The button latch is what sold me.
I recently purchased a leather cover for journals (or small pocket books) and it came with a spiral note book already inside (Or was it a part of the price?)! I am the type that likes to designate a purpose to a notebook or journal because it helps me separate the journals and notebooks apart from each other and so I don't cross thoughts and ideas.
I had to ponder for a short while because the notebook is small and I already have journals for other 'grander' purposes but didn't want to let this opportunity to journal go to waste. The idea hit me while I was playing Monster Hunter Wilds creating a new armorset: This little notebook would be my 'Builds & Loadouts' book.
Good quality leather is always nice.
It sounds silly with so many games already having a 'Loadout' feature with save slots and naming components but yet those lack a key element that make creating a loadout fun... atleast for me. Theme names!
Roleplay often injects more fun into the gameplay because I have the opportunity to cease being a player and instead become a part of the narrative the loadout offers.
Like in Helldivers 2, I hate dealing with ammunition and having to reload so I created an 'Arc Lightning' build that relies on arc lightning weaponry. The idea is I don't have to worry about ammo and it is useful when dealing with swarms of enemies. I have to be careful of allies/teammates in the area though but that is just a nuance of the build. I of course equip armor that is suitable for the aesthetic and equip appropriate stratagems.
In Monster Hunter Wilds, I like the idea of using gadgets and tools to thwart and negate the monsters attacks or movements and with that idea in mind I create a 'Gadgets & Tools' armor set with skills to accommodate the increase in items and consumables I'll be using. I can then take that approach and alter my gameplay accordingly about how I SHOULD approach a monster with tools and barrel bombs as opposed to how the monster is usually fought.
The book also helps me keep track of ideas and concepts I think of because whilst building the new loadout I don't have every piece or I haven't saved the loadout yet and I might carelessly toss out the pieces I needed for that build idea.
In New World I was entertaining the thought of an 'Elemental Swordsman' with elemental gems attached to inflict magic/element damage along with physical. It didn't work out as intended but with the new update arriving with changes to gear traits and equipment maybe I can actually get a working build going.
This is the format for each page. I mixed up 'theme' and 'build'
So that is the purpose of this notebook, to catalog my loadout/builds and the theme to go along with them. Because the aesthetic aspect of a loadout really helps bolster the concept and idea to both myself and potentially others. Like what I do with a journal/notebook I designate a 'look' to fit the loadout and that helps me recognize how I should actually be playing with the build.
Just a simple blog post for myself but also for others to get an idea on how to memorize or start building Work In Progress loadouts.
Thank you for reading!
Happy Loadout Building!