Large Parts & Non-Parts

In the prototype, all items were parts, and all parts required exactly one slot to attach. The simple system was nice, but eventually you want access to more options, if only for special cases. As we’ve seen before the 7DRL version did away with all special cases, which is great for pumping out a quick prototype, but doesn’t work as well when creating a deep game with lasting play value.

Two new possibilities have now been fully implemented: multi-slot parts, and “non-part” items. To avoid unnecessary complication at the beginning of the game, neither of these will be introduced until after some play--they are most meaningful later on, anyway.

Large Parts

While a majority of parts still require a single slot, some larger parts occupy more than one. This enables increased variety and therefore a wider range of choices by adding trade-offs like concentrating even greater effects into fewer parts at the additional cost of potentially losing more at once if a part is destroyed or disabled. Like this:

Aw yeah.

Large parts also take up the same amount of extra space in your inventory. On the implementation side, allowing parts to occupy multiple slots turned out to be an inventory scrolling nightmare (the original system wasn’t built for it), but the integration is finally complete.

Hours of crazy scroll bugs later, it works!

Non-Part Items

Interaction with some machines requires items, some of which shouldn’t necessarily have to be normal parts. So it is possible to find items which don’t do anything themselves, but may be useful in other ways.

Non-part items appear grayed in inventory. (They too, can be large and take up more inventory space.)

Next: ASCII w/drag-and-drop?! No way…

Note: I’m still in the middle of nowhere, currently with passable Internet access, though the regime here has decided to block Facebook and Twitter so no updates or announcements will be made there at this time (not worth messing with proxies from an already mediocre connection, I’ll just wait until I return--or head to another country--to post updates to those services).