Inventory

Im working on some sort of wow-alike inventory system.

If someone can tell me how to embed a file to this post, then i can show you how it is at the moment.

At this point, im only stuck at 2 spots:
1. How to 'sort' the items in the backpack, so that they do not overlap eachother, and finds a free slot to 'rest' until use.
2. To use the items, like using a potion and then it replenish some health etc etc... but i think i can handle that one.

Anyone got some ideas of how to discover the result of the 1st problem?

I'm not a WoW palyer, so don't know the system (scared to play it as I'd likely get sucked in, and lose many hours of life lol)

But...

1) To find a free slot, add a flag to the item slots - on means it has an item in it, off means it's clear - then fast loop to for an off flag to find a free slot.

To sort the items, you could give them a value of some sort to determine what they are (e.g. health potions on 1, weapons 2, etc) then order using that value.

2) to use items, set flag on, do item effects, clear slot, etc, etc? Not entirely sure what the question on point 2 was.

Hopefully that should help.

You could use a sort of 2 dimensional string array or a list (magic deque can work well too) for the inventory (dimension 1 is the inventory slot, dimension 2 are the properties of the object). Then reference the items as strings. Makes it easy to find free spots and sorting is easy too (just use the array's sort function).
You can use Mod to wrap the slot dimension around to get a sort of grid (e.g. 4x4 by using slot mod 4).
I assume all your items are only 1x1 in size (like in wow), else it gets a bit more complicated.

You should search the forum. I'm quite sure someone already posted a working inventory example.

Asholay, i apreciate your ideas and knowledge/creativness.
You were perfectly right about the second question ^^

Random, your knowledge is a little too high at my point, so here is 2 questions:
1. The Magic deque is what? a extension? or something else.
2. Not sure i can figure out what the second part is about, from "You can use Mod......."

Sry about my not too experienced knowledge.
And yes the items is 1x1... 18pixels times 18pixels.
I've searched the forum, but it all shows the same thread. And imo the search engine isnt the best to work with.

Tho' im very glad for your answers, both of you ^^

best regards SomethingOdd

Well in general, an inventory is a little bit tricky to do. So you have to find a way that works for you.

Magic Deque is an extension that holds a set of data as if they were cards (they have an order, can be sorted, you can pick them out, put some in between, etc.).

"Mod" is a function that "wraps" numbers. So 6 mod 4 becomes 2. 4 mod 3 becomes 1, etc. You can use it to wrap a linear number into rows, like so:

column = index mod row_length
row = index / row_length

Ah and.. I don't know how you are searching - but when I just search for "inventory" I get several threads all discussing inventories, and even one that comes with a commented example that does exactly what you want.

Oh man.. that is just awesome!
You just saved my day ^^

Not sure what i do wrong, but im glad that you found it :)

+rep Random! totally!

That tut. is simply amazing

but the events are fairly long
and my mind sorta blows up whenever i copy and paste and try to do EVERYTHING RIGHT. So can someone sorta explain to me how that could be put into groups and if there's a simple way of redoing the objects so that it fits my project.

Wow i just found out there's a widget section lol

Widgets are an important new phase and we still need to get them moving forward more, so I am glad you are now aware of them Angelfox.

Using them, commenting, participating, and creating them is going to be very helpful and may influence the future of the product if enough users exploit the idea well.

I think MMF(3) should support the creation of interfaces and encapsulation for objects. This will make widgets a lot more useful.

What I mean is that for example the variables a widget uses, can be stored "private" within the widget and are not accessable from the outside. Then the author should be able to declare variables he wants to expose (make public), e.g. for initial settings or output.

It would also be nice to have immediate conditions in behaviours, that appear as actions of the object - and on the same line - functions (like marcello's power function object) and conditions that are exposed as functions and conditions of the object.

Ultimately it should be possible to put a lock on the widget - as it should not be nescessary at all for the user to look into it or know the details of the implementation. Also an object hierarchy would come really handy here, so a widget could actually contain a set of objects that are locked within it. Like this authors can create autonomous interface elements (that require no extra objects) and other complex widgets that JUST WORK.
It will also make the normal use of MMF much easier, as the interfaces will allow a user to keep his objects apart much better.

Though we are getting OT in this thread, I agree with your ideas and appreciate them.

All good ideas and suggestions for advancing the concept of Widgets should be added to the Widget forum, so all users are invited to join-in.

Regarding a locked wiget, IMHO, they should never be locked so users can see how they work. There is enough in programming locked up preventing people from learning.

It sounds more like the coder trying to prevent people from using the knowledge of the creater, thus voiding what these forums are all about. We are all here to learn and help one another.

I quote: "as it should not be necessary at all for the user to look into it or know the details of implimentation."

My question is why?

Well more OT ... but ...

Let me jump in on that question as to why. Of course, I agree that access to information is preferable and I support that.

MMF is maturing and becoming even more professional as it proceeds. Let's say we did have a Widget feature in MMF2 that followed the ideas being expressed so far.

A complex Widget could be a full program in itself and just a functional or empowering as extensions.

So, it is possible that some 3rd-party developers may want to create Widgets that are useful and functional for the user without exposing the code or techniques. This would, most likely, be in a for-profit situation. I imagine that a locked widget could also use a serial number system so that users could license it in their applications.

Thanks for your views on that Novabrain. As you may have guessed, I am a strong advocate for open source for learning/teaching purposes.

On the inventory widget, can someone show or tell me how to make it so that u dont have to click a button.

for instance if u collect the item it automatically goes the the inventory.

hey download the project RPG-OPENSOURCE good example.

http://www.create-games.com/project.asp?view=main&id=1406

i cant open .rar files

couldnt you just explain it to me?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by nivram

Regarding a locked wiget, IMHO, they should never be locked so users can see how they work. There is enough in programming locked up preventing people from learning.

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It is already possible to lock all the groups of code anyway, so to prevent this you're a little too late.. it should always be at the discretion of the author if he wants to share how something works or now.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by nivram

I quote: "as it should not be necessary at all for the user to look into it or know the details of implimentation."

My question is why?

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The reason I say this are not 3rd parties or paranoid information hogging. It is simply that: good coding practise.
A good module has to work (forever) without the need of someone poking around in it to see how to get it to run right. It must not be nescessary to provide exactly the right objects, re-link broken objects, set up variables to exactly the right state, etc. from the outside. These are all signs of a bad module.
So to support that, MMF has to provide functions that easily allow to make sure initial settings are good, internal variables are protected, input values are always within correct range and all required objects can be stored within the widget.
Now if the author wants to lock it or not, IT MUST work, even if the module / widget is locked. I think MMF is still a looong looong way from this system (which almost every object oriented programming language provides naturally).

Sorry for being so OT.


You open rar files by using 7zip (free) or winrar. Just google 7zip, download, install, unpack.

Hi Angelfox. I have some open source gamess on my website that have inventories in them. One has an onscreen inventory and another has an inventory screen in a sub-application. These may be of some help to you.

You can also use a global value...when player overlaps an item (or gets it somehow) set a global value to 1.
If Global Value >1
Set item to its slot.

If you use a global value you can change it as needed for using the item, equip the item and etc.

A. i cant open (using demo version b247)
B.exlplain what ur inventory is
C.are those 2 games full fledged?

PS. i am thinking about making an extra awesome game based off of that

Yes they are full games. I do not know if they are 247 compatible, as they were made with 248. Also, maybe the demo 247 can not deal with the Associative Array. Sorry.

Wow, that inventory example is really good. How about making a widget with it so it can be used in other games?

Thanks for the comments byo. I may make a inventory wiget in the future.

Cool.
By the way, that Zoric's Adventure example is blowing my mind. You seem to have achieved the perfect engine with MMF2 in that tiled isometric rogue-like rpg. Even the scrolling is perfect. A little too difficult to me (without a sword, that is).

Those examples should be known by every beginner on the art of MMF2 game craftsmanship. :D

Keep them coming, Marvin.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by byo

Cool.
By the way, that Zoric's Adventure example is blowing my mind. You seem to have achieved the perfect engine with MMF2 in that tiled isometric rogue-like rpg. Even the scrolling is perfect. A little too difficult to me (without a sword, that is).

Those examples should be known by every beginner on the art of MMF2 game craftsmanship. :D

Keep them coming, Marvin.

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I agree, nivram's examples are invaluable resources for people using MMF2 and I have that page bookmarked :)

Thanks a lot guys. I am humbled.