[Adonthell-general] Re:Inventory/Items

[Nils Fohrbeck]

> 
> Yeah, I agree with all of that :)
> I'd like to talk about the controls. I suggested something a bit like
> what you're describing a while ago(it should be in the archives and if
> you can't find it talk to Ben since we came up with a lot of the ideas
> last summer). Basically there were 2-3 item/attack buttons which each
> have a graphical button icon on the screen (top-right corner would be
> best IMO) these buttons are assigned to any joypad/kbd/mouse button that
> you like in the options menu. Then in the inventory you can assign an
> item or attack or spell or combo to each button. The icon of the
> item/attack/weapon/whatever then appears on the button icon so you know
> which button does what at a glance. The idea is loosly based on Zelda:
> Ocarina of Time - if you've played that you'll know what I mean.
> If you have a party each character has his/her own buttons so they can
> be assigned different items/spells/etc.  Perhaps some items (like a
> healing potion) can be assigned to different characters (so if you
> switch char you have imediate access) in this case the item gets shared
> so if one char takes a sip that's one sip less for everyone else too.
> 
> 
> Now, apart from the 2-3 item buttons there are two more buttons:
> 
> -A general purpose do-stuff/ok/push/pull/jump(?) button which is context
> sensitive - ie: it will do whatever makes sense depending where you are
> standing (normally it will just jump, next to a NPC it will start a
> conversation, next to a button it will press it, next to  movable
> mapobject holding it down and pressing back will pull/pressing forward
> will push, in a menu it acts as the 'OK' button etc.)
> I'm not sure if jumping should have it's own button or not but for
> everything else it should be fine.
> 
> -The other button would be menu/back (like Y in Secret of Mana)
> While in the game it brings up the menu screen (for
> inventories/stats/options/saving/loading etc)
> While in a menu it acts as the 'Cancel' or 'Back' button.
> Basically everything in the menus should be accessible via the arrow
> keys/buttons the 'OK/do stuff' button and the 'Menu/Back' button.
> 
> 
> Now, in light of your item proposal I'd like to add a few things to that
> - your idea of things like keys not being explicitly equippable but just
> acting automatically when needed is great. I think this should be
> incorporated with the 'ok/do stuff' button because that's what a player
> would instinctively press to interact with something/someone on the map.
> Take a locked tresure chest normally walking up to it and pressing the
> button will just make your character say 'this appers to be locked' but
> once you have the key in your backpack he just opens it.
> 

This is exactly the way I imagined it to happen. Actually the idea is not even 
new. Even doom's keycards work in a similar way.
 
> Also regarding the item icons in the corner of the screen - when ever
> they get used/activated they should light up. If it is an item that gets
> used once as you press the button it should just light up with the
> button-press. If it is an item that gets activated and they stays on
> until deactivated (like a torch), it should light up when the button is
> pressed to turn it on and then stay highlighted (or maybe pulse
> light/dark) while active until the button is pressed again to deactivate
> it. Finally items (or spells/ attacks) that can be charged up by holding
> the button down and then be used when the button is released should
> light up/blink in the same way but perhaps have a little progress bar
> that pops up below the item to indicate how charged up it is. I can't
> imagine we'd need any other way of using an item/attack/spell/whatever
> 
> As far as I can tell there will only be 4 ways items/spells/etc. can be
> used up:
> -you can use them as often as you want (a sword for example). In this
> case the icon stays on its own.
> 
> -it can only be used once, then it disappears. Perhaps we could have a
> little subicon or something below to indicate this (a 1 in a circle
> perhaps) or we use the technique below and just have 1/1
> 
> -you can only use it a fixed amount of times (or you have multiple
> identical items that can each only be used once). In this case I think
> "<number of uses left>/<maximum uses>" should appear below the icon
> (kinda like a subscript).
> 
> -it gradually wears off as you use it (eg: a lamp). In this case we have
> a little progress bar below to show how much is left
> 
> 
> In the last two cases I also think the icon should flash when it's
> almost empty / used up to alert the player.
>

As far as chargeable items are concerned, we might even be able to leave out 
the gradually wears off kind of items. In case of a lamp that would mean a lamp 
has 10 charges (maybe representing bottles of oil). Whenever the lamp is 
activated, a charge is lost and the lamp burns for 5 minutes.

 
> 
> 
> Two more additions that just came to me:
> 
> It would be a useful feature to be able to select one
> item/spell/weapon/combo buttons (can we give them a name please? ..the
> thingy buttons) to automatically adopt the last item that was picked up
> (by the character whose thingy button it is) its previous item then just
> goes back into the rucksack.
> 
> It would also be cool to be able to set up a queue of items that get
> used up on a thingy button, so when the first item is used up the button
> doesn't go empty - the next item automatically goes onto the button.
> In fact creating combos of attacks/spells could be done in the same way!


I'm sorry but I don't really get the point! And to give the thing a name we 
could just call it an action and the buttons action buttons.


Now ssome comments on alchemy. I was also thinking about how to store the 
spells ect. In case of alchemy this is easy, the Alchemist's Cookbook is a good 
idea. All the recepies could be stored in there. We could even call it 
Inventor;s notebook and include recipes (Alchemy) and (construction) plans 
(mechanics) in it. As far as their usage is concerned we could just have a 
mortar (the mixing thing , not the weapon :-))as an usable item in the players 
inventory. Whenever used a dialogue window giving all the options as to which 
potions could be brewed comes up. That way a character can make potions on the 
road, but we do not have to make each recipe useable or define a new kind of 
book. Something similar could be used for the dwarves. We could have a 
runestone, which would be handled just like the inventor's notebook. In order 
to craft the runes 'written down in this book' it would be necessary to either 
find anvil and forge, or in some cases maybe a 'Goldsmith Set' would be s!
 ufficient (I will come up with something on the matter of different kinds of 
runes). 

As far as spells and songs and feats are concerned, things are more difficuld 
as they need to be equipped as actions...

One further note concerning the example items. They were made up as examples. 
While it certainly does not hurt to implement them, I did not pay any attention 
to balance. But now that I know you like the item system, I will start making 
an item list with a bunch of items, that should be somewhat balanced.

so much for now,
Nils
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