Bug during modding

[Pfhoenix]

First, I love this game. I downloaded the demo, played it for two days straight, then I bought the full version. To the makers : kudos, excellent work, and a job well done.

I've been toying with ship stats, and I came across a very consistent, and annoying bug. I can set a ship's cargo to any number I want, but if I have 20 items in my ship's cargo, and I try to put one more in (increasing the number in cargo above 20), crash goes the game.

Is the cargo space limit hard-coded to 20? Perhaps a literal value snuck in somewhere. Either way, this crash is 100% reproducible.

- Pfhoenix
http://mep.beyondunreal.com
http://adeo.pfhoenix.com

[Fingers]

Correct. The maximum cargo hold size is 20.

[Pfhoenix]

I see that. My next question is "Why?". From a modder's perspective, such an arbitrary line sets inherent limitations on what I can and can't do, for something that doesn't require said limitation in order to work (or does it?).

[James Sterrett]

It forces an upper limit on how much stuff you can bring back, increasing the value of certain allies and peridocially forcing the player to make decisions about taking the time to establish a loot dump or ditch something nice to make room for something nicer.

[Pfhoenix]

Of course it does all that. For the original game, that's desired.

However, from a mod perspective, what if my mod balance goes beyond the original game? The question here isn't one of "what's best for the original gameplay experience". I really think Digital Eel folks did a great job with that. The question is of "Why are modders force to the same gameplay limitations, when such limitations don't have to be so?"

Ideally, a game engine wouldn't hard code ANY number in such a case. Especially not one that's intending to be modded by 3rd parties.

[Fingers]

Modding is about working with the engine and its limitations. All games and game engines have them. To avoid such limits you need to program your own game or engine - probably imposing new limitations in the process since we don't live in an ideal world.