[Suggestion] New way to treat room requirements

[user42]

Hello *,

Currently we have a discrepancy in the game that isn't nice: Objects that are basicly equal to the ones requested, and mostly can be used by the game entities the same way, are not accepted as fulfilling the room requirements.

Example? Why gladly!
bench, chair, armchair, sofa -> sitting, comfort.
Canteen and holding cell accept only bench, office accepts only chair, staff room accepts only sofa. Nobody actually accepts the armchair...

Now, what's my suggestion? Simple: Instead of requiring the presence of a specific object, require the presence of an object providing a certain service, e.g. sitting, comfort, sleeping, food (vending machine!)

I think that would provide a boost in flexibility that would prove very useful in the long run.

[knoest26]

Would be a nice thing to see and there already is a similar system with the sofachair in the AA-meeting program with alternative equipment.

[user42]

Exactly. The idea basicly is exactly that, only that instead of individually listing all alternatives, you just list the required use, and let object supplying that use be sufficient.

[pderuiter]

+1

[Kal Imist]

Yes Please +1

This could mean a small and lage sofa could be used for the psycologists office

[lugaru]

Yes Please +1

This could mean a small and lage sofa could be used for the psycologists office

Yeah, I already put one in there for esthetic purposes (I always put the psych office adjacent to the infirmary too) so it would be cool if I could meet my requirements in other ways.

Also it opens the door for putting or replacing objects with 'better' objects.

For example in the 'ugrading rooms' thread somebody just mentioned having visitation tables with glass, to prevent contraband. That means with 'laxed' requirements you could have a max security room with only those tables and have it still work as a visitation room.

[Kunovega]

Would be nice if we could also add optional things to rooms and have them get used.

I want to stick a TV, books and various seating in my employee lounge, not just a sofa and drinks machine. More recreational items should either speed up their rest time or make it so it takes longer until they need another rest break

As it is I dont see the employees even use the sofas or the machines anyway. They just kinda mill around and than leave

[cmasta503]

This is a really good idea. It would also aid in the programming of future additions to either the rooms or objects in the game because the programmers only need to reference a category of objects instead of the specific object itself like it is done now.

Imagine when there are so many more objects in the game then there are now and especially if the objects are added via the modding system; it would take a really long time to go through and designate each object to each room zone and If the object were to be added via the modding system then unless you were to mod an already in-game room zone or made a completely new room zone it would be impossible to have the custom object be used not to mention when two mods create objects for the same room zone then the mod files will clash and only one object will be available for the room because the other got overridden.

I think this feature is an essential feature because without it the mod system is not complete in some sense, but then again this is alpha and I'm sure the developers have some sort of idea similar to yours because it just falls completely in order with the modding system and so many other improvements to the game that are likely to come as additions in future updates.

-Cmasta