Slime Squisher
Posts: 365
Joined: Monday, 7th January 2013, 08:22
Skill locked chests (a more palatable Archaeologist)
Chest: a rare, miscellaneous evocable item. Even though it's rare, in case of appearing it would do so during the early game (D1-7). Chests are named in relation to a skill. A couple examples:
- Pyromancer's Lockbox (SK_FIRE_MAGIC)
- Armourer's Crate (SK_ARMOUR)
The description for a chest explains that, in order to unlock the mechanism, the player must be more knowledgeable in that particular skill. This could be measured in SP or raw skill levels, or randomised to some extent. The chest is identified on pickup and will always require a skill level that the player does not have, and represent a significant investment. I'm not yet sure if the particular level required should be visible or hidden. If it was hidden, the player would be notified when they reach that level that they "finally understand the locking mechanism".
Once the player reaches the desired skill level, the crate will open and contain an unrand, or a set of powerful items related to that skill. The Armourer's Crate for example could have Lear's Hauberk, or a highly enchanted plate mail and a bunch of good STR jewelry.
Reasons why I think this could be fun:
- Players like gambling mechanics. Dr, Ds, mutations and troves are very memorable for newer players. This idea has a lot in common with troves, except you pay in progression and it manifests much earlier.
- Can lead to some very offbeat builds and offer a side challenge. An experienced player may want to give that SK_FIRE_MAGIC crate a try on their minotaur and play something they wouldn't have otherwise.
- Sunken cost would force players to use fun/gimmicky unrands that they wouldn't have considered otherwise. The potential for player stories is there. "I spent so many skill levels and I got this shit unrand, but I forced myself to make it work and won an interesting game".
- Being implemented as an early but very rare item instead of a background makes start scumming impossible and prevents feature fatigue, as it would be a rare occurence. It also mitigates the problem that some devs brought up with Archaeologist in that it devalues the rarity of unrandarts.
- For this message the author Steel Neuron has received thanks: 7
- ion_frigate, minstrel, monkeytor, njvack, pratamawirya, Vajrapani, Wolfechu