Formation, Grouping and Joint Inventory

[MrSpike]

Having played a little too much Kenshi for my own good I have found the few things that I believe may help improve gameplay.

Clearly formations have been mentioned before but I want to expand on a group feature. This would revolve around targetting a number of characters and forming them into a 'group'. whilst in a group troops move at the maximum speed of the slowest member, have a combined inventory to share burden and stay within a certain radius of each other (for sake of realism in loot sharing etc)
This would save time not only choosing individual characters to manualy share load, but also stop the certain sod with athletics + strength that is too high from runing off.
This feature could also be used to divide a large army into corps (which could be nameable?) and make mass tactics easier.
To furter the feature officers of each group / corp could be assigned, and his/her skill level in say 'leadership' could give benefits to group movement speed, carrying capacity, and combat etc.
The idea of a set group feature could save the few things that prevent me wanting large parties in the game - mobility and inventory / equipment management. Fixing one aspect of gameplay to be easier but not taken away from whilst also giving opportunity for more feature ideas to be built within it.
Thank you for your time! I hope this idea can be put forward for concideration.

[zibathy]

I like groups and formations, but I feel there should be a group inventory regardless of whether grouped... and uh... I don't think we'll have armies big enough to require corps... maybe companies but not corps... I'm thinking like max army size would be 500, most likely 200... unless your computer is one of those supercomputers that are used to run simulations of the Big Bang and crap... I mean imagine a 3 faction 200 army FFA. Crazy stuff. However, I do like the concept of everyone running the speed of the lowest member. Just not the weird inventory thing... cause that should all be grouped together anyways. Or at least on a big list (as in non-grid form), and then you could directly alter character inventories (these would be grids), if that makes sense. The list would just be a simpler way of seeing everything as opposed to seeing your whole screen filled with the compilation of grids that make up your squad's inventories.

[MrSpike]

Indeed, I was using the word corps with hope rather than direct expectation I guess :').
I had considered the idea of a full group inventory in a way you described, with each character and item listed. But for continuities sake this could be flawed. having one person left in town to sell everything from everyone's joint inventory would be a exploit. with a group inventory system this could be prevented, the 'teleportation' of gear would ruin realism a tad in this would manner.
However I like the list idea, each character having an individual inventory but being able to cycle through them to select gear from the joint inventory, which uses weight rather than size to also have items in a list form?
as I had mentioned i'd love more ideas to be attributed with this so keep them coming!

[monk124us]

This is a must.. we need formations and grouping,

[RebD]

Well, rather than have a joint inventory, perhaps if you selected a group and than right clicked "loot" it would just show the enemy's loot. From there the player right clicks the items they want to loot and that item is automatically put into the inventory of the fastest player that has room to carry it.

It solves having to work out which player you want to carry which items and the current micro we have to put up with to loot without creating a giant inventory which can be exploited by using one character to sell everyones stuff, even if they're not actually at that town.

[iSuck345]

I support this idea, and I gotta admit: a FFA in a 200 fight wold be a disaster for low-quality computers who can barely afford to support Kenshi.

I have a question about formations though: are you also talking about like square formation, parade, spearhead, diamond, triangle, skirmish, etc.? Because thoose could REALLY turn the tide of the battle, and they can be deadly.

[iSuck345]

I support this idea, and I gotta admit: a FFA in a 200 fight wold be a disaster for low-quality computers who can barely afford to support Kenshi.

I have a question about formations though: are you also talking about like square formation, parade, spearhead, diamond, triangle, skirmish, etc.? Because thoose could REALLY turn the tide of the battle, and they can be deadly.

[Endregon]

+1 to the groups, what I would like to add to this idea though is maybe some kind of indication when a certain group is under attack, so that you can actually send a caravan to a city to trade without having to switch between your own city and the caravan the whole time to check that they are not under attack.

[Bancheis]

I disagree with the group inventory personally. I think the inventory system is fine the way it is. Instead of worrying about people being slowed down by heavy loads, you should just train up a very strong fellow with a large traders backpack. I have 2 of them, generally I use my engineers for this job. Their strength is naturally high already, and makes it easy to train them to be pack mules. This way anything that is not being used by your squad is thrown into the backpack. Train them up by having them fight with heavy weapons, and carrying packs full of stuff from one point to another. If you have 2 outposts, have guys in both and send the engineer back and forth while carrying a lot of stuff. Might be worth it to use an outpost and then a town, so the town guards will protect a single guy sitting there, maybe checking the shops periodically.

I am sure groups will be implemented. Originally there was a menu option for squads on the map screen, so that is your best sign there.

[kain_lei]

A group inventory sounds good if I'll never have to split the group up. But I will, and that process sounds complicated. Who gets what item? If I have to do it myself, what's the difference between distributing the items individually in the first place?

An attack notification is a great idea. I think it's been discussed before, just search "attack notification." I'll give my thoughts on it nonetheless. There should be an icon in a corner of every character's portrait box; a sword for combat, a dude standing or sitting for idle, a guy running for in motion, speech bubble for conversation. Something like that. It would really help with party management, so that I wouldn't have to constantly look at all of my guys to see if they've stopped working for some odd reason, if my trader is getting attacked, ect.