[FAST6191]

Reading the posts as a whole and defocusing a bit it appears as though we are all slowly trying to reinvent the roguelike.

Mind you I am very much enjoying this "roguelike elements" business that is gaining some momentum among game devs.

[M-Tee]

I like the idea of story being made to justify gameplay and vice versa. In Pyronaut, we have a small line planned to explain items as being strewn about from the ship wreckage (to explain why useful items and first aid kits are found on aliens and deep within a planet after the ship crashed on the surface). It gives some in-game justification and then adds a little character to the aliens. I also made sure to replace things like various sized hearts with various first aid packs.

It's in no way perfect or sensible, but I like power-ups being real items, and for there to be some reason for them to exist.

Then again, I also learned from beat'em ups that if I find a fully roasted turkey from an oil drum in an alley, and take the time out of a fight to eat it, I can heal my wounds.

[MisterJones]

I could buy that.

You've gained 2 kilos of MEAT.

MEAT restores HP.

Then, give it a time limit, after sometime you check your inventory and you see something like this:

MEAT: 3kg
SPOILED MEAT: 1kg

SPOILED MEAT lowers HP.

Play dragons dogma. It exactly does that. Well, except for kilos, but vegetables and meat eventually spoil untless stored in a vacuum container. They still heal but you get poioned by it.

[Jeville]

Baten Kaitos does the food spoilage thing too. Some are beneficial for a short period, such as yellowed bananas.

[Spooniest]

Then again, I also learned from beat'em ups that if I find a fully roasted turkey from an oil drum in an alley, and take the time out of a fight to eat it, I can heal my wounds.

Oh, I guess that makes sense. (nsfw)

I just learned what a "roguelike" was not too long ago. I think I need to brush up...

[MisterJones]

Roguelike was like the promising evolution of the japanese dungeon crawlers pre final fantasy and dragon warrior. Now roguelike elements are everywhere.

[thr]

I could buy that.

You've gained 2 kilos of MEAT.

MEAT restores HP.

Then, give it a time limit, after sometime you check your inventory and you see something like this:

MEAT: 3kg
SPOILED MEAT: 1kg

SPOILED MEAT lowers HP.

I think they did that first in Ultima Underworld.

[Dr. Jeckidy]

Thread necromancy, but I wanted to get back to another thing related to this topic.

Can anyone explain the mythological origins of the Diamond Bell in FF?

[Recca]

The only "logical" explanation that I can think of is that said beast which was slayed by the heroes might contain certain parts which can be made into medicine or healing potions by members of the party. For example, a horn or tusk that can be grinded and combined with a medicinal herb to form a paste or base for whatever type of fictional healing potion. It's also possible that many of these healing items could just be the meat which was cooked from them.

Same with money. Certain parts of beasts can be sold, such as their fur. This problem was fixed in the German series of games, Gothic/Arcania and Risen. Defeated monsters can be picked for items such as fur, teeth and horns which can be sold as hunting trophies (as long as you have the required gutting skill). This makes more sense than finding gold on a wolf or wild boar. I believe that this was the idea all along in games. Enemies such as wild beasts don't actually carry money nor gold, but rather things that can be picked and sold off of them as mentioned above. This might seem strange to most people, but keep in mind that such practices were very common in the Middle Ages. Trophy hunting still takes place a lot in modern times as well.

Edit: Rice balls in Shiren the Wanderer also spoil after walking around for a while. I suppose that this is one of those more realistic aspects that are in certain games, but it sure is annoying!

[Maeson]

Thread necromancy, but I wanted to get back to another thing related to this topic.

Can anyone explain the mythological origins of the Diamond Bell in FF?

I don't know about the diamond bell itself (it's usually the weakest one, even if it's made of diamond), but I think that the bells themselves are some sort of reference to earthquakes, which fit rather nice to Geomancers, among other things.

The waves produced by the biggest earthquakes actually bounce inside our planet, and produces a very low "ring", just like a bell. So the bell would represent the planet while the clapper inside is the waves, and the Geomancer moving it can be seen as they controlling the power of the planet, which is their ability most of the time.

Also I remember reading that geomancers in japan are "Feng Shui Knights" which is also connected to things like geography; and bells are used to stimulate positive energy too, I think.

[Chronosplit]

Monsters/animals that don't care about Gold carrying Gold was one of the things ToME 4 didn't explain.  It's interesting in that in the relevant notes there seems to be an explanation of any length for even normal story/gameplay segregation things except for why Zigur people can use teleport circles (though of course, maybe they're nature/psionic infused instead?) but it does pseudo-explain equipment: rare and unusual enemies can actually use equipment, and normal animals can inscribe runes/infusions.

Normal humanoid thieves drop more gold than monsters.  So one could actually assume "monster like shiny thing" and they picked it up from some dead adventurer.

[Bahamut ZERO]

I kind of can't stand it when I kill a small bird and it shits out 35 Gil and a magic fire ring. 

I'd prefer seeing things like humanoid type enemies dropping money/gear in most cases, or from things that are big enough to eat a person whole (like the giant Zuu birds from FF4). From random animals/monsters I like it more when they drop components like fur, teeth, wiring (if robotic) etc, especially if the game has a system of crafting or such where you can use some of those components to trade or make new stuff. 

[Bobolicious81]

I liked how EarthBound handled the money aspect of things. I know its still technically based on numbers and types of foes defeated, but having your dad deposit money into your bank account at least makes it seem logical 

[Jeville]

I'd prefer seeing things like humanoid type enemies dropping money/gear in most cases, or from things that are big enough to eat a person whole (like the giant Zuu birds from FF4). From random animals/monsters I like it more when they drop components like fur, teeth, wiring (if robotic) etc, especially if the game has a system of crafting or such where you can use some of those components to trade or make new stuff. 

To give FF some credit, they did do all this in XI where immersion is taken more seriously given that it's a MMORPG.