Inventory system

[VuRaL 46]

I was checking suggestions forums and found this;

 

http://forums.dayzgame.com/index.php?/topic/172733-clothing-pockets-separate-the-inventory-slots/

 

I had an idea to develop it, after that I thought this needs a new topic, so here we go.

 

 

Bags and baggage are labeled how much liters of volume they have and their maximum carry weight. From moving that point I have below listed changes.

 

• Clothing and bags should have slots per pocket with indication of how much liters each pocket can have.
• Items should have labeled how big they are (in liters), and how much they weight.
• If you are healthy you can carry more in weight, if not you you carry less in weight. (This also can be used to generate a total weight which can be used to calculate how fast you can run depending on your weight, how high you can fall from and if you can swim or not.)

In the UI you can each slot can show how many liters have left in it and a total weight and carry limit can be shown just above status indicators.

 

This way every item can have 1 tile icon and a backpack can have loads of small items it will look like a mass to find items in it as it would be in real life. Where you can still organize position of icons. Additional strong boxes and small bags will come in use here more for organizing.

 

I do not know how hard would it be to implement this system but it feels a lot more realistic and would push you to decide what to carry comparing volume and weight.

 

Here is how I dreamed it.

Edited February 10, 2014 by HellGuy

[Damnyourdeadman 1045]

You know....if for example i have an item like a piece of map,repicitator,or matchboxes or anything else small or contructed from a flexible

material,is it meant to take 1 spot in your inventory? For example the book takes the same space as the pen does,witch is wrong because i could fit 10 pens in the place of the book.What i'm saying is change the current system which is kind of ....

outdated,and give a better empasis on the weight-bulk of items the individual player is able to carry,that opens a new possibility,meaning a healthy,strong player can carry more items.

 

Edit:Maybe a Cardio System similar to which State of Dacay used to offer would be nice.

http://stateofdecay.wikia.com/wiki/Powerhouse

Now before i hear moaning,i should state in advance that i'm not offering any kind of masive skill system.

It's more of an individual survivor,passive bonus,

But reallisticly speaking,survivors who have wasted a lot of time running in Chernarus may have stonger immune system/substitution/cardio and having some passive bonuses is not a bad idea.

Edited February 10, 2014 by Damnyourdeadman

[VuRaL 46]

I just added an image to show how I thought it might be.

[VuRaL 46]

bump

[VuRaL 46]

sorry for trying to keep topic up but i thought it would get more interest...

[VuRaL 46]

one last attempt.

[JiJi (DayZ) 223]

Too much variables and displayed stats would affect immersion I think : I have never wondered how mass/volume my pant pocket could take and I still wouldn't when apocalypse day will come.

So I'm quite okay with the current inventory, as long as it doesn't allow to take helicopter motor...

 

PS : Not sure but I think weight is globally take into account, as a naked fresh spawn you sprint a bit faster than a full geared one. (need to verify).

[VuRaL 46]

I have never wondered how mass/volume my pant pocket could take and I still wouldn't when apocalypse day will come.

 

 

That is because you already know what is going to fit in there or not before you actually try that. You just do not use numbers for this math.

[leitberkley 4]

I say the current system works well. In my opinion the inventory should be as simple and easy to use as possible so u arent spending a lot of time figuring an items measurements.

[VuRaL 46]

I say the current system works well. In my opinion the inventory should be as simple and easy to use as possible so u arent spending a lot of time figuring an items measurements.

They can hide the numbers from us same way you do not know how much HP you have at a given time or how long it take before you suffer to death...

 

It would just say, it wont fit there or you are already carrying to much weight.

 

So still this can be easy and more realistic way of carrying things around.

[mgc 92]

I agree with your system.

It dovetails nicely with how i want gathered materials to fit in inventory.

And yes, you could easily fit 100 pens in the space (and weight) 1 book takes.

[VuRaL 46]

I agree with your system.

It dovetails nicely with how i want gathered materials to fit in inventory.

And yes, you could easily fit 100 pens in the space (and weight) 1 book takes.

exactly  :)

 

that is why i try to keep this topic on first page...

[mgc 92]

""that is why i try to keep this topic on first page...""

Yeah, i understand.

[crazykage 1063]

Your idea is just like mine, except, I think, simpler.

 

http://forums.dayzgame.com/index.php?/topic/171832-realisitc-inventory-space-proposal/page-2

 

in this thread, I proposed something similar, buy your idea is easier, I think. Items and containers have volume, yet you can still see and move around the item icon. The items icon, I think should also be bigger, proportionate to its volume.

 

But in my thread I mention an idea that could be added to yours, the concept of "stretch". What do you think?

[VuRaL 46]

I just had been able to read your post and will video soon.

 

In my opinion, considering from point of reality, volume and weights are musts for an inventory system.

 

Regarding the stretching; You can fit something little bigger to your packets but you might damage your outfit. From pristine to worn or damaged. But I think it should be next step.

[mgc 92]

Dean mentioned reworking the inventory system to affect stamina. Not sure if that means we keep the same system with weight added, or that the entire system is reworked to a more realistic and convenient weight / volume based system.

 

The first would not be what we want.

[- Karma - 75]

Volume is something that should be tracked.  If realism is what we're going for, certain things about the inventory system definitely don't make sense.  But I mean how far do we want them to go?  Here is an example - I don't know what kind of jeans you guys where, but what I'm wearing definitely could not fit a can of beans in any of the four pockets.  I could however fit an M4 Magazine (which in the game is larger) in 1 pocket, and so carry 4.  It would be uncomfortable and maybe have a chance of falling out, but depending on the pocket and exact model of magazine (let's say 30 round) I could likely push at least 65% of it into a pocket.

 

So are we asking for not only inventory slots that are broken down specifically by clothing type, but also keyed to specific items?  For example "Jeans Front Left Pocket, Canned Beans=no, 30 rd CMAG=yes" or "Jeans Back Right Pocket, Book=no, Pens=<6"?

 

While this system would be a lot more realistic, would this not become incredibly complicated for a lot of users?  The typical user would go to pick up an item and have to try dragging it to several inventory slots before finding one that would work because they don't understand the system.

 

I'm not saying I'm not for it, I'm just saying how would the UI represent this?  Could it do something like say a four pocket pair of jeans has four single item slots.  You add a pen to one, and because it doesn't take up the whole slot, a temporary fifth slot gets added that is shaded grey letting you know it one of the pockets hasn't been completely used up.  You add a battery, and again it doesn't quite eat up all of that slot the pen went in so it adds another temporary sixth slot.  Would this work?

[Damnyourdeadman 1045]

So are we asking for not only inventory slots that are broken down specifically by clothing type, but also keyed to specific items?  For example "Jeans Front Left Pocket, Canned Beans=no, 30 rd CMAG=yes" or "Jeans Back Right Pocket, Book=no, Pens=<6"?

 

While this system would be a lot more realistic, would this not become incredibly complicated for a lot of users?  The typical user would go to pick up an item and have to try dragging it to several inventory slots before finding one that would work because they don't understand the system.

 

I'm not saying I'm not for it, I'm just saying how would the UI represent this?  Could it do something like say a four pocket pair of jeans has four single item slots.  You add a pen to one, and because it doesn't take up the whole slot, a temporary fifth slot gets added that is shaded grey letting you know it one of the pockets hasn't been completely used up.  You add a battery, and again it doesn't quite eat up all of that slot the pen went in so it adds another temporary sixth slot.  Would this work?

That's exactly what i was thinking about.So you are saying,that it may as well be realistic,but it's not practical.

Yes,it could bring trouble,i agree but it's something i would want to see.Let's say a single square is equivelent the size of a flashlight.

A square should be able to share items,equivelent to the mass of the flashlight.Does this make sence?

[VuRaL 46]

That's exactly what i was thinking about.So you are saying,that it may as well be realistic,but it's not practical.

Yes,it could bring trouble,i agree but it's something i would want to see.Let's say a single square is equivelent the size of a flashlight.

A square should be able to share items,equivelent to the mass of the flashlight.Does this make sence?

 

I have thought about it too but it becomes too complicated for both programming and playing.

 

Next step would be shaping all the objects as volumes as mass with density depending on their weights and shapes. After that you determine shape of bags, pockets and so on and game will decide what would fill where. Pushing it more would become a 3D tetris in backpack.

 

But restrictions can be applied to items. For example a fire axe would have less volume in backpack but it wont fin it, long arms, bows etc . Samples can be widen as much as we want.

 

But placing restrictions as suggested for item based on pockets with weight and volume calculations would be the most realistic and easy solution.

[mgc 92]

As far as inventory space goes, all we need to worry about is volume. Weight counts towards maximum load bearing capacity, but doesnt determine what fits where.

 

Take total volume of storage item (lets say vest) and divide by # of pockets. Items larger (more voluminous) than the result wont fit. You will have to experiment to see what fits where until you have experience. You can add more than 8 items provided the sum of their volumes doesnt surpass the vests.

 

i.e.

A vest could prolly carry 800 pens, or 7 cans of beans and 100 pens.

The menu would have to be expanded to fit the information:

-beans pristine 2

-beans damaged 4

-beans ruined 1

-pen blue pristine 12

-pen blue worn 23

-pen blue damaged 2

-pen black pristine 6

-pen black ruined 1

etc.

 

""So are we asking for not only inventory slots that are broken down specifically by clothing type, but also keyed to specific items?  For example "Jeans Front Left Pocket, Canned Beans=no, 30 rd CMAG=yes" or "Jeans Back Right Pocket, Book=no, Pens=<6"?""

 

The way i see it it should go like this:

Pants Volume (max) = X

X / #pockets = Pocket Volume (max)

You then make the pants 1 slot with a max volume per stored item of Pocket Volume (max).

 

""The typical user would go to pick up an item and have to try dragging it to several inventory slots before finding one that would work""

I have a similar experience with yellow containers and ammo boxes atm. I can never remember whats in them and have to drag stuff over it or take it out of inventory to see if theres room. Inconvenient but not game breaking. Perhaps even more realistic than being able to see what fits where in the blink of an eye. You can still pick up the item (like we do now) and have the game fit it in inventory for you. You may have to move stuff around when nearing total capacity to fit that last can of beans.

Edited February 21, 2014 by mgc

[- Karma - 75]

Interesting thoughts - the system as it is now works, but that's not to say there isn't room for improvement.

 

However Dean/Rocket is on record as saying something like he doesn't want to see backpack tetris, so if any changes are made to the system it will likely be to simplify it as opposed to complicate it more.  That is what I'm getting at.  Some of the suggestions could absolutely work, so long as the math is hidden in the code and not needed to be used by the players themselves every time an item is picked up.

 

That is why I suggested color coding - it seems to be a system the Devs like and are using (it could be a placeholder, but doubt it), so why not stick with that from a user interface perspective.  As long as the system is intuitive is what I'm getting at it.  Right now it is item size versus space available - very intuitive.  If the space seen is not representing actual space available, that gets complicated.  And I think we don't want to see each square as it is now further divided into four squares, or 3-D inventory screens representing volume either.  At least I don't. 

 

But if the Devs are willing to hide a majority of the math and simply build a database that indicates what items can fit where, and how much space they take up, we can simply get a normal image when dragging items into inventory space indicating yes it will fit and it will become a red image or simply if it won't.  Simple, more or less.  Hell, I'll build the database with input from the community and save the Devs the time if they want.  They can look at it and either say yes, no, or we'll take it and make changes as see fit.

[Damnyourdeadman 1045]

If the system is getting way too complicated,then only fix the items that take a small mass (matches,pens etc).

If we build a sytem depending on individual item mass,we could have stackable items to the point we reach the stack-bundle capacity for the storage.

We can set the stack capacity depending on different storage types(eg pants/backpacks/vests etc) if we want to further complicate things.

Edited February 21, 2014 by Damnyourdeadman

[- Karma - 75]

Sure, I like bundles of items.  That would probably make the most sense.  It doesn't fix the "a battery, a pen, and a compass take up the same amount of space as a can of food" problem, but it's getting there.

[mgc 92]

""he doesn't want to see backpack tetris""

 

In the system i explained, all storage items (backpack, pants etc) have 1 slot.

 

""it will likely be to simplify it as opposed to complicate it more""

I could make it simpler than 1 slot per storage item by making it 1 slot per character, but that wouldnt serve realism.

 

""Some of the suggestions could absolutely work, so long as the math is hidden""

It would be.

 

""color coding""

No objections.

 

""Right now it is item size versus space available""

Pens

 

""If the space seen is not representing actual space available, that gets complicated""

In the system i proposed no space is visible. We could do a volume bar per storage item to give a visual representation of capacity.

[- Karma - 75]

- snip -

 

Apologies, I didn't get from your post that you were talking about removing the inventory screen grid altogether and simply making one larger inventory with a "volume meter" indicating the total amount of storage available.  I should have reread I suppose - or am I still missing it, because that is what it sounds like.  That is an interesting and radical idea, I'd be curious to see what the Devs thought of it.