You may want to read part 1 and part 2 before reading this. In this post I will talk about yet another aspect of energy points.
New Item Category: Tools
There is now a new category of items known as tools. Tools are items that you can use from the inventory by selecting them in the inventory just like other items. Tools are (mostly) not one-use, but can be used many times. Many of tools have an Ep cost associated with them. This means that Ep has yet another use. There are many types of tools, and they are quite diverse. Some of previously existing items (e.g., pickaxes, empty bottles and all traps) have been converted into tools.
Old Items
Some items really works better as tools than equipment and/or consumables. Pickaxes are now tools and no longer need to be equipped to be used. Instead you stand next to whatever you want to mine and use the pickaxe from the inventory. Pickaxes now cost Ep to use as well.
Traps now also counts as tools instead of having their own category. Traps don’t cost Ep to use.
The mysterious empty bottle is now also a tool instead of a consumable (it used to be a consumable simply because there were no fitting category for it).
Production Tools
Some tools can produce items or cause effects. I don’t want to mention too much about them, you’ll have to discover them for yourself. But basically they can be used to convert Ep into items and effects.
Containers
You can put items in your satchel
Since you can no longer stash items, and that it is costs Ep to equip items, you really have to think about what you choose to carry in your inventory. If you are lucky you will find containers that effectively increases your inventory size. There are potion belts, scroll cases and various types of bags that you can use to store items. There are also some containers that have special effects. Containers don’t cost Ep to use, but they cannot be used when in combat.
Some Things I Forgot to Mention
I forgot to mention in part 1 that I have removed the requirement on having enough mana to equip an item. The Ep cost is enough. However, the net effect is similar since heavy armour and magic equipment costs quite a lot of Ep. This means that you cannot reliably switch between magic equipment and “fighter” equipment, but now it is now much better communicated.
Really like Tools! It gives a Nethack’s feel that’s really cool.
Please just tell me we could still use Tools (Pickaxe) as weapon when in need!
It could be cool to throw them at enemies as well, if they’re not in the satchel which would be time-consuming to find AND to throw.
Yeah, tools really makes Ep a more interesting resource as well.
Unfortunately no, you won’t be able to equip pickaxes anymore, at least not in #8. I’d like to keep item categories separate for interface and clarity reasons. They were quite bad weapons anyway.
While I like the concept of multi-use items (e.g. using, throwing and equipping pickaxes), it would either have to introduce new keys or new menus and not for too much added value IMO.
But what about my sweet dual wield pickaxe builds! Well, for the first 3 floors…
pickaxe of wounding, was fun too 😀
Ah, had no idea pickaxes were so popular as weapons 🙂 Well, I think in order for the game to grow properly some things has to go. But who knows, maybe they’ll be wieldable again some time in the future…
What’s fun (and popular I guess), is finding creative ways to use what we have.
If that imply using Pickaxes for fighting so be it! 🙂
when is this new version coming out?? i’m so excited!!!
Me too 🙂 It should be out soon now. I am still polishing and testing but I don’t dare to set a date yet. But I would say in no longer than one month.