Inventory weapon slots should reflect character model weapon slots

[Erwin]

Self-explanatory, really. I propose we be limited not by the number of weapons we can carry but by where we can carry them. So for example if we carry a greatsword on our back, we won't be able to equip arrows, which are also carried on the back. Makes much more sense than the current system IMO, and gets rid of the undisplayed weapon issue that occurs when we equip multiple weapons that are carried in the same manner.

[Berpol]

Just to clarify, correct me if I am wrong.
Currently the following positions are visible:

• left hip - used by onehanded weapons and nomad bows (composite bows)
• right hip - used by bolts
• lower back - used by some arrows
• back - used by some arrows, pole weapons, twohanded weapons, some bows, crossbows, shield

You suggest that each of the four slots in equipment would correspond to one of the positions listed above (some variations in red):

• left hip - only onehanded weapons, nomad bows or bolts allowed
• right hip - only onehanded weapons, nomad bows or bolts allowed
• lower back - only arrows allowed
• back - anything goes
• back 1 (from lower left to upper right) - anything goes instead of right hip
• back 2 (from lower right to upper left) - anything goes instead of back

I like your idea, mostly because I also want my character to look good

[Erwin]

There are actually more slots than that. The hip bow slot is not the same as the sword slot, you can have a nomad/khergit/strong bow and a sword visible at the same time. There are three back slots, bows and crossbows go over the left shoulder, while two handed swords and arrows go over the right shoulder, and shields go in the center.. There's also a dagger slot on your belt that's used by daggers, knives, and the wakizashi.
There should be enough weapon slots in the inventory screen to allow you to fill all the model slots, as it makes no sense for example to not be able to carry a dagger just because you have a bow, a sword, and a pair of quivers, and you should only be able to equip one item into each model slot. Lastly, there should be an "in-hand" slot for polearms and possibly other large weapons that you can't carry on your person. You can carry these in your hands, but it doesn't really make much sense to be able to stroll around with a pike tucked in your pocket. If you want to switch to another weapon, you'll just have to drop the polearm.

[schmendict]

I think arrows should be allowed to fit in the hip slots, I find it a lot more convinient to shoot with the quiver by my side and I'm sure other archers (historical and modern) would agree.

[Dain Ironfoot]

there's an enormous number of slots available. One weapon per slot it a good idea I think.

[Erwin]

I think arrows should be allowed to fit in the hip slots, I find it a lot more convinient to shoot with the quiver by my side and I'm sure other archers (historical and modern) would agree.

Well yes, but I'm working with what we already have to make my suggestion as simple to implement as possible. As M&B is now, plain arrows go on the back and barbed, bodkin, and Khergit arrows go on the butt. It would be nice to be able to place them anywhere you want on the character's body, but that would require reworking the inventory system so that each model slot would have a corresponding inventory slot and also modifying the items themselves so that they'd display differently depending on which slot they'd been placed into. Whereas my suggestion only calls for an increase in the number of weapon slots and a simple if/else script checking whether another item occupying the relevant model slot is already equipped and then either equipping the new item or displaying a message along the lines of "Eqipping this item would interfere with <name of already equipped item>, you cannot carry both at once".
A nice feature that would go away if a strict inventory-model link was established is the weapon cycling. One of the advantages of non-specific inventory slots is that when you cycle through your weapons, it actually follows the order you arranged them in in your inventory.
The other way to implement hip-worn quivers is of course to simply add a distinct item type for them, but that seems a bit contrived to me. But it would work, and unlike the above it's acutally doable (and extremely simple, in fact I have done it a while back when I wanted my back and butt quivers to match). So yeah, why not.

[DooMJake]

Thats a really nice idea. Hope it can get in.

[Archonsod]

What about shields?

[Erwin]

What about shields?

What about them?

[Dain Ironfoot]

I think for weapons if you just limited each slot to one weapon each... as you can see, shields are a seperate slot..

So you'd get:



Of course that's not the most elegant way of doing it, but it gives you an idea for possibilities..

[Erwin]

I'm not really sure what you mean, but darn, that's a lot of slots. I completely forgot there were that many. Those wouldn't even all fit on the screen. A scrollable slot list, perhaps..?
Though on second thought we wouldn't need that many inventory slots. Quiver_back_right seems to take the same character model slot as sword_back, for example, you can either have a quiver or a sword on your back.

(Personally I'd like to see a complete reworking of the inventory interface with icons much smaller than the current ones and a larger animated rotating pop-up preview of the item when you move your cursor over it (the icons are in fact actual in-game 3D models, so making them rotate shouldn't be too hard). But let's be realistic here, eh?)

[bladeofudun]

Me like. 

I don't really relish the idea of dropping my lance whenever I went to use my sword, but I admit it'd be realistic, and thus I won't make a stink about it. Just drop the prices of lances and allow me to carry more than one in my inventory (back at the baggage) and I'll be fine...

[Erwin]

I don't see a problem with that. A lance is really just a long stick, so my common sense tells me they ought to be fairly cheap.

[Orion]

I don't see a problem with that. A lance is really just a long stick, so my common sense tells me they ought to be fairly cheap.

And they already are, so no big deal. To expand on the idea of dropping your lance when you switch to your weapon, make lances similar to arrows. You can use them a limited number of times in battle (say you hit 2 or 3 people with a couched lance), and after the battle the lance 'refills' like the arrow quivers.

Realistically, if you nailed somebody with a couched lance two things could happen. One, your lance could pierce them and you'd have a kebab of sorts, making your lance rather useless. Two, your lance would bend and fracture from the stress. So, realistically, you'd only have one shot with a lance, but in the sense of balance it could be anything 5 or less in my opinion.

But I digress...

Yes, Erwin, your suggestion makes perfect sense. The only problem I can see with it is weight. Why would you want to carry around all of these items in addition to armor? And, personally, I think the armor you're wearing should limit the slots available. I can't really see some guy in plate reaching up to a quiver on his back again and again.

[Erwin]

Plate armor doesn't actually limit movement nearly as much as its appearance would make you think. Just search for plate armor on tube, there's plenty of videos showing just how mobile the suits really are. Obviously you're not going to practice your yoga while wearing one, but reaching for something on your back is no problem at all.

Anyway, weight. Well, that's up to the player to find a good balance between the amount of equipment they want to carry and the resultant encumbrance, isn't it? All I'm saying is: Give the choice to the player, instead of making it for him by imposing an arbitrary limitation.

Breakable lances would be nice, but I'm trying to keep my suggestion simple and easy to implement. Breakable weaponry would probably requre a heck of a lot more new coding than a simple increase in the number of inventory slots and a script to check which model slots are occupied.