Quote:I can't help but feel that I'm missing some of these items that are (probably) dropping from monsters. [...]
Hi, you seem to do the same things like me: listening and waiting for the wounderful *pling* and maybe other sounds (Almara has mentioned it: Different item classes make different sounds while dropping.), looking around dead monsters and sometimes counting how much jewlery lies on the ground (in big battles). Unfortunately gold is the thing I visually recognize best. Important is to catch all the blue (or even golden:)) items from the boss monsters and luckily the place of their death bodies is highlighted. As you already know, a monster drops one item at most (except Na-Krul and maybe some few others). Sometimes while walking through the dungeon I find items that I have overlooked. Last thing: I think that zooming is not necessary.
Spelunker
EDIT: Well, and I look for items "behind" high walls but I think it's enough to do that while walking. You don't have to take an extra lap through the dungeon level.