A possible solution for multiple-entities in build mode.

[tabbot]

There is a Problem with the current method of building in starmade, a problem that to my knowledge (and it's not vast, so please tell me if this is already decided.) has yet to see a solution.

This problem is the "flow"/"fun" of building being ruined when it comes to multi-part/moving entities. You have to get out of build-mode/your ship, spawn another ship. then navigate to the rail/turret dock you want to use, it's a clunky way to go about doing this in my opinion when there are ways of doing it better.

There is a game called "Machinecraft", and no, I'm not talking about the Mod for Minecraft, rather an entirely different game from a japanese indie-developer.

Machinecraft seems to be more arena oriented/less of an open-world sandbox than Starmade (or minecraft for that matter), things/objects/"machines" are built in a separate section of the game, sort-of like build-mode.

the way Machinecraft adds moving parts is pretty interesting. essentially, you have different "groups", each an independent moving part, to assign groups, you go to the group submenu, where it colors your blocks according to what group they belong to. Assigning/reassigning a block to a group is done by "painting" the block. this means you can have two blocks next to each other, say a turret and a tank chassis, and you can have the blocks that make up the turret slide over the blocks that make up the tank chassis, very smoothly/cleanly.
example-images:

above: how tank looks in actual "game"-part of the game
below: "group"-mode ("dummy" basically means a block that contributes null to stats and is clippable, which is useful for the mechs some people make)


Contrast this with the system used by games like Space-engineers or Besieged, where it's more about the direction/angle of block placement, which can lead to scenarios where the chassis and the turret grind up against one another, or require such a degree of "safety clearance", that they're easily "snipped" apart.

I apologise in advance if I broke any rules for posting images/links recommending a system from another game.

 

[ltmauve]

While that idea might work in practice, it'd be very complex because the blocks would need to be switched over to different entities. Though switching easily to a docked entity or back up the chain is something that would definitely help building flow.

 

[Valiant70]

There is a Problem with the current method of building in starmade, a problem that to my knowledge (and it's not vast, so please tell me if this is already decided.) has yet to see a solution.

This problem is the "flow"/"fun" of building being ruined when it comes to multi-part/moving entities. You have to get out of build-mode/your ship, spawn another ship. then navigate to the rail/turret dock you want to use, it's a clunky way to go about doing this in my opinion when there are ways of doing it better.

There is a game called "Machinecraft", and no, I'm not talking about the Mod for Minecraft, rather an entirely different game from a japanese indie-developer.

Machinecraft seems to be more arena oriented/less of an open-world sandbox than Starmade (or minecraft for that matter), things/objects/"machines" are built in a separate section of the game, sort-of like build-mode.

the way Machinecraft adds moving parts is pretty interesting. essentially, you have different "groups", each an independent moving part, to assign groups, you go to the group submenu, where it colors your blocks according to what group they belong to. Assigning/reassigning a block to a group is done by "painting" the block. this means you can have two blocks next to each other, say a turret and a tank chassis, and you can have the blocks that make up the turret slide over the blocks that make up the tank chassis, very smoothly/cleanly.
example-images:
View attachment 13248
above: how tank looks in actual "game"-part of the game
below: "group"-mode ("dummy" basically means a block that contributes null to stats and is clippable, which is useful for the mechs some people make)
View attachment 13249

Contrast this with the system used by games like Space-engineers or Besieged, where it's more about the direction/angle of block placement, which can lead to scenarios where the chassis and the turret grind up against one another, or require such a degree of "safety clearance", that they're easily "snipped" apart.

I apologise in advance if I broke any rules for posting images/links recommending a system from another game.

It'd be simpler to just point at another entity and press a hotkey to switch to it in build mode. A better visual cue to tell what's part of the current entity and what's not would also be good. A control like this will be 100% necessary for the shipyard update, and it better be good or rail junkies are likely to become volatile. :p This also means there needs to be a way to add additional rail-docked entities to a build. I think the easiest way would be to use a hotkey to stick a docker (new entity) on a rail or turret axis.

 

[Bench]

I think the easiest way would be to use a hotkey to stick a docker (new entity) on a rail or turret axis.

Going to remember this for later

 

[tabbot]

While that idea might work in practice, it'd be very complex because the blocks would need to be switched over to different entities. Though switching easily to a docked entity or back up the chain is something that would definitely help building flow.

true, but you could have a highlight?/border that is a different color?
similar to how we have slave/master choices, with the purple/blue/orange colored borders.

 

[ltmauve]

Well, that might help with displaying which entity you're working on, but knowing which part you want to put the piece on is another.

 

[tabbot]

Well, that might help with displaying which entity you're working on, but knowing which part you want to put the piece on is another.

true, valiant is probably right on this