Conduits - Cool but perhaps a function as well?

[Achriel]

v0.188 brought us the conduit block, a nifty decoration but I had an idea that might make them useful as well.
Here goes:

1. Change conduit to a 'pipe', it would require at least 2 and possible as many as 4 different blocks (Straight, Elbow, T and 4-way) that can be rotated.
2. By 'pipe' I mean similar to how a light rod works where the unoccupied space can be seen through, making it a pretty ceiling decoration and maybe under grills in the floor.
3. The function is it 'joins' block groups of components and modules. 2 discrete shield block formations with a 'conduit' between them become 1 block unit though the conduit does not add to the total number of blocks.

Even if we don't allow the 'joining' of groups a different but equally useful function would be to let the Ctrl+V follow conduits to add in other blocks to a command module. This means you could select the C'anon Computer' and link the weapons to it using the conduit (so you don't have to find all the buried discrete modules).

Just an idea, would sure help in ship building.

 

[Viridis00]

I'd like this just so I can have tons of pipes around for decoration even if they have function. Keep the conduit the way it is now for a flat deco block with the animation, but these new pipes should be actually cylindrical or semi-cylindrical since recreating thin pipes just using cubes looks awful and can't be put close to each other without looking like a flat wall.

 

[Criss]

I'd like this just so I can have tons of pipes around for decoration even if they have function. Keep the conduit the way it is now for a flat deco block with the animation, but these new pipes should be actually cylindrical or semi-cylindrical since recreating thin pipes just using cubes looks awful and can't be put close to each other without looking like a flat wall.

Use rods and paint for thin pipes.

Also. I don't think it would be necessary to make more than just a central "junction" conduit. If the texturing was done correctly we could get away with two blocks. The devs don't want to add more than is necessary to the block ids list or to the texture sheet.

 

[Keptick]

BAM!

 

[Lecic]

Having to connect systems with their computer via conduit would be interesting. I'm not sure if I like it, but it would certainly be interesting.

 

[Achriel]

Having to connect systems with their computer via conduit would be interesting. I'm not sure if I like it, but it would certainly be interesting.

Not a 'have to' but on plenty of larger ships once completed you cannot get at the groupings (like multiple salvage and canons). Some blocks have an efficiency increase for larger block groups but the aesthetics of connecting them on a small ship is dubious.. but an exterior pipe might be a neat decoration as well as functional.

 

[Viridis00]

Use rods and paint for thin pipes.

Those look too thin. I'd rather a comfortable middle ground, or 1m hexagons since those can look distinct enough to be separate pipes yet still adhere to the 1m standard and be used in other applications. People use hex shapes anyway for pipes like in keptick 's screenshot.

Spoiler: Off Topic

Also, yeah I know about the block ID thing, such a shame. I'd really like the devs to find a way to restructure the way block IDs are handled because this is one of the biggest bottlenecks for the game in terms of decoration and future scalability for new blocks. However, I can accept that right now there's bigger fish to fry in terms of development. Ships looked so much better when we got penta and tetra, so when I think about other shapes it just gets me excited and shit.

 

[Achriel]

I'm thinking pipes as in about 1/4 to 1/3 a meter in diameter (within the cube)

 

[ToyotaSupra]

BAM!

God damnit Kep, not all of us are world-class shipwrights with tons of space and resources :D

Conduits do look ugly as blocks, even with the minecraft theme the game has. It looks uncanny tbh. I think all decorative blocks should have a small minor function at some point, maybe make sounds or something, but we'll leave that to 'SOON' to see.