In a
recent response recorded via the
Developer Tracker on DiabloFans, Bashiok
responded to questions about bag useage and findability in Diablo 3.
First off, he starts with rationalization of the importance of inventory in the
game as a viable concern for gameplay and game depth:
Originally Posted by Bashiok
Upgrading storage size is a great reward, and can be much better than any
incremental weapon/armor upgrade. (Kills/min could easily calculate out to be
much greater without having to stop to clear inventory as much with a bag
upgrade as compared to a damage increase from a weapon upgrade.)
Building off the last point, it helps add the sense of your character becoming
more powerful and gaining more from the time spent playing.
Increasing the storage size over time/play experience is a great way to scale
the player's sense of the game's complexity.
Beginning with a small and limited amount of space teaches the player early on
that inventory management is an important part of playing the game - and
sometimes generating income.
Making and keeping the player aware of their limitations can also help keep a
better sense of structure and focus. Being overwhelmed is sometimes as
detrimental to a play experience as being bored.
Although many of us might not fully agree with everything he has said here, they
are legitimate considerations, partly issues that we did not think about in
Diablo II: LoD, where we were given a fixed inventory without any hope of
upgrading it besides the Horadric Cube which was, in my opinion, somewhat
inadequate for storage.
He followed up with something that might make more than a few Diablo fans happy
about the prospect of increased inventory sizes for individual players:
Originally Posted by Bashiok
Also keep in mind that while we're obviously dropping bag upgrades off of
monsters now, we could choose any number of alternative ways to get them to
the player. Or maybe a combination of different ways. Whatever, I just
wouldn't focus on the 'how' of them being delivered right now.
To read more on this topic and some of the community replies visit
DiabloFans.com!
