A small PD turret

[Basher]

Hi, so it's been a very long time since I've played Starmade. Last time I played it, the old turret docking system was still in place with the limited size and all.

Now, I'm very excited about the rail system, shipyards, and these great new features so I started playing again.

However, I built a simple Point Defense for my ship, but I'm not sure if this will work at all. I haven't tested it yet as this is already played on a server. I watched the videos about rails and turrets from Bench, and saw that turrets should need two axis, basically having two ships attached. I made the mount and the barrel already.

But testing the turret, I can't seem to move left or right. It could be that due to how I mounted the barrel. To fit on the mount, I placed the rail docker infront of the core, acting like a hinge. I can move the barrel up and down, but the mount is not turning left or right when I move my mouse. I watched videos and the turret should move where I aim to, so I'm not really sure if mine will work.

Here's some screenshots:

How the barrel is mounted:

Any thoughts?

Extra: Do you guys have an even smaller design for PD turrets, as well how to build turrets to attack enemies? I would love to have tips on how to adjust to the new turret system and make turrets more effective to use..

 

[kiraen]

How is the base connected?
Would you mind posting a pick off the parts all undocked?

 

[Basher]

Well I did test it out on my own using a small ship, but it didn't work. The AI moves the barrel vertically, but it doesn't turn. I'm kinda on a planet right now so it's a bit hard to do what you asked, but here's how the barrel is detached to the base, and how the base is connected to the planet.

Any ideas why this doesn't work?

Note: I can move the turret base vertically fine if I control that part. But when I control the barrel, I can only move horizontally. So it's not a collision issue, I think..

 

[Valck]

Note: I can move the turret base vertically fine if I control that part. But when I control the barrel, I can only move horizontally. So it's not a collision issue, I think..

Can you yaw the turret when you aim the barrel slightly downwards?

EDIT:
To fully control the turret, you need to control it from the barrel.

 

[Dire Venom]

Ive had this problem before, might be a bug.
Try rebuilding the whole thing from scratch and try different ways of placing the hinges

 

[GRHayes]

Hi, so it's been a very long time since I've played Starmade. Last time I played it, the old turret docking system was still in place with the limited size and all.

Now, I'm very excited about the rail system, shipyards, and these great new features so I started playing again.

However, I built a simple Point Defense for my ship, but I'm not sure if this will work at all. I haven't tested it yet as this is already played on a server. I watched the videos about rails and turrets from Bench, and saw that turrets should need two axis, basically having two ships attached. I made the mount and the barrel already.

But testing the turret, I can't seem to move left or right. It could be that due to how I mounted the barrel. To fit on the mount, I placed the rail docker infront of the core, acting like a hinge. I can move the barrel up and down, but the mount is not turning left or right when I move my mouse. I watched videos and the turret should move where I aim to, so I'm not really sure if mine will work.

Here's some screenshots:

How the barrel is mounted:

Any thoughts?

Extra: Do you guys have an even smaller design for PD turrets, as well how to build turrets to attack enemies? I would love to have tips on how to adjust to the new turret system and make turrets more effective to use..

There are two potential issues I can think of.
You did something like I did recently and stuck a block down that didn't connect to the turret but maybe to the planet.
The second issue I ran into was the turrets boundary system has seen blocks that have been removed and also sees blocks being closer than they are these two issues have been pretty rare. Not sure the exact cause so I haven't reported it as bug yet. When I can reproduce it without fail I will.

 

[Tunk]

Can you save it as a blueprint and export it?
Enter the base of the turret and open the catalogue menu, save as a blueprint.
Next time you start starmade before you enter game there is a catalogue manager that allows you to export blueprints.

This sounds like a core orientation issue, is the base core pointing in the direction you want it to look at when its turning to something?
Is the barrel core pointing in a direction other than where its gun will be pointing?
Is it sideways?

 

[Aynslei]

Can you save it as a blueprint and export it?
This sounds like a core orientation issue, is the base core pointing in the direction you want it to look at when its turning to something?
Is the barrel core pointing in a direction other than where its gun will be pointing?
Is it sideways?

90% of my problems with turrets right after the rail update was all about core facing.
A tip to make sure they always face the same direction is to put a light rod right on the back or front of the core, line the cores up where you want them, and as long as the rods are facing the same it should move right.

 

[Tunk]

Another simple rule to work by with turrets is as follows:
The first axis wants to rotate the core left and right.
The second axis wants to rotate the core up and down.

There are exceptions, but I can't remember them off the top of my head (but they can cause hilarious results).

 

[Basher]

Can you save it as a blueprint and export it?
Enter the base of the turret and open the catalogue menu, save as a blueprint.
Next time you start starmade before you enter game there is a catalogue manager that allows you to export blueprints.

This sounds like a core orientation issue, is the base core pointing in the direction you want it to look at when its turning to something?
Is the barrel core pointing in a direction other than where its gun will be pointing?
Is it sideways?

Yes, it's turning sideways when I move towards the barrel. So here's what I see when I control the barrel.

So if that's the reason, why does this happen? How do I set the orientation so that the core is still level?

 

[Valck]

Yes, it's turning sideways when I move towards the barrel. So here's what I see when I control the barrel.

So if that's the reason, why does this happen? How do I set the orientation so that the core is still level?

Judging from what is visible of the background, it looks like the barrel's core is rotated sideways 90° - the barrel is pitching up/down as it's supposed to do, but your view is rolled sideways, so it looks like it's yawing.

 

[Basher]

Exactly. So how do I fix that? I do believe the placing of the rail is correct, it's just that the core auto rotates on that direction..

 

[Panpiper]

Do not try to fix the turret. Start over. Create a ship's core, label it 'base', and hit C to orient it to the galactic plane. Put a light block or something in front of it so you know which is the front. Check that it is in fact the front. Check again.

Move a bit upwards and create another ship's core, label it 'gun', hit C to orient it to the galactic plane. Put a light block or something in front of it so you know which is the front. Check that it is in fact the front. Check again.

Rebuild the turret base and barrel without moving the cores. When you have finished both the base and the barrel, only then do you join them together. Make sure that when you add the rail dockers and the rail turret axis that they are pointing in the correct directions.

 

[Basher]

Do not try to fix the turret. Start over. Create a ship's core, label it 'base', and hit C to orient it to the galactic plane. Put a light block or something in front of it so you know which is the front. Check that it is in fact the front. Check again.

Move a bit upwards and create another ship's core, label it 'gun', hit C to orient it to the galactic plane. Put a light block or something in front of it so you know which is the front. Check that it is in fact the front. Check again.

Rebuild the turret base and barrel without moving the cores. When you have finished both the base and the barrel, only then do you join them together. Make sure that when you add the rail dockers and the rail turret axis that they are pointing in the correct directions.

Alright, let me see if I can rebuild this turret. I guess I should really do it in space so that I don't have that pesky gravity. I'll let you guys know if it's fixed.

EDIT : Well that worked! So I built it in space, aligned with C, and pretty much built the 'raw' turret itself. Now when I move to the barrel, the alignment stays the same.

So not sure what happened last time, but I guess I'll be doing this format from now on..
Btw: Does 1 cannon-cannon setup still works for PD systems?

 

[lilheartless]

Alright, let me see if I can rebuild this turret. I guess I should really do it in space so that I don't have that pesky gravity. I'll let you guys know if it's fixed.

yes this is such a major thing do not try to build turrets from scratch on a planet with gravity it will mess stuff up really badly either make a small shipyard you can design the stuff in or build them in space.

 

[Panpiper]

Btw: Does 1 cannon-cannon setup still works for PD systems?

Yes, a single module each of cannon/cannon is still the standard for point defense. There are other things you can do, but they tend to be less effective than a single cannon/cannon. Doing those other things (like a cannon/missile for dumbfire saturation or cannon/beam for range are useful when 'added' to a cannon/cannon PD (point defense) turret. However doing that will substantially increase the size and 'cost' of the PD turret for a questionable increase in effectiveness.

I did build PD turrets using all the above and then some. The turret requires a deck hole nine blocks wide and is the size of some people's fighter drones. In it's defense, it has both shields and advanced armor, it will not be destroyed by small fire, minimizing repairs and replacements. It has the standard cannon/cannon and also has a (useless versus missiles) beam/cannon so I can see when and where it is firing. I included four different ranges of cannon/beam to get off four extra long distance shots as missiles approach, and four cannon/missile to create a solid dumbfire wall. On the other hand in the space it occupies on deck, I could have easily put four standard cannon/cannon PD turrets, which while being easier to destroy, would certainly give better point defense than my single big turret (and be a lot cheaper).

 

[Edymnion]

Yeah, in my experience PDTs are better in quantity than they are in quality. Just do a 1/1 cannon/cannon and then use half a dozen of them and you'll be better off than pretty much any single turret design you could come up with.

 

[Basher]

Yes, a single module each of cannon/cannon is still the standard for point defense. There are other things you can do, but they tend to be less effective than a single cannon/cannon. Doing those other things (like a cannon/missile for dumbfire saturation or cannon/beam for range are useful when 'added' to a cannon/cannon PD (point defense) turret. However doing that will substantially increase the size and 'cost' of the PD turret for a questionable increase in effectiveness.

I did build PD turrets using all the above and then some. The turret requires a deck hole nine blocks wide and is the size of some people's fighter drones. In it's defense, it has both shields and advanced armor, it will not be destroyed by small fire, minimizing repairs and replacements. It has the standard cannon/cannon and also has a (useless versus missiles) beam/cannon so I can see when and where it is firing. I included four different ranges of cannon/beam to get off four extra long distance shots as missiles approach, and four cannon/missile to create a solid dumbfire wall. On the other hand in the space it occupies on deck, I could have easily put four standard cannon/cannon PD turrets, which while being easier to destroy, would certainly give better point defense than my single big turret (and be a lot cheaper).

Since turrets now share the shields of the main ship, wouldn't putting one on the turret itself would be useless now?
And thanks for the tip, I might combine a cannon/cannon setup as well as a cannon/beam so that all of them work at short and long ranges.

 

[Panpiper]

Turrets share the shields of the main ship only as long as the main ship's shields are above 50%. Once the main ship's shields are below 50%, a hit to a turret is taken completely by the turret. At that point, having shields and armor on the turret can make a difference between having the turret instantly blown off or having it continue to do it's job.

 

[StormWing0]

I've had issues with parts of blocks blocking others. As for getting new turrets to work right after a patch. This is the only real time I have issues when building turrets because it is like the game decides to forget how to make them function. >_>