What solution do you use when you have Wedges meeting Wedges?

[AeonAnomaly]

I still haven't come up with a good solution to this. But when you have two wedge sections colliding, what blocks do you use to make it look seamless? Please provide pictures of examples if you can.

Here's an example of what I'm talking about.


I'm actually toying with the idea of making segments where they collide like this into two entities docked together, because then you can have wedge shapes flush up next to one another, but I can't always do that. I would love if we could have two blocks occupy the same location as long as their physical model don't collide with one another, but who knows if that's coming.

 

[karkinosz]

Typically you would have heptas in there but that would cause the two structures to more mold together, which im not sure you want. That and you would end up with little ledges atop of those which kind of disrupts the shape. Otherwise I THINK having hepta then a normal block could also work, again this would change the ship as it impacts the hull though. Im going to try some stuff myself and answer again later.

 

[AeonAnomaly]

As you stated, Heptas have the two parts of the structure sort of meld together, which sometimes is the aesthetic I'm looking for, but in this case I want the orange part to look like it's coming straight out of the ship, like how the flat edges meets the wedges along the side. But when I have Wedges meeting Wedges like that, I haven't come up with a nice solution yet.

Thanks for your testing and input.

 

[karkinosz]

As you stated, Heptas have the two parts of the structure sort of meld together, which sometimes is the aesthetic I'm looking for, but in this case I want the orange part to look like it's coming straight out of the ship, like how the flat edges meets the wedges along the side. But when I have Wedges meeting Wedges like that, I haven't come up with a nice solution yet.

Thanks for your testing and input.

Reading that, this is as close as I can really get as far as I can see. Although I might be wrong. (My mock up is kind of shoddy so ignore that.)

EDIT: The only other method I can see would be to offset heptas by one block on the x-axis. Like so. Which gives the illusion that it's coming straight out of the block.

From what I can tell though, we'd need custom blocks to get the effect you are looking for. That or as you suggested having blocks that intersect eachother.

 

[AeonAnomaly]

Yeah, that's simply not how I want it to look. I want the white wedge section to maintain its sloped look, and the hepta takes away from that shape. It's the same for the orange section as well, I want to maintain its shape, just simply coming out from the ship.

If I'm right, there really is no way around this besides having it be a docked entity, but I was hoping there was something I was missing, and someone had a good solution.

Thanks again for your insight.

 

[karkinosz]

Yeah, that's simply not how I want it to look. I want the white wedge section to maintain its sloped look, and the hepta takes away from that shape. It's the same for the orange section as well, I want to maintain its shape, just simply coming out from the ship.

If I'm right, there really is no way around this besides having it be a docked entity, but I was hoping there was something I was missing, and someone had a good solution.

Thanks again for your insight.

NP, it was fun to try. You'll have to mess about with placing blocks inside other blocks with docking it seems then, good luck.

 

[Lord Daro]

I tend in such cases to let a plane stick out and then make the conection with heptas and tetras.

Spoiler: Example

 

[jayman38]

For places where it is supposed to look like two separate, different-colored "parts" like that, I will do one of two similar design choices:

In both cases, it involves making the mating surface between the two parts a cardinal direction. Otherwise, I find myself fruitlessly fighting the block nature of the game. In this case, I would make the seam vertical.

1. Using heptas, simply create a vertical "wall" in the host element into which the secondary element plugs smoothly with a vertical, non-angled edge, avoiding the double-angle problem entirely.

2. Take the vertical "wall" as described in the step above and extend it with a collar that reaches out beyond the host element by a few blocks in the direction of the secondary element. Actually enhance the seam between them by leaving an 1-block-wide, 2-block-deep indent/ditch in the "host" element with a collar all around the part that appears to be "plugging into" the host element, with smooth black blocks forming the connection between the two parts at the base of the ditch, making it look like there is a gap there going even further back. I find that this gives a layered look that is great for aesthetics.

Naturally, this requires a "raised part" of the host element to give cardinal-angled edges, so that you aren't trying to wedge wedges with a missing angle block that has been affectionately nick-named the half-corner-block.

 

[Lukwan]

I don't think we will ever see two wedges sharing the same space. It runs afoul of the Voxel nature of SM where each cube of space must relate to a particular block (and all its attendant effects.)

Could you get the look you want by 'insetting' the orange docked entity a half block into the white slope?

 

[Sgtwisky]

I've had this issue a few times myself. Most notably on my latest ship desing I'm working on. Luckely in my case what Lord Daro Posted should work for me. I think.

 

[Sven_The_Slayer]

I've had this problem before...

Spoiler: This is how I fixed it

It's not perfect but it works for me

 

[NeonSturm]

Maybe you can fix it with clipping docked entities (doors which can still close while obstructed)

 

[Vader_is_Bored]

Have you tried/considered recessing the hull at the point of contact, so that it looks like the orange piece is sticking out of a hole in the white hull?

 

[AeonAnomaly]

After reading all the suggestions, it seems the only solution I would have would be to make a separate entity and dock it until we get a new block or the ability to fill the same space with multiple blocks as long as they don't collide. Don't get me wrong, all of the suggestions definitely do help in some cases, however it definitely gives a certain look. In this case, I want the two sides to keep their shapes, just have one jutting out of the other.

However, I think instead of using a rail, I might use a turret block for it to connect to. This way, I won't have a hexagon on the HUD for each segment. That way, to the outside observer, you wouldn't even know that section has something docked, and would simply look like a natural part of the hull. I can make it look the way I want using Corner pieces, I won't need Heptas or Tetras.

Thanks everyone for their suggestions.

 

[AtraUnam]

Have you tried/considered recessing the hull at the point of contact, so that it looks like the orange piece is sticking out of a hole in the white hull?

This is waht I do.

 

[Lukwan]

Maybe you can fix it with clipping docked entities (doors which can still close while obstructed)

Even if this works I could not endorse this 'solution'. This is because my main goal in building is to minimize any lag-inducing elements.
I have noticed that not all huge ships are lag-prone. So my theory is that during the build glitches get introduced (often where docked entities are numerous).

I have one experience that supports this hypothesis. During a modest-sized build My frame rate dropped from 60 to 9 FPS. The 'slow-zone' of 9-FPS was centered on my ship and was persistent. Not wanting to abandon the build I tried something that fixed it. I simply used advanced build-mode to remove cubic areas...and then undo. It was as if there had been an unstable block or connection that was 'reset' correctly during the undo. Docked entities with Face-on-Face contact (to their main entity) seem to be a potential lag source as well.

(P.S. sry for the hijack)

 

[Nickizzy]

two blocks occupy the same location as long as their physical model don't collide with one another,

I'm guessing your talking about something similar to robocraft where components take up different shaped hitboxes.