Own
Moderator
I've mentioned before that anything with a special effect tends to be immediately ignored because most people don't want to spend ages figuring out the particulars of whether or not something is worthwhile through trial and error.
At the same time, there's no way to realistically fit the information on what a Special Effect is under the equipments information.
These two problems have been at odds in the game for a long time now, and I think I know of two ways this might be be resolved.
Short and Simple: We have a [More Info] for skills. Slap a [More Info] prompt when selecting Special Effect gear that explicitly spells out what the Special Effect actually does and call it a day.
Taller and Complex: So, what's a mechanic that a lot of older RPGs have that has largely gone forgotten in recent years? The town Identifier. Bring them all your mysterious loot and they'll give you the nitty-gritty on what the heck it actually does. The problem is... the game is already done. It would be weird to add another new NPC, right?
Fortunately, we have a few NPCs just laying around that aren't contributing much to the world that can be repurposed into an Identifier with varying levels of believability! Approach the NPC and ask for an item identification, and a menu will pop up like the Ghost Shop ghost menu, except this one exclusively lists items you own with special effects to choose from. Pay a gold fee to have them explain in no uncertain terms what the object does, including hard numbers and %'s.
The Fortune Teller - She sees the past, the present, the future... and what's rattling around in that bag of yours!
The Cardman - He sees the truth of things revealed in the cards to him.
The Plushiegirl - If... she's not planned to do anything with our Key Item Plushies and Worn Soldier Doll... I guess her plushies could... whisper to her what our special effects do?
The Teahouse Man - ... he has a... nose for this sort of thing?
The Teacher - She knows a lot about stuff, and things.
Master Ji - The power of kung fu is a pathway to many abilities some consider to be unnatural.
While this isn't necessary it is super unfortunate that people either just ignore a lot of gear because it has an effect they don't understand, and must turn to google if they're curious.
At the same time, there's no way to realistically fit the information on what a Special Effect is under the equipments information.
These two problems have been at odds in the game for a long time now, and I think I know of two ways this might be be resolved.
Short and Simple: We have a [More Info] for skills. Slap a [More Info] prompt when selecting Special Effect gear that explicitly spells out what the Special Effect actually does and call it a day.
Taller and Complex: So, what's a mechanic that a lot of older RPGs have that has largely gone forgotten in recent years? The town Identifier. Bring them all your mysterious loot and they'll give you the nitty-gritty on what the heck it actually does. The problem is... the game is already done. It would be weird to add another new NPC, right?
Fortunately, we have a few NPCs just laying around that aren't contributing much to the world that can be repurposed into an Identifier with varying levels of believability! Approach the NPC and ask for an item identification, and a menu will pop up like the Ghost Shop ghost menu, except this one exclusively lists items you own with special effects to choose from. Pay a gold fee to have them explain in no uncertain terms what the object does, including hard numbers and %'s.
The Fortune Teller - She sees the past, the present, the future... and what's rattling around in that bag of yours!
The Cardman - He sees the truth of things revealed in the cards to him.
The Plushiegirl - If... she's not planned to do anything with our Key Item Plushies and Worn Soldier Doll... I guess her plushies could... whisper to her what our special effects do?
The Teahouse Man - ... he has a... nose for this sort of thing?
The Teacher - She knows a lot about stuff, and things.
Master Ji - The power of kung fu is a pathway to many abilities some consider to be unnatural.
While this isn't necessary it is super unfortunate that people either just ignore a lot of gear because it has an effect they don't understand, and must turn to google if they're curious.