great haha.

My work blocks everything that has to do with image hosting so I can never do that normally.

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Black_Crusher posted...

My work blocks everything that has to do with image hosting so I can never do that normally.

My work block this site because the word game is in it
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you guys work for the Kremlin or what?

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I just submitted my demo for approval a couple minutes ago. I'm going to enter the Steam Next thing in October with it. I've never done this sort of thing before so it should be interesting.

Lokarin posted...

you guys work for the Kremlin or what?

In Soviet Russia, game demos YOU

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Tag me when the full game is up.
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Will do. The demo build was approved, the store page was not because two of the graphical assets get covered by the "Demo" banner in the upper left-hand corner and I hadn't considered that. I made the adjustments and re-submitted so this should be good to go shortly.

The main thing is if people don't like the demo, or see things that need tweaking, I still have a few months to get the actual game running right. So it's not nearly as nerve-wracking as usual.

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The demo is live!

If anyone would like to try it, it's the first two areas of the game:

https://steamcommunity.com/games/1630690/announcements/detail/4271087968785600526


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I think so just because I like for even basic gear to feel like it has some meaning and character in a game

even if its a small codex or flavor text about how a sword is rusted and badly chipped or a robe is moth eaten at parts and smells of mildew

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Yeah that's what I ended up doing.

The first item in the log is the titular Warren Peace book so it doubles as a "How many games have I played of this thing?" counter, since you always start with it regardless of class or item picks.

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