Mod Suggestion: Backpacks

[Stmpnk]

@Cyberaxel

If this was mentioned earlier in the thread i do apologize for repeating this

Not at all . This thread is always open for suggestions !
Nice idea by the way .

[Derrias]

@Cyberaxel

have workers Job ADV. into…Super workers?

Woodcutter and Miner for example ?
Like the woodcutter would be promoted by an Axe done by the masson and the same goes for the miners.
Like this we would have better equipments like Bronze axe, then Iron and steel. With woodcutter outfits, upgraded woodcutter outfits, ect…

@Gaddiel

A wheel barrow or cart would be cool. It’s a storage container with 32 or 64 or however many slots. When placing it, you set a load point and and unload point. It would have a selectable threshold that when met has a worker move it from the load point to the unload point and back.

Make it happens.

[Cyberaxel]

@Stmpnk thanks and @Derrias i like that idea tbh only down side would be trying to balance a health amount of miners and woodcutters where workers could do both, so maybe just make like one miner and one wood cutter and keep a few workers? but 10/10 yeah sounds good im just slightly impartial due to dividing the worker class into two separate entities,but… as the saying goes, jack of all trades, master of none. So it would make sense with that saying in having them upgrade to woodcutters and miners

[GeyserGod]

@Derrias

Woodcutter and Miner for example ?

love the Idea of both of those, though I would probably switch Woodcutter with Forester and have it be a upgrade from Farmer where they can plant/grow Trees and then cut them down.

Both can kind of be achieved already by going into the villager screen and unchecking the Build box and the Job box on the workers you want to only be able to mine or unchecking the Mine and Build box’s on the ones you want to only harvest items, or unchecking the Mine and Job box’s on the ones you want to just build buildings. You can also uncheck the box for transporting items on them if you don’t want them to be moving items.

[GeyserGod]

@Cyberaxel

because at the moment around the goblin gong story lines, if im not proactively watching my workers, they could potentially get 1-2 shotted from the world mobs

If you are needing them to be higher level for more health temporarily give them a trade and let them level up a couple times then demote them back to worker, they lose the perks of the trade but they gain the +10 hp every level gets.

[Agon]

Although wheelbarrows have come up before I really like your suggested implementation. I’ve always just thought of them as an extended backpack, not as something to add logic to. That being said, some things that come to mind:

1. Ladders and wheelbarrows don’t go very well together. Might be solves with a design that they could carry on their back while climbing, or by building cranes or elevators, or by connecting an unload point before the ladder to another wheelbarrows load point after the ladder. If the ladder goes down then it might be nice to be able to unload the wheelbarrow over the edge.

2. When the wheelbarrow is not at the load point there should be a stockpile instead.

3. The threshold might give some stupid behavior, if for example the farmer fills it up to 50% and the worker takes it away, even though the farmer was on his way with 3 more items. You might be able to check for this, but it could be difficult.
   One way to solve it would be to not trigger the worker directly when passing the threshold, unless the wheelbarrow is full, but instead start a countdown. If another item is added and it’s still not full the countdown resets.

4. An alternative version is to not just have one route per wheelbarrow but instead be able to set a stockpile as a load point with a threshold and pick a target stockpile to unload at. The wheelbarrows are then taken to the load point that has the most items or is the closest to being full. The threshold then says to ignore a stockpile until it has that many items, which… might be the same thing. It depends on how it’s implemented. It would require less wheelbarrows and I’m guessing that it’s better for performance that a couple of wheelbarrows evaluate several stockpiles instead of every worker evaluating several wheelbarrows.

[Stmpnk]

Nice ideas and suggestions you guys are giving ! Keep it up .

[GeyserGod]

Backpacks work better because you don’t even have to change the looks of the Hearthlings, you could just add it as an invisible item slot that all Hearthlings have. If you set up the priority order so that Workers, Farmers, Trappers, and Shepherds get the backpacks first (in that order) you could set it up so that the Weaver makes them and there could be several levels to them.

Level 1 Wood Buckle 2 extra space
Level 2 Bronze Buckle 4 extra space
Level 3 Iron Buckle 6 extra space
Level 4 Steel Buckle 8 extra space
Level 5 Silver Buckle 10 extra space
Level 6 Gold Buckle 12 extra space

or something like that. With the level requirement needed for a Weaver to craft set so that it matches the Buckle level. I mean right now the Hearthlings are using their pockets to carry all the items (though I have no clue how a full bundle of wheat fits in your pocket) so inventory space on the Hearthlings doesn’t NEED to be immersive right now, maybe at a future date that would be nice but since the current inventory is non-immersive it doesn’t make sense to require a mod expanding it to be immersive.

[Gaddiel]

Having seemingly infinite sized backpacks always just struck me as odd. It’s a trade off between practicality and realism. I feel like over expanding the capacity of hearthling’s backpacks simply resolves an issue with logistics instead of giving the player the chance to deal with it creatively. I wouldn’t be opposed to something like an 8 slot back pack, but anything more than that seems like a lazy way to solve something the player should be doing. If you’re not designing your town with consideration for these sorts of things, it should affect you. I know I take quite a bit of consideration when I’m laying and spacing storehouses and works zones out.

To address your other points:

1. You are absolutely right. It would be on the city planner to make sure all the supporting logistics are in place. As a side note, maybe our engineers could one day build primitive elevators?

2. This could be a good idea. Or maybe a check box, when a wheel barrow enters an existing stockpile, storage defaults to the wheel barrow. I could think of scenarios where I wouldn’t want something just laying around in a stock pile until the wheelbarrow or cart gets back.

3. I was thinking that could be something the user configures. And if someone hauling stuff is headed towards the wheel barrow when it starts moving, you treat it just like you would if a normal chest were moved or destroyed. The hearthling hauling would just default to the next closest storage point.

4. That could be another way to do it. I’m not familiar with what’s behind the game engine to evaluate which would be more performance efficient. But I do like the idea.

[Derrias]

@Gaddiel

maybe our engineers could one day build primitive elevators?

YES, i’ll buy that !

@Gaddiel

And if someone hauling stuff is headed towards the wheel barrow when it starts moving, you treat it just like you would if a normal chest were moved or destroyed. The hearthling hauling would just default to the next closest storage point.

Treat it like a chest, fixed on the grid until someone moves it, then il become a fully movable entity (like blocs in hearthlings hands) and back to the grid when the hearthling put it back.

@Cyberaxel

if im not proactively watching my workers, they could potentially get 1-2 shotted from the world mobs

And what about more worker outfits, making them more resistants, like the leather worker outfit and/or an outfit crafted by the herbalist that boost workers life points.

And for the main topic, could someone not lazy (unlike me) can do a summary of all the ideas that we’ve discussed from now ?

[GeyserGod]

@Derrias

And for the main topic, could someone not lazy (unlike me) can do a summary of all the ideas that we’ve discussed from now ?

Okay, so list of ideas presented by this topic so far.

Backpack:
New equipment slot

1. Invisible or Visible
2. Trapper (and ?Soldier) pouch belt
3. instead of introducing new code backpack applies the “Packing in the loot” buff that the trapper has
4. Produced by the Weaver as a leather item

@GeyserGod

Backpacks work better because you don’t even have to change the looks of the Hearthlings, you could just add it as an invisible item slot that all Hearthlings have. If you set up the priority order so that Workers, Farmers, Trappers, and Shepherds get the backpacks first (in that order) you could set it up so that the Weaver makes them and there could be several levels to them.

Level 1 Wood Buckle 2 extra space
Level 2 Bronze Buckle 4 extra space
Level 3 Iron Buckle 6 extra space
Level 4 Steel Buckle 8 extra space
Level 5 Silver Buckle 10 extra space
Level 6 Gold Buckle 12 extra space

or something like that. With the level requirement needed for a Weaver to craft set so that it matches the Buckle level. I mean right now the Hearthlings are using their pockets to carry all the items (though I have no clue how a full bundle of wheat fits in your pocket) so inventory space on the Hearthlings doesn’t NEED to be immersive right now, maybe at a future date that would be nice but since the current inventory is non-immersive it doesn’t make sense to require a mod expanding it to be immersive.

Minecarts/Sleds/Wheel Barrow:

@Gaddiel

It’s a storage container with 32 or 64 or however many slots. When placing it, you set a load point and and unload point. It would have a selectable threshold that when met has a worker move it from the load point to the unload point and back.

For example, you set the load point by your farm fields. Farmers fill it up and once its 50% or 100% or however full, a worker pushes it to the unload point with could be inside a warehouse. Once at the unload point it would automatically have the content filter set to none so the workers then unload it. Once empty, the worker pushes it back to the load point and the whole process starts all over.

@Agon

Ladders and wheelbarrows don’t go very well together. Might be solves with a design that they could carry on their back while climbing, or by building cranes or elevators, or by connecting an unload point before the ladder to another wheelbarrows load point after the ladder. If the ladder goes down then it might be nice to be able to unload the wheelbarrow over the edge.
When the wheelbarrow is not at the load point there should be a stockpile instead.
The threshold might give some stupid behavior, if for example the farmer fills it up to 50% and the worker takes it away, even though the farmer was on his way with 3 more items. You might be able to check for this, but it could be difficult.
One way to solve it would be to not trigger the worker directly when passing the threshold, unless the wheelbarrow is full, but instead start a countdown. If another item is added and it’s still not full the countdown resets.
An alternative version is to not just have one route per wheelbarrow but instead be able to set a stockpile as a load point with a threshold and pick a target stockpile to unload at. The wheelbarrows are then taken to the load point that has the most items or is the closest to being full. The threshold then says to ignore a stockpile until it has that many items, which… might be the same thing. It depends on how it’s implemented. It would require less wheelbarrows and I’m guessing that it’s better for performance that a couple of wheelbarrows evaluate several stockpiles instead of every worker evaluating several wheelbarrows.

Possible Worker Upgrades

@Derrias

Like the woodcutter would be promoted by an Axe done by the masson and the same goes for the miners.
Like this we would have better equipments like Bronze axe, then Iron and steel. With woodcutter outfits, upgraded woodcutter outfits, ect.

Miner / Woodcutter / Builder
My understanding of the Miner and Woodcutter classes from what I have read in this topic is that they would have all the same functions as a regular worker, but the Miner would mine faster and the Woodcutter cut wood more efficiently. They are basically just worker promotions so that the workers gain levels and get the level up health bonus’.
I added the Builder option after reading through and thing that it fits in with the Miner and Woodcutter idea, it follows along the same lines, a builder would be able to build at like 2x the speed of the others or something like that.
Forester
Forester was an idea I came up with after the Woodcutter option was posted.

@GeyserGod

have it be a upgrade from Farmer where they can plant/grow Trees and then cut them down

[EnochTheRed]

I too love the idea of having better haulage that what we currently have… will make fewer round trips and and therfore improve performance of the game. Again, making it an expansion that requires something to be built for them (aka clothes or multi-craftsman items) will ensure that you have do get there = have fun getting there.

But I would add that the real magic in this suggestion would be if there was a better inventory management system. I propose that if we could set min/max levels of any stored items (and not just yes/no by type), then we could have specific haulers who’s sole job it is to keep the inventory containers (crates, etc…) at the level you set for them. In this way you can have local crates near resource generation points, and then haulers bringing them back to the craftspeople’s crates using the raw resources by manipulating the min/max levels of the containers in your world. In fact, this hauler could be class to itself with some of the capacity upgrades spoke on here.

Again this would reduce system load as fewer hearthlings would running all over the place to move one and twos counts of items, and it would greatly increase the play-ability of the game by introducing an interesting component of supply chain management.

Thinking out loud…

[Stmpnk]

@EnochTheRed

Thinking out loud…

Don’t worry about it ! Just keep the ideas and suggestions coming .

[GeyserGod]

@EnochTheRed

I propose that if we could set min/max levels of any stored items (and not just yes/no by type), then we could have specific haulers who’s sole job it is to keep the inventory containers (crates, etc…) at the level you set for them. In this way you can have local crates near resource generation points, and then haulers bringing them back to the craftspeople’s crates using the raw resources by manipulating the min/max levels of the containers in your world. In fact, this hauler could be class to itself with some of the capacity upgrades spoke on here.

This would work great with a Wagon or Minecart system, but to keep the Hearthlings at each end you would have to be able to specify sleeping and eating areas for each Hearthling otherwise they would continuously run back and forth. If you could specify that a Hearthling slept in the bed at the mining end of the track or road and ate food stored at that end sitting on a chair at that end instead of him running all the way back to the house or dining room back on the surface next to your starting point it would be awesome but this just brings me back to the ability to assign a Hearthling to a specific room or building that was brought up in another topic.

[Rdrago1]

@GeyserGod

to keep the Hearthlings at each end you would have to be able to specify sleeping and eating areas for each Hearthling otherwise they would continuously run back and forth. If you could specify that a Hearthling slept in the bed at the mining end of the track or road and ate food stored at that end sitting on a chair at that end instead of him running all the way back to the house or dining room

This would sort of be like creating a mining town of sorts, eh?
Makes this simple game more complicated, but personally i would enjoy it

[GeyserGod]

@Rdrago1

This would sort of be like creating a mining town of sorts, eh?
Makes this simple game more complicated, but personally i would enjoy it

Not just a mining town, but the first steps towards expanding to multiple villages.

[Stmpnk]

It’s been a while since I posted something here …
Last post: 8 days…
Been playing around with VoxelShop and tried to whip up a model.
I tried making the farmers a rucksack :

Male:

Female:

It’s just a food basket with few alterations though .
The rucksack doesn’t offer inventory increase at the moment, still figuring it out .

I didn’t know that male merchants already have an awesome backpacks.
I haven’t really seen one live because I always get female merchants when I call one.

Oh and off-theme for a moment.
I made a greatsword:

Hope you guys like it ! Feel free to give me your suggestions and opinions on the greatsword farmer rucksack. 'Til next time !

[DeMaggo]

I like swords of that size. They excell at cleaving all around you. And in deepest fight, you can throw them to a goblin which will break down under its weight.

[Stmpnk]

@DeMaggo

And in deepest fight, you can throw them to a goblin which will break down under its weight.

Hmmm… Physics and my greatsword as a projectile… Why didn’t I think of that !!!

Hehe, jokes aside, thanks for the compliment .

[Stmpnk]

Merry Christmas everyone and Happy Frostfeast to Stonehearth !!!