Action RPG item design example

I wanted to share a little example of how I visualize a design before I start writing it down in a word document. Often, I start by creating a Photoshop mockup to visualize how something will look inside the game or GUI. Here I wanted to design an item system for an Action RPG. i''m not going to share the entire design, but I just wanted to show how I start in Photoshop.

- Base items will have Armor or DPS
- Base items will have levels
- When upgrading the level of a base item, it's Armor or DPS will increase
- Different rarities of base items will have a different maximum level
- Base items will have 3 types of sockets. A set socket, a rune socket and 1-3 gem sockets
- Socketing a Set rune will provide you with set bonuses if you socketed multiple items with the same set rune
- Socketing a Stat rune will provide you with predetermined stats
- Gem sockets can contain the gems and thus the stats that you prefer
- Items will become character bound upon socketing runes or gems.
- The item tooltip will show the influence the item has on gear score and stats upon equipping

This is the design for what you see in the photoshop mockup. From here I started designing more details about the item system.