Blocks and Devices wish list

Discussion in 'Suggestions' started by Siege Inc., May 27, 2017.

  1. Gillwin

    Gillwin Lieutenant

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    Lol I had not noticed they were airtight. Which is funny as the new o2 reservoir is basically a solid block now and it is not airtight
     
    #621
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  2. IndigoWyrd

    IndigoWyrd Rear Admiral

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    I discovered this as soon as these were available, as my first thought was "These would make an excellent ventilation system!", built a base, rigged the air system, thought it looked amazing, ran an O2 check, and sure enough, not a molecule passed through the duct work. Tore out all the neat new blocks, rebuilt the duct work the way I'd done so previously using half-height and thin blocks, had air everywhere.

    Largely has to do with how the grid system was implemented here - a block is a block, be it 1x1 pixel, or a full square block. Maybe some day they'll sub-grid blocks and we will be able to do amazing things... maybe they won't.

    But I'm darn sure they could fix these "tube" blocks, at least as far as air flow is concerned, so the "hole" ends are not air-tight.
     
    #622
  3. IndigoWyrd

    IndigoWyrd Rear Admiral

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    On the subject of Wishlist items, this might actually be a pretty easy one:

    We have all manner of blocks. We have a good selection of ramps.

    We do not have, and could well benefit from: Ramp Blocks.

    That is, a Block shape with a Ramp built in.

    This is one part aesthetics, one part just plain practical. How?

    When building an entrance to a ship, where a Docking Ramp doesn't fit so well, either because it is too large, or as is often the case, too short to reach the ground, ramps work quite nicely. However, they can be a sort of unsightly thing, sticking off our ship. A block with a built-in ramp would take cf this issue.
     
    #623
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  4. dichebach

    dichebach Captain

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    All fine, except . . . I think there is one thing I don't like about their system: the blocks.

    In the real world we have fighter aircraft and we have corvettes, roughly equivalent to what you are describing as "SV" in game. We have big bomber/tanker/freighter aircraft (B-52 or Tu or whatever) and we have aircraft carriers (equivalent to CVs).

    The plates, rivets, welding, pipes, wiring, ducts, machines, etc. used in these two categories of real world ships are for all intents and purposes identical. Obviously the bigger vessels just use more of each, and/or different varieties and are required to use different architectures to insure their constructions are sound. But an aircraft carrier is not "made out of 2m blocks" whereas a corvette is "made out of 0.6m blocks."

    This artificial imposition does more to harm creativity than any single factor I think. CVs should be bigger because they NEED TO BE BIGGER to perform the functions they need to perform, not because they are built out of bigger blocks. Bigger devices is one thing, bigger blocks is something else entirely . . .

    My suspiscion is that this big block = CV and small block = SV thing is a left over from a mindset from the earliest days of development, back when they probably had in mind the possibility that SVs and CVs would be much more functionally distinctive than they have evolved to be (e.g., CVs not being able to enter atmospheres, or SVs not being able to have things dock to them, or not having certain devices). I seem to recall that neither HVs nor SVs had many of the blocks which they now have (medic, clone, constructor, etc., though the specifics are murky in memory).

    At this point we have two "classes" of vehicle with very few functional distinctions (different warp ranges and the absence of certain larger devices) which are primarily different in the size of the blocks used to build them; that is how I see it at this point.

    I honestly think the game would be better if basically the big blocks were jettisoned entirely (except for bases), though it is probably far too late for that.
     
    #624
  5. IndigoWyrd

    IndigoWyrd Rear Admiral

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    I get where you're coming from, but I don't agree - Function and focus are not derived from block sizes. These are derived from design.

    If you design a CV with a warp drive, 4 container controllers and 200 Container Extensions, no weapons, and a lot of thrusters, you've made a dedicated Freighter. Its function is to haul large amounts of cargo from one place to another.

    Now, if you tried to do the same with an SV:

    1. You may not even be able to get it off the ground. (M/V active)
    2. You can still only jump it 15 AU. Anything beyond this, you simply cannot reach

    So already there are functional differences built in to these.

    You can place a Mobile Constructor on an SV. Now, try to build an Artillery Turret. How about a Warp Drive? A Base Starter Block?
    The mobile constructor is extremely limited in what it can produce (almost to the point of useless, but that's a different matter).

    Do the same with a CV - you can place Advanced Constructors and produce any items that can be Constructed.

    Again, functional differences.

    Now, here comes a big one:

    Strap a Laser Drill to your SV.

    You can't do it. There's no Harvest Collector Controller either.

    You can do it with a CV or an HV though.

    How about a Multi-tool?

    HV can do it. CV can do it.

    Let's try this: Take your CV and fly over a Zirax Missile Base at take it out.

    That didn't turn out so good. CV weapons (with the exception of Cannons, Miniguns and Sentry Guns) do not work on planets. SV and HV will have much better results here. Again, functional differences built in by default.

    Again, I do get your point - steel plates and concrete slabs are steel plates and concrete slabs. Rivets and bolts are rivets and bolts. But you wouldn't build an aircraft carrier out of aircraft aluminum any more than you'd build an aircraft out of steel-reinforced concrete, any more than you'd install a CNC Lathe on a yacht, or luxury cabins on a tug boat.

    Now where I will agree with you is that there is not yet enough distinction between vessel classes or incentive enough to really build specialized vehicles. CPU is a start, but CPU alone is not enough CPU establishes the upper limits for how many gadgets a Swiss Army Vehicle can have, but there are no real pros or cons to constructing highly focused vessels at this point.
     
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  6. Chaiban

    Chaiban Ensign

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    What about extra world placable items like the survival constructor but for early, mid and even late game use?

    Here are some ideas I have for this:
    Laser fence posts that can be linked to a base and each other.
    Point defense guns on tripods sorta like the sentry turret.
    Transfer cables for power, fuel, O2 etc so you could have a solar power base that powers a main base remotely.
    Small area effect shield generator.
    Field medic station.
    Field repair station.
    A vehicle lifter or antigravity device (this would be good on bases too) to raise ships, tanks etc off the ground while building/working on the bottom of them.
    Placable waypoint/becons would be useful for if/when we get useful NPCs.
    World placable containers like backpacks and coolers.
    Drone/wifi range extenders.
    Planter pots.
    Portable power generator.
    Portable solar panels.
    Portable batteries.
    Cameras, sensors and detectors.
    Anti-radiation device.
    Atmosphere harvester to pull resources from the atmosphere over time.
    Portable land claim.
    Ladders.
    Claymore mines.
    Portable stove.
     
    #626
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  7. Leftcoast

    Leftcoast Lieutenant

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    Sweet ideas.

    Expanding on that, some kind of vehicle lifter would be sweet for bases, especially if certain versions were also usable as vehicle elevators in bases.
     
    #627
  8. Beasthammer

    Beasthammer Commander

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    Can you please explain me why HV stuff supports your argument? While it uses same blocks as SVs? In Space engineers Keen did this first, forced players to use those damn clunky and bugged as hell ground vehicles too... For me i use only HVs when an AA turret is mounted on a POI because im forced to! Lets be honest drilling with HV is plain stupid, clunky and bugged as hell. They couldn't fix them in the past few years... Imagine the time they wasted to fix something which is still unnecessary. Don't get me wrong HVs can be supercool but they are based on an idea which costed a lot more time then it should have.
    Personally i hate those mechanics when someone decides for me what i can do and what i can't... There is volume, there is cpu. Everything is in its place to allow SVs to mine or just multiturret anything... It is simple, if you weight more then your thrust can handle, you are grounded.

    With purpose categories there is a problem: if you develop them too early -> you will have to live with it... It costs time (a lot) and too much waste of energy... (Do you know how many times i tried to drill with HVs? 3-5... during my 600 hours)

    Wishlist for long long waited devices:
    - RADAR for space!
    - 3x3 block gravity gen
    - Wireless remote control for ships!
    - Logical scalable hangar doors (comon if you had the courage to stretch the usually awesome texture on those stupid big ugly doors, you can let us make custom smaller ones too. )
    - Scalable ramps (really? at least try to match with hangar doors in size) you know some of us use hangar doors and ramps together...
    - Ice refinery for space (both oxygen and water)
    - Movement sensor for infantry/critter. (handheld, mountable hv/sv ---> feed to radar)
    - A device that can make actionbars work for HV/SV/CV
     
    #628
  9. RazzleWin

    RazzleWin Rear Admiral

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    Wow I so have to disagree here. The new precision mode for hv drills have gotten a lot better. It's real easy to dig a straight tunnel now. Have a look at my tunnel here https://empyriononline.com/threads/what-did-you-do-in-empyrion-today.2826/page-994#post-384067

    That tunnel is over 1K and with a full load on my hv hauler had no problem in that tunnel after my hv drill dug it out. It even has a few turns in it. Granted you might go 1ms speed:eek: but all you have to do it set the drills to stay on hit W and off you go. Use the arrow keys to turn, go up or down and it's a good transition.

    I have not once had to hop out and fill and flatten the ground to try to get the HV to dig level.
    At least it works great for me now.:)
    Edit: Sorry for going off topic.:(
     
    #629
    Last edited: Feb 1, 2020
  10. Beasthammer

    Beasthammer Commander

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    Yes, you are right, it has became better and better. But the way i see it, it is much more effort to dig a tunnel with a HV instead of just using your hand drill for this purpose. (flatten and fill right?)
     
    #630
  11. RazzleWin

    RazzleWin Rear Admiral

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    Before I would agree with you. But with weight and volume turned on. You really can't carry much with you. So when I take out a POI. I park my HV hauler right under the POI and with remote storage I deconstruct everything right into my hauler and take it all out in one load. Sure beats having to go back and forth carrying out my spoils.
    Any ways it's all about what we like to do as our own play style. Again sorry for off topic.
     
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  12. Khazul

    Khazul Rear Admiral

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    - Radar that works, and can generate a device signal when enemies are in range.
    - A sound block to go with the above to serve as a siren via signals.
    - Teleporter that is placable and works in normal games (including CVs). The destination should be given by device ID for target vessels/structures and so not care where it is at the time.
    - Script block (like those in space engineers, ideally working in the same way using a C# sandbox).
    - And if given the above, pixel access from scripts to LCD screens.
    - Cameras with pan and zoom
    - Factory should be a block. (or multiple blocks that can co-operate to build faster)
    - Bulk recycler - place ship near it and it gets recycled. (or multiple co-operating blocks to recycle faster).
    - A means for lifting a wreck (badly damaged ship, that may no longer have a core) and carrying it back to base for recycling (blocks for CV and SVs needed here - think space engineers landing gear behavior).
    - Fast transit drive - like a jump drive, but jumps to a waypoint rather than another playfield.
    - All retractable thing (turrets in particular) should not leave invisible hitboxes - the hitbox should retract as well so as not to interfere with other block such and landing pads.
    - Long range ore scanner - works on planets and space (or separate block for each). It doesn't have to tell you what the ore is, just exactly where it is.
    - Remote control for ships (add supporting antennas etc if required, also it shooudl be able to act as a simple straight line autopilot).
    - Orbital navigation computer - allow use of planetary waypoints from space so you can travel to orbit over a planetary waypoint. Also adds ability to auto-pilot in orbit around a planet maintaining altitude.
    - Portable turret - 2 classes, one similar to a sentry gun, the other similar to a minigun turret (ie can kill a drone).
    - SV mounted anti-personnel and anti-drone turret, even if the thing only works when the SV is parked and otherwise retracts.
     
    #632
    Last edited: Feb 5, 2020
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  13. cmguardia

    cmguardia Captain

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    1- Is it possible that the repair bay does not wrap the ship with a field? I had some problems with runways and the lights that I put on to signal. I end up removing everything so it doesn't interrupt the area. I know you can texturize and give light to the track, but you can't make a beacon that way. I understand that it must be to prevent collisions but it is annoying anyway.
    2- I would like to see a charging station. A device that delivers energy to what we connect to it, something like the repair bay or in another case that is another device, added to the ship to receive power. One sender one receiver.
    3- This is rather a visual detail. I would like that when recovering a device or a block with the multitool it has a different animation to the damage. When we recover something with the multitool it seems that we are damaging it. It would be more appropriate to see a "recovery" animation, since it ends up in our backpack or passes to a container, the animation should be "aspiration" (I need you to provide some suggestions here). You may see how it "compacts" and approaches the multitool.

    1- Es posible que la bahía de reparación no envuelva a la nave con un campo? He tenido algunos problemas con pistas de aterrizajes y las luces que coloco para señalizar. Termino quitando todo para que no interrumpa el área. Se que se puede texturizar y dar luz a la pista, pero no se puede hacer una baliza de esa manera. Entiendo que debe ser para prevenir colisiones pero es molesto de todas maneras.
    2- Me gustaría ver una estación de carga. Un dispositivo que entregue energía a lo que conectemos a él, algo como la bahía de reparación o en otro caso que sea un dispositivo más, agregado a la nave para recibir energía. Uno emisor uno receptor.
    3- Este es mas bien un detalle visual. Me gustaría que al recuperar un dispositivo o un bloque con la multiherramienta tenga una animación diferente al daño. Cuando recuperamos algo con la multiherramienta pareciera ser que lo estamos dañando. Sería mas acorde ver una animación de "recuperación", ya que al fín termina dentro de nuestra mochila o pasa a un contenedor, la animación debería ser de "aspiración" ( necesito que aporten alguna sugerencia aquí). Quizas ver como se "compacta" y se acerca a la multiherramienta.
     
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  14. Track Driver

    Track Driver Rear Admiral

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    I can't find that precision mode you mentioned. I have the T2 laser drills and they did a fair job of tunneling thru the side of a mountain, but were pure CRAP drilling down into the surface as is usual for mining operations.

    As far as I'm concerned, a small SV with drill modules is the proper drilling rig as its orientation is not affected by terrain. I know we can now use HVs in space; still, SV would be the proper choice there, too. I've heard the argument that it would diminish the usefulness of HVs. Then there should be clear-cut techniques to rectify HV subterranean instability. JMO.
     
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  15. RazzleWin

    RazzleWin Rear Admiral

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    I use left shift plus o. It has to be the left shift. The far right icon in the lower right will brighten up. It the one next to the drill icon.
    Anyways hit the combo and try your controls then using the arrows to tilt your nose down and then start digging.
    Enjoy :D

    Edit to correct spelling
     
    #635
    Last edited: Feb 8, 2020
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  16. Track Driver

    Track Driver Rear Admiral

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    Thanks. It works pretty well. Until now, I didn't know there was a drill icon! It doesn't change my opinion, but it is a definite improvement.
     
    #636
  17. RazzleWin

    RazzleWin Rear Admiral

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    I'm glad I could help some. Wasn't trying to make you change your mind. Just wanted to show, you did have more control. If you don't mind 1 ms speed :eek:
    1 K distance is at least 3 to 4 cups of coffee for me:D
     
    #637
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  18. Khazul

    Khazul Rear Admiral

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    1. Can we please have a single block that combines the function of the switch (Lever) with two LCD projectors (one for each state of the switch, pre-assigned to be enabled in the on and off states respectively). Too many times I am placing a lever and two projectors which consume a lot of real estate, not to mention the multiple fiddly setups required.

    2. Can be also have a variation this is the equivalent of the small floor standing console deco that people often use reverse for mounting a switch on its back. Just make a switch that is on a floor mounted column and that combines a pair of LCDs, or some other means of reflecting state enum words (on/off, open/closed etc) in a single LCD.

    3. Also, can a bunch of pre-defined signals be created that each reflect the states of the main (1st column) control panel switches so that we may combine the master switch state with our own signal logic.

    4. Can the right column of signal names (P panel) be allowed to share signal name with levers such that both the lever and the switch here remain in sync.

    5. Can we bulk assign signals via the group rather than having to select every item in the group and assign the signal individually.
     
    #638
    Last edited: Feb 17, 2020
  19. RazzleWin

    RazzleWin Rear Admiral

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    With the whole new docking system in place I would like to see a new docking block that can take the whole place of a block.
    Right now if we want a docking clamp on a HV to dock it to side of an SV or CV, we have to add it on the outside of the HV making it one block wider or taller.

    I would like to see a new docking clamp that can be built flush to my craft. This way I don't add it to the outside increasing the size of the craft.

    If the whole block is a docking clamp then you can add it to your craft on all 6 sides. So all 6 sides can look like a docking clamp surface. No rotation involved when placing it.
     
    #639
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  20. Overgetter

    Overgetter Ensign

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    Please allow to place more than one object or element in one Block. So there is no more need for prebuild corners. Just place two walls right to each other and u have your corner. Why reduce the usage of place.
    Look to Ark. U can place as much structures in one square as u want. This would solve so many construction problems. This current system makes such a waste of place and is the reason for so many problems.
     
    #640
    Last edited: Feb 18, 2020

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