Poll Question 037 - What kind of Inventory System do you prefer?

Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half Life 1, 2 and 3

Inventory Systems

I consider myself quite a stupid player! I can move and shoot quite well but I often think about how thoughtless I was after I have completed a level. I rarely use the item in my inventory very effectively. I think that when I played Unreal I hardly ever used the cool things.

What kind of Inventory System do you prefer?

When I played Alpha Prime it had this cool item that could hack into the surrounding systems. It was only when I reached a point in the game where I had to use it that I actually remembered it was there. 5 minutes later I had forgotten it again!. I am now thinking that if I used the right item for the right situation I might actually enjoy the games more.

The same is true of weapons. Instead of using the right weapon for the right situation I simply find my favorite weapon and use that until the ammunition is finished!

I would like simple inventory systems, just a flashlight and that’s about it. Anything else and I feel I am playing an RPG! What about you?

About this entry

Published:: 29th June 2007 at 5:46 pm

Category:: Poll Questions

Responses:: 9 Comments (add)

McLure 30th June 2007 at 01:51 1

I prefer veeery few itens. Good deal would be some itens showing in x different squares on the bottom of the screen, with well drawed icons resembling that item making the player remmeber what that is for, and using a number shortcut key (1,2,3… Even F1, F2…). Too many detailed itens are pain workout that did not need to be done and for a FPS simplicity in this aspect counts positive score.
Dachande663 30th June 2007 at 02:14 2

I like it where you have a set starting weapon set/ammunition for each level. Playing Thief 3 I got to the end of the game and realised I had hundreds of fire arrows and other expensive items left but I just didn’t want to waste them in case they came in handy later. As for in-game inventory, as you said, dead simple. I think halo had the best system; 2 guns, 8 grenades and that’s it.
MMAN 30th June 2007 at 03:08 3

The options being two extremes means I can’t really answer this one, as it completely depends on the game for me.
firba1 30th June 2007 at 06:31 4

I think that simple designs are often easier to use and remember, so I like those better sometimes. However, I do enjoy being able to customize things extensively as long as I can still remember everything that I can do. But I only like this if it’s simple enough to use easily.
Goddess 30th June 2007 at 10:30 5

Overall, a simple inventory is more efficient.
Jumbles 30th June 2007 at 17:29 6

I really like the inventory system from Halo (best thing about the game).

Only carrying two guns means you have to really think about which two will be most useful in any particular situation.

I have MWheelUp to change between the two guns and MWheelDown to change between the two grenades. It’s so much easier and quicker than scrolling through twenty weapons to find the one you’re after.
zeroth404 2nd July 2007 at 15:48 7

“Role-Playing Game” does not accurately describe the genre. I propose to never use the term again.

For example, you could call Quake 4 an RPG. You play the role of Matthew Kane. Well, of course you disagree. When someone says “RPG”, what they really mean to say is “Quest-Based game with a complex Inventory system.”

Zelda: Action Adventure.
System Shock: Survival Horror.
Doom 3: Horror.
Penumbra: Survival Horror.
Resident Evil: Survival Horror.
Star-Craft: Strategy.
Half-Life: Shooter.
Half-Life 2: Shooter.
Half-Life 2 EP1: Listen to Alyx Talk.
Half-Life 2 EP2: Joy as Alyx Dies.

well… you get the idea.
RPG: A game where you play a role. never use it to describe a genre.
MMAN 3rd July 2007 at 01:19 8

An RPG is an RPG, suddenly refusing the term for it does nothing except confuse people. Especially if something as grotesque as “Quest-Based game with a complex Inventory system” is the closest alternative.
zeroth404 4th July 2007 at 07:34 9

I’ve given you examples of alternatives, and they’re not complex, and they are far more descriptive.

any game dubbed an “RPG” has a better term.