Ok, finally typed up my suggestion for this idea. A bit of a long read, possibly difficult to understand so if need clarification, ask.
---
We all want to look different. We all need to take advantage of enhanced clothing. The two do not currently go together. We want to be able to move enhancements from one clothing item to another but the current MXO clothing database structure is not set up for this.
While the simple solution to most would be to change the database structure, it simply isn’t that easy. It would need not only a full redesign of the database, but also that of the items stored, the system used to store the items and the one used to extract the item information from the database. It's mammoth task that simply, is too much hassle at this time.
So we need an alternative. We need a system that ideally only changes the way the data stored in the database is used. One that requires as little coding, interface designing and model icon/object redesigning as possible. To better understand why, lets have a look at how the currently system probably works (remember this is all guess work as only the developers actually know what system they use).
So lets just say for the sake of this suggestion that the items are stored in the database thus:
-- One table deals with the general clothing information:
1 ID number
2 Item_name
3 Model_number
4 Enhancements
5 Min_level
6 Code_difficulty
7 Decompile
8 Trade
[Notes: 1 would be a auto incrementing value it is the unique identifier to ensure the table works correctly. 3 is a reference number, it most likely points to another table that actually contains the information such as the location of the image files to render on screen. 7 and 8 are most likely simple 1s and 0s. 1 for yes, 0 for no as to whether we can decompile or trade.]
It is number 4 that interests us. This is either a reference number to a separate table storing the enhancement information, or it directly contains the enhancement information. As we don't know which, this suggestion will work on the based on both possibilities.
-- Another table holds the information of currently equipped items
1 ID number
2 User_id
3 Hats
4 Glasses
5 Shirts
6 Outerwear
7 Gloves
8 Pants
9 Footwear
10 Stockings
[Note: Again 1 is only for the database to ensure no duplicates. 2 is the ID number assigned to our characters upon creation. 3 to 10 store the item numbers of the equipped clothing so the correct information is extracted to determine clothing enhancements and so forth.]
How is this information used? Again we can only guess. There are a several possibilities. Lets assume something like the following: Every time we open up the Status panel a quick database enquiry is performed to determine which enhanced clothing we are wearing, returns the name of the clothing and the enhancement information. This can then be used by that part of the game to display the information to us. When we start combat or use any ability, a similar database query is performed, the same information returned and the enhancement information put to use by that part of the game if it is relevant. Finally the same checks are done when open up the inventory window, change an item of clothing (via inventory window or hotbar) and perhaps one final check is done at the time stability loss is determined. So from that, we know that the information for the 8 clothing slots (7 for males) is used by a lot of areas in the game thus we need to minimise the changes made to ensure as little recoding of those parts of the game as possible.
If there really is a table keeping track of currently equipped items then this makes altering the system easier. If not, this and other suggestions may not be feasible.
So lets get down to business, this suggestion is simple. Create a new table one that mimics the current one (that hopefully exists) for equipped clothing slots. Perhaps looking something like this:
-- Proposed table for enhancement use
1 ID number
2 User_id
3 Hats
4 Glasses
5 Shirts
6 Outerwear
7 Gloves
8 Pants
9 Footwear
10 Stockings
[As you can see, it's a direct mirror of the previous one thus it minimises changes to the current database and the data is stored and extracted from it.]
Where the current checks are in the game for determining which clothes are worn, a new sub check is placed. This will perform the following check:
A - Determine which "enhancement slots" are in use.
For the slots in use:
B - Fetch the enhancement information for items in those slots.
C - Ignore the fetched enhancement information for clothing in the corresponding slots in the inventory window.
D – Apply enhancements to whatever part of the game is requesting them.
For slots not in use:
E – Fetch enhancement information for clothing in the corresponding slots in the inventory window.
F – Apply enhancements to whatever part of the game is requesting them.
For the front end, refer to the included image:
Archived image unavailable: invent.htmlThere is a new button in the Inventory panel (green code) just under the footwear slot. Clicking on this (or using it's hotkey – user configurable) opens up one of the two proposed "RSI Enhancement" windows. The top left window – prototype one – is probably a poor choice for implementation it's a direct mirror of the inventory one, but it has large empty space no longer of use. (Could cause unnecessary graphical slow down). The bottom left window – prototype two – is the preferred window. It’s based on the inventory storage slots, thus it is smaller. Each of the eight slots is clearly marked to show which clothing item fits where.
The enhancements remain on the current clothing items. But that can now be equipped in this new window. This ensures two main things:
-- We know what enhancements are going where (as the current items are being used as reference points)
-- We know we can only equip one type of each item enhancement (only one shirt etc.)
The appearance of our RSI is still determined in the current way, based on the clothing in our inventory clothing slots so that part of the game coding need not change. Clothing placed in the RSI Enhancement slots will not affect our appearance, only the information regarding their enhancements is fetched from the pre-existing database tables and applied in the current manner.
So the only things that are needed to be done for implementation of this system is as follows:
1 create a new table to store the RSI Enhancement equipped item information. (model on existing equipped clothing item table)
2 Modify the current inventory window – add a new button to open the RSI Enhancement window
3 Create the RSI Enhancement window
4 Apply the correct code routines to determine which equipped slots (clothing or RSI Enhancement) to apply the enhanced clothing information from.
5 Create a hot key to open up the RSI Enhancement window [optional]
This should be all that is needed. Of course, the actual setup of the system in use may not be compatible with this suggestion.
}
