Chapter 5: One step back, two steps forward

Good day, dear Viewers.

Last month I was forced to postpone the post due to certain reasons, which I want to start this post with. Going back a bit, as you know, I'm currently working on UI and I'm trying to approach this issue as thoroughly as my knowledge and resources allow. However, this is not about the absence of one of these components, but about reconsidering the concept of interaction with the game interface and intermediate results. For clarity, I will illustrate my descriptions with images.

Finally, I found the middle ground. Previously, you might have seen what was called the "Main Panel" which would contain both the player's inventory and what was outside of it (image below).

I worked on it for several months, polished the interaction mechanics, wrote logic, etc., and eventually I decided to abandon the "one panel hanging in the air" idea. You have no idea how hard this decision was, considering all the work and tons of code that went into it. However, more often than not, the hardest decisions are the right ones. You might say that we have little resources to waste time so shamelessly. You might say that design is not that important, but it's not just about design. It's about gameplay. I said earlier that I try to do "everything right" from the start (never works irl tho), which is why I approach the issue of building the foundation of the game so carefully. It's more than just UI - throughout the entire game, about a third of the time the player will interact with their loot and other things in one way or another. For me, it's unacceptable to just make the Inventory System "as is".

So, it was decided that the developments that I created during this time will be used to reformat the UI system - something will be deleted, and something will go to the new system, the sketches of which will be in the image below. Conventionally, the previous system with several "Main Panels" could be described as "floating" - all elements there didn't have a static position, they could be dragged together, form cascades, groups. It looked convenient, from the very beginning, but in the end, over time working with this system I saw its shortcomings. Therefore, it was decided that the system will be hybrid. This means that it will have static panels on the left and on the right (the character panel on the left, where there will be equipment, skills, etc., and the item panel on the right, where there will be inventory, loot on the ground (Bulk) and other containers). And there will also be "floating" panels that will perform a narrower function (for example, a specific panel of one storage - a bag, or a backpack, or a closet). The player can separate it from the main Inventory at any time for more convenient interaction, for example, when dragging things from one container to another.

Thus, what you see on the right side of the image (Storage Main Panel) will also be statically represented on the game screen when the inventory is opened. It contains two blocks at once - the Inventory itself and the Bulk. That is, the player's items, and the items and storages in reach (Bulk).

The Storage (floating or inside Inventory or Bulk) itself is a "lightweight Main Panel" that will contain item size slots. As previously reported, slots, like items, will have a certain size. It would be strange if an item (a bagpack 4x4, for example, or a longsword 5x1) that is clearly larger than a small pouch (container) could fit in it only because there are enough slots for it. But the bag is suitable for collecting small items. And yes, bigger Storages can contain smaller Storages (backpack can contain pouch in most cases).
That is why slot size was introduced. Now in a little more detail.

Most of these icons are intuitively clear by the correlation of their size and the slots that fit them in size. However, I will give more information about the first (left) and the last (rightmost) ones. The first slot, empty one. This is a special slot that can store some quest item or these will be the merchant's slots for exchange (just example). It can be in a pedestal or some other special storage. The slot is not suitable for storing your things. The last slot is a uniform. This is the ultimate, special slot that can accommodate any item. For example, a cabinet (literally), which can also have items inside. In the representation, such slots will appear in very rare storages (most likely in magic-related items), which will appear in the game after the demo version.

And one more small addition. Obviously, in slots, for example, "L", you can store any items that are equal to or smaller in size (type) than this slot. So, items with size "M", "S" and "XS" can be placed in such slot ("L"). It's up to you how to manage your inventory.

In conclusion, I want to share my plans for the next month. As a result of the previous two months, I did not manage to do everything I planned. There was a solid reason for this, but there is no need to be upset. It was the right decision. I want to release a really good product, and I wouldn't find a more understanding, patient viewer than you. For this, I thank you once again. Endurance and willpower will bear fruit.

Working with the Inventory and Equipment system has absorbed me and I plan to not stop at it in terms of UI development,- do everything related to it and only then move on.

What to expect next month? I hope to cope with my tasks this time and show you a base interaction of Inventory, Equipment and floating panels - a hybrid system that I'm trying to create.

Wish me luck.
Absent.Dogma