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Equipment Based Logic - On Equip

Explore the creative possibilities of triggering logic with equipment using the Collectable component.

EQUIPMENT: ASSETS vs NFTs

  • Equipment provided in game must be collected and worn to send an On Equip message.

  • To trigger logic in this guide with NFTs a player owns (which offers exclusive gameplay):

    • Trigger with NFT Sensor component's Success message instead of On Equip

    • Modify the narrative to be about owning rather than equipping items found in game

ABOUT MESSAGE ON EQUIP

NO UNEQUIP MESSAGE Currently there is no "On Unequip" message option. Design your Experience logic to avoid broken immersion if the player removes equipment, which WILL NOT send a message.

GAMEPLAY FLOW

1. Get Equipment Item(s)

  • Beginning equipment (must be collected, not applied to avatars at start via Spawn Point)

  • Receive from an NPC (e.g., for a quest)

  • Discover via hints and exploration

  • Buy/trade/craft with resources

  • Item Drop when an enemy dies

2. Equip to Trigger Logic

Use On Equip Message

  • One equipment item required

  • Communicates one time with other logic (e.g., launch a quest)

Use On Equip Message(s) + Event Count & Check Setup

  • One or multiple equipment

  • Communicates many times check if item(s) were ever equipped (e.g., new skill unlocked)

Event Count & Check

  • Count any number of events (e.g., equipment worn, player deaths, etc.) one time each

  • Compare this count to a goal amount

  • Optional: Check the state of the goal (met or not) for continuous use (e.g., unlocked skill)

Currently this method will not count Quests.

3. Experience Outcome(s)

WORLD/GAMEPLAY

Simple or Complex Trigger

Complex Trigger

PLAYERS

Simple or Complex Trigger

Complex Trigger

WORLD/GAMEPLAY

Unlock NPC Interactions

Wear equipment to make NPCs recognise player identity, unlocking dialogue and gameplay.

Use cases: Reveal player identity in narrative, access gameplay under disguise, etc.

Start: Initially, NPCs refuse to talk to the player or hint at needed equipment.

Gameplay Steps

  1. Get Equipment: Discover via hints/exploration or receive from an NPC for a quest

  2. Hint: Learn what the equipment is/does and how to equip it

  3. Equip Item(s): Open Inventory and equip required assets (one or multiple items)

  4. Hint: Return to the NPC and talk again

Outcome: Trigger unlocked dialogue. This could be set up to grant access to a restricted area, open a door, offer a new quest, etc.

Trigger Unique Quests

Wear equipment to unlock information that will trigger a quest to begin.

Use cases: Puzzles, mysteries, translation, etc.

Start: When the player interacts with something interesting, they learn that they are unable to read/understand it without certain equipment.

Gameplay Steps

  1. Get Equipment: Discover via hints/exploration or buy/trade/craft

  2. Hint: Learn what the item is/does and how to equip it

  3. Equip Item(s): Open Inventory and equip the asset

  4. Hint: Return to try interacting with the original item

Outcome: The equipment allowed the player to complete or read some text, narrative, small puzzle, or map, so a quest is unlocked. This may lead the player to a hidden location or unlock other gameplay.

Trigger Unique Interactions

Wear equipment to unlock new ways to interact with items or engage with the game world.

Use cases: Use tools for specified actions, carry heavy or special items, etc.

In multiplayer Experiences, each player can have a unique gameplay experience based on the equipment they find and use.

Start: When the player interacts with an object, they learn that they need certain equipment to interact with the item to complete a task.

Gameplay Steps

  1. Get Equipment: Discover via hints/exploration, buy/trade/craft, or receive from an NPC

  2. Hint: Learn what the item is/does and how to equip it

  3. Equip: Open Inventory and equip the asset

  4. Hint: Learn that the equipment has unlocked what needs to be done using it

Outcome: The player may now complete a task using the equipment. This may a one time action, a repeated task, or a series of tasks as part of a process (e.g., manufacturing a product).

It may also lead to buying equipment that is more powerful/faster to complete the task/process, which is common in a Resource Management game.

Avoid Hazards

Wear equipment to prevent detection by enemies or a state where significant harm/death would occur.

Use cases: Avoid damage from environmental dangers (gas trap, radioactive area, deadly rainstorm, pass through fire, etc), sneak, wear a disguise, etc.

Start: The player sees or learns of a dangerous hazard or obstacle to overcome and gets visual clues to figure out what equipment is needed. Seeing health drained or being spotted by a low level monster players can survive against are natural ways to explain the situation.

Gameplay Steps

  1. Get Equipment: Beginning equipment (collectable, not via Spawn Point), discover via hints/exploration, given by an NPC, or buy/trade/craft

  2. Hint: Learn that the item prevents harm/death or detection and how to equip it.

  3. Equip: Open Inventory and equip the asset

  4. Hint: Learn that the player is now protected and can proceed safely.

Outcome: The player can safely overcome the hazard and continue their quest or adventure. This could lead to access to new areas to escape to a safe place.

Toggle Between States

Wear equipment to swap between two different states.

Use cases: Change view, world state, gameplay state, etc. to access new puzzles, find clues, trigger new quests, access hidden areas, etc.

Start: The player has no way of progressing on a quest, in the game world, etc. and are hinted that they need specific equipment to switch between different states.

Gameplay Steps

  1. Get Equipment: Discover via hints/exploration, given by an NPC, or buy/trade/craft

  2. Hint: Learn that the equipment toggles between states and how to equip it

  3. Equip: Open Inventory and equip the asset

  4. Hint: A pop-up message or NPC explains which keys/mouse buttons trigger the different states (view, world, gameplay, etc.)

Outcome: The player can now explore previously inaccessible gameplay to complete new quests, hunt enemies, reveal clues/items, find new areas, open doors, trigger platforms, etc.

PLAYERS

Enhance Player with Equipment Attributes

Wear unique equipment that is designed to modify the player's base stats to increase performance.

Use cases: Power to deal more attack damage, Defense to reduce damage when attacked, Speed to increase movement rate, or any combination.

BUY OR CREATE EQUIPMENT You can buy and test equipment NFTs from the Marketplace or create custom assets with VoxEdit for use in your own Experience without minting.

Start: The player discovers equipment which has certain Attributes. This may not be known until it is equipped.

Gameplay Notes

  • Equipment with Attributes can be integrated into logic the same way as common assets.

  • Be sure to emphasize the strengths of the equipment to the player.

  • Gradually provide new equipment with stronger attributes to signify player growth.

  • Consider how to balance gameplay so the game can be completed with default equipment or so the player will definitely be able to use stronger equipment if difficulty increases.

Injure or Curse the Player

Wear equipment to dynamically cause a negative effect on the player, prompting real time reaction.

Risk & Reward: helpful items have a negative effect, items have only positive or negative effect, etc.

Use cases: infection/poison, lost vision, hallucinations, confusion, intense hunger, blocked skill, etc.

CUES & COHESIVENESS

Match the tone of your world well with the outcomes players may experience and provide visual cues (e.g., curse: glowing VFX, infection: rusty blade). This makes players feel safe to explore when risk is low or make choices strategically when risk is high.

Start: The player comes across equipment that they can collect, pick up, etc. without negative effect. However, there may be some indication that it could be dangerous to wear. If the player never equips the item, the negative effect remains a mystery.

Gameplay Steps

  1. Hint: Visual cues (e.g., VFX) or NPC dialogue hint that equipment is harmful, but powerful. Equipment with no cues or benefit only suit difficult games with similarly beneficial items. Note: If there's no way to remove the effect, communicate it clearly and make the equipment's benefit more powerful as a worthy trade-off. Examples: - Drains health, but has a very high Power Attribute for attacks - Reduces vision, but heightens player senses to detect enemies sooner - Injures the player once, but allows them to heal teammates for a limited time

  2. Get Equipment: Collect, buy, etc. if choosing to risk a negative effect

  3. Equip: At any time, the player may open the Inventory and equip the item

  4. Alert: The player notices a change via the HUD (health, poison, etc), spawned enemy, dialogue indicating the change, Post Process Effects (camera), etc.

  5. Hint (if it can be removed): Note: Unequipping can not send a message to trigger this) Examples: - Kill spawned enemy - Find a potion - Equip a holy item - Wear a full set of cursed equipment to cancel it out

Outcome: The player may solve the issue and continue playing normally, or the effect may continue throughout the rest of the game. The game logic could also be designed so the player can re-equip the item (in this case, a timer should be used to cancel the effects).

Trigger Power Ups

Wear equipment to trigger buffs and debuffs on the player once, infinitely, or when triggered by a key or mouse input.

Use cases:

  • Health or Oxygen meters: restore to maximum or reduce

  • Speed (movement), Attack Power, or Damage Resistance: increase/decrease for a short time

  • Set up logic to trigger buffs/debuffs on a timer for extended use needs

See Power Up documentation for detailed use cases. Anything can send Power Up special messages. Use a negative number in the message argument to set a debuff.

Start: The player may struggle to complete a task quickly enough or fully due to health hazards, not enough oxygen, not enough speed to finish in time or jump far enough, or enemies that have a large amount of health or very high attack power. They may even be hinted that equipping a certain item will activate a skill to use on command (with cooldown).

Gameplay Steps

  1. Get Equipment: Discover via hints/exploration, given by an NPC, item drop from killing an enemy, or buy/trade/craft Make the cost of the equipment higher to balance out longer term benefits (earn from a hard quest, spend more to buy/trade/craft it, kill a stronger enemy to drop it, etc)

  2. Hint: Learn the benefit of equipping the item (which may be temporary or long term) and how to equip it, and use different Visual FX to signal how useful or valuable it is

  3. Equip: Open Inventory and equip the asset

  4. Hint: The effects of triggering Power Ups are built into Game Maker with updated health/oxygen meters or visual effects for speed, attack power, and damage resistance, but the player will benefit from a hint of what key to press and how long the cooldown period is if it has long term use with player input

Outcome: The player proceeds with the benefit of the Power Up, but speed, attack power, and damage resistance may have varied durations and triggers.

Trigger Crowd Events

Wear equipment to trigger a Crowd Event for social interaction or cooperative play.

Use cases: Dance party/flash mob, complete a puzzle, etc.

Start: In a multiplayer game, the player learns (through a quest, hint, etc.) that a special item (e.g., dancing shoes) will let them start a dance or complete an action requiring emotes.

Gameplay Steps

  1. Get Equipment: Complete a challenge (e.g., parkour) or quest before other players to unlock NPC dialogue to get the item, discover it in a hidden place, etc.

  2. Hint: Learn what the equipment can trigger and how to equip it

  3. Equipment: Open Inventory and equip the item

  4. (Optional): The player learns another item is needed to trigger the Crowd Event and completes the necessary steps to get it

Outcome: Players follow the flow of the Crowd Event to complete it.

Unlock Player Class/Skills

Wear equipment (optional: also pick up a related item) to enable unique interactions or unlock related skills (singleplayer or multiplayer).

Use cases: Soft class system (e.g., mage, medic, scientist), special team role (e.g., leader, goalie), technological era reached (e.g., iron age, medieval ages, industrial age), social game roles, etc.

Start: Players are informed to wear a full set of equipment to unlock a unique role and skills.

Gameplay Steps

  1. Get Equipment: At game start or between levels, players find items in storage, a shop, etc.

  2. Hint: Learn player roles depending on which each equipment set is worn and how to wear it

  3. Equip: Open Inventory and equip the set of items

  4. Hint: Learn how to use skills related to the role accepted (which may include key inputs) and learn how to get a pickable item that may be needed (e.g., to shoot projectiles)

  5. (Optional): The player picks up an needed item (e.g., blaze staff) to unlock full skills

Outcome: The player can now use skills unique to their role. Other equipment may later be available to grow the player's skills. They could even change to a different role during the game.

Activate Equipment

Complete minor events to activate an equipment item's usefulness.

Use cases: Recharge, repair, upgrade, restore magical power, etc.

Start: The player learns they must complete multiple events to activate and use equipment.

Gameplay Steps

  1. Get Equipment: Discover via hints/exploration, given by an NPC, or buy/trade/craft, dropped from killing an enemy, etc.

  2. Hint: Learn the equipment's use and what events must be completed to activate it

  3. Event(s): Carry out all required actions to activate the equipment, which may include setting it down, gathering materials, using a workbench, etc.

  4. Equip: Collect the equipment again if necessary, then open Inventory and equip the item

  5. Hint: Learn how to use the equipment and what to do if the equipment's use eventually ends (e.g., battery needs charging)

  6. (Optional): If the player must repeat the events to re-activate the equipment later, trigger a notification when the equipment's effects expire with simplified instructions to restore it

Outcome: The player may use the equipment's benefit for the rest of the game, or they may use it for short periods and then re-activate it in cycles.

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