When I got The second game I was somewhat disappointed by the lack of new collectible items so I have an idea...

Treasure chest:this item is like the   decoration treasure chests except they can give you 1000 points and it requires a rusty key to open

I'd like to see what some people have to say any any other ideas for items

At first glance I like the idea of more collectable items and not necessarily more types of treasures.

brell wrote on 03.09.2010 at 01:17:45:

At first glance I like the idea of more collectable items and not necessarily more types of treasures.

I do, too... but there's a lot of potential issues with new items depending on what they are. Here are a few questions that would have to be considered for new items.

* Are they functional or non-functional?
* Do they take up spaces in Jack's inventory? If so, how would they be used? How would they be removed from his inventory?
* Are they single use items or multi-use?
* If they are functional, do they create the potential for Jack stucks if they are single-use and required for critical paths?
* Do they destabilize the game? For example something that gave Jack some ability to fly could eliminate the need to work through any land-based puzzles.

I can think of several additional functional items, the problem is that many of them introduce more problems than they would solve.

I have some item-related ideas though....

* I think it would be helpful if Jack had some ability to discard items in a way that he could pick them up again later. Perhaps a chest or closet where he could stash some keys that he doesn't currently need. The chest or closet door would be a special-purpose sprite like a save point. Without this feature, I'd be very wary of any new items that took up space in Jack's inventory.

* I'd like a special trigger rule I could use that detects the presence or absence of an item in Jack's inventory.

* I'd like a trigger rule that checks for the presence of an objectId in a rule (rather than its absence as it can now).

Well it wasent one of the better ideas I had originally I had thought of being able to put items sutch as shields,backpacks,keys and even possibly put some sort of trap in (although that would be somewhat unfair to the player)

And I do like the idea of being able to
discard items good for when you have
keys you don't need

I'll try to think of a good pick-up item

Ps.item that makes you fly??? If that were to be accepted might as well rename jack squirrel boy

negative zero wrote on 03.09.2010 at 06:01:22:

Well it wasent one of the better ideas I had originally I had thought of being able to put items sutch as shields,backpacks,keys and even possibly put some sort of trap in (although that would be somewhat unfair to the player)

Oh... don't get me wrong. I like the idea of more items, it's just that I know from recent experience that dealing with lots of keys + shields can be pretty tricky as it is. When I first read your idea, my mind was spinning on various items like:

quest items: Maybe jack is searching for some special item in the mansion, and although he may be able to find an exit and leave the mansion perhaps he can't truly win unless he finds that item.

I considered functional items the most. Things that could give jack different / temporary abilities, but all of these things seemed too problematic.

Things such as: balloons, shovels, umbrellas/parachutes, flares, springs, waders, crampons, grappling hook and rope. I ruled out all of these things except for flares almost immediately, because of the potentially destabilizing effects and potential for Jack stucks they introduced.

Where would I use flares? In dark rooms it would be nice to have the ability to drop a flare that would illuminate an extremely small portion of that room immediately around the flare, so that as Jack picked up the coin bread crumbs, he might drop something that could be used as an alternative if he were to die before making it through the dark room or to the lantern.

negative zero wrote on 03.09.2010 at 06:01:22:

fly??? If that were to be accepted might as well rename jack squirrel boy

I didn't think it [flying] was a good idea... I was just thinking of different kinds of items, and one of the things that popped in my head was a balloon, that might go up and left or right and have some extreme limitations. It was one of the things I rejected almost instantly. Besides, I like the new platforms better for this sort of travel (especially if the platforms were to follow an invisible track).

Rob Seegel wrote on 03.09.2010 at 06:38:22:

negative zero wrote on 03.09.2010 at 06:01:22: fly??? If that were to be accepted might as well rename jack squirrel boy I didn't think it [flying] was a good idea... I was just thinking of different kinds of items, and one of the things that popped in my head was a balloon, that might go up and left or right and have some extreme limitations. It was one of the things I rejected almost instantly. Besides, I like the new platforms better for this sort of travel (especially if the platforms were to follow an invisible track).

The squirrel jump has already been explored.  Not quite the same as flying, though.

i kinda meant as in flying squirrel  :)

okai i have a new idea for an item.

seeing stone:Its a little orb that allows you to see where ghosts are and creates shadows in the shape of the invisible item activated by a trigger

|included shadowed obj's: keys,moneybags,shields,
backpacks,and monsters|
|excluded shadowed obj's:buttons,levers,moving platforms|
         
I have taken some of what Rob Seegel had said and made this as a little extra info

is it functional or non-functional? -yes

Does it up spaces in Jack's inventory? -no

how would it be used? -automatically goes into effect

How would it be removed from his inventory? -cannot be removed

is it single use or is it multi-use? -multi use

If it is functional, does it create the potential for Jack stucks if they are single-use and required for critical paths? -not required to get past mansion

Does it destabilize the game? For example something that gaves Jack some ability to fly could eliminate the need to work through any land-based puzzles. -does give an advantage but doesent have very devistateing effects

well there you go feedback and comments apreciated.

negative zero wrote on 02.09.2010 at 09:20:31:

Treasure chest:this item is like the   decoration treasure chests except they can give you 1000 points and it requires a rusty key to open

I quite like this idea, because Rusty Keys will *always* only lead to treasure, which is *always* optional (but also required for a high score or 100% completion!).  Make it so that Jack has a slot specifically for Rusty Keys (and can hold as many as he can find in that one slot) so that it doesn't cause inventory problems, and I can't see anything but positives with this suggestion.

The collectable here would be the Rusty Keys, and the treasure would just be a reward that in effect keeps track of how well you've collected Rusty Keys.  You might find a few old treasure chests throughout the mansion, and find four more in the end treasure room...  If you don't have four Rusty Keys at the point, you know you've missed some collectables and can choose to go back and try to find them.

Alan Falcon wrote on 05.09.2010 at 02:26:08:

negative zero wrote on 02.09.2010 at 09:20:31: Treasure chest:this item is like the   decoration treasure chests except they can give you 1000 points and it requires a rusty key to open I quite like this idea, because Rusty Keys will *always* only lead to treasure, which is *always* optional (but also required for a high score or 100% completion!).  Make it so that Jack has a slot specifically for Rusty Keys (and can hold as many as he can find in that one slot) so that it doesn't cause inventory problems, and I can't see anything but positives with this suggestion.

This would end up being a variation of what was done somewhat experimentally with Dr. Demented's Den and yellow keys. They only led to treasure and secrets and were completely optional.

Rob Seegel wrote on 05.09.2010 at 04:07:41:

Alan Falcon wrote on 05.09.2010 at 02:26:08: negative zero wrote on 02.09.2010 at 09:20:31: Treasure chest:this item is like the   decoration treasure chests except they can give you 1000 points and it requires a rusty key to open I quite like this idea, because Rusty Keys will *always* only lead to treasure, which is *always* optional (but also required for a high score or 100% completion!).  Make it so that Jack has a slot specifically for Rusty Keys (and can hold as many as he can find in that one slot) so that it doesn't cause inventory problems, and I can't see anything but positives with this suggestion. This would end up being a variation of what was done somewhat experimentally with Dr. Demented's Den and yellow keys. They only led to treasure and secrets and were completely optional.

Similar, yes.  But more official (and universal).  And rusty keys would stack, and treasure chests would be a specific standardized reward.