Non-block Entities

[jath]

In this game, Blocks are a building material. They are also what everything is made of, including planets. Why? I believe that if you were to change natural structures from being composed of blocks to being made of a series of points (information wise) that are connected using a simple plane, you could make planets that act and feel much more planetary, while allowing it to be destroyed and built on the same way as now. When you attack or mine a specific spot on a planet, it will decide then what kind of block it is depending on the procedural formula used now according to where it is. But before it becomes a block, it is only a point. this will enable gradual slopes. You will also be able to program the game to pull you toward the center of the planet, and not have the planet feel like it's blocky or all wrong. When you place a block on the planet, it will still be a block. It will orient itself according to the closest block, or to the center of the planet if there is no block within, say, 50 meters. if the planet is hit with weapon fire, the point that is being hit will be created and destroyed in that instant. The ground will generate new points to redraw the topography. You might even be able to make a rule that nothing is destroyed on a planet, and move points to the outer edge of the blast radius for a true cratering effect. This would also make planets harder to kill since material is constantly moving back in the way. Rendering on these planets would be much faster since it is made of 1/10th the data, or less. You would then be able to make them much larger as a result, and make them less polyhedral. Asteroids would benefit too.

My personal opinion is that blocks are a building tool, and should remain so. but forcing terrain to adhere to the block pattern limits game-play potential far too much.

 

[Snk]

+1

 

[ltmauve]

um, so what about building on planets?

 

[jath]

um, so what about building on planets?

I addressed that in the OP.

 

[The_Onion]

This idea sounds interesting. Would like to see the devs input on this.

 

[jath]

I think it's worth experimenting with at the least.

 

[The_Onion]

I do see issues with building on planets, though. Wont structures look funny when only one block is flush with the ground, since the blocks wont be following the curvature of the planet. Or what about trying to dig out underground tunnels/bases.

 

[Lecic]

This sounds like a higher performance eater, as well as completely unnecessary. Everything is made of blocks, what's the problem with that?

 

[jath]

I do see issues with building on planets, though. Wont structures look funny when only one block is flush with the ground, since the blocks wont be following the curvature of the planet. Or what about trying to dig out underground tunnels/bases.

The blocks would be sunk into the ground a little bit at first. That happens in real life too. You don't want that, build a foundation out of blocks you got from the terrain to make it look more smooth. tunnels would also blend a little better, unless you specifically wanted to re-line them to make them look square

This sounds like a higher performance eater, as well as completely unnecessary. Everything is made of blocks, what's the problem with that?

Considering the computer will only have to render 1/10th the vertices or less, and the data concerning the location of most blocks won't even exist until it or something nearby is changed, or destroyed, it would actually be much less of a performance eater as you say. in fact, it would run quite like those MMORPGS like skyrim or world of warcraft. imagine each of out planets in the galaxy being potentially that big. We'd be able to fit dozens of colonies with room to spare on one planet without any sort of lag at all.

 

[The_Onion]

The blocks would be sunk into the ground a little bit at first. That happens in real life too. You don't want that, build a foundation out of blocks you got from the terrain to make it look more smooth. tunnels would also blend a little better, unless you specifically wanted to re-line them to make them look square

I could definitely see this working, provided the performance gains allow for dramatically larger planets.