NathanKell
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A separate thread for the inventory system. We've talked this over previously, most recently in the item trading thread (and in another thread too but I forget what).
For a variety of reasons--realism, ability to "`hot-swap`" pistols, limiting `skill-item` wearing--or just plain sheer love of complexity--the inventory's in need of work.
What seems to me the way to go is a system like Morrowind's (or countless other RPGs). That is, a `Four-tiered` inventory system (with the fifth and final tier selling or dropping the item, period*).
*Side note 1. I want to add a dropping feature, so you can get rid of stuff with no questions asked. Except...some items will be undroppable. No, not that way; you can drop it fine, it's just that a day later a sailor will come up and say, "Captain, you know that Albatross you've been carrying around? Well, we were just going through this barrel in the hold and--how'd it end up there?..." Or your clotheschest. Or tucked in a pocket. Or...
*2: The other exception being pawning, see Item Trading thread.
Anyway, back on topic. + means I have conflicting thoughts, see below.
The first tier is your equipped inventory. It includes your sword, your pistol, your glass+1, your armor, and whatever jewelry you're wearing. Limited by number of items.
The second is your ready inventory, items ready to hand but not necessarily _in_ your hands. A spare--loaded!--pistol, a dagger+2, some lucky charms (which will still work; only jewelry need be equipped+3), a powder horn/extra pistol balls+4, etc. (Am I missing something?) Limited by number of items _and_ weight (can't carry 10 swords ready to hand!).
The third is your carried loose / backpack / unready inventory. Money+5, food+4, blanket roll+4, shovel+4, more balls and powder, quest items you wouldn't have to hand, spare pistols and swords, and whatever else you're carrying. Limited by weight.
+1 Should you have to forgo your pistol when carrying a spyglass? Although it doesn't mean anything, you can't use a spyglass anyway when in location mode (SFAIK!).
+2 Should you be able to carry a spare sword ready to hand? My instinct is no, only a dagger. One sword is heavy enough.
+3 Should there be a separation between charms and jewelry? Should only one and not the other need equipping? And further along that chain of questions...
+4 If we add such a thing. Food and blanket roll if we add hunger and tiredness, shovel for digging up treasure (but of course. <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="
" border="0" alt="smile.gif" /> ).
+5 Yes, let's make money take up weight! No more carrying around a million pounds (or Pounds) of gold. Letters of credit, jewels, etc., will now have their uses...
The fourth tier is the chest in your ship. Unlimited storage (really unlimited, or just a high limit?), but hard to get to when you need it!
Ideas on going _between_ invs:
During normal time (not alarmed) one can swap any item between any number of tiers. When boarding an enemy ship or fort, even swapping to your cabin's item chest would be allowed.
Once alarmed, swapping only between equipped inventory and ready inventory.
With sword drawn, only swapping between pistols and chugging potions*.
*Should we even leave potions in?--realism rears its ugly head. Actually, I need to make a new thread for this.
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In terms of interface: We could use the existing itemsbox interface, and make the upper level the ready inv and the lower the loose inv. Add the equip buttons and the info button, and presto! a new interface.
(To take items from or place them into boxes, you'd need to put the item in your loose inv first; then we'd have to do only the above interface change to make it work).
--------
So...watcha think?
Assuming you like this, what should the specific limits be? How much should stuff weigh?
And so forth.
For a variety of reasons--realism, ability to "`hot-swap`" pistols, limiting `skill-item` wearing--or just plain sheer love of complexity--the inventory's in need of work.
What seems to me the way to go is a system like Morrowind's (or countless other RPGs). That is, a `Four-tiered` inventory system (with the fifth and final tier selling or dropping the item, period*).
*Side note 1. I want to add a dropping feature, so you can get rid of stuff with no questions asked. Except...some items will be undroppable. No, not that way; you can drop it fine, it's just that a day later a sailor will come up and say, "Captain, you know that Albatross you've been carrying around? Well, we were just going through this barrel in the hold and--how'd it end up there?..." Or your clotheschest. Or tucked in a pocket. Or...
*2: The other exception being pawning, see Item Trading thread.
Anyway, back on topic. + means I have conflicting thoughts, see below.
The first tier is your equipped inventory. It includes your sword, your pistol, your glass+1, your armor, and whatever jewelry you're wearing. Limited by number of items.
The second is your ready inventory, items ready to hand but not necessarily _in_ your hands. A spare--loaded!--pistol, a dagger+2, some lucky charms (which will still work; only jewelry need be equipped+3), a powder horn/extra pistol balls+4, etc. (Am I missing something?) Limited by number of items _and_ weight (can't carry 10 swords ready to hand!).
The third is your carried loose / backpack / unready inventory. Money+5, food+4, blanket roll+4, shovel+4, more balls and powder, quest items you wouldn't have to hand, spare pistols and swords, and whatever else you're carrying. Limited by weight.
+1 Should you have to forgo your pistol when carrying a spyglass? Although it doesn't mean anything, you can't use a spyglass anyway when in location mode (SFAIK!).
+2 Should you be able to carry a spare sword ready to hand? My instinct is no, only a dagger. One sword is heavy enough.
+3 Should there be a separation between charms and jewelry? Should only one and not the other need equipping? And further along that chain of questions...
+4 If we add such a thing. Food and blanket roll if we add hunger and tiredness, shovel for digging up treasure (but of course. <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="

+5 Yes, let's make money take up weight! No more carrying around a million pounds (or Pounds) of gold. Letters of credit, jewels, etc., will now have their uses...
The fourth tier is the chest in your ship. Unlimited storage (really unlimited, or just a high limit?), but hard to get to when you need it!
Ideas on going _between_ invs:
During normal time (not alarmed) one can swap any item between any number of tiers. When boarding an enemy ship or fort, even swapping to your cabin's item chest would be allowed.
Once alarmed, swapping only between equipped inventory and ready inventory.
With sword drawn, only swapping between pistols and chugging potions*.
*Should we even leave potions in?--realism rears its ugly head. Actually, I need to make a new thread for this.
------------
In terms of interface: We could use the existing itemsbox interface, and make the upper level the ready inv and the lower the loose inv. Add the equip buttons and the info button, and presto! a new interface.
(To take items from or place them into boxes, you'd need to put the item in your loose inv first; then we'd have to do only the above interface change to make it work).
--------
So...watcha think?
Assuming you like this, what should the specific limits be? How much should stuff weigh?
And so forth.