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Storage Mechanics

Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2011 12:11 pm
by Hedgedhogst
It is a shame that so many things cannot be put into storage. I would have enjoyed putting together newspawn welcome packs. I imagined it containing a few days of food, a few items of clothing, a few basic tools, a shield and weapon, a copy of the town laws, a map...
Then today, I remembered a character was going to collect a selection of tools from a nearby town. I immediately pictured them arriving in a parcel, along with a note for the leader. It would have put a whole new meaning to "A secure shipment of tools for the miners".

I wanted to ask more about it. Is it near impossible to alter this? If not, do you think it would be worth the work involved? Is it something that's been mentioned time and time again, and I'm just joining the train of broken records? :)

Re: Storage Mechanics

Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2011 12:26 pm
by SekoETC
I think it's being considered. One problem is that clothing is weightless so you could put infinite amounts in a container unless it's limited by other than weight.

Re: Storage Mechanics

Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2011 12:44 pm
by Hedgedhogst
Normally, I'd throw in the suggestion that clothes be given a weight, but then most characters would naturally prefer lighter clothes, rendering some clothes obsolete. They could all have one generic weight, regardless of material, but this wouldn't be as inspiring.
Quantity -could- be suggested, but that would require a whole set of unnecessary rules for this purpose alone.

Would it be a crime to consider clothes having very similar weights, which become obsolete when worn?

Re: Storage Mechanics

Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2011 1:00 pm
by Slyder_Glyder_Ryder_etc
I was actually just thinking about this. I was thinking of a tool box I could put circuit boards, wires, pliers, soldering iron.. you know, make ready to install radio kits. Or at least free up some wire clutter.

Re: Storage Mechanics

Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2011 1:19 pm
by Indigo
I'm liking this idea a lot.

Re: Storage Mechanics

Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2011 3:45 pm
by RedQueen.exe
SekoETC wrote:I think it's being considered. One problem is that clothing is weightless so you could put infinite amounts in a container unless it's limited by other than weight.


Is it really any more ridiculous to have an infinite number of clothing items carried by a person or in a room than to be not able to do the same to a container? In fact, the inconsistency of this is probably more strange than the weightlessness of the clothes itself. :D

I know we've had discussions about the oddness due to not having any measure of size in the game, but I still say just go for it. Nobody at this point is really going to find it that weird that you can pack a crate full of spears. Heck, maybe the spears just can be screwed together in the middle, and separated when stored. :P

I say go for it, implement now. :mrgreen:

Re: Storage Mechanics

Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2011 5:59 pm
by DylPickle
RedQueen.exe wrote:
SekoETC wrote:I think it's being considered. One problem is that clothing is weightless so you could put infinite amounts in a container unless it's limited by other than weight.


Is it really any more ridiculous to have an infinite number of clothing items carried by a person or in a room than to be not able to do the same to a container? In fact, the inconsistency of this is probably more strange than the weightlessness of the clothes itself. :D

I know we've had discussions about the oddness due to not having any measure of size in the game, but I still say just go for it. Nobody at this point is really going to find it that weird that you can pack a crate full of spears. Heck, maybe the spears just can be screwed together in the middle, and separated when stored. :P

I say go for it, implement now. :mrgreen:


Now we're talking!

Re: Storage Mechanics

Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2011 8:43 pm
by Alladinsane
They sound like Pool cues now.

You couldn't make a grass basket (or reed whatever) that holds that stuff? If the professor can make a car out of coconuts, I think we can do it.

Re: Storage Mechanics

Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2011 9:01 pm
by madfish
The issue with objects in containers is not just with weightlessness it's about volume. Objects need some sort of volume attribute to stop people putting sledgehammers in glass bottles.

Re: Storage Mechanics

Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2011 9:13 pm
by Hedgedhogst
Would it be possible to tag containers to make that impossible?
Certain ships can only dock in select places, certain machines can only be built in select places... Certain items can only be stored in select containers.

When/if it is implemented, could you ignore smaller containers, like spoons and mugs, etc?

Wow... I just got the strangest urge to send a message in a bottle, and see where it turns up...

Re: Storage Mechanics

Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2011 9:16 pm
by Sunni Daez
OOOOOO I want to find the bottle!

Re: Storage Mechanics

Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2011 9:57 pm
by madfish
Hedgedhogst wrote:Would it be possible to tag containers to make that impossible?


That's the whole idea of a volume attribute. So a container can test against what it is allowed in it or not. It can be as simple as labeling each item small, medium or large or as complicated as giving each item a volume measurement, in cubic centimetres for example. The later in fact isn't actually any more complicated, it would just be more time consuming for the resources department to implement.

Re: Storage Mechanics

Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2011 10:11 pm
by Hedgedhogst
I hadn't thought about it that way. I was thinking they could be placed into a minimum number of categories... Large, medium and small tools, vs large medium and small containers... But that still means categorising each and every item individually.
I wonder if it would be worth it in the long-run. That, I suppose, would depend on how many future implementations there'll be. If something like this could be tackled one day, I think it would open up thousands of new opportunities... But it is a huge mountain to climb.

EDIT: Darn you edited that quickly, Madfish! lol

I think individual volumes for every item could be a little too much for some players to adjust to, and there would be so many volume similarities that one could question its purpose.
Do you think anyone would notice the shortcut, if it became possible to put 1000 sledgehammers into a glass bottle? :D

Re: Storage Mechanics

Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2011 10:54 pm
by madfish
Yeh small, medium large would suffice I think. It's still a few days work for the RD though, adding the attribute to every item.

Re: Storage Mechanics

Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2011 12:01 am
by EchoMan
All tools and weapons already have a volume.