Loot runs

Whilst the overarching goal of an RPG is to complete the quest set, the subgoal this creates is to advance the player character (PC) as much as possible through improving statistics, learning spells and getting better equipment. This advancement requires money and money is generated by selling the loot found in dungeons.

The problem this creates is that the player spends too much time on the boring activity of collecting and selling loot. There are two ways to avoid this:

• • an RPG game that de-emphasises character advancement

  • automating loot runs

  • removing non-significant items from the game

Automating loot runs

Once the player has sifted through the items in an area to take the items they want to use, they click a button labelled "collect loot". This puts all items that the player can carry into a "loot" area of the inventory. Once the PC is in a friendly town the player can click "sell loot" to sell all the loot.

An alternative would be a button labelled "loot dungeon" that the player can use once all the monsters are dead. Obviously this would only work if the PC has access to a friendly town. All loot would be removed from the dungeon and the cash balance would increase. There would be no need to navigate the PC back and forth from the dungeon.

Removing non-significant items from the game

Whilst this would streamline the game and allow a greater emphasis on plot, there are many people who enjoy sifting through the detritus of a battle to find a magic item.