Looting -- The official thread for discussing the loot system. Updated 18th March, 2013.

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SMRD wrote:

1) pace. when good items fall people will loot quickly.

Some people like to play the game slow. Are they playing the game wrong or is it a playstyle choice? Why should GGG try to force people to play fast?

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SMRD wrote:

2) gives you a reason to make friends. when you travel with friends the usually won't try and grab something that fell with your name on it unless you walk away from it.

Why would you need a looting system to give you a reason to have friends? Last time I checked people enjoy having coop buddies to play with any time. In a non competitive looting system I can play the game with anybody and have a good time. I prefer that over only being able to play with select people.

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SMRD wrote:

3) easy to share. I’m a bow users and a bow falls with someone elses name on it, they can just leave it there for me to take since they don't use bows. or sometimes people will say they are looking for certain items, we can let them loot those items without effort.

This is basically another pace argument which I think is great you guys have an option to play the game as quickly as you need to. Heck I might even use FFA if I am only playing with friends. We might want to play the game faster at that point and not stop to link items. But for playing in public games I see no reason why people can't have the choice to play at their own pace in a non competitive system.

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SMRD wrote:

4) it fits the theme/style of the game. you are an exile... sure, people DON'T really
roleplay, but it really does fit the game well.

Sure it fits the game. However gameplay and enjoyment should trump theme/style any day. Thank God the devs don't make every gameplay decision based on the theme.

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SMRD wrote:

5) if you have loot “rules” that everyone agreed upon, you have the option of breaking those rules at will when nobody is looking - temptation will always be there.

Which is exactly why public games are avoided by many players. I don't see how this is at all worth it. If the rules are broken it just invites bad feelings and someone potentially being booted. Furthermore why do the players have to make their own rules to play how they want to play? I don't recall Chris ever talking about players making their own rules to enjoy the game.

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SMRD wrote:

6) in ladder races sometimes the top players are all in the same group, and competing for rank and loot, but still need to help each other.

and ladder races are completely optional to. I'm glad people have this choice.

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SMRD wrote:

7) drama. seriously. Hey! he stole my boots right before I could get them! I hope he dies. anything worth talking about in the game is good for the game even bad things.

Completely disagree. Bad experiences are just that, Bad. I find players generally think like I do which is that we play to relax. Drama isn't at all something that I want in my video game.

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SMRD wrote:

8) excitement. you see more items fall then in instanced loot systems, and you see what others got.

Extending the timer wouldn't change the loot drops at all. Instanced would be a nice choice sometimes especially so that the ground isn't completely covered in items so that I can't even see the ground. But really I would just settle for a system that is non competitive.

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SMRD wrote:

9) added difficulty for large groups. less overall loot and difficulty in seeing who took what means that ninja looting is easier etc. harder to keep track of anything.

Looks like you stole my argument against FFA. Hard to see how took what makes it easy for ninja looters to do their thing. I definitely agree. There isn't anything difficult about camping loot drops I just think its a boring and stupid way to play the game which is why I avoid it.

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SMRD wrote:

10) danger. when people are competing it is added danger to loot while fighting - more than once I have seen greedy players will run up to grab something and die.

If you want added danger then make more interesting monsters and AI. Why do we need the loot system to make the game dangerous? Dieing from trying to get your share of the loot just encourages players to not play public games. This is essentially a game difficulty argument, many players don't find it to be more difficult, just more frustrating which = play solo.

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SMRD wrote:

11) immersion. you can see what people type in chat, you can see how they fight, and you also can see what they loot/pick up. you can tell plenty about a player from these things, and to do so you need to pay close attention to loot while fighting. - you feel more “in” the game with them by sharing all elements.

You can do those things with a non-competitive system as well. I feel that your immersion argument is a playstyle choice that shouldn't be put onto all players because not all players feel more immersion by FFA. I personally don't see how loot timers all over the screen with players names on the items is supposed to add to immersion.

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SMRD wrote:

a) you don't need to make any friends, and nobody has a reason to friend you - the general public is almost the same.

Recycling the same argument? Again, the only reason you need to make friends is that its fun to slay monsters together. That reason will always exist. You don't need FFA to give you a reasons to make in game friends. Thats silly.

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SMRD wrote:

b) you can play while watching tv and only using one hand when all you do is click on monsters

So you also think people who play single player are playing the game wrong? I like games where all you do is click on monsters and collect loot. Thats what the Diablo games were all about. People didn't love D2 because it was FFA.

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SMRD wrote:

c) you can't see what anyone else got - so even if they just picked up a perfect item for your character you can't make them an offer or try and beg for it. etc.

Why is everyone so focused on instanced? I would be mostly happy if I could just extend the timer in which case I CAN see what the party is getting.

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SMRD wrote:

d) to share loot you have to pick it up and drop or open a trade window in town.

How does that affect you if you aren't forced to use it? Play style choice.

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SMRD wrote:

e) no difference between large groups or solo - just advantages of following powerful players.

There's plenty of differences. I don't know why people think that other players are only fun if you constantly competing for loot. What a ridiculous notion. Parties are a lot different than solo.

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SMRD wrote:

f) if someone in your party is a jerk there is nothing you can do to retaliate.

Jerk in what way? They can't ninja my loot so I don't really care what they do. They can still be booted or muted.

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SMRD wrote:

g) its not realistic that some items are invisible to all but one player. - minor thing, but what if monsters were instanced too?

Again not the only suggestion being made but I don't see how people can argue that and be ok with the stupid names and timers system we have now. How is this system realistic?

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SMRD wrote:

h) no advantage to being in front and killing everything then to be in the back following and just looting.

I would rather play a game where you don't need an advantage in order to get your share of the loot.