I was planning to keep more details private so that you guys can discover it in-game but I guess I just have to give some more info so that you guys can have a more grasp of the project.
Let me just make this first clear. No, the systems are not really that complicated to use.
Equipment and Inventory System:
You can open the equipment system by using an ability. This will open a multiboard with a very easy controls to navigate the system.
The controls are:
Arrow Keys - To navigate the system
E - To equip and unequip equipable items
O - To exit the inventory system
D - To drop an item
T - To change if you want an item to be directly send to the custom inventory system or to the default inventory. If the items are placed in the default inventory system you can just simply right click to it(like when you're trying to drop it) and then just drop it in the "bag" item that is in your inventory to put it in the custom inventory.
Judging from the description, I think it's unneccesary convoluted. Especially that part about actually having two inventories, one for usable items and the multiboard inventory. If a system isn't self-explanatory, then it's per se not a good design. For example, that dragging items on the bag dummy item in the hero inventory. Not many players like to read explanations of how things work. And this is one of those mechanics that are unintuitive, as you are used to be able to swap items by doing that.
If you want a more usable design, you should settle for only one of the two: using the default inventory or using only the multiboard and disabling the default inventory. Both mechanics together feel clunky.
As an example on how to improve this: you could make it that the inventory can be opened via the minimize button of the inventory (and that also enables the arrow key navigation; it's possible to get a minimize event from that; I use the minimize button to toggle between two types of multiboards).
It feels more intuitive, as you are using a default mechanic that doesn't have to be explained.
Second example: usable items. There is no need to add them to a hero inventory. Just leave them in the multiboard inventory and assign hotkeys to those usable items. Or just add a health potion button to the heroes command card.
Exiting the inventory should happen just by clicking the minimize button.
Custom Stat Modifier
Is this the one you guys saying that is complex?
Its only like this:
STR gives additional physical damage, hp, hp regeneration, critical damage, blocking chance
AGI gives additional attack speed, evasion rate, critical chance
INT gives additional mp, mp regeneration, magic power
I see no problems with this. Beware of the power creep, though. Agi tends to be overpowered, as it boosts both defense (evasion) and offense (attack speed and crit chance).
Choices and Two Different Endings are pretty much self explanatory. This doesn't really give the game a replay value since this doesn't really affect the structure of the story telling other than having different result for the quest you're doing.
Example:
After finish a quest you're given to different answers to choose from:
A1: Say thank you.
A2: This isn't enough, you have to give me more.
Choosing one will end the quest while the second answer might result to:
The quest giver will give you more and you will receive -1 reputation, the quest giver will be pissed and fight you and will result to that character's annihilation(do not worry, no major characters will be part of this abomination) and you receive -1 reputation or the quest giver will just reply to you angrily and you'll receive -1 reputation or the quest giver will you an item that you can only get from doing this but you'll receive -1 reputation.
I'm not a huge fan of morality system if there's just "good" and "bad". It kinda creates the Mass Effect problem where you always pick the answer that benefits your morality score, instead of chosing the answer that makes sense to you, as a player (resulting in players going "wow, I'm a renegade, but this option is outright asshole!" but select it anyway because max renegade gives bonuses).
Better would be to make it a system that works on cause and effect with no scores involved at all. Bonus if certain quests don't even show immediate effects, but have a long-term effect on the game. Like you kill that evil NPC and won't meet him again in the next town, where he would have seeked redemption if you hadn't killed him.
This is just more like a gambling thing and having too much negative reputation will result to a bad ending at the end of the game.
Feels very one-sided then, as everyone will obviously pick the good choice or min/max exploit the system by taking one good, one bad to maximize profits.
About the color being part of the gameplay and narrative. Yes it will. In the story, people doesn't know what colors are and you see the world the way they do. In the gameplay, see the "Special" slot in the equipment system? This is for special item that you will get early in the game and this will help you on many scenarios. The item will give you the ability to see different colors but you can only see on at a time(you have to switch by opening the spell book and using the ability). As you keep progressing you will keep getting more colors.
An example of a scenario where you can use this item:
A puzzle where you will be given a hint and you have to reorder objects that have different colors and the catch is you see things in black and white. So you have to use the abilities to see the colors.
For the overall scale of the story. It will be more character driven while the mystery as to why everything is black and white will be uncovered bits by bits.
I see this project like a piece of paper. This black and white idea just gives so much possibility for the project.
This is what you should focus on! It's a great concept and will probably give your project more attention than any convoluted inventory system.
If you want my opinion: scrap the whole inventory idea and go with the default inventory. 6 items to carry is more than enough for:
- a headgear
- a weapon
- a shield
- an armor
- 2 usables
There's no real reason why a story-driven RPG needs more equippables than that. Instead of making more item classes, create a bigger item pool and variations of items to allow actual choices in items.
If you really need extra space for more items, just add a sidekick unit to follow you around, like a mule or familiar or something. Bonus points if you can even make that sidekick a major part of the story. Like for example a small girl that is able to see the world in full colors and she follows you around in order to solve that mystery. Just avoid the sidekick making things frustrating by making it vulnerable to attacks. Nobody likes escort missions.
