Activation Blocks + Thrusters

[Astrocat]

Most of us have either seen or heard about the new logic systems. There is a lot you can do with them already, fire missiles, create grav-tubes, create door locks, etc. They are an excellent addition to Starmade and just what this game needed. As the game is more optimized ( thanks Schema :D ) players will be able to build bigger things Becuase of this Starmade needs the ability to travel quickly through stations, planets, and even some ships. The only two ways I can think of covering a large distance in a station or other establishment is to:

1. Make a grav-tube.
   
2. Spawn a core and go.

Grav-tubes in my opinion are disorienting and raw. Switching gravity is such a sudden and unpolished movement. They're great but at the same time its choppy. Cores are better, but just like grav-tubes they get annoying to deal with every trip. This might just be me but it gets exasperating after a while.

I suggest that activation blocks should be able to activate thrusters for a certain period of time or distance. Little trams could be made to go to and fro. Say you have an orbital station and want to get up there via space elevator? Maybe transport hull to one side of a station to give to your pal to build with? I imagine one could be able to set the max speed of travel, max travel distance, direction of travel (up, down, left, right), etc.

Edit: There should be a thruster command block like there is for the gravity and trigger blocks. Activate the thruster command block and a menu comes so you can put in the info.
Edit2:I was thinking of a block you could place in a trail that your tram would follow. Just dock to the trail like you normally would and it would follow the path when activated. If you wanted to turn at an intersection you could tell the tram to to turn via the UI.

What do you think?

 

[CyberTao]

That is... an interesting idea to say the least.
My question is then, why Bother with Logic blocks if you have to set up thruster settings and stuff? Why not just create a new AI interface in which you have the option for direct commands?

i.e., click on it, tell it to go left and it goes left until you turn it off. Cause if logic blocks are anything like Redstone, thats gonna be a Big ass Tram - 3-

 

[Astrocat]

My question is then, why Bother with Logic blocks if you have to set up thruster settings and stuff?

I imagine that this should be as easy as typing in a number for distance and such and clicking an arrow for direction.

Why not just create a new AI interface in which you have the option for direct commands?

I forgot to mention that actually. There should be a thruster command block like there is for the gravity and trigger blocks. Activate the thruster command block and a menu comes so you can put in the info.

Cause if logic blocks are anything like Redstone, that's gonna be a Big ass Tram

I assure you logic blocks are MUCH easier than redstone. Tom explains it well enough. Start at about 30-40 seconds in for the beginning of an explanation on the various blocks.

 

[testkil]

desactivate thruster ok nice but they should to make desactivate shields ^^

 

[ltmauve]

Provided you can get an auto-docking function, simply because otherwise there would be the problem of your trolley clipping out somewhere.

 

[Astrocat]

Provided you can get an auto-docking function, simply because otherwise there would be the problem of your trolley clipping out somewhere.

Good idea. I was thinking of a block you could place in a trail that your tram would follow. Just dock to the trail like you normally would and it would follow the path when activated. If you wanted to turn at an intersection you could tell the tram to to turn via the UI. I'll add it to the OP.

 

[ca2longoria]

I support logic+thrusters. While unrelated to local base or ship travel, there are servers where planets are so distant, it can take tens of minutes of holding down W to get between them if unable to Jump. At the very least, it would be nice if an on-signal could activate thrusters in a forward direction. A super-rudimentary auto-pilot, if you will.

So, 1=forward, at the very least.

 

[Auriga_Nexus]

I support logic+thrusters. While unrelated to local base or ship travel, there are servers where planets are so distant, it can take tens of minutes of holding down W to get between them if unable to Jump. At the very least, it would be nice if an on-signal could activate thrusters in a forward direction. A super-rudimentary auto-pilot, if you will.

So, 1=forward, at the very least.

Rather than this, however, I would rather see a "throttle control" system on ships where you can set it to automatically accelerate to a given speed. Not only would this allow for easier integration of joystick controls (since most joysticks use a slider axis for throttle), it would also allow you to do things like walk around your ship while in transit, as well as making jump drives more optional and not an absolute necessity.