Waddaya got? (inventory for RTS)
I''ve been scratching my head trying to come up with a way you might give inventory to RTS units. The idea of a few guys with inventory is no problem, but 200?!?!
Arghh!
I''m dealing mostly with troops. If I say only some can pick up stuff, that''s lame. But if each trooper can carry a decent number of things (devices, weapons, armor, loot) then I''ve got problems. Where is the stuff, what does each troop have? How do you show it all.
Mostly this is a management nightmare. But what if there was a way of summarizing inventory, then polling the troops for what they have. So I have a normal inventory display with an item count for each item. 5 climbing ropes, 2 jet packs, 50 machine guns, 150 suits of flakmail.
Now, whenever I select an inventory item, the minimap lights up, showing who has this item. It''s the equivalent of saying as Commander, "Who''s got rope? Who''s got a stealth pack?" etc.
You could even drag and drop an inventory item at a location, and the closest trooper with the item would set about using it. So rather than select a soldier, you''re selecting functionality and the closest soldier takes it on.
Why won''t this work?
--------------------
Just waiting for the mothership...
I suggest that you have a ''generic'' choice for what units can carry, and apply these different units...
Basically, outfit 1 unit how you would like it with certain gizmos and then say "Apply to these dudes" and they have the same. When you change this generic unit, it changes the rest of them... Comprendez?
-Chris Bennett of Dwarfsoft - Site:"The Philosophers' Stone of Programming Alchemy" - IOL
The future of RPGs - Thanks to all the goblins over in our little Game Design Corner niche
Basically, outfit 1 unit how you would like it with certain gizmos and then say "Apply to these dudes" and they have the same. When you change this generic unit, it changes the rest of them... Comprendez?
-Chris Bennett of Dwarfsoft - Site:"The Philosophers' Stone of Programming Alchemy" - IOL
The future of RPGs - Thanks to all the goblins over in our little Game Design Corner niche
Dude, look at Ogre Battle 64 for an example on how units can hold things.
I''d do what you do, execpt give you the ability to find out what items a unit has and not just what unit has this item. I can''t think of a reason why the system wouldn''t work.
-Blackstream
I''d do what you do, execpt give you the ability to find out what items a unit has and not just what unit has this item. I can''t think of a reason why the system wouldn''t work.
-Blackstream
Maybe what you want is a pack mule soldier. You make a packmule soldier and assign him to a platoon. You could even assign him scripts like: Give weapons X the soldier type Y when Z occurs.
"So you''re the one that designed that game are you?"
*Gulp* "Umm, yeah"
"So you''re the one that designed that game are you?"
*Gulp* "Umm, yeah"
I''m thinking it''s not so much using and finding who has the items as equiping everybody. The ''generic'' equipment idea is good, give everybody the standard regulation issue junk (editable). Then for special items maybe an inventory screen where you could highlight 1 or more of who you want to be issued the item. Allow the special item to be selected on the main screen then the character that has it is selected. Also maybe to distinguish one character from another maybe something as simple as changing the character''s colour a bit (user selectable). Maybe blue for standard equiped chars, red for ones with jet packs, yellow for ropes, white for the guys with the first aid kits, etc. This could also be a way for the user to distinguish the most experienced characters.
IMHO the only problem with the pack mule soldier is that when he dies (and he will) what happens to all the stuff? I don''t want to pick it up over and over especially in the middle of a battle.
IMHO the only problem with the pack mule soldier is that when he dies (and he will) what happens to all the stuff? I don''t want to pick it up over and over especially in the middle of a battle.
Thx for the replies, all!
Thx! This is a great idea. I think you''d need some way of displaying the default loadout, though, so you could always know who has what. Otherwise, in each game you would have to rely on memory of what "default" meant.
Yeah, there needs to be some way of showing what the soldier you''re looking at is holding, so maybe a combination inventory system / item search is necessary.
My only problem is that it seems awefully unrealistic for a only one soldier to be able to hold something. And kseh is right, this guy will die repeatedly.
Yes, I think this is important. I''d rather somehow change the unit graphic, but the units will probably be too small for this. Maybe drawing icons near them would help? Or a combination: The guy who has a first aid kit and a jetpack looks like he''s wearing a jetpack, and has a red cross icon next too him... Hmmm.... This is tricky...
--------------------
Just waiting for the mothership...
quote:Original post by dwarfsoft
I suggest that you have a ''generic'' choice for what units can carry, and apply these different units...
Thx! This is a great idea. I think you''d need some way of displaying the default loadout, though, so you could always know who has what. Otherwise, in each game you would have to rely on memory of what "default" meant.
quote:Original post by Blackstream
I''d do what you do, execpt give you the ability to find out what items a unit has and not just what unit has this item.
Yeah, there needs to be some way of showing what the soldier you''re looking at is holding, so maybe a combination inventory system / item search is necessary.
quote:Original post by Paul Cunningham
Maybe what you want is a pack mule soldier.
My only problem is that it seems awefully unrealistic for a only one soldier to be able to hold something. And kseh is right, this guy will die repeatedly.
quote:Original post by kseh
Also maybe to distinguish one character from another maybe something as simple as changing the character''s colour a bit (user selectable). Maybe blue for standard equiped chars, red for ones with jet packs, yellow for ropes, white for the guys with the first aid kits, etc. This could also be a way for the user to distinguish the most experienced characters.
Yes, I think this is important. I''d rather somehow change the unit graphic, but the units will probably be too small for this. Maybe drawing icons near them would help? Or a combination: The guy who has a first aid kit and a jetpack looks like he''s wearing a jetpack, and has a red cross icon next too him... Hmmm.... This is tricky...
--------------------
Just waiting for the mothership...
How about if you have the unit selected, it lists the backpack items in icons across the top of the screen... If he is unselected, then you basically group all of the seperate units that have the same backpacks and give them an aura of a different colour. You could have a colour key that lists backpack items with a certain colour of the team.
As for wanting to use the items, click on the icon, and the unit that is most feasibly useful in the task (ie, throwing a grenade would select the closest unit to the target with a specific grenade to throw it). Then, if you wanted to get the icons off the screen, you hit a hotkey (''~'' for diablo II removed those annoying ''party members'' icons from the top of your screen... similar thought) to toggle.
Another thought: If you just use the toggle method, then it just lists all of the available items in all of the backpacks (maybe you can narrow the search to just the units on the screen or just the selected units... Whatever is useful at the time). From here, if you click on the icon of an item, it selects all of the units that have that item (it still has all of the previously selected units selected, it just highlights the units that have the item). This then gives you more of an idea as to who has what and what is more useful. I like this system better personally
-Chris Bennett of Dwarfsoft - Site:"The Philosophers'' Stone of Programming Alchemy" - IOL
The future of RPGs - Thanks to all the goblins over in our little Game Design Corner niche
As for wanting to use the items, click on the icon, and the unit that is most feasibly useful in the task (ie, throwing a grenade would select the closest unit to the target with a specific grenade to throw it). Then, if you wanted to get the icons off the screen, you hit a hotkey (''~'' for diablo II removed those annoying ''party members'' icons from the top of your screen... similar thought) to toggle.
Another thought: If you just use the toggle method, then it just lists all of the available items in all of the backpacks (maybe you can narrow the search to just the units on the screen or just the selected units... Whatever is useful at the time). From here, if you click on the icon of an item, it selects all of the units that have that item (it still has all of the previously selected units selected, it just highlights the units that have the item). This then gives you more of an idea as to who has what and what is more useful. I like this system better personally
-Chris Bennett of Dwarfsoft - Site:"The Philosophers'' Stone of Programming Alchemy" - IOL
The future of RPGs - Thanks to all the goblins over in our little Game Design Corner niche
This topic is closed to new replies.
Advertisement
Popular Topics
Advertisement
