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(+1)

Hi there!

I hope you're doing well. I wanted to follow up about the tutorial I shared on item manipulation in the inventory system. I want to make sure I’m supporting you effectively.

In the tutorial, I have shownan example of how you can manipulate items. I'm not sure the tutorial may have been too long for your current needs or patience?

You might not have noticed how you could trigger events with items, or maybe you don't have knowledge of how to do that, even though I didn't provide exactly how to give it to a character, but the concept is pretty simple. Maybe you lack experience, or perhaps you were hoping for something more advanced?

Just to confirm, do you need the simplest possible method to give any item to any character in your game?

🌟 My question for you:

If I show you a clear, step-by-step, simple method to assign/give items to characters (no extra fluff), is that enough for your project?

Or would you prefer a full, structured selection system like those found in typical RPGs (with inventory, slots, permissions, etc.)?

I’m here to help! I’ve already got a lot planned ("My plate is full" 😊), but I’d genuinely want to help you:

Option A: Keep it simple, just the core functionality to give any item to any character.

Option B: Build a polished, scalable selection system (RPG-style).

If you choose option A, I can help you immediately. Option B is not possible for me right now because I am already working on a new version of the inventory system, and I will release it to fulfill all the requests I have received so far. Which path would you prefer? Let me know.

Thank you for your response! I did go through the tutorial, and it does make sense, but I think what I was trying to accomplish leans more toward the RPG-Style. I'm currently creating a visual novel dating sim, so my idea is that when the player is given the option to give a gift, the inventory screen will automatically pop up, and the player can select which item they want to give away. I'll be willing to wait until the new version of the inventory system; my visual novel is nowhere near done! Keep up the great work, and thank you again! I'm looking forward to the new system!

Ah, now I understand what you’re aiming for it sounds like a great idea. Typical dating sims staff in inventory systems, but popping up the inventory based on the character is actually super easy. You can call the current inventory if you want, though we don’t yet have a proper selection system. That’s exactly what you need.

The new inventory, however, has tons of options: right-clicking on an item and hover tooltip info popup menu brings up information and also a selection menu where players can use item, eat, drop, or perform whatever action they want. I’m trying to create a sweet spot that fulfills the majority of gameplay needs while keeping things flexible.

The question remains: are you using the typical “Irene-style” variable-based character system, or a custom character class that’s more robust? If not, I highly recommend going with a custom class.

With a custom class, you don’t have to juggle thousands of separate variables, which quickly becomes messy and hard to manage. Instead, everything stays organized in one place, making your code easier to read, maintain, and expand as your project grows.

Just speaking from experience, trust me, you’ll thank me later. Good luck with your project! I’m wishing you the very best. Do whatever feels most comfortable for you.

Itch.io didn't notify me that you responded! I'm so sorry for this late response! I am using the variable-based character system. I admit, it is very messy. I'll definitely look into creating custom classes to clean up my code! Thank you for the advice and well wishes for my project! :D

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No worries about the delay; it happens to me all the time. I’m glad you’re considering my suggestion. Trust me, it’ll save you a ton of headaches and stress as your game progresses and you add more characters, which can get messy. I’ve had lots of requests for character-related features, and I might even upload the entire character system with inventory included if I can find some free time. The new version is quite robust, designed to support all sorts of games, not just dating sims, but also RPGs and more. The good news is I’ll be releasing it very soon, unless some kind of engine bug causes serious problems. The core logic is done, and I’m now working on the UI. Best of luck with your project!

Hey! Just popping in and asking how the new inventory system is coming along? :)

Super excited to release the project, which has grown far beyond its original scope. I’ve added nearly twice the features, turning it into a full-fledged framework that can support any game genre. It’s essentially a brand-new system, and while building it was a blast, there’s a lot to cover. I’ve created a documentation page to break everything down, but rewriting the full tutorial in detail like before feels overwhelming. There is so much to unpack. 

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Oh wow! Seems like you put 200% to the project! I'm so excited and I can't wait to see it released to the public! Do you know when you might release it?  Will it cost anything or will it be free like the other inventory systems you've made? Sorry if I'm pestering, but I'm excited to see the development! 

(+1)

No, it's totally fine. I really enjoy talking about game development; it’s something I never get tired of, and the community's interest motivates me to keep building. The framework itself is super friendly, drag‑and‑drop, and easy to use. The challenge isn’t the learning curve, but the fact that with so many features, people will naturally have questions. Providing support for everyone takes a lot of time, and that’s the main reason I can’t offer it completely free.

That said, if someone is genuinely interested, I’m always open to a “review copy” to talk things through, I’ll happily consider that. I really appreciate the enthusiasm people have shown; it means a lot.

To give you an idea of what this framework covers: it’s built for serious game development, whether you’re making dating sims, RPGs, or other story‑driven titles. It includes all the typical features you’d expect, like inventory systems, menus, tool actions, eating/consuming mechanics, and more. It’s already close to being a complete solution, and because it’s robust, the present status is complete; if there are any missing features, they can be added later without issue.  

Here is a screenshot for more clarity

Oh WOW! There are so many features you've included! A major upgrade from the previous inventory! I know which version I'm getting then! I can't wait to see and experience it all myself! You've done an awesome job so far and I'll be watching out for the notification for when it's out!