So I just had an idea which expands on a few other ideas I’ve seen around. I don’t know if anyone has mentioned this exact idea as I currently don’t have time to dig through the forums, but as far as I’m aware it’s an original concept.
So a lot of people have mentioned before that they would like a system which would allow them to create ships from a blueprint using some sort of factory. I don’t know what all is planned, but I know I’ve heard that the dev team is wanting to create a factory which will work on ships, as opposed to just stations which I think would make this even more feasible.
Okay so here’s the idea, an assembler (I can’t remember if that’s already a factory block name or not, but the name isn’t important) would be linked to an empty docking module. You would then link up that computer to storage blocks, which could have factory blocks attached to them, filling them with various hulls, systems, etc.
Using the “assembler” you could choose a blueprint from your blueprints menu and starting with the core the assembler would construct the ship. (OPTIONAL: you could potentially choose a priority for generic block type to place, systems, hulls, etc.) This would use the materials pulled from the storage blocks, and would consume a HUGE amount of power, so that not any ship or station could do it, and even a capital ship would pretty much be dead in the water to create a large entity (I’m thinking fighters or small pods it could still move, but not be combat-ready.)
Now there are several ways it could go about constructing the ship, but my main idea is to first calculate the dimensions of the ship, determine if the area is clear using the same system as docking modules, which calculate a ships size (the blue or pink box around your ship when you’re docked). Then it would place the core in the appropriate place, and begin bringing in blocks one at a time. There are a lot of variables here, or potential options (build as many blocks simultaneously as you have assemblers connected to it, at the cost of even more power) but this was just to present the basic idea. Essentially we just need one additional block, and the rest would use existing modules and code already in-game.
Anyway let me know what you think, and if you have any input @schema , @Calbiri , @Omni , @kupu let me know.
Edit: I almost forgot, this next feature I’m not as sure would be as easy to pull off. But if you docked up a ship to the docking module that had been heavily damaged and input the original blueprint into the assembler, the ship would have all destroyed blocks replaced per its original blueprint’s design. How you would control that, to keep from loading a different blueprint I’m not sure, as I don’t believe ship’s reference what their original blueprint was in their code but I have no idea on that. So theoretically the assembler could be used to both build, as well as repair ships.
TL;DR – Use one new “assembler” block, docking modules, storage and factories all linked together to create automatic ship fabrication/repair system.
So a lot of people have mentioned before that they would like a system which would allow them to create ships from a blueprint using some sort of factory. I don’t know what all is planned, but I know I’ve heard that the dev team is wanting to create a factory which will work on ships, as opposed to just stations which I think would make this even more feasible.
Okay so here’s the idea, an assembler (I can’t remember if that’s already a factory block name or not, but the name isn’t important) would be linked to an empty docking module. You would then link up that computer to storage blocks, which could have factory blocks attached to them, filling them with various hulls, systems, etc.
Using the “assembler” you could choose a blueprint from your blueprints menu and starting with the core the assembler would construct the ship. (OPTIONAL: you could potentially choose a priority for generic block type to place, systems, hulls, etc.) This would use the materials pulled from the storage blocks, and would consume a HUGE amount of power, so that not any ship or station could do it, and even a capital ship would pretty much be dead in the water to create a large entity (I’m thinking fighters or small pods it could still move, but not be combat-ready.)
Now there are several ways it could go about constructing the ship, but my main idea is to first calculate the dimensions of the ship, determine if the area is clear using the same system as docking modules, which calculate a ships size (the blue or pink box around your ship when you’re docked). Then it would place the core in the appropriate place, and begin bringing in blocks one at a time. There are a lot of variables here, or potential options (build as many blocks simultaneously as you have assemblers connected to it, at the cost of even more power) but this was just to present the basic idea. Essentially we just need one additional block, and the rest would use existing modules and code already in-game.
Anyway let me know what you think, and if you have any input @schema , @Calbiri , @Omni , @kupu let me know.
Edit: I almost forgot, this next feature I’m not as sure would be as easy to pull off. But if you docked up a ship to the docking module that had been heavily damaged and input the original blueprint into the assembler, the ship would have all destroyed blocks replaced per its original blueprint’s design. How you would control that, to keep from loading a different blueprint I’m not sure, as I don’t believe ship’s reference what their original blueprint was in their code but I have no idea on that. So theoretically the assembler could be used to both build, as well as repair ships.
TL;DR – Use one new “assembler” block, docking modules, storage and factories all linked together to create automatic ship fabrication/repair system.
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