Leroux: I know loot and inventory management is an important part of most CRPGs, but I've noticed that the point at which I'm starting to lose passion for playing a certain CRPG is often suspiciously close to the point when my inventory reaches its limit and repeatedly forces me to compare, drop or sell all the stuff I've picked up.
I admit I'm an OCD pack rat who has a hard time trusting the games that "you don't need the money / the best and most varied equipment to provide for all kinds of contingencies" and "it's cool to use your resources as you go instead of saving them until you really need them" etc. (once burnt, twice shy - thank you old-school gaming! :P). And that makes inventory management seem like a stressful chore to me, and carrying limits a huge annoyance, since they disrupt the flow by dictating me at which point I have to stop playing the fun part of the game and dedicate time to my crammed inventory. I do enjoy some inventory management at times, too, when I'm in the mood for it, but sadly the carrying limits don't make allowances for my moods ...
Not really sure where I'm aiming at with this thread, I guess I'm just bored and I wonder whether others feel the same or not.
The Perfectly Annoying Inventory (P.A.In.) System would merge all of the following:
1. Drop metric craptons of randomized loot that are totally useless for your class/build.
2. Limit your inventory.
3. Don't have a quick-sell button, companion you can send off to sell for you, or instatravel to town & back to the precise spot you left.
4. Don't have anything in stock at the merchants that you actually want to buy with the gold you get from selling the loot after you trudged all the way to town (or trainers to spend it on, etc.).