Inventory Management

[Vortex]

Great game. Looking forward to the full release!

A thing I would like to see in the game is a "combine" option to minimise icon clutter in the inventory.

IE: Having 15 boxes of matches and be able to combine them all into one icon.

I get that matches can get soggy and start to degrade, but in my 100+ day playthrough I am yet to see a single match degrade all the way to 0%. And I carry them everywhere.

At the very least, have a maximum stack of maybe 100 matches per icon.

[Gaboris]

This is a constantly brought up subject that shows how the current condition system is inadequate.

We could fix it two ways so we can add the combine feature:

- Combined items' condition is calculated from the source materials taking in account the size of each stack compared to the other.

- Expand the inventory system with containers for things that should NOT have a constantly degrading condition. So matchboxes, water bottles, jerry cans and maybe others are all actual items that have a condition and can be filled up with specific(let's not complicate stuff with filling kerosene into water bottles) things that don't have a condition, but could get lost depending on the condition of the container.

[Warg]

I'd say, on the contrary, clutter is expected and realistic. Think about it, almost everything is in your backpack. Say you need to take out something that may be at the bottom of the pack somewhere, not easily accessible unless you planned your backpack. Putting back what you took out would also not be too tidy, more clutter.

For me it is too tidy now: click food, check expiry/condition, eat lowest condition.

I'd add a placement minigame for the backpack for the various compartments and talking into account the sizes of the objects that can actually fit there. Plus, item statistics should not be blanket displayed but on a click or something for the item of interest.

How about finding better (larger, more compartments) backpacks like for the rest of the equipment? Starting with a puny city version and being glad to find the good stuff later.

[Vortex]

How about finding better (larger, more compartments) backpacks like for the rest of the equipment? Starting with a puny city version and being glad to find the good stuff later.

This is more or less what I was aiming to get across when I mentioned the matches. Why is it realistic to "have clutter" but not realistic to concile matches into one compartment?

I know I wouldn't have 15 different boxes of matches lying around at home if the boxes were almost empty. I'd put them all in one place.

The reason it doesn't make sense to me is that I have matchboxes which have up to 50+ (!!) matches in them because they're at the same degradation quality, whilst I have 14 other icons of the same thing, simply because they're only a few percentage points behind.

Since I am yet to see a single match "degrade out" through a 115 day playthrough that has included me getting trapped in snowstorms a fair few times, I think making them degrade is kinda pointless.

The clutter is just a visual encumbrance.

[whisperwind777]

The problem of matches is that 1% condition match works the same as 100% match.

I would suggest matches degrade much slower when stored in containers but have a chance to fail, say, 99% chance to fail when 1% condition left. This means if you put 20 50% matches and 10 80% condition mathes together, you will get 30 60% condition matches.

This way, when you try to light your torch in emergency cases :twisted:

[Warg]

The problem of matches is that 1% condition match works the same as 100% match.

I would suggest matches degrade much slower when stored in containers but have a chance to fail, say, 99% chance to fail when 1% condition left. This means if you put 20 50% matches and 10 80% condition mathes together, you will get 30 60% condition matches.

+1 on minding the match condition and chance of failing to light the match or fire, based on the condition of the ingredients (degraded/wet match, poor quality tinder, wet wood recently picked up, and so on). Might be room for user activities aimed at increasing those chances (like collecting the wood in cabin and letting it dry, making tinder from whatever with you knife, etc)

--1 on combining various items in stacks ! The game is about using what little you can get. It's fine to place items in pouches, compartments and such but doing so should be manual, as it is a meaningfull action in your situation. At the very least, Hinterland could allow for manual item placement in the inventory screen

On inventory management:

- if degradation is a must, I would expect it only from action and only for the items in the backpack (especially non metallic, just from the step by step movement). This way you would balance having all your stuff with you and knowing they will degrade faster, thus getting to mind what you carry. Perhaps the degradation rate could be differentiated.

- the above plus volume limitations and various backpacks might make a meaningful inventory minigame and improve the survival decisions the game is all about

- arranging the stuff in inventory should cancel the gametime gallop (something like x15 realtime) so if you choose to optimize your pack, you don't spend 6+ hours gametime (some 10 minutes realtime) doing so.

This being a somewhat nomadic existence, a sled would be a natural thing to add, for moving from base to base. Again, various models would improve the decision making (a plastic case you drag behind, a handmade 4 branch platform for larger things, and so on). Plus, the sleds were traditional in snow country, meaning they got the best results for the least effort spent.

Items in a closed cabin container should last basicly forever, food included.