Poll: What's the point of loot in RPGs?

[Spectrum_Prez]

I'm interested in knowing what people think about the whole concept of 'loot' and its relationship with the way RPGs are designed and enjoyed. Some developers seem to feel like it's the most important motivator for gameplay and stress all the awesome items you can find on the bodies of dead enemies e.g. Borderlands, MMOs in general, Diablo clones. Other games don't stress unique drops all that much and relegate the role of loot to being that of a cash source e.g. Bioware games generally, Mass Effect in particular. And there are even games where loot is secondary to character progression entirely e.g. the Witcher.

The poll is just to start the conversation off, what I'm really interested in is whether you think loot-based games are good or not as a design strategy and why you think most RPGs, to a greater or less extent, do have some type of loot mechanic even if they are primarily character progression or plot driven.

On topic:

 

[DeadlyYellow]

I'd say yes. For some reason, I love robbing fallen adversaries of all their possessions. Most of it is useless aside from a monetary incentive.

Perhaps this ties back to the classic days of score driven gaming, only here it's the monetary count in place of points.

As a sheer motivator alone, I'd desire something more. I NEED an overall purpose to gather and sell crap, such as working up to defeat the Big Bad. I find it hard to continue games once the primary goal has been completed.

 

[MetallicaRulez0]

The 2 major progressions in RPGs are leveling up and gearing up. Without loot, your only real progression becomes leveling up. That's rather boring.

 

[Quick Ben]

If the leveling up is done well enough, or the game is especially engaging in another way, loot becomes less important. KoTOR is an example of a game where I cared very little about loot. The next force power however...

 

[ItsAPaul]

It'll be around for the "holy crap look what dropped" factor the one time a rare item drops with all useful stats for you. I do prefer for it to not be a deciding factor in progressing, but luckily the only game I play where it really does (WoW) is making it stupidly easy to gear up, to the point where skill is the only real factor anymore.

 

[Kuchinawa212]

Well with loot you have the ability to get newer and more powerful items to heal your self or kill more enemies. Sure they might drop "Dagger" and the next sword is "Thy Holy Saber of the gates of Heaven" But you get enought daggers to sell towards getting new items

 

[Canadamus Prime]

It's usually for either one of two things, 1. hopefully finding better equipment for yourself and/or, if applicable, your party members; or 2. selling to get more money to buy stuff you need for questing such as potions, gear (although usually gear dropped by enemies is better then anything sold in shops), and various other items. After all, even in the midst of a pending apocalypse, no merchant is ever willing to give you a "hero's discount" or a "saving the world" discount.

 

[orangebandguy]

Well in Fallout 3 loot is mainly for repairs and caps, so I like looting stuff.

 

[Onyx Oblivion]

I like loot, but don't care after I beat the game. Which is why Baal runs on Hell are just stupid in D2. You already beat him, what's the point? And getting guns after hitting 50 in Borderlands is pointless. You're already a death machine.

 

[Ali88]

Shortly RPG's would be better if it went;
"oh, you found that, cool, but you still haven't killed that demon"

 

[Captain Pancake]

It's supposed to act as a reward to your adventuring. You go through a particular dungeon, defeat a creature a few levels abovew your own and you get a shiny sword because of it. Simple right? In RPGs like torchlight (started playing it recently, quite nifty) the loot plays a very heavy role. It feels quite rewarding to pick up a unique item, even if it is just a shroud or mantle.

 

[Captain Pancake]

It'll be around for the "holy crap look what dropped" factor the one time a rare item drops with all useful stats for you. I do prefer for it to not be a deciding factor in progressing, but luckily the only game I play where it really does (WoW) is making it stupidly easy to gear up, to the point where skill is the only real factor anymore.

Are you sure? I didn't really think there was any skill involved in WoW, just commitment.

 

[Spajus]

Loot tends to be important while you're progressing.

However, and especially when you've passed a certain point, usually just over half-way, there's nothing more annoying than having to loot every single corpse, chest, and smashed up wooden crate because you've learned a kind of loot OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) JUST INCASE it's the next ultra-uber-magical item,

I mean, you're 99.9% sure that the god-armour and matching lightsabre of doom (+1) will be locked in the SPECIAL chest at the end of the dungeon, behind the 29 headed Were-Dragon-Vampire-Liche, but you still find yourself harvesting every set of mushrooms on your way there, because you never know when they'll come in handy (despite the fact you are now a walking embodiment of Mario's Mushroom Kindgom)

 

[Spectrum_Prez]

Doesn't anybody get the feeling though that if an RPG is too loot-oriented it utterly breaks any sense of realism left in the game? And I don't mean the small problems with realism i.e. why did this wolf have a pistol on him/why did this thug have a better sword than his boss. I mean the larger overall problem: people in situations that RPGs often throw you into (save the world, yadda yadda) don't do what they do for material objects, they do it out of a sense of duty or personal achievement. I just feel this cheapens the whole premise of many RPGs.

 

[Misterian]

In Fallout 3, I wouldn't have lasted 10 minitles without having to loot the nearest possible dead body.

 

[mangus]

I like that in borderlands if someone is carrying a fancier gun they'll use it on you. Also ow. I see a bandit firing at me and notice the flash is green? corrosive weapon! *thunderous crack of my sniper rifle* yaaaay, loot!

also the elemental artifacts lessen the sadness that is throwing a bird at people.

 

[Sunrider]

If the leveling up is done well enough, or the game is especially engaging in another way, loot becomes less important. KoTOR is an example of a game where I cared very little about loot. The next force power however...

This is why I chose "Optional, not every RPG needs it".

I guess it's needed to an extent, unless there's something different to work for, like the next Force power in KoTOR as you stated.

As long as there are goals, it doesn't really matter what they are, as long as they are interesting and gives the player a feeling of commitment.
Not sure if that made sense, but I hope so.