New loot system

[kamronbatman]

We need to build more robust tools and a better system for configuring / extending loot.

[Bohicatv]

My approach would be to craft a separate application that would be used as a mobile planner or builder for new .cs mobile scripts totally sperate from MUO. You can than import the .cs scripts to the MUO file structure and use spawners to spawn. Easily customize loot, stats, names, hues, etc., this way. Working with the old code is a headache.

[Tultra]

Ideally I think loot should be standardized across all mobs based on existing skills, skill levels, AI type and lifepool/damage.

Then there could be a configurable way to add extra loot for different monster types (like ore for stone elementals), by particularly I'd rather create these monster-specific loot types directly in the monster class.

[Bohicatv]

Having worked with the old code, I wouldn't standardize it. It locks down customization. Unless you're making cookie-cutter shards, then sure. Plus, you can already do this for individual monsters by adding, for example, gold to their code block. Loot packs were a way to standardize them to a certain extent by bundling loot together. For instance, not having to add gold to each monster manually was a good idea, but you still needed the method definition to generate the loot pack. I would argue that getting rid of loot packs would be better for customization's sake, but certain systems still need them, for example, puzzle loot, treasures, etc.

If standardization is crucial to your needs, I would only check against mobile health pools and nothing else. Time-to-kill, in my opinion, should determine the specific loot received.

[Tultra]

I certainly don't like the idea of look packs with a bunch of categories that should be properly attributed to monster based on the challenge they present. It's easy lose consistency across multiple mosters. Standardizing loot doesn't mean at all lack of customization, it would be a way to automate common/special loot based on monster stats instead of having to define loot categories to each and every monster, while keeping thea bility to further customize the loot for specific monsters, as it is already done today.

Other than that, health pool is a good metric, and is now playing a major role in my algorithm, but attack skills/special abilities are also considered for gold values, special loot change, and specific loot types (like regs for mages).