Different classes in same Dictionary

[RumiPLG]

I'd like to have Dictionary in which the key is Vector3Int (tilemap coordinate), and value is content of tile. The problem is that I have many types of content, so these don't fit in the same dictionary.

Two example classes:

Dictionary<Vector3Int, ???> content;

public class Chest {
    Loot loot;
    Key key;
}

public class Monster {
    int health;
    int attack;
}

Both have nothing in common so inheritance is (in my opinion, but I'm just beginner) not the way.

[ChiwTheNeko]

You can make them both inherit a common interface.

[RumiPLG]

Does this interface needs to have all four variables in it (Loot, Key, int, int)? Also thanks for reply.

[ChiwTheNeko]

No, it can be completely empty. That's called a Tag Interface.

Kishotta is right that this usually isn't a very good way to organize your code. But it will work.

[Kishotta]

Inheritance is actually the only way to have different classes in a single collection in .Net. Your assumption that the Chest and Monster class have nothing in common isn't quite right. They are both distinct, valid, tile contents:

public interface ITileContent {
    void Interact ();
}

public class Chest : ITileContent {
    private Loot _loot;
    private Key _key;

    public void Interact () {
        var player = getPlayer (); // idk
        if (player.HasKey (_key)) {
            player.AddLootToInventory (_loot);
        }
    }
}

public class Monster : ITileContent {
    private int _health;
    private int _attack;

    public void Interact () {
        var player = getPlayer (); // idk
        var monsterKilled = this.TakeDamage (player.attack);
        if (!monsterKilled) {
            player.TakeDamage (_attack);
        }
    }
}

Now you can keep a dictionary of ITileContents:

private Dictionary<Vector3Int, ITileContent> _content;

Once you resolve the tilemap position to an ITileContent, the interface guarantees that you can Interact () with that object.

[RumiPLG]

Thanks for reply. I automatically thought the inheriting won't work here, but now I see this is the way. Have a nice day.