The game has been out for over a year and is still one of the most popular games on Steam. It’s also responsible for significant changes in the industry, with its unique take on loot boxes.
Because I know this post will receive a lot of backlash, I’d be willing to forego the need for a charm inventory entirely if they added ilvl and socket count to item names while on the ground (NOT talking about adding filters), because that would solve the problem of players being forced to spend half of the game picking up and dropping items.
Edit1: There’s nothing wrong with preferring not to have a charm inventory. There’s something wrong with refusing it under the false pretext that none of the features below would “affect game play” or increase inventory.
Edit2: To be clear, I’m not suggesting that we need as many charms as the mods. It might even be something that contains the cube, tomes, and anything in the size of a 44, I’m not sure. Anything to get our stuff back so we can loot it.
Let’s get started now that it’s out of the way. Here’s a rundown of some of D2R’s “larger” upgrades to date:
Pick-up of Gold by Auto
This has a direct bearing on how I’ll approach the game. Why wouldn’t Llama say on live that he’ll be scooping up gold in the countess chambers now? The gameplay had an effect.
When purchasing several items of the same kind, the Gamble Refresh + item no longer vanishes.
If I can quickly open a store with the goods I desire and shop that item till I run out of gold, that would be ideal. HOW WE SHOP HAS COMPLETELY CHANGED (which is a huge part of D2). It makes it a LOT simpler for me to shop for the things I desire. The gameplay had an effect.
Stash capacity has been raised to 1010 and three additional Shared Tabs have been added.
If I can get 3x the amount of loot on one character before I have to (safely) mule my stuff. The gameplay had an effect (more than any other change for D2R so far imo)
Lock-out for Cow King has been lifted.
If I don’t have to quit a game because the cow king is going to be killed by some jerk. The gameplay had an effect.
Unlock Ladder-Only Unique Items, Runewords, and Cube Recipes for Single Player and Non-Ladder Players
If I can make ladder-only uniques, runewords, and cube recipes without using the ladder. Because there is no motivation to play Ladder, the game’s playability is harmed (outside of climbing it, obv).
Single Player + Non-ladder “Endgame” Events Unlocked
It has a direct influence on how I will play and enjoy the game.
Instead of holding Alt, enable loot drop names to be shown all the time.
It has a direct influence on how I will play and enjoy the game.
Ctrl click items into your stash instead of drag & drop
It has a direct influence on how I will play and enjoy the game.
On both sides, the total map visibility was increased by a few inches.
It has a direct influence on how I will play and enjoy the game.
Let’s look at two of the most common arguments for not having a charm inventory:
“Are really adjustments to the quality of life that have no bearing on gaming”
What are you talking about, I’m sorry? Please explain how they have no bearing on the game.
“It’s a conscious decision you make. Have greater damage/survivability, or more loot space.”
So now that our stash tab has 3x the room for loot we pick up and we don’t have to min-max what stuff we keep in our stash, you’re just as concerned about how it affects D2’s fundamental game play? right?
Picking a single QOL element, such as charm inventory, and claiming that none of the other factors affect game play is just nonsense. The overwhelming majority of those that play this game do so in order to get stuff (Pvm). Making treasure more accessible does not, and will not, destroy the game. It won’t alter the game any more than doubling our stockpile tabs and allowing them to be shared would.
Here’s an example that everyone can relate to:
The new season has begun, and we must all seek for the eth 4os polearm for enlightenment.
Assume I have a few charms (read: not the whole inventory), a cube, and a few tomes. It’s already difficult for me to take up more than one polearm at a time. I’ll spend more than half of my time playing the game picking up one of them (for sure 1os), pausing, inspecting the object to ensure it’s 1os, and then dumping it on the ground.
They’ve already made a slew of HUGE modifications to D2R, many of which have a direct effect on gameplay. I’m a big believer in making D2R the greatest game possible. How is making looting easier a hill that many people are prepared to die on? The game has already changed; it is no longer LoD, no matter how hard you try to convince yourself otherwise. It’s a brand-new, improved, and revived game.
I think
/u/glasse put it far better than I ever could.
“Looting isn’t tough, even if you have a lot of charms in your inventory. It’s just infuriating. I id everything I want to id in my cube, dropping what I don’t want and keeping what I want till I return to town and store it. My inventory looks like this on almost every character I create (unless I’m playing a mod with extra inventory space, in which case it looks like this). Whatever you want to call it, I have all the damage, kill speed, survivability, ability to detect things, and so on.
A charm inventory relieves me of the need to do the whole open inventory, place item in cube from the ground, open cube, id, drop or retain item, and continue process. When my run is over, I can simply pick up trash and ID fascinating things. Instead of being continually halted, the game seems more fluid. That’s not to add the fact that ethereal and socketed objects seem to be the same on the ground, requiring you to pick them up to determine which is which. You still go through the same old song and dance when you pick up 1-2 big things previously, unless you’re playing with a totally blank inventory right now, which is dumb even though you appear to believe it isn’t.”
See you on the HC ladder board, punks.
Edit3: This also applies to stacking runes and jewels. You want one of your three shared tabs to be filled with chipped gems for crafting? Nobody wants to do it, I’m sure. The game is actually improved by stacking gems and runes. There are no drawbacks.
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Related Tag
- quality of life improvements software
