Carrying Capacity [Archive] - Wizards Community

Carrying Capacity [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
eigch
10-26-05, 02:58 PM My players never seem to want to keep track of carrying capacity, and truthfully, neither do I. Keeping track of the weight and size of every last object you are carrying can be a cumbersome exersize in paperwork. I don't, however, want to just give the players each a bag of holding at level 1. The carrying capacity is part of the balance of the game, and provides a much needed sense of realism while adventuring.

I want to create a new system for carrying objects. Have a grid inventory system much like popular computer games such as Diablo, NWN, and most MMORPG's. I also want to have a simplified encumberance system that breaks down inventory items into weight catagories.

1 being the lightests objects worth measuring (knife, potion, amulet) 5 being the heaviest objects you are likely to carry (armor, treasure chests, etc.). This numeric simplification of the weight system would provide a quick and dirty way of keeping track of encumberance that wouldn't slow down game play. You could even try and balance it out so you can carry objects with numers that equal your strength score with no encumberance. Although this will require more thought.

The grid inventory system would prevent PC's from fitting a longspear in thier backpacks, and make sheaths for swords a valuable item.

what do you think? do you have any ideas on how to impliment such a system? do you think PC's tinkering with thier inventory would slow down game play as much as just figuring out encumberance the old fashioned way?
Chobemaster
10-26-05, 03:08 PM IMO, grid inventory is handy for PC games but makes no actual sense, and I think it would be less realistic, no easier, and bad for the flavor of your game (unless you're trying to replicate a video game feel).
eigch
10-26-05, 03:21 PM IMO, grid inventory is handy for PC games but makes no actual sense, and I think it would be less realistic, no easier, and bad for the flavor of your game (unless you're trying to replicate a video game feel).

The current inventory system makes less sense than a grid one. A backpack only has so much space in it, it could be more easily represented by a grid than anything else. The current inventory system doesnt really take containers into much consideration rules-wise. Every character is given a backpack and a pouch with thier starting gear, and it is just assumed that your stuff can fit inside. How does putting restrictions on how much gear a backpack can hold make the game LESS realistic?

I also dont see how this would affect the flavor of a game one way or another. The only affect it would have for my games would be a heightened sense of realism, and more thrifty and self-aware player characters who would think twice about hauling around 2 or 3 sets of plate mail just because the STR 18 half orc can manage to carry it within his medium load capacity.
Chobemaster
10-26-05, 03:22 PM The current inventory system makes less sense than a grid one. A backpack only has so much space in it, it could be more easily represented by a grid than anything else. The current inventory system doesnt really take containers into much consideration rules-wise. Every character is given a backpack and a pouch with thier starting gear, and it is just assumed that your stuff can fit inside. How does putting restrictions on how much gear a backpack can hold make the game LESS realistic?

I also dont see how this would affect the flavor of a game one way or another. The only affect it would have for my games would be a heightened sense of realism, and more thrifty and self-aware player characters who would think twice about hauling around 2 or 3 sets of plate mail just because the STR 18 half orc can manage to carry it within his medium load capacity.

volume is already in the game, the backpack already has a finite size, your comparison is spurious.
eigch
10-26-05, 03:42 PM volume is already in the game, the backpack already has a finite size, your comparison is spurious.

What page of the players handbook is this information on?

The only info i can find on a backpack in the PHB is "A backpack is a leather pack carried on the back, typically with straps to secure it"

and also that they cost 2gp and weigh 2lbs.
tarkin
10-26-05, 03:49 PM Extra dimensional spaces negate the grid idea. It is based on weight, not volume.

By the time players should have a real volume problem, they should have an extra dim space or two, they are not that expensive.
StormCrow42
10-26-05, 03:52 PM See the link in my sig for the web article on how much capacity a backpack, etc. has. The container capacities were inexplicably left out of the 3.5 rulebooks, I believe they were included in the 3.0 ones.

In addition, the wizards site is just now running a rules of the game series about carrying capacity, I expect that part 3 or 4 will get into containers again.
eigch
10-26-05, 03:56 PM See the link in my sig for the web article on how much capacity a backpack, etc. has. The container capacities were inexplicably left out of the 3.5 rulebooks, I believe they were included in the 3.0 ones.

In addition, the wizards site is just now running a rules of the game series about carrying capacity, I expect that part 3 or 4 will get into containers again.

thanks for the link. i saw the beginning of the series on carrying capacity, and that sort of spurred the whole grid system idea. I hope you are right about the containers article though, because fudging it just doesn't cut it for me.

thanks again!
Sangredwarf89
10-26-05, 05:30 PM Your best bet is to just use common sence. i dont use any cc system i just look at my pc's sheets every now and then and tell them if its a little much.
i tell them if they want to fight it show me the math, this is also a very good way to exersize your power as dm
(by the way, it isn't as much of a problem at higher lvls(everspace chest,bag,puoch,ect,)

by the way, i don't think any dm in history likes the cc thing
WCH
10-26-05, 05:51 PM Reason carrying capacity doesn't include volume: it doesn't need to be in your backpack to be carried.

You could have a 50 pound backpack, armour, weapons, a walking stick, several things attached to the outside of your backpack (sacks hanging off of it, canteens, etc) and many other things. Volume just isn't that much of an issue.
eigch
10-27-05, 01:32 AM Reason carrying capacity doesn't include volume: it doesn't need to be in your backpack to be carried.

You could have a 50 pound backpack, armour, weapons, a walking stick, several things attached to the outside of your backpack (sacks hanging off of it, canteens, etc) and many other things. Volume just isn't that much of an issue.

i COULD use common sense and just look at thier character sheet and arbitrarily make judgements that way, but since im hopelessly obsessive compulsive about organization, i'd prefer a grid system.... but seriously though, no one thinks it would be cool to have little item tokens of different sizes and trying to cram them all in your backpack, bags, sheaths, snap-on-hooks, whatever? Deciding as you go what you'll have to throw away to keep the new +3 longsword you just found because there is just NO MORE ROOM. Maybe im the only one crazy enough to think that would be fun...

plus, when someone is carrying more than 4 or 5 bigger weapons, i start to get a little hint of disbelief. Even if they are under thier legal carrying capacity.

and dont tell me carrying around a 10 foot pole isn't a pain in the butt. It's got to hinder you somehow.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
eigch 10-26-05, 02:58 PM	My players never seem to want to keep track of carrying capacity, and truthfully, neither do I. Keeping track of the weight and size of every last object you are carrying can be a cumbersome exersize in paperwork. I don't, however, want to just give the players each a bag of holding at level 1. The carrying capacity is part of the balance of the game, and provides a much needed sense of realism while adventuring. I want to create a new system for carrying objects. Have a grid inventory system much like popular computer games such as Diablo, NWN, and most MMORPG's. I also want to have a simplified encumberance system that breaks down inventory items into weight catagories. 1 being the lightests objects worth measuring (knife, potion, amulet) 5 being the heaviest objects you are likely to carry (armor, treasure chests, etc.). This numeric simplification of the weight system would provide a quick and dirty way of keeping track of encumberance that wouldn't slow down game play. You could even try and balance it out so you can carry objects with numers that equal your strength score with no encumberance. Although this will require more thought. The grid inventory system would prevent PC's from fitting a longspear in thier backpacks, and make sheaths for swords a valuable item. what do you think? do you have any ideas on how to impliment such a system? do you think PC's tinkering with thier inventory would slow down game play as much as just figuring out encumberance the old fashioned way?
Chobemaster 10-26-05, 03:08 PM	IMO, grid inventory is handy for PC games but makes no actual sense, and I think it would be less realistic, no easier, and bad for the flavor of your game (unless you're trying to replicate a video game feel).
eigch 10-26-05, 03:21 PM	IMO, grid inventory is handy for PC games but makes no actual sense, and I think it would be less realistic, no easier, and bad for the flavor of your game (unless you're trying to replicate a video game feel). The current inventory system makes less sense than a grid one. A backpack only has so much space in it, it could be more easily represented by a grid than anything else. The current inventory system doesnt really take containers into much consideration rules-wise. Every character is given a backpack and a pouch with thier starting gear, and it is just assumed that your stuff can fit inside. How does putting restrictions on how much gear a backpack can hold make the game LESS realistic? I also dont see how this would affect the flavor of a game one way or another. The only affect it would have for my games would be a heightened sense of realism, and more thrifty and self-aware player characters who would think twice about hauling around 2 or 3 sets of plate mail just because the STR 18 half orc can manage to carry it within his medium load capacity.
Chobemaster 10-26-05, 03:22 PM	The current inventory system makes less sense than a grid one. A backpack only has so much space in it, it could be more easily represented by a grid than anything else. The current inventory system doesnt really take containers into much consideration rules-wise. Every character is given a backpack and a pouch with thier starting gear, and it is just assumed that your stuff can fit inside. How does putting restrictions on how much gear a backpack can hold make the game LESS realistic? I also dont see how this would affect the flavor of a game one way or another. The only affect it would have for my games would be a heightened sense of realism, and more thrifty and self-aware player characters who would think twice about hauling around 2 or 3 sets of plate mail just because the STR 18 half orc can manage to carry it within his medium load capacity. volume is already in the game, the backpack already has a finite size, your comparison is spurious.
eigch 10-26-05, 03:42 PM	volume is already in the game, the backpack already has a finite size, your comparison is spurious. What page of the players handbook is this information on? The only info i can find on a backpack in the PHB is "A backpack is a leather pack carried on the back, typically with straps to secure it" and also that they cost 2gp and weigh 2lbs.
tarkin 10-26-05, 03:49 PM	Extra dimensional spaces negate the grid idea. It is based on weight, not volume. By the time players should have a real volume problem, they should have an extra dim space or two, they are not that expensive.
StormCrow42 10-26-05, 03:52 PM	See the link in my sig for the web article on how much capacity a backpack, etc. has. The container capacities were inexplicably left out of the 3.5 rulebooks, I believe they were included in the 3.0 ones. In addition, the wizards site is just now running a rules of the game series about carrying capacity, I expect that part 3 or 4 will get into containers again.
eigch 10-26-05, 03:56 PM	See the link in my sig for the web article on how much capacity a backpack, etc. has. The container capacities were inexplicably left out of the 3.5 rulebooks, I believe they were included in the 3.0 ones. In addition, the wizards site is just now running a rules of the game series about carrying capacity, I expect that part 3 or 4 will get into containers again. thanks for the link. i saw the beginning of the series on carrying capacity, and that sort of spurred the whole grid system idea. I hope you are right about the containers article though, because fudging it just doesn't cut it for me. thanks again!
Sangredwarf89 10-26-05, 05:30 PM	Your best bet is to just use common sence. i dont use any cc system i just look at my pc's sheets every now and then and tell them if its a little much. i tell them if they want to fight it show me the math, this is also a very good way to exersize your power as dm (by the way, it isn't as much of a problem at higher lvls(everspace chest,bag,puoch,ect,) by the way, i don't think any dm in history likes the cc thing
WCH 10-26-05, 05:51 PM	Reason carrying capacity doesn't include volume: it doesn't need to be in your backpack to be carried. You could have a 50 pound backpack, armour, weapons, a walking stick, several things attached to the outside of your backpack (sacks hanging off of it, canteens, etc) and many other things. Volume just isn't that much of an issue.
eigch 10-27-05, 01:32 AM	Reason carrying capacity doesn't include volume: it doesn't need to be in your backpack to be carried. You could have a 50 pound backpack, armour, weapons, a walking stick, several things attached to the outside of your backpack (sacks hanging off of it, canteens, etc) and many other things. Volume just isn't that much of an issue. i COULD use common sense and just look at thier character sheet and arbitrarily make judgements that way, but since im hopelessly obsessive compulsive about organization, i'd prefer a grid system.... but seriously though, no one thinks it would be cool to have little item tokens of different sizes and trying to cram them all in your backpack, bags, sheaths, snap-on-hooks, whatever? Deciding as you go what you'll have to throw away to keep the new +3 longsword you just found because there is just NO MORE ROOM. Maybe im the only one crazy enough to think that would be fun... plus, when someone is carrying more than 4 or 5 bigger weapons, i start to get a little hint of disbelief. Even if they are under thier legal carrying capacity. and dont tell me carrying around a 10 foot pole isn't a pain in the butt. It's got to hinder you somehow.