Moving Manufacturing Projects

[SekoETC]

Ain't it odd you can't just pick up a half-finished bone knife or a sweater you're knitting and go inside if you're on the yard or go outside if you're in a building, or go from one building to another?

At first I was thinking you should only be able to move those manufacturing projects that don't require a machine but some of them should be movable too. So movable projects would be at least all small things including sewing, knitting, shoemaking, carving, making simple tools and weaponry. Things that can be negotiated are smithing projects which require an anvil. You could move them to another place but you couldn't work on them if there wasn't another anvil.

Imagine for example that you were in resistance movement and told not to make swords. So when a raid was about to come, you would snatch the half-done smithing projects and put them in the back room. Maybe they wouldn't check there, yes? Or maybe you could sort of hold the projects in your inventory (though a red hot piece of steel might be a tad hard to hide... O_O but anyway...)

Or a more peaceful example, you need to talk to someone outside but you're working on something, and the person outside is also doing something, so you need to run out to say something, then the other one runs in to reply, or if you want to wait for a reply without running then you might miss a project process thingie. So wouldn't you naturally just pick up your project and go out there?

There are two ways of how moving a project could be done. In both cases there would be a little button available, it works only if no one is engaged on the project when you click it.

1) Dragging a project. Click it and you could move the project through a door. Follow through and repeat if necessary.

2) Picking up a project. You could only do it if you have enough room in your inventory to carry the weight of the resources put in the project. This way you could also move projects from one town to another. For example if there was a pirate attack and you were making a wedding ring for your precious then surely you'd put it in your project and start running, ne? You would have the project in your inventory but you couldn't do anything with it unless you drop it in which case it goes back to it's projecty nature and stops being an object. Maybe you could also give projects to another person, it would sure be more visible than just shouting "Who wants to go inside and work on some projects I started" (when people can't even see those projects without clicking the search button).

Things that naturally are NOT movable would be building, resource gaining projects, weaving (because you need to cut the threads if you want to get the damn thing off and then you gotta start all over, it's really hell of a work!), maybe spinning yarn?, making vehicles.


EDIT: If moving between locations would be allowed then we might have "Hey, that newspawn stole my project!" situations. But it's not logical anyway that you can use projects as temporary storage, no one can touch the thing until it's finished. If this thing gets added, you would need to have someone engaged on a project (even if they don't have the right tools) to avoid it being movable. This would be guarding in a way. Yes it's a bit annoying but reasonable. If you don't like it, lock the door.

[Surly]

While I like the idea, I foresee it being a programming nightmare...

[wichita]

Not that I have seen the code, but it would depend on how the databases are organized right? I'm thinking about how the activities list might be associated with the locations list. If it's a matter of just adding a function to change a variable from location A to location B, automatically transferring the progress data with it, it could be a snap. If it involves completely rewriting code to transfer each piece of information it could be a nightmare.

I wouldn't think it would be much more difficult to add than the drag button to a person or note. But that's just me speculating. I should go do something I know something about, like.......................I got nothin'. Completely useless.

[nitefyre]

I think it would be nice if a lot of movers can help move equipment/machinery as well. *shrugs*

[Genevieve]

It would be cool, especially for small projects. Like making clothing or certain tools.

[Pie]

ya, but if it was like, a longboat, it would take like, five people to move it. but obviously, you cant move a building. even though you can carry the recourses for the building, you shouldn't be able to carry the building.

[wichita]

Hey, if we could move longboats, we could finally get all of Noah's arks out of the landlocked woods!

.

[west]

Or just wait for the rain.

[SekoETC]

Bump.
83% of the voters this far seem to support this suggestion. A programmer's opinion on wether it's possible to implement would be useful.

[Nick]

This sounds very difficult to implement.

[SekoETC]

Check if project type is on the list of movable projects.
Check if project is currently being worked on. If no, project pickable.
Display pick up this project button.
When the button is clicked:
Record the amount of resources added on the project. Count the weight of those resources.
If (weight_of_resources_on_project+weight_inventory)>max_weight
Error: You're carrying too much to pick up that project.
Else,
record the resources added on the project, the percentage it has processed, project name, starter and starting time on variables.
Remove project from the list.
Add object "Project (projectname)" into the picker's inventory. It has the button for dropping and giving to another character.

Now you may move into another location and drop the project. But instead of going to the objects page, it goes to the projects page. It can be placed anywhere but if it requires for example an anvil and there is no such thing in the location, it gives the error, you need to be in a location with an anvil to work on this project.

[Snake_byte]

This sounds very difficult to implement.

How is that. You either make every project pick-upable or dragable. Note are pick-upable AND dragable...

[SekoETC]

*bump* Seriously, this would be useful so if there's any way to implement it..l. One of my characters just started a repair project just to have something to do outside because she wants to hear people talking, but it would be nice if I could drag the project inside if I'm moving there.

[saztronic]

I dig it, and agree, it *shouldn't* be that hard to program it. I'm sure the PD loves it when we say that.

[wichita]

PD doesn't care at all, but ProgD probably has an opinion.

I still like this idea, and could help to motivate more people to move a lot of work indoors and out of the town square if they don't feel tied down to their projects.