What are good examples of unlocking stuff like abilities and items?

The game I am working on has lots of items and abilities that the player can unlocked. I am trying to think of some fun ways to let the players unlock the items

• I had planned on placing some within the game world, eg "Unlock the fire staff by finding it in a dungeon"
• I had planned on have some locked behind an achievement, eg "unlock the red cape by collecting 100 red gems" or "Finish Boss X to unlock this item"
  
• I know that using XP or some form of currency to unlock stuff is also popular, where the player can use a menu to "spend 100 XP points to unlock this item".

I am curious if there is any other options that are commonly used for unlocking things, or if anyone knows of which kind of method is the most popular. I am not sure what terms to look up to read blogs where people have had similar questions.

I see the third option as the best way to give players access to abilities and items, as some might never go into the dungeon with the fire staff, or might never collect 100 red gems. I still want them to experience those parts of the game, but I think it cheapens the world a bit by having a store or menu with those un-lockables.

 

I don't think there's any one way. I've been playing Final Fantasy 12 lately and it does both 1 and 3 extensively. You can find many spells, weapons, etc. in the world and you can purchase them at shops with money.

 

• Crafting is another option
• Getting them as a reward for a finished questline
  
• Solving puzzles to get new items
• Looting Enemies
• Stealing them from NPCs
  
• conquering an enemy base

Items are just a reward, especially if you have many of them - use them to encourage the player to do what he should do. If you have a game thats about exploration, you may want to hide them in the environment. If your game has dungeons and you want your players to go there to see your content, you probably want to place them there.
Spending XP is just another system on top of this one, another reward system - most games have:
Items = money (gold, coins, credits)
Abilities = XP (jump higher, run faster)

Most games are about fighting, so you get XP by fighting to be better at fighting, also you get money for fighting to buy better gear to get better at fighting. I think thats just wastet potential. XP go back to the old days of Pen and Paper, things like Dungeons and Dragons, where you gradually get stronger over time "you need 8 strength to use a sword that costs 5000 Gold", so they encourage the player to grow into their role, investing points in the same thing over and over so they are "just" healer or "just" mage or "just" tanks - which ultimately contributes to the role playing aspect, because with each point they spend, they commit to the role they have chosen.

Videogames are different. And they should handle their progression systems differently. Pen and Papers are not open world for example, they are multiplayer and turn based - also dialogue is completely free, because it's just two people talking and you can use your clothes to tie up someone. You can't do that in videogames, so the progression system should be focused on the player experience and not about the role playing - give them items/xp/gold/any reward when they do something that benefits their own experience.
How? Depends on your game. Maybe stop dropping loot if the go in the same dungeon twice, but let them find a note that reads "If you read this, I did not survive. Please fulfill my last wish and bring this package to Samuel, he works as blacksmith in the white city ..." - which is just one of many possible ways to stop your players from exploiting a game because it is "the most efficient way to play it" and to bring them back to the "most fun way to play it" ^^

 

Look into:
Metroid
Risk of Rain 2
Binding of Isaac
Diablo 2
Minecraft

These are games that are very well known for their skill and power progression. Some are full random, some put the strategy in the hands of the player.

I am dealing with this myself! Trying to find some interesting systems for allowing the player to grow in power. RIght now debating if I should add itemization or not.

 

There are lots of good examples out there. And the guys pointed out some really good ones. Now the only problem, is to decide which one you want to use, and that can be the tough part.

 

In the case of character abilities, how about spending experience points, or magic points, to buy or upgrade your characters powers, abilities and magic stats?