Another Display Update

[Aesthetics]

After updating Starmade, eager to test out the new display update and start work on a text-based entertainment system I had planned, I was disappointed to find the limit of text allowed on a module remains the same. Not only does this make formatting multiple lines of text so they appear to float difficult, but that means my idea has been completely blown out the window.

I'm sure others agree, that 10 lines and 240 characters not enough. I would like to ask Schine to increase the amount of text and lines at least tenfold to allow for more fancy display module creations such as holographic text screens and my text-based entertainment system.

 

[spocklin]

No
[doublepost=1477209721,1477209610][/doublepost]Break the game = no

 

[Calhoun]

There are a couple of issues with this, as handy as it would be. File size being one of them, but I'd love to see it. Perhaps someone with more knowledge could comment with some info.

And spocklin, that's not helping at all.

 

[Gasboy]

No
[doublepost=1477209721,1477209610][/doublepost]Break the game = no

How does this break the game? Since you're an expert and all, right?
[doublepost=1477233722][/doublepost]

There are a couple of issues with this, as handy as it would be. File size being one of them, but I'd love to see it. Perhaps someone with more knowledge could comment with some info.

And spocklin, that's not helping at all.

The display block can hold 240 characters, and a ten-fold increase would be 2400 characters. It's not that huge an increase in file size. And since it is likely that 1 display block could replace multiple display blocks currently being used, the increase of file size should be negligible.

 

[Aesthetics]

How does this break the game? Since you're an expert and all, right?
[doublepost=1477233722][/doublepost]

The display block can hold 240 characters, and a ten-fold increase would be 2400 characters. It's not that huge an increase in file size. And since it is likely that 1 display block could replace multiple display blocks currently being used, the increase of file size should be negligible.

Precisely! It's convenient, efficient and about as demanding as multiple display modules, which is practically nothing. Also, more text = more creative stuff with display modules! It's ingenious!

 

[GROOV3ST3R]

You make a fair point about the size of the text file being negligible but then I think a tenfold increase would be a bit much. There still has to be a limit and you have to take into account the fact that the screen itself is of a limited size. Still, even writing basic ship information I have ran out of characters long before running out of display space.

If the character limit was upped to.. let's say 1000 characters and 20 lines, this could be a way forward. I know that would make the displayed text extend past the display but that could actually be quite useful in making projector-like HUD arrangements. And like you said, formatting text could be a lot easier.

So yes, I think it's a good idea. We need this.

 

[Gasboy]

You make a fair point about the size of the text file being negligible but then I think a tenfold increase would be a bit much. There still has to be a limit and you have to take into account the fact that the screen itself is of a limited size. Still, even writing basic ship information I have ran out of characters long before running out of display space.

How is it a bit much? For complex displays, multiple displays are used. A ten fold increase in the amount of text allowed would decrease the amount of blocks being used, while the amount of text would not really change. Sure, people could do more with one display, but if people want to make a big fancy hologram display of text, they're going to do so whether they need 1 display or 100.

 

[Lukwan]

Let me start by saying I agree 100% with the desire for more display-text. I have made a tutorial ship that uses displays to provide information and advice to new players in the form a museum-ship. The text-limit really forced me to edit out waste words and remain concise (both worthwhile goals) but its also very limiting.

Basic Day-1 Tutorial Ship

How does this break the game?

This ship is the answer to that question. Last I checked (before display update) this ship sucks the frame-rate out of anyone within it's gravity well. I started a thread to inquire if others had this problem and discovered that the retrace-line effect used on displays seems to contribute to the lag problem. I don't know if this relates to amount of text or the number or display-blocks, but I have not read anything to confirm this. What I did notice is that the lag did not increase incrementally as I made new displays/exhibits but rather it bugged out suddenly when I added 'one-too-many' displays blocks. I am not sure of the figure but it was somewhere around 40 or 50 displays of full text before the lag bomb went off.

jayman38 provided this link to a mod that removes the scanline and clear up the lag. (I have not had time to test it myself).
Kills Display Module scanline / flicker. (experimental)

 

[spocklin]

Never said I was an expert...thanks for putting words in my mouth XD

 

[Aesthetics]

I shall say this only once. There will be no arguments in this thread. Any argumentative, unhelpful comments will be removed at my request without prior notice.​

 

[Gasboy]

Let me start by saying I agree 100% with the desire for more display-text. I have made a tutorial ship that uses displays to provide information and advice to new players in the form a museum-ship. The text-limit really forced me to edit out waste words and remain concise (both worthwhile goals) but its also very limiting.

Basic Day-1 Tutorial Ship



This ship is the answer to that question. Last I checked (before display update) this ship sucks the frame-rate out of anyone within it's gravity well. I started a thread to inquire if others had this problem and discovered that the retrace-line effect used on displays seems to contribute to the lag problem. I don't know if this relates to amount of text or the number or display-blocks, but I have not read anything to confirm this. What I did notice is that the lag did not increase incrementally as I made new displays/exhibits but rather it bugged out suddenly when I added 'one-too-many' displays blocks. I am not sure of the figure but it was somewhere around 40 or 50 displays of full text before the lag bomb went off.

jayman38 provided this link to a mod that removes the scanline and clear up the lag. (I have not had time to test it myself).
Kills Display Module scanline / flicker. (experimental)

Well, if it is possible to mod the scanline out and clear up the lag, then it is possible for the Schine team to implement the mod into the base game. It really ought to be a non-issue at that point, yes?

And adding more text to a display means people will use less displays, which should help avoid the issue you had with 40+ display blocks. :P
[doublepost=1477257540,1477257414][/doublepost]

Never said I was an expert...thanks for putting words in my mouth XD

Hey, you have to admit that your post was rather abrupt and rude. The point of the suggestion forum is to suggest an idea, and to have people offer constructive criticism, which your post did not offer. You seemed to suggest that you have some knowledge of the game that determines that adding more text to a text box would break the game. I offered in reply an abrupt and rude answer asking, essentially, for you to put up or shut up.

 

[MacThule]

This ship is the answer to that question. Last I checked (before display update) this ship sucks the frame-rate out of anyone within it's gravity well. I started a thread to inquire if others had this problem and discovered that the retrace-line effect used on displays seems to contribute to the lag problem. I don't know if this relates to amount of text or the number or display-blocks, but I have not read anything to confirm this. What I did notice is that the lag did not increase incrementally as I made new displays/exhibits but rather it bugged out suddenly when I added 'one-too-many' displays blocks. I am not sure of the figure but it was somewhere around 40 or 50 displays of full text before the lag bomb went off.

I've used displays to set up tutorial batteries on stations myself... a process which after a few repetitions prompted me previously to suggest a dialogue-based display alternative/replacement (i.e. press "R" on a decorative or other computer block and have it bring up a dialogue based on the one already implemented in the game that appears when one spawns into a server or maybe the one NPC shopkeeps use).

Good to know about displays crunching framerate. Inability to set up useful standing information is a real killer in this game though, and a big part of what underpins the difficulty of inducting and acclimatizing new players in-game, as well as coordinating activity within a faction over the long term (without eternally repeating explanations of things).

 

[wanzer]

I also like the idea of having a bit more text
1024 will already give me a happy face

What I like to see is this trick

that you can fill in a line like this

<Math>shield + power</Math>

displaying a number on the screens that sums that equation

or

<Math>shield * (5 - (sin(power)*3))</Math>

yes this is totally bogus equation

but if you can couple this with logics....

@.@

 

[Crusade]

10-fold would actually be 245760 characters. ((((((((240*2)*2)*2)*2)*2)*2)*2)*2)*2) Which is a bit much.

What you want is 10 times.

However I do agree that we need higher limits. 1024-2048 would be more suitable, as well as an offset text option by a block amount, so you don't need to waste spaces to achieve floating text.

I would also like to see preset screens that the player could configure and select to display from a dropdown menu - much like templates, but as part of the display module text input.

Also multiple <style> tags in a display module, preferably without it eating up your character count!

 

[Aesthetics]

Glad to see some of you like this idea and are willing to discuss this further and provide your own suggestions, too.​

 

[Valck]

Not going to argue semantics. I think the intention was clear.

an offset text option by a block amount, so you don't need to waste spaces to achieve floating text

I'm pretty certain floating text wasn't originally intended to work, and could even be called an exploit, if only a harmless one, so I'm not too surprised you have to use exploity tricks to get floating text. However it is one of those bugs that could just as well be embraced and supported as a feature.

More simple formatting options have been frequently asked for from right after display modules were introduced, and I wonder what's holding them back. Like you say, multiple <style /> sections would be useful to have, but considering that even the most compact invocation that effects anything of <style>f=0</style> already uses up eighteen valuable characters, this only really makes sense with an increased character limit. Which one would think might be a simple change of a constant or two somewhere in the code, but maybe there are other issues with that, or it's just a lack of interest.

Implementing advanced formatting options however, like a <math /> parser, are considerably more effort and obviously very low priority.

 

[Gasboy]

10-fold would actually be 245760 characters. ((((((((240*2)*2)*2)*2)*2)*2)*2)*2)*2) Which is a bit much.

What you want is 10 times.

However I do agree that we need higher limits. 1024-2048 would be more suitable, as well as an offset text option by a block amount, so you don't need to waste spaces to achieve floating text.

I would also like to see preset screens that the player could configure and select to display from a dropdown menu - much like templates, but as part of the display module text input.

Also multiple <style> tags in a display module, preferably without it eating up your character count!

ten·fold
ˈtenˌfōld/
adjective
adjective: tenfold; adjective: ten-fold

1. 1.
   ten times as great or as numerous.
   "a tenfold increase in the use of insecticides"
   • having ten parts or elements.

adverb
adverb: tenfold; adverb: ten-fold

1. 1.
   by ten times; to ten times the number or amount.
   "production increased tenfold"

Pretty sure the OP's idea of tenfold is correct.

 

[Crusade]

I've always understood -fold to be exponential.
I mean, it's what i was taught in school. *shrugs*

As in, if you fold a paper 10 times, it's 1024 times as thick.

However, you seem to be right.

 

[Aesthetics]

This should clear things up.​

 

[HolyCookie]

I would say 1024, I know that 240 is very little but 2048 is quite a lot and (unless I am wrong) with some simple logic and the [REPLACEFIRST] things you could make a good amount of lag if the limit is too big.

For those who haven't seen this one yet: