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Indie Call of Saregnar - a Betrayal at Krondor-inspired RPG

zwanzig_zwoelf

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Unity UI is pretty good for almost anything. If you need something different, you can use it for display purposes while using some of its functionality to create your own. Had to write my own UI script to add localization and axe the mouse support.
 

Alchemist

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It's been way too long since an update. Some inventory item management. :)


Looks great. So if I'm seeing this right, this is an auto-sorting grid-based inventory with variable item sizes? I was thinking of implementing something like that in my game too. Might have to pick your brain for some coding ideas on that.
 

Rhuantavan

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Looks great. So if I'm seeing this right, this is an auto-sorting grid-based inventory with variable item sizes? I was thinking of implementing something like that in my game too. Might have to pick your brain for some coding ideas on that.

Thanks, that's exactly what it is. Feel free to ask if you want to know any implementation details.
 

gaussgunner

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Looks great. So if I'm seeing this right, this is an auto-sorting grid-based inventory with variable item sizes? I was thinking of implementing something like that in my game too. Might have to pick your brain for some coding ideas on that.

Thanks, that's exactly what it is. Feel free to ask if you want to know any implementation details.

Shelf packing wouldn't work if the items aren't sorted by height.. must be something a little more complicated?

While I'm personally in the "grid inventory is decline" camp, at least you have varying sizes and no inventory tetris. I assume inventory is limited by weight or total number of grid cells, not by what you can pack into an MxN grid? And it'll scroll if necessary?
 

Rhuantavan

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Shelf packing wouldn't work if the items aren't sorted by height.. must be something a little more complicated?

While I'm personally in the "grid inventory is decline" camp, at least you have varying sizes and no inventory tetris. I assume inventory is limited by weight or total number of grid cells, not by what you can pack into an MxN grid? And it'll scroll if necessary?

Items are sorted automatically top-down first and then left-right. The inventory is simply limited by the number of items you can fit onto the 5x6 grid. It has no weight limits and does not scroll. You generally have up to three characters in the party, so that's 90 single-cell slots in total. The system is basically the same as in Betrayal at Krondor.
 

gaussgunner

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Items are sorted automatically top-down first and then left-right. The inventory is simply limited by the number of items you can fit onto the 5x6 grid. It has no weight limits and does not scroll. You generally have up to three characters in the party, so that's 90 single-cell slots in total. The system is basically the same as in Betrayal at Krondor.

I see. Must be kinda annoying when inventory's almost full, but it always is. Still better than unlimited inventory, implying it's not another grinding'n'crafting rpg.
 

Rhuantavan

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I see. Must be kinda annoying when inventory's almost full, but it always is. Still better than unlimited inventory, implying it's not another grinding'n'crafting rpg.

Yeah, but it is only a minor nuisance. Like the system implies, I'm keeping it very low-grind and having fewer items than your traditional RPG. The items that are making it into the game though, are more fleshed out.
 

Rhuantavan

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Made an alternative (IMO better) UI layout.

BwRw55Q.jpg
 

Snorkack

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Wow, this sounds - and looks - amazing! Will keep a tab on this.

One thing tho:
"S" is Savillon, gold currency. It is worth 50 silver coins.

"O" is Oshen, silver currency. It is worth 12 bronze coins.

"L" is Leshen, bronze currency.
Please, don't do this. Any ratios other than 1:10:100 are terribly confusing without adding anything of value.
And abbreviating your gold coins with 'S' doesn't make it more intuitive, either.
 

Rhuantavan

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Thanks! Don't worry about the currencies. They are 1:10:100 in the current implementation. I'm only keeping weird ratios in the world lore. Also the widget will look like it does in the latest screen.
 

Reinar

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Having the main UI bar at the bottom looks better, but you're wasting precious space. Most monitors these days are really wide, yet designers cramp everything to the top and bottom (I am laughing at you, MS Office). That leads to something we over here call tank visor. The space on sides is wasted, while the center of the screen, the most important part, is often too short.
That's my two pennies on the topic. I started with bottom UI but then went for the sides. Your UI looks simple so it might work.
 

Rhuantavan

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I am going to force a 4:3 screen ratio, problem solved. ;)

Seriously though, having the UI on the sides just looks weird when moving, especially when turning around, so I'm keeping it below.
 
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Guy de Incognito

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Seriously though, having the UI on the sides just looks weird when moving, especially when turning around, so I'm keeping it below.

That's just one of those things that is apparent only after testing. I also thought it would have been better optimized space if the UI were on the sides, but come to think of it you're right about turning.

As for exchange rates between various coins, I'm going to say I disagree with Snorkack. Sure it's quaint to us to have non-decimal system but you're trying to build a believable world, not a convenient world. Historically, decimal currencies only began to be used in the 1700s and the British started using decimal currency only 40 years ago. Until then there were coins like shillings, guineas, sixpence, crowns, sovereigns, etc. The non-decimal denominations, just like non-decimal measures for time (hours, minutes, weeks, months), weight, length and so on, they existed because they made most sense in their time, not because people never thought to use a decimal system.
In the case of coinage, the reason was that there were more divisors when the base 12 and base 20 were used rather than base 10. When you have 10 coins, you can only divide it 2 ways and 5 ways. If you have 12, you can divide it 2, 3, 4 and 6 ways. Similarly if you have 20, you can divide it 2, 4, 5, and 10 ways. So you may want to rethink having a 50:12:1 ratio, maybe 60:12:1 would make more sense or even 144:12:1 if you like things consistent and if coins are automatically converted to higher denominations in your system.
 
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Snorkack

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As for exchange rates between various coins, I'm going to say I disagree with Snorkack. Sure it's quaint to us to have non-decimal system but you're trying to build a believable world, not a convenient world. Historically, decimal currencies only began to be used in the 1700s and the British started using decimal currency only 40 years ago. Until then there were coins like shillings, guineas, sixpence, crowns, sovereigns, etc. The non-decimal denominations, just like non-decimal measures for time (hours, minutes, weeks, months), weight, length and so on, they existed because they made most sense in their time, not because people never thought to use a decimal system.
In the case of coinage, the reason was that there were more divisors when the base 12 and base 20 were used rather than base 10. When you have 10 coins, you can only divide it 2 ways and 5 ways. If you have 12, you can divide it 2, 3, 4 and 6 ways. Similarly if you have 20, you can divide it 2, 4, 5, and 10 ways. So you may want to rethink having a 50:12:1 ratio, maybe 60:12:1 would make more sense or even 144:12:1 if you like things consistent and if coins are automatically converted to higher denominations in your system.
For me, it's gameplay > historical accuracy, especially in a fantasy rpg. Would you have preffered Age of Decadence to exclusively utilize roman numerals, too?
I have played Warhammer fantasy rpg long enough to know by now that other systems than base 10 are shit and add nothing of value - especially if there are two different ratios at the same time.
 

Rhuantavan

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I love the idea of having a non-decimal ratio (I am still keeping it in the world lore ofc), but I don't want to do overly complex calculations when playing the game. I want to have fun, and crunching numbers is not my idea od fun.

For me, it's gameplay > historical accuracy, especially in a fantasy rpg. Would you have preffered Age of Decadence to exclusively utilize roman numerals, too?

Same thing with playing the old Ultimas, where you have to look-up or memorize the runic inscriptions.
 

Guy de Incognito

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For me, it's gameplay > historical accuracy, especially in a fantasy rpg.

I feel the same way, except I don't think money exchange rates are such a big deal gameplay-wise. It's just a small detail that fleshes out the world. Wouldn't consider it in a trading simulation though.
 
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Reinar

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I am going to force a 4:3 screen ratio, problem solved. ;)
Damn you. :lol::positive:
Seriously though, having the UI on the sides just looks weird when moving, especially when turning around, so I'm keeping it below.
Well, I have it that way for quite a long time and don't mind it. The only problem I have with it is that health bars are far from each other so it takes more time to get information on overall party status.

Do you have plans for the free space between portraits and currency? A combat log perhaps?



PS: You've hit Giant Rat for XIV damage.
 

ERYFKRAD

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Strap Yourselves In Serpent in the Staglands Shadorwun: Hong Kong Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire Steve gets a Kidney but I don't even get a tag. Pathfinder: Wrath I'm very into cock and ball torture I helped put crap in Monomyth
Do you have plans for the free space between portraits and currency? A combat log perhaps?



PS: You've hit Giant Rat for XIV damage.
Combat's likely to be on a different interface, a la Betrayal at Krondor.
 

Rhuantavan

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Damn you. :lol::positive:

Well, I have it that way for quite a long time and don't mind it. The only problem I have with it is that health bars are far from each other so it takes more time to get information on overall party status.

Do you have plans for the free space between portraits and currency? A combat log perhaps?



PS: You've hit Giant Rat for XIV damage.

When you see it moving, the bottom UI makes more sense. I'll give some thought to the health bars though.

No, the only widget missing so far is the active spells one.

Combat's likely to be on a different interface, a la Betrayal at Krondor.

Bingo!
 

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