New 'Tool-belt' slot mechanics.

[EvilNickolas 0]

Keeping in mind this is just a suggestion, and i believe it would add more freedom to the inventory system as well as making tools and melee weapons much more viable.

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The Suggestion: New 'Tool-belt' slot mechanics.

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Make the binoc slot a 'Tool' slot.

That being said, the currently equipped tool can then be used by pressing 'B'

this would open up a new aspect in regard to tools, while preserving the 'primary' and 'secondary' slots for their original purposes. and fix a number of inventory management hassles (ie: using a hatchet and losing your primary weapon/finding storage for it ) while also making melee weapons easily accessible. (something i thing both survivors and bandits will enjoy..)

from a dev point of view, having a dedicated slot and storage to swap tools in an out of would ease the process somewhat.

( tool slot <-> tool-belt )

allowing automatic management features such as moving the current item back the to tool-belt automatically when you equip a new one.

as the game stands now, the current tools that could be equipped into the tool slot would be 'hatchet, torch, binoc, range finder'

and possibly the knife if there are plans to make it a melee weapon..

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Amendments:

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In an effort to maintain the thread, here are points that have been talked about, Ill format these from the perspective of 'If it was implemented':

* The focus of the 'tool slot' is weapon style items. ie: items that require you to put away your weapon in order to use it.

* Not all items on the tool belt need be equipped into the slot. ie: you don't need to equip the 'map' or 'compass' in order to use them via 'B' and are still access by their normal key, in contrast binoc's do need to be equipped in order to use them by pressing 'B'.

If i come across any points ive missed, ill add them here to prevent them being re-hashed.

so, arguments for and against please..

[Scerun 227]

Not so sure. I think things such as the range finder, Binoculars should have to be either/or, not both. While being able to put the torch on your toolbelt was a move forward, I don't think this has any benefit to the game. I don't consider having to make less choices between what you want a benefit, in this scenario.

[EvilNickolas 0]

well seeing as you put you weapon away the draw the binoc/rangefinder to use them. i assumed that they are treated internally as weapons, thus it would be relatively simple to put actual weapons there.

And they have already done the ground work to have a weapons that can be stored on the tool-belt.

Im assuming quite a bit here, but i think the ratio of 'work required':'pay off' makes this feature quite plausible.

As for 'less choices', i was aiming for extended utility instead of restricted choice.

From what ive read, future plans for dayz include base building, cooperation, game-play other than PVP. So i believe that idea is inline with future goals for dayz

Then again, im not Rocket.

[sgtdorian 2]

The items in toolbelt don't need to be used when you are in a hurry so you can stop and take a little time to use them.

Also I think It will make things harder if you put Binos in toolbelt. Binos are fine in their gear slot, what do you gain putting it in the toolbelt?

I think It will be a bit gross having to change your "default" toolbelt item everytime you want to use it pressing any key.

[EvilNickolas 0]

Well i guess my aim was to have other items accessible via the 'B' key, i didn't mean that the binocs were still useable while they are on the tool-belt.

also its not my intention to have all tool-belt items useable via the slot.. only weapon style items.

it would be a matter of changing back to the binoculars when you want to access them, say you wanted to be able to use your hatchet quickly, you would leave it in the slot so you can get it out when you press 'B'.

so in the end it would depend on the players style as to what they have selected.

[EvilNickolas 0]

Another thought i had was that a melee weapon isnt a good 'trade off' for a primary weapon,

This suggestion offers a solution to that..

(if not, id be happier if melee weps went into the secondary slot)

[Reaps 22]

I'm left kinda puzzled by this, in theory i like the idea of a quick slot feature. But when mixed with the game the way it is, i don't think we're ready for it and here's my reasoning.

Hatchets are so ridiculously overpowered I'd personally lose a primary for them. Having a primary, secondary + being able to swing a hatchet is a bandits dream.

It's also a developers nightmare. Rockets already stated why the hatchet is a primary slot item (due to secondary visual/animation limits) So the primary weapon would have to disappear in order for the swing of the hatchet to be seen.

If you meant for chopping wood. In the mods current state, it's just as easy to pop open the inventory and right click.

Perhaps in the future when more "tools" become available, or roles for current tools change, this will be viable. Right now though, i just don't see why its needed or what it would change. Perhaps if you elaborate on what you personally feel we'd gain from it, in the current form.

To summarize, the idea has legs. Only when the game will require it.

[EvilNickolas 0]

Sure i get what your saying.

So when you 'Use' your binoculars, you put your weapon away and draw the binoculars similar to a weapon (because internally, binoculars are a weapon.. i tested this myself and i was able to put binoc's in the secondary slot, and a pistol in the binoc slot and it still worked with only few weird errors that i didn't bother with )

so my intention was to have the slot available for items/tools that have to be 'drawn' to be used (ie: you put away your weapon, and pull the equipped item out.. like when you use binocs).

So, if knife was available as a melee weapon, you could put it in the binoc slot, and draw it with 'B'

I only use the hatchet as an example because its what we have now, plus i suspect there will be a beta patch from BI that will help with the current anim hiccups..

As you can imagine, this would open up a lot of possibilities and add some freedom to the current inventory system.. And i see it as a possible solution to the 'no starting weapon' argument.. knives are everywhere, killing a zombie with one wouldn't be ideal, but its something.

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In my last post i mentioned i did some poking around and doing the slot swapping isnt difficult..

Here are my defines for the weapon slots.

#define WeaponSlotPrimary 1 // primary weapons

#define WeaponSlotHandGun 2 // HandGun

#define WeaponSlotSecondary 4 // secondary weapons

#define WeaponSlotHandGunItem 16 // HandGun magazines

#define WeaponSlotItem 256 // items

#define WeaponSlotBinocular 4096 // binocular

#define WeaponHardMounted 65536

#define WeaponSlotInventory 131072 // inventory items

after a little code on the side, i simply swap them around.. as for the animations, you can probably guess that's a different story.

[jtrainz 0]

Would like to see it implemented, Made a post a minute ago on just letting you toggle to your melee with F, this would be even better though.

[EvilNickolas 0]

While im at it tho, i agree that the hatchet in its current state is OP.. i think the accuracy should be lowered and a few swings should drastically raise your heart rate to compensate.. so currently it might not be suitable as a quick slot weapon..

Going off what you say rocket said, as to why the hatchet is a primary.. that leads me to believe that he originally intended it to be secondary. I guess we will see how that ends up..