Looting -- The official thread for discussing the loot system. Updated 18th March, 2013.

I don't know how difficult it would be to implement, but perhaps one more added level of complexity would help alleviate concerns about not being able to notice all the best loot in the midst of a frenzied battle - the more enemies on the allocated player's screen at the time of the drop, the longer the reserved time.

So, say, while a Ranger would normally be given 2 seconds to get to an allocated item before it's free for all when there's only 1-4 mobs on the screen, it could be 3 or 4 seconds if there are 8-10 mobs.

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Solipcyst wrote:

...the more enemies on the allocated player's screen at the time of the drop, the longer the reserved time.

An excellent idea; seconded.
Possibly do it based on the combined effectiveness of nearby monsters rather than simply their number - some monsters are drastically more dangerous than others, after all.

I don't know if this really matters, mainly because if your in a group, most likely they will be working together, and share drops anyway? otherwise... hm... I've played games with the loot being free for all before.. and it gets intense... some times really pissing people off and turning them off from the game... Now If your planning on implementing in game real money stuff you can buy.... which is what I think this game would prob due cause it's free to play, well then having it be a free for all loot would be fine,... One thing I suggest though would be to have a 2.5 second countdown for every item that drops that is better then just a *white item when in groups, otherwise just have it be instant.

didnt read the 62 pages of text so forgive me if somebody mentioned this already

but one type of item allocation that can be done instead of random is assign the items to the class that would make best use of the items. bows goes to ranger, 2h swords goes to marauder, staff goes to witch etc ... based on the str/dex/int requirements of the item.

it would be better than random.

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SpudOfDoom wrote:

Do what other online games do. Default to free for all, but allow changing loot rules in party/group options. You could select, for example, loot goes to:
a) Free for all
b) Chosen player allocated by leader
c) Random member
d) Largest damage contributor
e) Person who made the last hit


Surely people can consider the possibility of this. It's the best system and allows every group to decide their own rules for how they want to play.

I second this notion, there definitely ought to be several options for how a group wishes to conduct loot distribution. Otherwise, there will be constant bickering among its members, and players who would seize what they're after on their own without the majority's consent are prone to leave a group hanging afterward rather than contribute to its overall goal.

I see no reason for party members to work against one another. Why would they help one another as opposed to going it alone if there's no encouragement from the game to group? I understand that some want everything to have a cut-throat risk, but isn't that the point of different leagues to play the way one wants? Why not leave that sort of system to cut-throat leagues?

I really disapprove of team members not getting their share of the overall loot dropped simply because they sought to finish off imminent threat, such as monsters, rather than being a loot whore (excuse the terminology), ogling the shiny pieces and grabbing it all for themselves. That promotes greed, not cooperation.

I should make it clear that my philosophy with competitive PvP is vastly different from PvE and how one conducts himself in a group. There's already leagues that allow one to kill and take as they please, why even have a regular mode for more casual players if it's all just going to be one big cut-throat? I urge Grinding Gear to reconsider their stance on this because your current form of universal loot distribution is not only punishing to those that find honor in truly earning a reward rather than seizing it, but it's contradictory to the notion of separate leagues for different play styles.

the better the loot the more interesting the game will be

I would second the notion of allowing "the group" to choose how item distribution goes for a given game as long as it was really a group decision. Otherwise you would have a lot of people joining random games where the person that happened to make the game selects a distribution method that would most benefit them. It could get frustrating.

Two solutions to this:

1) Voting. At any time, to include people that join a game late, you can vote for your preferred method. If the vote results in a stalemate, default to the free-for-all method with the short reservation time. Votes are saved so that at any time someone can join the game and cast a deciding vote (to include updating the tally to a stalemate).

-OR-

2) All public games are free-for-all and only private games have the option for the creator to choose distribution method.

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SpudOfDoom wrote:

Do what other online games do. Default to free for all, but allow changing loot rules in party/group options. You could select, for example, loot goes to:
a) Free for all
b) Chosen player allocated by leader
c) Random member
d) Largest damage contributor
e) Person who made the last hit

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f) Person who have the highest POST-% in da forum

Clearly late to this post, lol.

I would prefer the "old way" of, "when it drops its able to be picked up."

Ranged classes will surely be able to get close if they need to. At least for short periods of time.

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Clearly late to this post, lol.

I would prefer the "old way" of, "when it drops its able to be picked up."

Ranged classes will surely be able to get close if they need to. At least for short periods of time.

Yes, but the question is: Should they really have to resort to such petty tactics? It's completely ass backward to force ranged classes to be upfront just so they're getting a fair share of the loot.

If anything, at least make items that are for ranged classes only obtainable by them for a set period of time; if no ranged claim it for say 20 seconds then it should be fair game. If needed, all class types--including hybrids--should have their share of the pickings that meet their needs for a set period. Keep in mind, I'm only talking about special rare or unique items, not white items that will be a dime a dozen anyway.

But again, it would be far more practical if the developers would simply allow each individual group to decide their method for loot distribution. As proposed previously, a majority-rules voting system for which method to use would be fair enough.