Inventory overhaul

[Erik]

The inventory in VS is  very unfinished, so I got a small idea on how to expand it.

First, I'll introduce a new property for blocks and items: The type. Types are just categories for items and  blocks, a type can be attached to any item or block via json. Custom types can only added by code mods, using an IType interface. Some types can also require additional data in the json file to fully work. Possible types: Backfit (for backpacks and the like), Helmet, Chestplate, Tool, Weapon, Pouch, Ore, Ground, Flower, Food,...

Now, I'll introduce the item slot types:

1. Normal slot: A absolutely normal slot, every item fits in.
2. Filtered slots: These slots only fit items and blocks of a specific type. They render as a black slot with the type image in it. The type image is defined in the types code.
3. Action slots: Action slots are type slots with the ability to utilize the item inside the slot. The handling of the item is described in the onEquip, onEquipped and onUnequip functions of the corresponding type (in the class that implemented IType), using properties defined in the items json file. Action slots look like filtered slots, but have a bar next to them and are surrounded by an inventory box.
4. Custom slots: Can be added using mods to add special functionality to inventories, like the inventory of a furnace. They can be created by inheriting from the abstract CustomSlot class. Their appearance can also be defined using coding.

Technically speaking, all slots implement the IInventoryElement interface and all inherit form the CustomSlot class

An example for an action slot:

Backfit type action slot. Used for backpacks and barrels:

When the player puts a backpack in the slot, the action slot "expands" and adds new slots to the inventory, some of them even being action slots:

When the backpack is pulled out of the action slot, it keeps the items stored inside the item, making swapping out backpacks easy. Armor is also using the action slots to be equipped.

Now that we have covered slots, we will quickly cover my vision for a moddable inventory system. An inventory is defined via json. The inventory has a size (width, height in % of screen). There are multiple elements that can be fit inside an inventory, notably slots, filtered slots, action slots, custom slots, other inventories and other inventory elements. There are three types of inventories: static, floating and custom inventories. Inside static inventories the elements are statically fit using coordinates in percentages of the inventory. Floating inventories have the elements inside positioning oneself by order, like floating in css. Floating inventories also have a scrollbar, when the elements inside would not fit the width and height of the inventory. Custom inventories are often dynamically inserted into inventories, using action slots. They can also be defined in json or generated by code, the coded approach being more common, like in the case of the backpack. Custom inventories are also either static or floating. An inventory that is not inside another inventory is the window object. Custom inventory elements, like progress bar or buttons can be defined by implementing the IInventoryElement interface.

The coding of inventory handling should be very reminiscent of Javascript DOM scripting, having to append objects, getting objects by class or id and so forth. Inventories in the survival mod should be stored in json files as mach as possible, to warrant maximum modding compatibility. I know there is some html/css like system in place for GUIs right now, but right now it isn't moddable, and I thought of this as one way to solve this. Implementing these changes would obviously be a massive, but worthwhile, undertaking, as it is basically a rewrite of most of the GUI system, things like shift-click behavior on items have to be entirely rewritten etc.

This was a very technical description of a easily moddable system, and while my "how to design it code-wise"-suggestions might not work so well, the basic premise of a floating player inventory with action slots is what should definitely be implemented somehow.

Edited June 21, 2018 by Erik

[tony Liberatto]

Love the idea, specific where it concerns to having specific type slots.
I have been asking for inventory expandable containers that are made to carry only specific items or blocks.
I.e. a straw basket for seeds and food items.
A wood container, like a chest or barrel for ores.

 

[redram]

I'm unclear what problem this proposal is solving.   And yes, I get you're trying to make the inventory 'moddable', but what problem is *that* solving?   What do we get from this system we can't get from the current?  Giving mods the ability to expand the inventory beyond the current max?

[Erik]

15 minutes ago, redram said:

I'm unclear what problem this proposal is solving.   And yes, I get you're trying to make the inventory 'moddable', but what problem is *that* solving?   What do we get from this system we can't get from the current?  Giving mods the ability to expand the inventory beyond the current max?

The problem with the current system is the implementation on the four pouch slots: Other than carrying four backpacks being absurd, the player doesn't know, which item is stored inside which pouch. Having the pouches placed next to the quickbar is an odd design decision, as it ruins symmetry and has no real practical use, other than obstructing the players view. What the modding api currently lacks is the ability to create GUIs with inventory slots. The proposed system wouldn't only allow for easy creation of new GUIs, it would also allow for easy modification of existing GUIs.  For example: A mod that adds capes could simply add a new type and add an action slot of that type to the players inventory via coding or json patching. Multiple mods can add multiple things to the same GUI without compatibility issues.

[Balduranne]

1 hour ago, Erik said:

The problem with the current system is the implementation on the four pouch slots: Other than carrying four backpacks being absurd, the player doesn't know, which item is stored inside which pouch. 

If you hover over the pouch, it'll show you a list of what's inside it

[redram]

As far as differentiating containers, I think each slot should impart a different color to the background of the inventory slots it applies to.  This would make it very simple to tell which container goes with which slots.   I do agree that having four backpacks is ridiculous, it should be just 1 backpack allowed imo.  But I have no problem with the four slots being where they are.  But these things don't require an overhaul to accomplish.   I guess I'm unclear what the 'action slots' are accomplishing as well.  Is it really entirely un-moddable now?  Even minecraft can have adjustments made to the inventory by mods...

[Erik]

11 minutes ago, Balduranne said:

 If you hover over the pouch, it'll show you a list of what's inside it

Well, I guess I learned something new.

5 minutes ago, redram said:

As far as differentiating containers, I think each slot should impart a different color to the background of the inventory slots it applies to.  This would make it very simple to tell which container goes with which slots.   I do agree that having four backpacks is ridiculous, it should be just 1 backpack allowed imo.  But I have no problem with the four slots being where they are.  But these things don't require an overhaul to accomplish.   I guess I'm unclear what the 'action slots' are accomplishing as well.  Is it really entirely un-moddable now?  Even minecraft can have adjustments made to the inventory by mods...

The current system, as far as I know, is not moddable in any way, which really is a shame. Color coding would indeed be something nice. I thought of action slots, because I thought, the inventory system needed some standardization to be moddable. Action slots are an easy way for modders to expand the functionality of the inventory, like adding new types if armor. The moddability using action slots could be so easy, as modders could remove the option for multiple backpacks by just editing the json files. Implementing the system wouldn't be 'as hard', as the game already has some form of a html/css-like GUI system (It's only mentioned in one of the first news posts), it would "only" require some major refactoring.

[Stroam]

I cover my thoughts on this in a general VS remake thread. I'll copy over the stuff that pertains to this topic.

• carryable containers can also be set on the ground. (allows for quick switching of inventories)
• There can be category specific slots that prevent all items outside of the specific category from being equipped in that slot. (adds diversity)
• The bag slots are all specific category slots with three pouch slots and one back slot. Some things require being carried on the back. (Adds an interesting mechanic)
• Bags act like chests in that instead of one inventory, each opens in its own window. (helps with keeping things organized)
• items no longer take up multiple slots in a container, i.e no stack limit. (helps with inventory management)
• all items have volume. (used in bag mechanic)
• Instead of a set number of slots for non-specific item slots, there is always a slot open and the number grows until maximum volume has been reached at which point stacks can no longer grow and no new items can be placed in the container. (Helps out early game and prevents loading up an entire basket with two seeds. Used to limit the types of materials instead of the number of materials.)
• all items have weight. (used in bag mechanic)
• All containers have a weight limit. (used to limit bags and provide upgraded alternatives that cost more)
• all containers have durability. Durability decreases when a container is over its weight limit and moved. At zero durability the bag drops to the ground and can't be picked up until repaired. (right now only bag progression is in the number of slots. This adds progression in the form of a maximum amount of weight carried.)
• As player weight increases past a certain point it starts to use energy. (Limits what the player can take where. Adds interesting gameplay where you may pick something up, climb a bit to the first rest point, etc. Adds a choice of carrying something heavy or fighting.)

energy, stamina(exhaustion) - doing work such as sprinting, swimming, jump, climbing, or using tools takes energy. When completely out of energy you can no longer perform activities that require energy. Requires saturation and a break from activities that cost energy. Wearing armor does not require energy but does increase the cost of all energy activities. (adds limits to the player for engaging gameplay, ties in with other systems)

weight - All items and blocks have weight. Carrying over X amount of weight will start to cost energy. The more over X weight the quicker you'll burn through your energy. (ties a bunch of systems together)

Comparing ideas it looks like we have similar ideas that tackle some of the same issues. Quick swapping containers and filtered slots seem to be tackled about the same way. Different takes on normal slots and separating inventories so you know what is in what. No mention of volume, weight, and durability in your post @Erik but I assume that's because you want to keep it simple. I know I'm going to be told at least once that bag durability is a bad idea and that people would rather be limited by slots and stacks than weight and volume.

[redram]

1 hour ago, Stroam said:

• Bags act like chests in that instead of one inventory, each opens in its own window. (helps with keeping things organized)

Not a huge fan of this.  I think I'd prefer to see everything I'm carrying at once.

In your weight vs energy system Stroam, does the player ever get autmoatically immobilized by too much weight?  Or Beyond a certain point it drains energy so fast you effectively can only move 1 block or something?

[Erik]

1 hour ago, Stroam said:

 Comparing ideas it looks like we have similar ideas that tackle some of the same issues. Quick swapping containers and filtered slots seem to be tackled about the same way. Different takes on normal slots and separating inventories so you know what is in what. No mention of volume, weight, and durability in your post @Erik but I assume that's because you want to keep it simple.

Well, this system would probably also work well with weight, but it's more of a framework for the gui than for gameplay. Introducing weight may be a good idea, because it helps to keep inventory management very simple, but it requires different controls for the gui and the quickbar would require to only be virtual, with no items actually being stored there. Only introduce weight or volume, as introducing both would make inventory management really difficult again.

1 hour ago, Stroam said:

I know I'm going to be told at least once that bag durability is a bad idea

Bag durability is a bad idea, only serves being tedious.

[Stroam]

1 hour ago, redram said:

Not a huge fan of this.  I think I'd prefer to see everything I'm carrying at once.

In your weight vs energy system Stroam, does the player ever get autmoatically immobilized by too much weight?  Or Beyond a certain point it drains energy so fast you effectively can only move 1 block or something?

Hitting e would open/close all your bags at once so no loss there.

Maybe another weight limit set at twice the first one will apply a slowness debuff that increases as the weight increases past that point. (Hey that would be an interesting ability. Increase targets experienced gravity to x2 potentially causing it to slow or stop). Though if something is not meant to be picked up it shouldn't have an item form.

43 minutes ago, Erik said:

Only introduce weight or volume, as introducing both would make inventory management really difficult again.

Because humans are innately already familiar with size and volume from irl, I don't think it will be that difficult. It's unlearning video game logic.

43 minutes ago, Erik said:

Bag durability is a bad idea, only serves being tedious.

I don't understand how bag durability is special and different than tool and item durability. If you find one tedious then all must be.

Edited June 22, 2018 by Stroam

[redram]

27 minutes ago, Stroam said:

Though if something is not meant to be picked up it shouldn't have an item form.

In order to be picked up, it first must be created and placed, unless it's naturally occurring but that's a very limited set of items.   Then the question would be, are any crafted items going to be heavy enough to not be moved? I would propose yes.  If so, then they have to have an item form.  Unless they are 'in-world' crafted in place, which is an option certainly, though of course the most code-costly option, in terms of having to make such a process for each item.

[Stroam]

If it's so large you can't pick it up then it needs to be handled differently than items. It could be broken down into individual items that are assembled in place. It could have a special mechanism for moving it like wooden cranes loading it onto a suitable transport mechanism such as a train or minecart. Could be a combination of things needing to be moved by mechanisms to be assembled in place. 
could also be manufactured on site with say a multiblock mold.

Edited June 22, 2018 by Stroam

[Erik]

43 minutes ago, Stroam said:

Because humans are innately already familiar with size and volume from irl, I don't think it will be that difficult. It's unlearning video game logic.

I didn't mean the player wouldn't be able to understand the concept, I just think it would add a lot of tedium to the inventory management. Players would have to constantly move items around their inventory, to make everything fit although the idea behind the weight mechanic was to make inventory management less relevant.

48 minutes ago, Stroam said:

I don't understand how bag durability is special and different than tool and item durability. If you find one tedious then all must be.

Tools have durability is mainly implemented to slow the players progression, to keep him from cutting down whole forests and mining mountains. It also serves as a way to balance the amount of resources the player has, so the player has actually some reason go mine ores throughout the whole game. Replacing tools is also very easy, you even can carry multiple tools with you. I don't expect the player to carry multiple backpacks in your system. When your backpack breaks it  just drops to the ground? What happens to your items inside it? How can you repair it if you can't pick it up? I also imagine the breaking of a backpack taking a lot of the players time, as he is severely limited without one.

If I understand you correctly, there is a weight limit for containers, but it doesn't limit you from exceeding the limit, instead durability is used when the limit is exceeded. I would suggest  the weight limit to be limiting the items that you can carry, instead of having durability involved. That would also be easier for players to understand.

[redram]

14 minutes ago, Stroam said:

If it's so large you can't pick it up then it needs to be handled differently than items. It could be broken down into individual items that are assembled in place. It could have a special mechanism for moving it like wooden cranes loading it onto a suitable transport mechanism such as a train or minecart. Could be a combination of things needing to be moved by mechanisms to be assembled in place. 
could also be manufactured on site with say a multiblock mold.

Heh, I actually just made a separate post about block and tackles for moving heavy items.  Which I think is a good idea regardless of the inventory system used. 

[Stroam]

8 hours ago, Erik said:

When your backpack breaks it  just drops to the ground? What happens to your items inside it? How can you repair it if you can't pick it up?

Correct, drops where you were standing and can't pick up until it's repaired. Items stay inside. You apply a patch kit to the bag to give it back some durability back. Think outside the crafting grid like right click with the patch kit in hand. When an item would put a bag over the volume limit blocking the action and popping up a message saying there's no more room left should be sufficient. A warning each time an item is placed that puts it over weight should be fine. I would rather let the player have a choice even if it's a poor one than remove the possibility of making such a choice. Just as there's upgraded tools there can be reinforced bags for heavier loads. There's no reason you can't apply a patch before it breaks if you notice the durability getting low.

[tony Liberatto]

On 6/22/2018 at 10:00 AM, redram said:

In order to be picked up, it first must be created and placed, unless it's naturally occurring but that's a very limited set of items.   Then the question would be, are any crafted items going to be heavy enough to not be moved? I would propose yes.  If so, then they have to have an item form.  Unless they are 'in-world' crafted in place, which is an option certainly, though of course the most code-costly option, in terms of having to make such a process for each item.

If we have the shape recognised by the game, and I think @Tyron was working or already has something like that, them once a block is created it does not need to go into the inventory ever. For example, the player places a stone block and uses a chisel to create the shape of a stone wheel to be used for the quern. Once it has the desired shape, the player hold shift right click to call the block create function. ( This is to avoid the situation of intermediary shapes, where the player is trying to create a simple chiselled block or another block altogether.)
The same process could be used for the creation of heavy wood blocks, like the Log Mortar, or a canoe,  (Using an Adze for sure ).

[tony Liberatto]

21 hours ago, Stroam said:

Correct, drops where you were standing and can't pick up until it's repaired. Items stay inside. You apply a patch kit to the bag to give it back some durability back. Think outside the crafting grid like right click with the patch kit in hand. When an item would put a bag over the volume limit blocking the action and popping up a message saying there's no more room left should be sufficient. A warning each time an item is placed that puts it over weight should be fine. I would rather let the player have a choice even if it's a poor one than remove the possibility of making such a choice. Just as there's upgraded tools there can be reinforced bags for heavier loads. There's no reason you can't apply a patch before it breaks if you notice the durability getting low.

If the carryable containers were to have durability, I would only ask that they had a clear and very visible warning system to alert the player of how damaged it is and how soon it needs to be repaired.
I also would be in favour of leather items only be fixed in the player base, on a leatherworking table. 
As long as I am able to open my inventory and quickly see if any of my bahs or containers need fixing before I go out exploring or mining, I am OK with durability. I do not think we need a portable repair kit in this situation. 
Is the player responsibility to check all his equipment before going to venture into the wild world.

[Stroam]

I was just reading a negative review for another game and it complained about the inventory hell. So I wanted to revive this thread as it still has some very good points. That being said I'm going to break down what inventory hell is, identify whats parts are relevant to Vintage Story, and make some suggestions. Some of which may repeat a little of what is written above but my hope is that it adds more to the conversation.

What is Inventory Hell?
To put it simply, when you spend more time in inventories than playing the game. This often involves rearranging things in an inventory, moving things from one inventory to another, searching through one or more inventories, and reading item information to learn what it does or to compare it against other items.

Vintage Story is an awesome game and it continues to improve but it does have most of the features of inventory hell. As of right now I would not say I personally spend more time in inventories than playing the game but I will say I do spend quite a bit of time in inventories while playing Vintage Story. Typically when in my inventories, I am throwing things out of my inventory and moving items around to other inventories. I don't spend a lot of time searching but that's only because I keep my storage areas well organized. I've seen less organized individuals spend much more time going through inventories. 

Breaking down the first issues, throwing things out of my inventory. This happens due to the limited storage and lots of items in Vintage Story. This aspect of the game frustrates me most at the beginning of the game. That's because at the beginning of the game is when you have the least amount of storage and everything is pretty important and useful. You can see this most often when I'm making my first stone tools. In fact you'll often see me throwing out one of the knife blades because the three rocks I have that take up one space now takes up three. I've already commented about volume based inventories above. Later in the game this will happen with mining, and when exploring and come across a ruin with lots of stuff.

Moving items around I would say is one of the most prevalent inventory issues Vintage Story has. Causes include moving things to and from the hotbar, transportation of items from where they are found to where they are stored, or transportation from where they are stored to where they will be used. Another part of this is finding items you've stored. I think the player is their own worst enemy in this regards. Things that help with that is bulk storage and item specific storage like firewood piles. Another thing that would help is work areas. I've posted about this topic in another thread you can search for but essentially if you placed down something like a loom, you could also place a basket and be given the choice to turn it into a yarn basket. At that point it would hold only thread but when you worked the loom it would show you the contents of all nearby yarn baskets so you don't have to constantly run from a station to storage and back.

That concludes the revival post. Thanks for reading.

[redram]

On 12/7/2019 at 11:53 PM, Stroam said:

What is Inventory Hell?
To put it simply, when you spend more time in inventories than playing the game. This often involves rearranging things in an inventory, moving things from one inventory to another, searching through one or more inventories, and reading item information to learn what it does or to compare it against other items.

I think most of those things aren't able to be addressed from the game end of things, in a way consistent with what the game is about.   We try to help players with organization as best we can with things like chest labels and little pictures on crocks.   And I think bulk storage bins or crates will come in time.  But the orgnization is fundamentally the player's responsibility. 

I don't know how item information would be simplified either.  We've already got a pretty good in-game handbook.  Granted there could be more pages that describe processes and such, to flesh it out more.   Especially for processes like tanning where there's a ton of steps that can be a bit tedious to track down item-by-item, and can be easily confused. 

The hotbar/inventory/storage movement things does annoy me. Quite often I want to move stuff from my inventory to a container with shift-click, but it prioritizes the hotbar, so I have to fill up the hotbar, the overflow goes into container, then close my inventory, and shift-click the rest out of my hotbar into the container.  But, sometimes I might want things to go to hotbar. I'm not sure having an alternate 'shift' key that prioritizes differently would help.  Key real estate is already pretty tight, and many in that area aren't very ergonomic.   So I don't know if there's a good fix for that either.  But it's definitely an annoyance I notice.

The issue of limited starting inventory, on the one hand I can see it as necessary for a progression in containers, under the current format.  Slots is the only 'bonus' we have.  Or can have.   It's been suggested that the game should have unlimited slots, and be instead limited by weight and/or size.   And I'm not against that idea, but it seems like it'd be a huge code change.  Also I'm not sure if there's a practical limit to stack sizes?  We do have 128 right now for nuggets, so I guess we can do at least that.

I would indeed like for item size and weight to be a thing (regardless of if we have unlimited slots or not), alongside a more intricate system of carry-able containers.    You could have things like baskets limited to 5kg and tiny objects, sacks limited to 15kg of small objects, and backpacks that can carry 30kg of up to medium objects.  And large objects could be limited to the hotbar. 

You could make armor more impactful, in terms of carrying a 'spare' set.  Right now it only costs 3 slots to carry a suit of heavy armor for intense fights.  With a weight system, that armor could weigh a lot, making the carrying of a spare set possibly much less attractive. 

And in terms of optics, it would help set Vintage Story apart from Minecraft, to have a very different inventory system.

On the other hand, it would not be as 'simple' to limit small things like temporal gears, that logically don't weight much.  Also, having weights would make the disparity of building materials and dirt having basically no weight more glaring.  But, it would also open up possibility for mods to add a more hardcore building material weight standard.   It may also actually make the inventory sorting part of 'inventory hell' worse, if we have unlimited slots.   But this would depend a lot on the actual weight limit scheme probably.

So ya I can see pros and cons.  I feel like possibly more pros, but I'm not sure. 

[tony Liberatto]

As I have said before, the inventory is one of the things I most dislike about the game. And I really love this game.
Inventory is slot based and very small.
We need inventory based on type. 
It feels very frustrating to have to throw away food because you cannot fit in the inventory.
One other big argument for a different inventory system is mods adding items and blocks. 
Whatever balance Tyron try to make originally it gets completely off whenever we add more stuff to the game.