I feel that the rares trade in Ultima Online has to be mentioned at this point. Its fine enough buying and placing a house on some nice island, but the real pleasure comes when you manage to fill it to the rafters (literally) with random semi-rare and very-rare trinkets.
A friend of mine went so far as to open a museum of rare items, He even had a few bits of sea from years ago that were grabed when the server went online for the first time. Thats a real classic item collectors game. Bit sad realy.
collecting things
I liked collecting photos in Beyond Good & Evil. Giving the main character a camera was a clever innovation. (I remember Metal Gear Solid 2 also had a camera, but I despise the MGS series.)
Personally, I don't really like collecting in-game items. I don't mind doing so either, but I prefer the automagic character progression (things like gaining a new attack combo that isn't neccessarily more powerful but perhaps more powerful in some situations and worse in others to give more overall options).
If you must include item collection, I kind of like the way Zelda: A Link to the Past did it. Almost all the items were required, but they were obtained in the normal course of progression so it wasn't a major pain to get those items. The remaining items were out of the way so it took some work (and possibly ingenuity) to obtain them, but it was always worth it as they could be very helpful.
If you must include item collection, I kind of like the way Zelda: A Link to the Past did it. Almost all the items were required, but they were obtained in the normal course of progression so it wasn't a major pain to get those items. The remaining items were out of the way so it took some work (and possibly ingenuity) to obtain them, but it was always worth it as they could be very helpful.
What about.. an adventure, platformer or action rpg game with 1 big world where.. you start with your 1 damage wooden sword, 3 hp and 1 mana. Then you continue happily to battle baddies to save your chick, every time you finish an area of the game you learn a new way of using your wooden sword. I found 3 mana enhacing potions that makes you have 4 mana now, and but hey, not only you can do your past techniques twice but now suddently you can do level 2 techniques that take 2 mana but are around 1.5 times more powerfull! Might not be as good in the long run but for enemies who hide, cover, move quickly or have an special attack that takes away 2 valuable hp points instead of one it sounds like a better idea to use your new techs.
If you beat the boss of the third area in less than the average time most beta testers took * 1.2, you get a hp enhacing potion making you have 4 hp now! Strangely enough you have multiplied your mana count by 4, but the enemy count from the beginning of the game to this moment have multiplied by 8. And also your hp has been adden 1/3 more, but the enemies' attack power have multiplied by 1.5 and their hp has grown by 1.5 too!! Sound like the game is getting tougher, with enemies progressing more than you in the stats department.. but you know, you are becoming more and more skilled, that your supreme ways can still beat them! But it still gives you a sense of achievement, even more when you from time to time have to go to the beginning area to recover your hp and mana, and squash those puny enemies that you fought at the beginning and tought they were as good as you.
When you are around 10% of the game, and you are finally used enough to the game that your are about to master most of the cool stuff you can do with your wooden sword(slashing, thrusting, inserting it on your enemies' holes, use it to block enemies' attacks and missiles), you suddently find a bunch of a new, armored and big kind of baddie. They don't really attack you unless you get too close, but since we all know that as the player it's your duty to kill every enemy in sight, you go after them.
After a bloody battle that prolly that leaves you with 1 hp and 0 mana (even tought when you got there you didn't had full mana because you used a tech to get out of hairy situation just before you found the baddies so you just had 3 out of 4), you find what your enemies where looking at, a new shiny (stainless) steel sword. You try to lift it but ugh, seems like your character is having a rough time. He moves a little slower because he is used to the weight of the trusty wooden sword, but man, you can do now 2 damage now! And even tought you can't use your insert-wooden-sword-in-enemies-holes technique anymore that was the best way of defeating some enemies because your new sword is too big, you now can cover more efficiently, and can do a slash technique that forms a wave that keeps going forward, hitting every enemy in it's path!
Of course you just don't dump your wooden sword, everyone knows that you can have two swords, using them together or using one when the other one is hidden! Well you can't use the two swords since using your new sword is heavy, but there are enemies best beaten with the insert-wooden-sword-in-enemies-holes so you still use it sometimes, it's not worthless.
Slowly you get more dexterity with your sword, but before you get to be the same speed as with the wooden sword, You find another hp enhacing potion. Wow, seems like the potion helped you achieve the dexterity you always wanted! who knew that having 5 hp would give you a boost at improving dexterity? not only that but you can even use the two swords at once now! Well it isn't a good idea against more than 1 enemy because using more than 1 sword isn't effective when they are divided, and the multiple enemies take care of it. Oh well it's still great for bosses!.. of you go to continue in the path of saving that gal that is so frigging hot..
Oh another mana enhacing potion! Another area beaten but you know, enemies seem to be getting smarter, when I attack the same way the same enemy twice they almost always cover my attacks, and they plan, attacking with long range weapons while some enemies with stronger short range weapons cover them..
Anyways, I found another hp enhacing potion, and another area was beaten. It's cool that everytime I finish an area I get a new technique for each of the swords, even tought the techniques gotten in one place an another place are similar, but not the same! good for different purposes!
Oh, found another mana enhacing potion! what? now you can use compound combo techniques like the thrust-with-wooden-sword-Slash-with-steel-sword-get-wooden-sword-inside-enemy-hole-Finish-with-powerful-steel-sword-attack when using two swords that take your full 6 mana bar, but are guaranteed leave the bosses at around 10% of it's full health! Tought it's pretty hard to time all the 4 attacks perfectly to get all the hits..
Wow, this boss left a new weapon, it's sort of a two blade sword that does 4 damage! but dang, I can just carry 2 weapons at a time, so which one am I gonna leave.. seems like I can make 20 damage and 3 moves per second techniques(more moves per second means more enemies can be tackled in less time and that they have less time to react) with the wooden sword and the two blade sword even tought my two swords normal attacks do around 5 damage with 2 moves per second, but that with the steel sword and the two blade sword my techniques now do 15 damage with 1 moves per second and my normal attacks do around 6 damage with 1 move per second...
Gee which one should I leave behind, the wooden sword or the steel sword? using the steel or wooden sword alone just got obsoleted by the dual blade sword, seeing as it is more effective than any of the previous two weapons alone against all enemies... I wonder if I will stay here wondering which one should I pick all the time or go to get the girl?
Sometimes I wonder if she is really worth is, she wasn't that cute anyways..
Hope this thing make things clearer instead of being too confusing XD
If you beat the boss of the third area in less than the average time most beta testers took * 1.2, you get a hp enhacing potion making you have 4 hp now! Strangely enough you have multiplied your mana count by 4, but the enemy count from the beginning of the game to this moment have multiplied by 8. And also your hp has been adden 1/3 more, but the enemies' attack power have multiplied by 1.5 and their hp has grown by 1.5 too!! Sound like the game is getting tougher, with enemies progressing more than you in the stats department.. but you know, you are becoming more and more skilled, that your supreme ways can still beat them! But it still gives you a sense of achievement, even more when you from time to time have to go to the beginning area to recover your hp and mana, and squash those puny enemies that you fought at the beginning and tought they were as good as you.
When you are around 10% of the game, and you are finally used enough to the game that your are about to master most of the cool stuff you can do with your wooden sword(slashing, thrusting, inserting it on your enemies' holes, use it to block enemies' attacks and missiles), you suddently find a bunch of a new, armored and big kind of baddie. They don't really attack you unless you get too close, but since we all know that as the player it's your duty to kill every enemy in sight, you go after them.
After a bloody battle that prolly that leaves you with 1 hp and 0 mana (even tought when you got there you didn't had full mana because you used a tech to get out of hairy situation just before you found the baddies so you just had 3 out of 4), you find what your enemies where looking at, a new shiny (stainless) steel sword. You try to lift it but ugh, seems like your character is having a rough time. He moves a little slower because he is used to the weight of the trusty wooden sword, but man, you can do now 2 damage now! And even tought you can't use your insert-wooden-sword-in-enemies-holes technique anymore that was the best way of defeating some enemies because your new sword is too big, you now can cover more efficiently, and can do a slash technique that forms a wave that keeps going forward, hitting every enemy in it's path!
Of course you just don't dump your wooden sword, everyone knows that you can have two swords, using them together or using one when the other one is hidden! Well you can't use the two swords since using your new sword is heavy, but there are enemies best beaten with the insert-wooden-sword-in-enemies-holes so you still use it sometimes, it's not worthless.
Slowly you get more dexterity with your sword, but before you get to be the same speed as with the wooden sword, You find another hp enhacing potion. Wow, seems like the potion helped you achieve the dexterity you always wanted! who knew that having 5 hp would give you a boost at improving dexterity? not only that but you can even use the two swords at once now! Well it isn't a good idea against more than 1 enemy because using more than 1 sword isn't effective when they are divided, and the multiple enemies take care of it. Oh well it's still great for bosses!.. of you go to continue in the path of saving that gal that is so frigging hot..
Oh another mana enhacing potion! Another area beaten but you know, enemies seem to be getting smarter, when I attack the same way the same enemy twice they almost always cover my attacks, and they plan, attacking with long range weapons while some enemies with stronger short range weapons cover them..
Anyways, I found another hp enhacing potion, and another area was beaten. It's cool that everytime I finish an area I get a new technique for each of the swords, even tought the techniques gotten in one place an another place are similar, but not the same! good for different purposes!
Oh, found another mana enhacing potion! what? now you can use compound combo techniques like the thrust-with-wooden-sword-Slash-with-steel-sword-get-wooden-sword-inside-enemy-hole-Finish-with-powerful-steel-sword-attack when using two swords that take your full 6 mana bar, but are guaranteed leave the bosses at around 10% of it's full health! Tought it's pretty hard to time all the 4 attacks perfectly to get all the hits..
Wow, this boss left a new weapon, it's sort of a two blade sword that does 4 damage! but dang, I can just carry 2 weapons at a time, so which one am I gonna leave.. seems like I can make 20 damage and 3 moves per second techniques(more moves per second means more enemies can be tackled in less time and that they have less time to react) with the wooden sword and the two blade sword even tought my two swords normal attacks do around 5 damage with 2 moves per second, but that with the steel sword and the two blade sword my techniques now do 15 damage with 1 moves per second and my normal attacks do around 6 damage with 1 move per second...
Gee which one should I leave behind, the wooden sword or the steel sword? using the steel or wooden sword alone just got obsoleted by the dual blade sword, seeing as it is more effective than any of the previous two weapons alone against all enemies... I wonder if I will stay here wondering which one should I pick all the time or go to get the girl?
Sometimes I wonder if she is really worth is, she wasn't that cute anyways..
Hope this thing make things clearer instead of being too confusing XD
I always found collecting at least 1 of every in-game item to be fun. Of course, it'd suck in a most annoying way if the game only gave you 1 of a particular item and it was one of those crucial things you'll end up never using because you don't want to waste it, and then when you finally get really far up in the game, you realize that the item isn't useful anymore.
Here, I'll put it a different way. I liked to keep the Weapons and Armor I didn't use anymore, but I hated getting just that 1 Fire Scroll and never finding another.
Skill collecting is sometimes fun. Its more the psychological effect of making that list longer, which I suppose is the same thing Weapon and Armor collecting does.
Keys and Puzzle items don't do it for me, specifically because it leaves that nagging doubt that goes something like "Dammit, now wheres the other one? I know I'm missing at least one."
I've been playing Phantom Brave lately (I own Disgaea also) and found that unlocking Classes was a lot of fun. The whole item and weapon collecting thing lost it's effect, since theres no uniqueness to it. I mean, that one weapons thats got the +10000 Attack, I'm keeping my hands on that, but thats only because I put a buttload of work into it.
Here, I'll put it a different way. I liked to keep the Weapons and Armor I didn't use anymore, but I hated getting just that 1 Fire Scroll and never finding another.
Skill collecting is sometimes fun. Its more the psychological effect of making that list longer, which I suppose is the same thing Weapon and Armor collecting does.
Keys and Puzzle items don't do it for me, specifically because it leaves that nagging doubt that goes something like "Dammit, now wheres the other one? I know I'm missing at least one."
I've been playing Phantom Brave lately (I own Disgaea also) and found that unlocking Classes was a lot of fun. The whole item and weapon collecting thing lost it's effect, since theres no uniqueness to it. I mean, that one weapons thats got the +10000 Attack, I'm keeping my hands on that, but thats only because I put a buttload of work into it.
My favorite collectibles are those that unlock customization of looks, like in dead or alive. Gaining new abilities/stuff to do and such is cool, but I dislike being prevented from substantial features in a game. style is enough reward for me.
I always liked collections that were in fact collectables and that you could do things with. Such as in shenmue where you can collect various vending machine toys, baubles, and souviners and then sell them either as complete sets or indvidual pieces. I always thought that it would make an interesting sideline for a game where it had an alternative market economy based entirly on barting collectables. It could be used in almost any kind of game where collection are possible for instance in a game set on a space station or space ship they might trade objects for other objects need a new powercell? some one might trade you one for a chess set, Want to get some extra time in the relaxation chamber? Some one might trade you their time allowence that week for a couple of fresh apples or a necklace.
I also thought it would be fun to have a collectable card game in a game where all the cards are people, places, things, and events in the game.
I also thought it would be fun to have a collectable card game in a game where all the cards are people, places, things, and events in the game.
I'd like to see a side-quest sort of thing where I collect pieces of an artifact or something. Have them distributed such that getting them all implies that you've completed 100% of the game, and then, when I've got them all, unlock some sort of feature that basically amounts to meta-gaming. Some way to explore the map more quickly, or to excel at the mini-games, or to otherwise be able to enjoy all my favorite aspects of the game without earning them again and again.
Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask had this, sort of. If you collected all the masks, you could get the "Fierce Deity Mask", which basically turned you into a hellishly powerful adult Link, who could trash bosses in no time. That way, I could see the end of the game any time I wanted to, without struggling through the boss fight each time.
Better than a gallery mode, and more satisfying than just getting some damned uber-weapon. If I've done everything in the game, I want a little medal and a key to the city. I want to get into all the trendy nightspots, get all the girls, and christen all the ships. Heck, make me mayor.
I'm ranting off-topic now, but I guess I'll sum up by saying I don't care what I'm collecting, as long as I get a real reward for it. The dogtags in MGS: The Twin Snakes were the cruelest joke of all.
Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask had this, sort of. If you collected all the masks, you could get the "Fierce Deity Mask", which basically turned you into a hellishly powerful adult Link, who could trash bosses in no time. That way, I could see the end of the game any time I wanted to, without struggling through the boss fight each time.
Better than a gallery mode, and more satisfying than just getting some damned uber-weapon. If I've done everything in the game, I want a little medal and a key to the city. I want to get into all the trendy nightspots, get all the girls, and christen all the ships. Heck, make me mayor.
I'm ranting off-topic now, but I guess I'll sum up by saying I don't care what I'm collecting, as long as I get a real reward for it. The dogtags in MGS: The Twin Snakes were the cruelest joke of all.
that's easy!
Pokemon :D
Not only can you collect new ones but you can change your team and upgrade them individually or make a 2nd team or just have fun collecting them all. nobody has made a better collecting game than Pokemon!!
Pokemon :D
Not only can you collect new ones but you can change your team and upgrade them individually or make a 2nd team or just have fun collecting them all. nobody has made a better collecting game than Pokemon!!
I find that one of the most tiresome aspects of RPG's is the ratpacking phenomenon that tends to get foisted on to you. Whenever you see a new item, you can't always be sure whether it's a useful item, an essential plot item, or a worthless heap of junk.
You end up with either a backpack chock full of useless crap that you have to sift through whenever you access the inventory, or you end up backtracking through half the game trying to find - or remember where you found and discarded - some random item because you need it to progress to the next section.
Anyway, I agree that items that change appearance, or have more interesting in game effects than just '+1 damage' are generally good. I also quite like the idea of collecting certain objects for certain rewards (such as ICC's mask example) which aren't necessarily needed to complete the game, but can open up cool features or secrets. I would prefer it though if the value or purpose of any given item is made reasonably clear when I find it - or before I find it - so that I don't have to collect six billion useless items on the off chance one of them does something.
You end up with either a backpack chock full of useless crap that you have to sift through whenever you access the inventory, or you end up backtracking through half the game trying to find - or remember where you found and discarded - some random item because you need it to progress to the next section.
Anyway, I agree that items that change appearance, or have more interesting in game effects than just '+1 damage' are generally good. I also quite like the idea of collecting certain objects for certain rewards (such as ICC's mask example) which aren't necessarily needed to complete the game, but can open up cool features or secrets. I would prefer it though if the value or purpose of any given item is made reasonably clear when I find it - or before I find it - so that I don't have to collect six billion useless items on the off chance one of them does something.
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