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THE MANA WORLD INVENTORY SYSTEM

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1. INTRODUCTION

2. DATABASE

3. INVENTORY

4. EQUIPMENT

5. IMPLEMENTATION

6. SPECIAL ITEMS

7. PROTOCOL

An item will have the following properties:

C   means info is used only by the client

S   means info is used only by the server

C&S means info is used by both

- id           (C&S) -> unsigned int

    a positive integer uniquely identifying an item.

- image        (C)   -> unsigned int

    used if same images are used for different items.

    Maybe we need more image ids to tell which image (bigger one) to show in

    equipment window or when equipping items in weapon slot.

- name         (C)   -> char[30]

    to be shown in inventory.

- description  (C)   -> char[100]

    a brief description shown in shops, or in the inventory

- type         (S)   -> unsigned char

    server uses it to check if is an item or an equipment and send the

    appropriate packet.

    * USABLE_ITEM (food, potions, ...)

    * EQUIPMENT_ITEM (weapons, armors, ...)

    * SLOT_ITEM (cards, materias, summoned beings, ...)

    * SLOTTED_ITEM (bags, small chests, ...)

- identify     (S)   -> unsigned char

    The server will check this flag if the items can be identified by the

    player.

    * IDENTIFIED         no need to identify the item

    * IDENTIFY_ITEM      you can identify it by using a special item

    * IDENTIFY_MAGIC     you can identify it by using a particular spell

    * BLACKSMITH         needs a blacksmith to be identified

    * WIZARD             needs a wizard to be identified (enchanted items)

    * ANCIENT_BLACKSMITH

    * ANCIENT_WIZARD

    * NOT_IDENTIFIABLE   reserved for future use

- weight       (C&S) -> unsigned short

    Used by server to calculate if the being can carry more items. The client

    uses it to display the information to the player.

- # of slots   (C&S) -> unsigned char

    If this field is greater than 0 it means this one is a slotted item.

    (Probably we can remove SLOTTED_ITEM from the type enumeration)

    For example a bag will have 4 slots, while a chest about 10.

- script       (S)   -> probably a file name to reference the script file

  or class              or name of class object

    Script to be executed when item is used/equipped. Events include:

    onPickup(Being b)             The item is picked up by being b

    onDrop(Being b)               The item is dropped by being b

    onUse(Being b)                The item is used by being b

    onUseWith(Being b, Object o)  The item is used with object o by being b

    onEquip(Being b)              The item is equipped by being b

3. INVENTORY

Inventory will contain any kind of weapons including non equipped items and

slotted items. Every being will have a variable number of slots to store items.

For example a maggot won't have any slot, while players could have a number of

slots depending on his strength. A pet could have one slot used to add a bag and

help the player carrying items.

Hammerbear says: I think here we should go all the way with weight approach and

not have a slot limit. The same could be used for container items, that simply

have a contents that can hold a certain total weight. Places where slots are

then used is for equipment, where each slot maps onto a certain body part, and

possibly certain slotted items that have slots that can only hold a certain

type of item.

4. EQUIPMENT

Every being will have a variable number of slots to equip items. For a human

player we will have the following slots:

*  0 body

*  1 hair

   2 head              (hat, helmet, etc.)

   3 neck              (necklace)

   4 torso             (body armour)

   5 right hand        (weapons)

   6 left hand         (shield, only available with no or one-handed weapon)

                       (ammunition, only available with certain weapons)

   7 left ring finger

   8 right ring finger

   9 legs              (pants)

  10 feet              (shoes)

These slots will composite to form the character graphic. The order of the

composition is not the same in each direction and some slots do not contribute

to the final graphic. Draw order for each direction:

  left    0, 1, 2, 10, 9, 5, 4, 6

  right   0, 1, 2, 10, 9, 6, 4, 5

  up      0, 1, 2, 10, 9, 5, 6, 4

  down    0, 1, 2, 10, 9, 4, 6, 5

*) These slots are not under player control, but are merely used by the engine

so be able to change this as part of the same system.

5. IMPLEMENTATION

Since both client and server will only need to store item ids, inventory and

equipment can be easily coded as unsigned int arrays. The only problem is

about slotted items. They for sure can't store another slotted item, but it's

hard to represent them as an int. Probably a more complex structure is needed.

struct ITEM_HOLDER {

    int id;

    int quantity;

    ITEM_HOLDER *item;

}

ITEM_HOLDER inventory[number_of_slots];

ITEM_HOLDER equipment[number_of_slots];

If item is not NULL it will reference an array of items stored in the slotted

item.

How to limit the quantity of items? We could have a fixed number of slots in the

inventory. In one slot you can store only items with the same id (except slotted

items which need separate slots). When you pick up/receive a new item, total

weigth you can carry is checked if the item can be stored.

6. SPECIAL ITEMS

A special case is represented by arrow holder. Possible solutions:

    - Equipment will have a special slot where you can equip only arrows

      (or stones)

    - Item with one slot

    - Arrows can be simply stored in inventory

    - Arrow holder has special slot for items of type "arrow" that can hold up

      to a certain maximum number of arrows.

Weapons can store a limited number of items in their slots. In this kind of

slots you can store materia, demons or arrows. Some examples, with XML test

cases based on 4th solution above.

    * Arrow holder = max 100 arrows (1 slot)

      <item name="Medium quiver" ...>

        <slot type="arrow" max="100"/>

      </item>

    * Sword of chaos = max 1 materia + 2 demons (2 slot)

      <item name="Sword of chaos" ...>

        <slot type="materia" max="1"/>

        <slot type="demon" max="2"/>

      </item>

    * Bag that can hold 5 kg of arbitrary stuff (container).

      <item name="Leather bag" weight="1" ... capacity="5"/>

      The rationale of being able to carry 5 kg of stuff at the cost of only

      1 kg is that the bag helps you carry the stuff by providing a convenient

      way to hold it.

7. PROTOCOL

To be defined.