Reckoning: Kingdoms Of Amalur is such a lousy name...

[McKnight]

Cynical Brit was raging about it during his live stream, I don't think he got their design, since he was ranting and raving about Amalur having the worst inventory system of all time, or something similarly worded. It's a shame there were so many people watching it, who now probably think the same thing since he said it.. Their design really is clever for a game like this, though there really should be a way to "drop" items without having to move it to your junk bag first.

Come on now, the design is pretty poorly realized. The inventory system is one of my few gripes with the game so far as it's cool in theory but falls apart in use. For instance, why isn't there a key to send items to junk? I have to right click and pick a menu option every single time, this gets incredibly frustrating after some time with the game and has led many of the people I've talked to to ignore junk completely as it's easier to just sell the stuff normally in shops. The drag and drop is also very sluggish and hard to use, it often doesn't register that you want to pick an item up (btw for those wondering, drag an item anywhere on the screen to destroy it when not in junk). Right-click comparing isn't fun or good by the way, there's more then enough screen space to include hover comparisons or something similar.

I like the concept, I don't like the implementation. Nothing that couldn't be fixed up in patches though.

[DKDArtagnan]

I think the inventory system is pretty bad, actually.

For a game as "gamey" as this - they should have just implemented infinite inventory space ala Gothic.

The "junk" feature is a decent enough concept, but it's not handled right. When you pick up stuff, it's awkward having to individually put items into the junk pile, as is the comparison process. Seeing as how you can only sell your junk items when at a merchant, the whole feature is rather redundant.

Also, you have to move items from main inventory to junk to get rid of them, which is supremely stupid.

The "expanding category" design is also clumsy. They need sorting options selected horisontally instead.

Overall, I think the impact on the game is relatively small - but it's NOT clever design from where I'm sitting. The AMOUNT of various potions/crafting materials is totally counterproductive to the rather rigid carry limit.

Again, this is as "gamey" a game as they come - and infinite inventory with decent sorting would have been a million times simpler and more appropriate for the game.

Frankly, I find it endlessly puzzling that so, SO many games get these basics wrong. I mean, I know the people behind KoA have played many games - but you'd think they've never analysed a single one of them.

[Wendelius]

Come on now, the design is pretty poorly realized. The inventory system is one of my few gripes with the game so far as it's cool in theory but falls apart in use. For instance, why isn't there a key to send items to junk? I have to right click and pick a menu option every single time, this gets incredibly frustrating after some time with the game and has led many of the people I've talked to to ignore junk completely as it's easier to just sell the stuff normally in shops.

I believe a single button press (Y to directly "Add to junk") does it while looting with a gamepad. Surely there must be a similar keyboard shortcut available?

Wendelius

[Teiman]

What this game need is a "Spell to turn item into gold", but that perhaps would be excesivelly gamey. Or maybe ways to expand the inventory size ( might points, bags, skills, etc. ). It was cringeworthy to see Mr.Biscuit with 70/70 items and finding new sweet loot everywhere.

[DKDArtagnan]

What this game need is a "Spell to turn item into gold", but that perhaps would be excesivelly gamey. Or maybe ways to expand the inventory size ( might points, bags, skills, etc. ). It was cringeworthy to see Mr.Biscuit with 70/70 items and finding new sweet loot everywhere.

You can expand the inventory in increments of 10.

It's pretty much exactly like Dragon Age (same limit, same semi-expensive increments) - with exactly the same fiddling around with pointless potion/craft mats.

Of course, Dragon Age was less of a hassle to work with - but it had this same ludicrious idea of limiting inventory without considering realism in any way, shape or form. I mean, carrying around several sets of armor during combat? If you're limiting players because of some arbitrary "gamey" skinner box mindset where they can jump with joy as they expand inventory - at least try to make the actually process of dropping items or selling them off as hassle free as possible.

Oh well, maybe it's just me that's cranky.

[Thierry Nguyen]

Leveling up the Mercantile skill will let you earn gold for destroying junk items.

[McKnight]

I believe a single button press (Y to directly "Add to junk") does it while looting with a gamepad. Surely there must be a similar keyboard shortcut available?

Wendelius

You would think that wouldn't you.

[Mysterio]

Is it just me, or do the arrowheads for collapsing and expanding lists point the wrong way? An arrowhead pointing upward (or to the side in other apps) typically means the list is collapsed, while pointing downward means it's expanded. It's opposite in this game. It's a minor thing, but it's driving me insane! "The list is empty? Oh, wait--the arrowheads pointing down, so I need to click on it to point it up and expand the list." Argh!

Please restore my sanity, 38 Studios!

[Jag]

Leveling up the Mercantile skill will let you earn gold for destroying junk items.

That's actually kind of cool.

Cons: Inventory and equip windows which suck. The world also feels empty. I also don't even bother reading the quests since its the same old RPG fluff we've seen a million times.

The good. Combat is fun and fast paced. Faeblades are extremely cool. Sort of like the glaives I always wanted in WoW. I like the skill system, seems like a decent amount of mixing can be done.

It definitely has the feel of a single player MMO without the grinding. I never played Fable, so I can't compare it to that.

[WarrenD]

The single thing that soured me on the demo was the FOV, the camera was just zoomed in way too close for me.

Has that been changed? Is there any zoom now or console command to bring the camera out? PC version.

[Brian Rubin]

So about 2.5 hours in, I'm loving the game except for one little thing...I would LOVE to be able to change some of the buttons. Specifically, on my PS3 version, I'd love to switch the trigger and shoulder buttons, but so far I've not found a way to do that, so I'm adapting as best I can. Other than that, I'm having a blast. Chakrams FTMFW.

[The Mad Hatter]

I am surprised that this thread is mostly positive about the game, while the reviews I've seen have been a lot more mixed. The generic quality of the game, particularly the story, comes up again and again - is that true? I'm considering a Steam impulsive purchase, but am happy to be held back by Caution signs.

[Brian Rubin]

So far the story seems around the same as just about any other fantasy RPG I've played: an excuse to run through quests, find and kill shit. ;) Doesn't bother me none.

[bakka bakka bakka]

I've made an effort not to skip the dialogue and while it's not the most well written stuff I'm not regretting my decision.

[SadleyBradley]

While the storyline and setting do seem to be pretty generic, the moment-to-moment gameplay is good and interesting. I don't mind the generic go-here-kill-this quests because the going and the killing are fun.

[Brian Rubin]

While the storyline and setting do seem to be pretty generic, the moment-to-moment gameplay is good and interesting. I don't mind the generic go-here-kill-this quests because the going and the killing are fun.

That's pretty much how I feel. Chakrams make enemy go boom!

[Teiman]

There cant better told stories than readers, because a good story need good readers, and without readers a story is ( no carrier

[Brian Rubin]

Uh huh...yeah...right on...

[stusser]

Uh, no, they didn't. It's very easy to outlevel one of the areas while in the other area. There doesn't seem to be any set order the game wants you to tackle them in, so it's just a given that one of them will be well below any level of challenge or decent XP by the time you get to it. Nothing "good design" about it.

If you read my post, you'll see I was talking about how a game could be designed with leveling monsters to avoid that very problem.

[Teiman]

OH MY GOD...

I just killed two trash mobs with a knife. And the whole thing feels soo epic. God of War and Darksides don't feel like this *at all*. In god of war, you feel like killing hordes like are nothing. God of War is more Golden Axe and The Way of the Exploding Fist.

Part of it is bad design. But plays epically.

How can I enable a more conventional camera? I want to move the camera up a notch.

[DennyA]

On the dialogue... I'm assuming you want to do the main dialogue, but is there ever important stuff when you're in the section with the list of items you can get more info on? (The vertical list, as opposed to the Bioware wheel.)

Also, is there a Paragon/Renegade equivalent here? IE: Does it pay to be consistently good or bad, or can you just go through and be chaotic neutral and help a bad guy here and rescue the downtrodden elsewhere?

[Tim James]

How can I enable a more conventional camera? I want to move the camera up a notch.

Time to start writing another open letter.

[Thierry Nguyen]

There's no Paragon/Renegade, but some of the faction questlines have two distinct paths that will give you different Twists of Fate.

[idrisz]

Time to start writing another open letter.

it's already included in the previous open letter, US impose in game camera angles on Spain!!!!

[The Mad Hatter]

Argh, I can't resist with my computer sitting here at the office waiting to download the game on the company hard line. I'm going to end up down at the Mission if I keep buying these games.

[BoyFrance]

For instance, why isn't there a key to send items to junk? I have to right click and pick a menu option every single time, this gets incredibly frustrating after some time with the game and has led many of the people I've talked to to ignore junk completely as it's easier to just sell the stuff normally in shops.

Pressing "3" moves an item to the junk bag.

[Alex Pirani]

Come on now, the design is pretty poorly realized. The inventory system is one of my few gripes with the game so far as it's cool in theory but falls apart in use. For instance, why isn't there a key to send items to junk? I have to right click and pick a menu option every single time, this gets incredibly frustrating after some time with the game and has led many of the people I've talked to to ignore junk completely as it's easier to just sell the stuff normally in shops. The drag and drop is also very sluggish and hard to use, it often doesn't register that you want to pick an item up (btw for those wondering, drag an item anywhere on the screen to destroy it when not in junk). Right-click comparing isn't fun or good by the way, there's more then enough screen space to include hover comparisons or something similar.

I like the concept, I don't like the implementation. Nothing that couldn't be fixed up in patches though.

Having not played the game I really can't comment much about it. But all I meant to say with my comment was that it didn't seem like he saw what the developers were attempting to accomplish, poorly realized or not. He in so many words basically condemned it and made it look like a clueless design choice when it really wasn't, that's all I meant.

[flyinj]

Having not played the game I really can't comment much about it. But all I meant to say with my comment was that it didn't seem like he saw what the developers were attempting to accomplish, poorly realized or not. He in so many words basically condemned it and made it look like a clueless design choice when it really wasn't, that's all I meant.

I find it to be extremely effective, the best I've used in a loot-heavy game.

On the other hand, it seems very unintuitive on the PC when you're not playing with a controller. Not having a big "3 to junk" prompt on the screen would make this system seem awful if you weren't aware of the junk hotkey from the loot screen.

[Tim James]

I love that it's the 3 key. It's so funny to see what designers come up with when they port a button-based interface to mouse and keyboard.

[Alex Pirani]

Can you not rebind keys on the PC version?