Unpopular opinion: I was more excited to find crystal keys when they only opened crystal chests
Unpopular opinion: I was more excited to find crystal keys when they only opened crystal chests
Just something to rant about, obviously ShatteredPD is great and I still enjoy playing it after so many years...
...however! The one addition I don't like is to use the crystal keys for so many more goodies than just the two chests rooms.
It used to be when you found a crystal key, you would immediately know there are two chests waiting for you, maybe even the crystal chest mimic. I was always excited to find those keys because it meant I would get a new hopefully useful item.
These days however, its just one of many possibilities and once you find that second or third key, you know its not the chest. I don't dislike adding all these other options, but I like them all less than the original chests. Could there not be another key type to use for those? Like the golden ones, if it has to be an existing type. Or make the original crystal keys into something else, skull key or dragon keys or whatever. Rat king keys maybe. Please?
This is something I've tried to improve with followup updates, without just straight up giving three rooms with ring/artifact/wand choices, which would be very overpowered. As of v2.2 finding a key now means you're guaranteed either some equipment, or a bunch of consumables, at least one of which is experience or transmutation.
I feel like it's better now, but ultimately adding more rooms does mean that specific great ones will become a bit less common, and I wanted to make more use of the crystal key mechanic, rather than having them sometimes not show up in a run at all.
I like the two crystal door rooms design where one room has a chest and the other has scrolls/potions.
Something about the three key design bugs me, it's probably the "you must always commit to the middle two doors to see the last two items" - but I guess that's intended since the last two doors have a good chance at something excellent like a potion of experience. I'm not sure what it is about this design but something feels vaguely unsatisfying.
I get that, again, not saying any of the changes are bad.
Just seems like my little lizard brain felt more excitement when it was a choice between two types of equipment rather than consumables vs consumables or consumables vs equipment.
Perhaps Evan could make a unique keys for the triple key room, many choices. Rusty, Copper, Silver, Emerald, ...
I like either case. The consumable tracks almost always end with a potion of experience or scroll of transmutation in my playthroughs.