[MUD-Dev] Unique items vs. item references

[shren]

On Wed, 7 Aug 2002, Vincent Archer wrote:
> According to Brian Hook:
 
>> But since I don't have direct experience in this arena, I'd like
>> to hear how others have addressed this.  I believe that this was
>> apparently one of the defining differences between EQ and UO?
 
> My own opinion: Storage is cheap. Whether in memory or on disk. It
> gets cheaper all the time (with bumps, notably regarding memory,
> but still).  Go for the "basic template"+"shitload of
> properties". Your basic template defines the unchangeable
> properties of the item (it's a blaster. It's a hoverpack. It's a
> storage chest), and everything else is individual.

One note.  Diablo II has something called "rare" items, where an
item has a collection of random properties.  The magic item will be
the same as a base item with 1-6 random properties.

Most of these items are barely wieldable, because there's no
guarantee that the properties match the item type.  There are plenty
of "rare" swords that arn't any better at stabbing things than a
normal sword.  Such items tend to see, at best, fringe use.

When throwing random properties on a weapon, make sure that you have
some predisposition towards properties that make it a good weapon.

Something interesting I've thought about along these lines: make a
few completely random items, but make most "random" items a slightly
randomized version of items that player characters wield.  Say, half
of the time, instead of making a completely random weapon, make a
slightly variant version of a weapon someone, somewhere is actually
wielding.  Random most times is worse than human judgement, and thus
random items tend to be not so good.  But if you make slightly
random versions of items humans have judged to be good (because they
wield them) the quality of your random items will rocket up... what
wizard rolls dice when deciding what properties to put on a magic
item, anyway?


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