SDL Sprite Customization

Question

I am currently working in C++ with SDL2. I plan on making a game that utilizes character visual customization. More specifically, equipping clothes and items changes the appearance of characters. However I don't know how to approach this situation. With that being said, how would I achieve this character customization in SDL2?

Right now I have two ideas...

1. Create a sprite sheet for every possible combination.( Way too much time).
2. Break the sprite into different rects to draw each article of clothing or item. (Not sure if this is efficient)

Answer 1

Choose the second option. This way you will only have the necessary parts images, which will reduce the number of assets that would probably be huge with so many specific combinations, thus leaving the final set of your game much smaller and with fewer assets to load.

And to program, use switch/case rather than if/else. Here is why. (summarizing: switch / case has more performance when it comes to many conditions)

For example:

enum Outfit
{
    HELMET,
    ARMOR,
    AXE,
    // ... bunch of enums
};

void insert_clothing(const Outfit& piece)
{    
    switch(piece) {
        case HELMET:
            // ..
            break;

        case ARMOR:
            // ..
            break;

        case AXE:
            // ..
            break;

        // ... bunch of cases

        default: std::cout<<"Non-existent enum"; break;
     }
}

void remove_clothing(const Outfit& piece)
{
   // Same thing, only changing the case definition
}

And when you call the functions, call using the piece you want to wear on/remove from the character:

void f()
{
   insert_clothing(HELMET);
   insert_clothing(ARMOR);
   remove_clothing(HELMET);
}