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Favorite RPG Inventory System

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Pixels

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Which one is your favorite?

I'm partial to the WoW Peg/Slot/Bag system:
greenwinteroutfit-krys.jpg
 
Honestly I prefer systems where you can carry everything, and don't have to deal with your inventory, like FF games or Dark Souls.
 
In terms of unique inventory systems, I really liked Riviera's.

Limited inventory for the whole party, each item (including weapons sharing the same inventory) only having finite uses.

Some people found it too limiting, but I really enjoyed managing the finite resources available.
 
Pseudo-unlimited like most final fantasies (Don't care about inventory choices)

or super restricted like RE4/Diablo (Have to make really tough inventory choices)
 
Diablo 3: RoS on consoles is amazing. Like, I cannot wrap my head around how they managed to get something with so many options into something so streamlined and smooth.
I wish BioWare had just straight ripped the inventory screen from D3:RoS for Dragon Age: Inquisition. I dread having to change my character's equipment.
 
WoW's system is basically unusable without an inventory manager. Even with the new bag sorting feature. I don't understand how so many people don't use something like AdiBags.

I personally tend to like inventory systems that let me pick everything up without worrying about bag space or item weight. That coupled with a limit on what exactly you can equip is great. So I'd say Dark Souls or Pillars of Eternity.
 
pixlexic said:
Just let me carry everything for gods sakes. Item limits need to go.
Click to expand...

Some games need limits, like in Dungeon Crawlers, the games are all about going into a dungeon after carefully planning what to take with you, and thinking that you won't be able to carry all the loot back if your backpack is full of potions and other stuff.

So no, not every game would be better by having no item limit.
 
I think the Baldur's Gate and Icewind Dale games have very good inventory system. Item management can be a bit of a pain in them simply because of the amount of stuff you pick up, but that's not the fault of the system really.
 
Farks! said:
I think the Baldur's Gate and Icewind Dale games have very good inventory system. Item management can be a bit of a pain in them simply because of the amount of stuff you pick up, but that's not the fault of the system really.
Click to expand...
All hail to Bag of Holding!
I loved it too.
 
I have to go with Ultima Online's free form bags:
20090203113724.jpg


WoW always felt so restrictive following UO and being able to just dump things anywhere in the bags.
 
I love RE4's. It almost feels like a mini game.

As for the worst, I would have to say Earthbound (as much as I love it). Inventory is very limited, and even Escargot Express (kind of like a mobile storage service) runs out of room after a while.
 
D3 on console's inventory system is good? I dunno...I feel I have to do a lot of button presses to do anything for it :/

Then again, I am comparing it to the PC version.
 
epmode said:
WoW's system is basically unusable without an inventory manager. Even with the new bag sorting feature. I don't understand how so many people don't use something like AdiBags.
Click to expand...

Eh, can't really think of the last time I was forced to dig into my bags to find a specific object that lacked any sort of contextual option in the crafting or quest menus to auto-draw them from. With the ability to assign bags sort options like 'consumables', 'crafting', 'equipment' etc... everything auto-sorts naturally so I know where to look for anything I need without mods.

It's a massive improvement from the days of vanilla where bags were a complete mess of icons that required manual upkeep.
 
A one-item bullshit free inventory system like this:
New_Super_Mario_Bros._-_Gameplay.png


Edit: Woops... I missed the word "RPG" in the thread title. Sorry.

In that case, Secret of Mana's inventory system is pretty cool.
 
I'll probably get a lot of disagreement but I love restrictions on inventory systems.

I love weight limits, quantity limits and even Resident Evil 4's (not an RPG I know) briefcase size restriction.

I also like quickly accessible, ordered systems; key items, medicines, materials etc. are kept separate.
 
I liked the Deus Ex inventory. This was the first time I played a game with this type of system. RE4 used this too. It is weird that Deus Ex:IW and RE5 ditched this system. This system is sort of tedious to some, but I like it as a little mini game. I am a hardcore ammo/weapons hoarder. This system adds more to that element.


ZDc6oVO.png
 
Almost anything but Dragon Age Inquisition. I preferred old-school SNES RPGs that had nearly limitless inventory space. If I can't carry absolutely everything with me, at least give me a place to store stuff, in some sort of home base.
 
I fucking hate limited inventory in loot-based games, for example Diablo and The Elder Scrolls. It's like I'm having an awesome time in this dungeon, but now I have to return to town because my inventory is full? That fucking blows. And no I'm not just going to drop shit on the ground, have to get some gold for it at least.

On the other hand I actually enjoyed the inventory tetris in Deus Ex. Many action and shooter games have limits on how many weapons, grenades, etc. you can carry; Deus Ex is kind of like that, but more flexible to your playstyle. If you plan to go loud, you can fill your space mostly with big weapons, ammo, and explosives. If you plan to go stealth, you can carry more tools and items to help you with that. You can sell weapons and stuff at shops, but the game doesn't revolve around loot and money, so there's no real compulsion to keep everything. Just take what you need and go.

Interesting how game design can make me feel differently about limited inventory.
 
Diablo II's was awesome, with bigger items taking up more slots in the bag.

And then some bright spark made big charms that only work by having them in bags.

Screenshot198.jpg
 
Inventory tetris is nice and all but the best inventory I've ever used was the ark inventory addon for wow. It shows all your bags as single bag, but you can create groups where it groups items matching a filter together. You can also just use a search function that highlights matching items. I'm sure there are more features but it's been years since I played wow.

sttAsPL.png
Click to expand...

I wish more games would use something like this.
 
Secret of Mana's Ring System. Not just functionally, but aesthetically too. It feels like Minority Report generating rings, expanding, collapsing, rotating. Can't think of another RPG Inventory system that is as fun to just play around with.
 
oakenhild said:
I have to go with Ultima Online's free form bags:
20090203113724.jpg


WoW always felt so restrictive following UO and being able to just dump things anywhere in the bags.
Click to expand...

Wait, how does that work? There's no grid so you just place items where there's space? They can't stack or touch I guess?
 
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