Potions and Special Items in Games

[endtherapture]

Does anyone ever get into the habit of not using all your potions or special items in games because you're saving it for "something bigger".

I've been playing Skyrim and I've realised I only use potions in INCREDIBLY hard battles, against high-level Dragon Priests and stuff! I've also realised I've hoarded loads of scrolls I never use. I also have loads of different potions like Resist Frost etc but I end up never using them because it was easier to just down health potions to deal with situations.

Also with special items and stuff, do you ever use them? I always found myself saving the heavy weapons for "harder enemies" which actually never turned up.

Is this a flaw in games, how can it be addressed?

 

[tippy2k2]

I've found only one game where I use potions/items throughout the game due to fear of death:

Demon's Souls

I think that having the game stupidly difficult is really the only way for them to "fix" an issue like this. Unless they have a "No big bad guy coming up, feel free to use your stupidly powerful stuff" sign around the game, there really is no way to get people to use their stuff if they think they're going to need it later.

 

[Hero in a half shell]

I do that all the time! I went through Tomb Raider Revelations virtually solely using the pistols (because shotguns had fairly limited ammo) Even in the really hard bits with tonnes of enemies I was always thinking "No, it could get harder"
I also used to do this a lot in Doom (hint: it is not a good idea to attack Archdemons with a shotgun!)
Although with new mechanics like the two weapon limit you can't really do this anymore, as you are constantly changing your weapons, and you have to use whatever is at hand, although I still hoard grenades...
So yeah, generally in those types of games I will end them with a tonne of unused weaponry that I kept reserving "Just in case"

 

[putowtin]

I'm shocking for hording potions in skyrim, but scrolls I sell ASAP.... and buy more potions!

 

[him over there]

This happens every time I play a final fantasy. I get a special full heal item that is rare and save it because I don't want to waste it then I'm at the final boss and being totally frugal with my potions not using my x-potions even though I'm almost dead because they're valuable. It's sort of like purposely trying to obtain more money for the sake of having money but never spending it on anything.

 

[Palfreyfish]

If a potion in Skyrim's not red, I don't want it, for the sheer reason that my Stamina and Magicka regenerate fast enough on their own, so the only thing I need is health potions. Also I can never be bothered with scrolls, I understand their use, but seeing as I'm playing a character that doesn't really use magic any more, I find them unnecessary.

I do hoard poisons like they're going out of fashion though. And there's a chest full of assorted crap which I've accidentally picked up on my travels.

 

[Flour]

I have an extreme case of "but I might need it later" syndrome. Well, it's because I'm a hoarder in real life, but I somehow managed to channel the worst of it in to games.(IRL it's not as extreme as you see on TV, but in games it's horrible)

I never use health potions in RPGs, but I still carry the maximum amount of them.
I never use ranged weapons that use ammo.(there are exceptions)

Spoiler: To give an example, this is what I usually start a mission with in E.Y.E

http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/8483/eyetp.jpg

Yes, that's 40 magazines, or a total of 1200 bullets. No I will never use them all. And yes, I still pick up all the ammo that drops for that weapon because "I might run out of bullets".