12-03-2003, 05:29 PM
Quote:It wouldnt actually create/edit a real D2 character, merely give you the statistics of the character once certain skills, stats and equipment was added.
I'm not sure I see the importance of this. D2 is its own best simulation. You can creat a character just to look at the stats while wearing a certain set of equipment and using a certain layout of skills, and then delete the character when you're done. The fact that you could have played the character is irrelevant.
When testing various game mechanics, I often mod the game to let me control more variables and to speed up the process. For example, when I want to test the effects of some property on an item, I don't go out and look for an item that has that property. I just make a cube recipe that gives me something with that property. Then, in the simulation that is D2, I test things out and see exactly how things work.
When I'm done, I wipe my save game directory and restore my backup "legit" characters.
I don't think this is at all harmful, as long as I make sure to keep the distinction between playing and testing. With testing characters, I can give myself anything I want and modify things in any way I want. Everything's worthless there, though. OTOH, on my real characters, the items and the experience still have their normal worth.