[HELP] Many different types of armor, weapons

In my game character can use many weapon types, weapons and armor. Also they are shown on his sprite. So if your inventory says it's Katana in your arms - you see it. If katana is poisonous then sprite is different (could be rough-made katana with green lines or smthg doesn't really matter now). If I want to add new weapon to the game i simply add his stats and image name into ini, put image in the right folder. From now my new weapon can be obtained randomly as a loot from enemies.

The question is - how it could be done? I had some thoughts:

1. Creating different sprite for each weapon (Oh my.., 20 swords - 20 different objects, it's killing me );

2. Creating different animations in one sprite (omg, huge amount of it!!!);

3. Changing sprite of weapon via in-game preload (O.M.G. If i had to choose between 3 or 5 swords it will be painfull. Image Manipulator all-the-way when choosing like "what I prefer more - maces or swords?" And App could crash easily in that case);

Help needed!

2. Creating different animations in one sprite (omg, huge amount of it!!!);

This would be your best bet. In my Opinion in way. You can tie the animation name to a text or list.

Well I have multiple different weapons and armors in my game even though they only have like firing animationg etc. but still it's 1 sprite per weapon and it ain't too bad if you dont have to do really cool animations for all of em

Character has 4 animations, weapon is tailed to his arm so 4 animations too. Total 16 frames for character and every weapon. Could be difficult. I think i need creating new sprite object on runtime via duplicating base weapon sprite, but it's impossible now, only instances which, in this case, useless.

well, maybe using the canvas object with bone tool.I mean, creating different animation via the bone tool,then change the image via the ini.anl load the suited animation for weapon type.

Canvas cant make Saw effect, when we have thorns rotating aroung main blade. Also I make game in pixel-art so thing as bones could be strange to see.

But right now considering about converting game graphics to more hi-res with bone animation - that could solve both game's graphics aesthetics and weapon animation.

Sorry if bothering you, but if someone has a solution please answer. No "Up's" will follow, just once

[quote:3i4pp571]1. Creating different sprite for each weapon (Oh my.., 20 swords - 20 different objects, it's killing me );

2. Creating different animations in one sprite (omg, huge amount of it!!!);

3. Changing sprite of weapon via in-game preload (O.M.G. If i had to choose between 3 or 5 swords it will be painfull. Image Manipulator all-the-way when choosing like "what I prefer more - maces or swords?" And App could crash easily in that case);

That pretty much sums up all the ways to go about it.

Here's a test of method 1, if that helps:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5426011/examples2/multiArmor.cap

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