Has anyone ever run a game (tabletop or pbp) in the style of Borderlands? And if so how did you handle the loot?

Hi! I'm currently running a Borderlands game using an Apocalypse World hack offsite with pretty good reception, and I've also found two different Savage Worlds hacks that I've used before. Loot is probably the trickiest part of the whole deal.

In the AW hack, the game offers some quick maths to do once you know what the opposition is (probably just after they've been defeated, unless folks start looting mid-fight like looty fiends). You get some loot points, based on the opposition, and each point can be used to represent a certain amount of cash, eridium, insta-heals (which it keeps as a thing), and guns. Then there's a series of random tables to roll on for making guns.

One of the Savage Worlds guides also has a series of random gun tables, and they get pretty ludicrous both in terms of granularity (which SW is not designed for) and power (which SW is also not designed for). I didn't get to see how it works out in the long term, as it was a one-shot. My estimation would be that it ramps up the game's assumed power very quickly, making for rocket tag after just a few loot drops.

The other Savage Worlds conversion did away with the concept of improving loot entirely, and just had a simple table of guns not even as long as the one in the core book. It didn't explain, but it felt like the assumption there is that legendary loot drops and such are more a videogame mechanic than anything, and unnecessary in a tabletop setting. That conversion did include the respawn mechanic (and very cleverly at that), so that's another round of speculation.

What I've been doing is just giving my heroes a piece of loot with a single rule-breaking mechanic on it whenever they beat a boss-equivalent enemy. They otherwise get all the cash and stuff they can desire, and I don't really see a near-endless cash flow hampering anything yet. In short, I recommend not worrying about it too much. In my experience, being generous with money and a little stingy with unique items (but more free with them than you might expect in a standard D&D game, for instance) will keep players excited without usually breaking the game. Unless you give their money the power to break the game. That might not go well.

I've seen a few other games like that on RPoL and off, so I'm sure there are a few other experienced hands about to help with their knowledge as well. Did you have any questions in particular that I didn't cover?

In reply to Nintaku (msg # 2):

Sounds like some workable ideas and concepts.  I like it.  I agree that it would be hard to model the weapons on the level that BL does, but having a few random tables for gun type and mods to roll on every time a gun drops might be the way to go.

Mostly just curious in general, I'm thinking about putting together a game. I was considering using HERO System, given how customizable that system is it should be pretty easy to create some truly unique items randomly, much like how the games do it. I just figured I'd ask before putting together a bunch of tables.