Rejected Ability to have two blocks occupy the same space

[AeonAnomaly]

I'm not sure if this is technically possible, but it would be a fantastic addition to allow two blocks occupy the same space provided their physical model doesn't collide with each other. This is actually possible using rails and docked entities, however this solution isn't always practical. If people are concerned about double dipping on armor values, simply have the space have whatever the largest armor value is out of the two occupying blocks.

Here's an example of a problem this would be a solution to:


As you can see, I have two sections of hull that are both using the Wedge piece. The aesthetic I wish to have is the orange portion coming straight out of the white portion, with no fusing/blending in. I want both hull sections to keep their sloped look, and using heptas and tetras would make them look like they are fused together instead of just coming straight out.

I can accomplish this using two Corner blocks angled in the correct manner, however they both have to occupy the same space.


As you can see here, if these blocks were flush up against one another, it would give the look I'm wanting. I can achieve this look using Rails and making the orange section be a separate entity docked to it. I'm thinking instead of using a rail, perhaps using a Turret dock, so it wouldn't show up as a docked entity hexagon on the HUD. However, as I understand it, having too many docked entities on a ship can effect performance. Also, there are some sections of this current hull I'm building where this solution wouldn't be that practical. It would be great if the ability to have two blocks occupy the same space was something I could do without having to use the docking features.

As always, if this has been suggested before, I apologized. I've gone through the more frequent suggestion thread, and done a search and couldn't find anything close to this suggestion.

 

[ToasterBorst]

Don't know if possible. ..but am addicted to docking them together and this would make builds far less complicated. Will force on Council in hopes of obtaining greater explanation of why it isn't possible! lol.

 

[AeonAnomaly]

Thank you for looking into the possibility. In the mean time, you mention that you are addicted to docking them together like I mentioned. Do you use regular rails, or one of the turret axis? I only just thought of using the turret axis block today. I love using rails in ships, but the mass of hexagons really gets my goat. I have one ship that you can't even make out the shape of the ship at a certain distance and beyond because of the mass of hexagons on the HUD. But I did notice docked turrets don't add a hexagon, and as long as the object doesn't have to move, it would be perfect in this case.

 

[ToasterBorst]

Turn on the filters for Docked Entities and Turrets in nav, my guess is turrets are filtered in your settings but docked entities are not?
Have a station/skid-racing track build with 500+ docked entities, don't think you could see it without the navigation filter adjustments. lol.

I believe there is also a small hexagon UI mod somewhere on the dock, have always been curious about that one personally.

 

[AeonAnomaly]

Oh wow, I didn't even think about the navigation filters. I always just assumed that only effected the Nav list and not what shows up on the HUD. That's incredibly helpful. Thank you again.

 

[CyberTao]

Oh wow, this is an old topic. Like, pre-rails old.

The reason we dont have said feature is due to the increase in memory(?) needed. If you wanted to make it so you could fit 2 wedges into the same space for example, you would need to have the data spaces to track 2 blocks for ALL blocks placed or something. Even if you placed a full block, the game would need to still check to see if there is a 2nd block there for example, effectively doubling the size of ships in the way of memory needed.

 

[Malacodor]

Oh wow, this is an old topic. Like, pre-rails old.

The reason we dont have said feature is due to the increase in memory(?) needed. If you wanted to make it so you could fit 2 wedges into the same space for example, you would need to have the data spaces to track 2 blocks for ALL blocks placed or something. Even if you placed a full block, the game would need to still check to see if there is a 2nd block there for example, effectively doubling the size of ships in the way of memory needed.

In short, it's virtually impossible.

 

[AeonAnomaly]

@CyberTao That's interesting, but it seems like there are ways to make it work. Similar to how I mentioned it should recognize the highest armor value, just treat anything occupying the same space as one block. So let's say I have two Corner pieces in the space, it would use the highest value HP for the entire space, and if enough damage is dealt to that space to equal the highest HP, then everything in that space is destroyed. So once the blocks are placed, the game recognizes it as a space occupied, and not two blocks.

I'm guessing, that would require a complete rework of how the game acknowledges blocks, but I personally see it checking whether or not a space is occupied rather than counting individual blocks to be a better framework anyways. It would probably be too much work to try and implement though.

 

[jgames666]

In short, it's virtually impossible.

I wouldn't say it's impossible. As I feel that starmade could be one of the greatest games ever created if it could push beyond these memory limitations and then find ways to improve upon it. I don't feel that the game uses too much memory as is, so if most of the player base agreed it could use double what it currently does. I think it should expand on that. If the developers continue to limit the game to current technology, it will be outdated by the time it is released. This is of course my armpit of an opinion. Not trying to offend. :p

 

[Malacodor]

If the developers continue to limit the game to current technology, it will be outdated by the time it is released.

You mean like WoW or Minecraft? :p

 

[jgames666]

You mean like WoW or Minecraft? :p

Have played both, own both, and love both, but Starmade will always be unique in what it is.
PS: You got a dang long tongue mine doesn't reach that far down my face.

 

[Criss]

Unfortunately I do believe it is impossible for this to happen. Rails can occupy the same space because the two entities are on a separate grid and are not detecting a collision. Having this work on the same entity is impossible and schema's only solution was that they could create combination blocks of all the shapes and colors. That is also not realistically or practical either. I will archive this in case changes happen in the future but for now I must reject this.

 

[NTIMESc]

What about a solution that just involves client-side rendering, where, when two angled blocks meet up, the game just renders a polygon "patch" over the gap, blending the textures?

This could even be toggled in the graphics options, for slower GPUs.

 

[Megacrafter127]

What about a solution that just involves client-side rendering, where, when two angled blocks meet up, the game just renders a polygon "patch" over the gap, blending the textures?

This could even be toggled in the graphics options, for slower GPUs.

There are cases, where the builder does not want that to happen[e.g. spiky surfaces].

 

[NTIMESc]

There are cases where the builder does not want ugly gaps either. I would put this in the same class as the lighting settings, where the builder may have wanted a certain ambience, but it is completely destroyed for me because it was built with Block light quality on 64 and I have it set on 256.