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    Your Elvenar Team

A better way to approach inventory (non-game breaking)

DeletedUser6059

Guest
I read earlier that InnoGames has NO intention of ever doing inventory (for storing buildings while rearranging the city.) It was stated that it would ruin one of the main challenges of the game (space management and strategy thereof.) How about, instead of approaching it as an alternative to game play, you make it something long and hard earned, and fun to unlock?

It could be a mid or later tier research branch of it's own. The first unlock opens a minimap UI with a greyed out 9x9 grid. The second unlock opens the top 3x3 square. You could then take up to 3x3 in builds and store it but only while in move mode. If you close move mode with something in your inventory it either places it back where you picked it up from, or it prevents you from closing the mode until you have properly dealt with placing it. This would prevent your issue with just being able to clear out without loss to make room for new.

The branch would continue until all 9 of the 3x3 squares have unlocked (no player choice, just do it in rows or columns). By this point the player has gone even farther in the game - they would still be researching their other things to progress and that is a barrier to completion of goal too quickly.

Then it's possible that you could have a very end game branch that unlocks the same map size- but for storage. I know what you are thinking but hear me out.

At some point the map is completely unlocked. Progress is - extremely slowed shall we say. But players want to know what's coming next. They want to see what exciting new turns research takes with further updates. They want to be able to continue participating in new events because, new buildings are gorgeous. But also, at some point you lose the joy of gaining items because you simply have no more room and you can't bear to part with something from another season that you WILL want to see in your city the Next time that season rolls around.

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It's like asking people to either buy only one set of decorations for their Christmas tree, Ever - having to keep the tree up Every Day of the year - then not being able to get anything shiny and new next Christmas because you also have other holiday decorations crowding your house and there just isn't anyplace left for anything anymore!

Your game is not just strategy and challenge, it's also beauty. Your artists would not take so much time making such perfectly lovely, tiny "living" works of art otherwise.

So after a while of "working" at the game, players want to be able to also "play" with their digital dollhouse cities. In that vein, I see it as nothing but a boon to the longevity of the game if you remove a source of disgruntled disappointment (participate and get new shiny but delete old things I love, or just don't participate) and turns it into a prestige feature of staying in the game and playing actively that long.
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So I envision in the end, maybe another icon to click that sits next to the build button, a blueprint or something- that opens both minimaps for item selection / rearrangement then click through to the move map underneath to place or remove items. One is the temporary 9x9 box with items that can not stay in it, the other is the (extremely expensive to fully unlock) 9x9 storage box.

Heck if you want to really lock it down - make it an "event only" box. So you can't store normal goods or residence or culture buildings in it.


Anyway. VERY long reply short - it could be integrated and greatly enhance the longevity of the game, the lifetime of an average player, and increase your ROI on lead generation costs. (Longer lifetime = more $per player = better return on cost to acquire new players.)
 
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SoggyShorts

Mathematician par Excellence
If the storage area was event only, and a one way ticket while losing the building bonuses id go for it.

That way at least it's exactly the same as deleting an event building, but you get to still see it. Cosmetic only, and no change to the game balance or sliding puzzle challenge,
 

DeletedUser4955

Guest
That's an idea...I would even love having a gallery tab in which you could store "sold" event buildings. I know a big part of the reason I don't want to get rid of these building is just that they so lovely, as was stated. Culture buildings are a much more complicated building system since the don't upgrade. Right now I have a backlog of new event building because I don't want to let go of old ones which are so charming, beautiful, and whimsical. Being able to put them in my own personal gallery where I could "visit" them, (even if I never could use them again) would be a delight. Not unlike having an art collection or trading cards.
 

SoggyShorts

Mathematician par Excellence
I don't want to let go of old ones which are so charming, beautiful, and whimsical.
On a similar note, I'd love it if we could change the appearance of our factories to any level that is the same size. Often we unlock 4 upgrade levels like 16-19, and we rush through them, barely seeing the first few levels. "skins" as such. This might be unpopular, but I'd even like it if it was a premium feature, that way players who don't want to change the balance of the game for themselves can still show support for the dev/graphic team.
 

DeletedUser4955

Guest
I'm with you on that one....I don't think I'm ever upgrading my marble passed (I think it is level 17) the ones with the shovels and the Tron styling...Just love them!
 

DeletedUser9469

Guest
I was thinking of suggesting something similar to this, but after finding out that the puzzle of the game is intentional, I abandoned it. From missing a large amount of events but reading the spoilers on the daily prizes- it looks like occasionally the devs re-release a certain structure. Sometimes better than what you had, sometimes worse. This solves the issue of "Do I keep it, get rid of it, or just not participate". Using the example of the 1 Christmas Tree Ever, you will always have a Christmas Tree, but every so often you replace it with a new one. That doesn't make it any less special. Also, I think this is why we can play in multiple worlds...

Once you hit a point where you cannot realistically progress any further, you have essentially hit "end game". That is a great time to start anew and build a new wonderful city.

Just my thoughts as to why I do not think this idea will come to be. However, it was very well thought out!
 
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