From omartin@students.cc.tut.fi Sun Oct 29 12:40:31 2000 From: Otto Martin Newsgroups: rec.games.roguelike.angband Subject: Inventory Reorganization, long (Was: Logicband) Date: 29 Oct 2000 10:34:55 GMT Nightsoarer wrote: >Otto Martin heeft geschreven in bericht <8tfeal$6j7$1@baker.cc.tut.fi>... >>(I've a bigger inventory reorganization idea as well, but that's another >>post... ) >I'd like to hear it. However, the player could certainly not take everything Ok, here goes... (Note: this would also include other major changes to angband, which I'll mention along the way and will elaborate at the end. If I ever think about working on this, it'll probably be as a Z variant, as I'm in love with the 2.5.x wilderness and don't want to try to port it to Vanilla) The current system of one equipment(ory, as I seem to call it =) of 12 specific slots and one inventory of 23 general slots is obviously unrealistic. One can carry as huge things as one pleases, and only the heaviness is taken into account; not the awkwardness of having to balance the heavy lance or taking care that the tiny vial of potion or the dry, brittle scroll isn't crushed. All things can be used with equal speed out of the backpack, which will, if you've got enough of them, fit 99 x 23 (2277) lances (or full plate armors, etc) in it (though you might get slowed down a tad :-). My idea for an a new system is quite different (and difficult to code and balance, of course). Ben mentioned in some post that he wanted to see containers, though ISTR there were some problems as well. I think this is an good idea, and the following containers (at least) would be implemented: backpack, pouch, quiver, belt, sled, (though probably not sheaths/scabbards). These would all be basic objects, and could have the same flags as other objects, though except for the resist/immunity flags, they shouldn't matter much. The resist & immunity flags should probably only effect the items in these containers, and if the player had worn items which would have these flags, only a few slots should affect the containers (probably rings, amulets and maybe shields (and I'm not sure if even these should)). Object encumbrance/size/whatever would have to be added, of course, and different containers of the same type might be able to hold different amounts, though only the sled should be able to hold more than one screen (23) items IMO. The backpack would be for smallish items; staffs might or might not be too big. It would take a bit longer than now to use things in it, and it should fit maybe twenty wands, half a dozen books[*1], or something like that. The pouch could only hold maybe 10-20 potions/scrolls or <5 wands, and it should be quicker to use than the backpack [lots of slots (up to 23), but small max encumbrance]. The quiver should hold only ammo (and I'm not sure if slingshots are applicable), and maybe about 20-80 shots worth. (Hmm, ego-arrows might have larger encumbrance... :-) The belt should be able to hold one or two bigger weapons, or maybe half a dozen potions / scrolls / wands [maybe six slots, top encumbrance enough for a two smallish weapons]. Using items should be the quickest, but they (and the same for sled) shouldn't have any added protection against elemental effects or stealing, whereas the backpack, pouch, and quiver would. The sled would be the "loot-pack", where all kinds of stuff could be thrown. it's max encumbrance and slot amounts should be huge, but using as slow as possible (at least twice that of the backpack). I'm not yet sure how to deal with it; it should be possible to leave it to run away faster, but I'm not sure how this would affect balance and other things (attacking etc). Maybe someone with more knowledge of [Cth]'s speed system might have good ideas. So much for the inventory (for now). The equipment(ory :) should be fixed, as well. My vision is something as follows: a) Primary hand [usually weapon, 1- or 2-handed, possibly magical item. bows would require both hands, sling only one -> should be interesting] -> open this menu for rings (probably max 4 [*2]) b) Secondary hand [shield, magical item, another weapon, the same 2-h] -> open this menu for rings (probably max 4) c) Or the rings could open from these menus, which would show how many d) rings are equipped and possibly a shorthand description e) Amulet (maybe a menu for more than one, though I don't like the idea) f) Light source - IMO this will have to stay. I envision it as some sort of metal rod, attached to one shoulder of the armor, holding the light source (with an interesting chemistry-class-kinda-system :-) g) Body armor [as usual, though might extend to arms & legs] h) Cloak [the same, I think more than one would just get in the way. maybe this and the amulet slot could both hold both types? ] i) The shield slot would disappear j) Headgear [would also stay the same] k) Gloves [would stay the same, but I think a slot] Arms [should be added. Cesti might use up both, some armors might include arm protection] l) Feet [would also remain, but here too should] Legs [be added, much the same as with arms] This would, all in all, increase the number of armor slots. The effect of AC should probably be lessened (the same amount would be worth less), and some items would get their AC value increased. *3 Also, the ring slots might be given letters after the other worn items, to use them directly. The new equipment list would be: a) Primary hand, held item b) Secondary hand, held item c) Around the neck d) Light source e) Body armor h) Around body i) Headgear j) Gloves k) Arms l) Feet m) Legs n) Rings : u) Last ring Now, some questions I haven't yet figured out are: "How to manage all this inventory?" This I'm not quite sure of; haven't though of it yet. "Where are the things while you switch new things to be held in hand; how would using items be affected?" Dunno; maybe there would have to be a reserved slot in the belt where the item held in hand in placed. "How about putting a big weapon or bow on the back? or staffs?" Maybe there could be more than one "belt", one of which is looped around over the shoulder (though then the backpack should be extremely slow to use, or... even better, one could trade the backpack place for an extra belt & pouch) Anyway, that's the gist of my idea. You can now start tearing it to bits. *1 Hmm, how to deal with books? (take it out of the backpack, read, put it back; this should take a loong time...) maybe the sometime-in-the-future Z system, A/64, P, or Cth have some ideas to use... *2 Rings would be cut to one quarter of their power - stat rings usually give +1, sometimes rarely +2; dam/acc/prot gives +1 - +5, etc.. Sustains work as normally, and as for resists... well, I'd like to see a cumulative resistance system, so if you're going against Uriel, you can take one hand full of fire resistance :-) Artifact rings will always require to be alone on that hand; they are "jealous". *3 I also feel that acid should first attack the base AC value, when it's at zero, the magical value, and when both are at zero, the item should break up and be useless. The slighlty increased AC values would make this somewhat more workable. Otto Martin - whew. -- "Deo odibilem ballistariorum et sagittariorum adversus Christianos et catholicos exerceri de caetero subanathemate prohibemus"