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Hello there!
So this concept is to create new functionality for the build helper, utilizing the concepts of copy/pasting. Players would be able to create their own custom build helper, either by selecting an area OR by selecting a center block of an entity (basically the reverse of placing down a build helper outline) and it would then copy the entire entity as a new build helper outline. When using a custom build helper outline, it would have the option to place the original block types as well. This would allow players to create all variety of shapes, and also move their ship core easily by rebuilding their ship (minus the docked entities, of course). And best yet, it would conform to the standard of allowing servers to reduce lag by limiting the amount of blocks each individual player could set at a time.
I'll give some examples of usage.
Example 1 - Creating Magical Stars:
Suzy wants to create a Star shape that is 200x200x200 in size, but alas, she can only copy/paste 50x50x50 on the server. And the build helper has no stars. So what is she to do? Ah, no trouble Suzy, advanced build helper is here to help. Suzy would simply build her large star shape on a new entity, with the ship core as the center. She would then hold CTRL, select "Save Build Helper design" from the menu, and click on the ship core. It asks her to name the design. She calls it "Magical Star." This saves the entire entity as a new custom build helper. Now she wants to build a few stars on a base she has. She enters her build block, holds CTRL, opens the build helper, and selects her custom helper design from the drop-down menu. She could rotate it in 90 degree increments across the X, Y, or Z axis. She selects "Restrict building/removing to helper area" and hits "OK." She is asked to select the center block, so she does, and the outline loads. She can then fill her outline. When she's finished, she can move on to create some more of Magical Stars. Suzy is one happy camper, and she builds many a Magical Star that day.
Example 2:
David created a ship. He spent weeks agonizing about every detail of the ship, placing all his weapons and shields and everything, and it is a beautiful ship, worthy of prizes and fame, but he realized something.. He put his ship core in the wrong spot. He assumed there was some easy way to move the ship core, but David was wrong. That ship core is hard coded into the way the game processes entities, and there is no easy way to move that ship core. David considers jumping off a cliff. But have no fear David! Don't jump off that cliff, just yet! Advanced Build Helper is here to help! David can simply enter his ship, place a block down where he wants his core to be moved to, then press CTRL to open advanced build mode, selecting "Save Build Helper Design." He selects the block he wants his ship core to be moved to. He is able to save the ship itself as a custom design. Then he breaks his ship down in a shipyard, pulling the items to his central storage area. He then creates a new ship, loads up the custom build helper design, selecting "Place original block types" and "Restrict building/removing to helper area." He sets all his build axis to make the process faster. He can then use any block type, doesn't matter, the game will place the ORIGINAL block types in the correct orientation. It also remembers the connections of logic and computers when those blocks are placed. After rebuilding his ship with the core in the correct location, David is one happy camper. He goes on to win many prizes for his beautiful ship and defeats many in battle. In fact, he becomes so confident and famous, he later becomes a ruler of a distant kingdom. His pride swelling, he becomes a tyrant, and under the weight of his excessive ambition, his kingdom falls, and he does in fact jump off a bridge, but it had nothing to do with StarMade.
As a side note, having this type of coding in the game would also support other ideas. The "Repair a ship using Astrotech Beams, utilizing a blueprint" idea could use this coding as it's backbone. But instead of using a saved build helper design, it would use a blueprint.
As always, thoughts and suggestions are welcome. Thank you for your time! :D
So this concept is to create new functionality for the build helper, utilizing the concepts of copy/pasting. Players would be able to create their own custom build helper, either by selecting an area OR by selecting a center block of an entity (basically the reverse of placing down a build helper outline) and it would then copy the entire entity as a new build helper outline. When using a custom build helper outline, it would have the option to place the original block types as well. This would allow players to create all variety of shapes, and also move their ship core easily by rebuilding their ship (minus the docked entities, of course). And best yet, it would conform to the standard of allowing servers to reduce lag by limiting the amount of blocks each individual player could set at a time.
I'll give some examples of usage.
Example 1 - Creating Magical Stars:
Suzy wants to create a Star shape that is 200x200x200 in size, but alas, she can only copy/paste 50x50x50 on the server. And the build helper has no stars. So what is she to do? Ah, no trouble Suzy, advanced build helper is here to help. Suzy would simply build her large star shape on a new entity, with the ship core as the center. She would then hold CTRL, select "Save Build Helper design" from the menu, and click on the ship core. It asks her to name the design. She calls it "Magical Star." This saves the entire entity as a new custom build helper. Now she wants to build a few stars on a base she has. She enters her build block, holds CTRL, opens the build helper, and selects her custom helper design from the drop-down menu. She could rotate it in 90 degree increments across the X, Y, or Z axis. She selects "Restrict building/removing to helper area" and hits "OK." She is asked to select the center block, so she does, and the outline loads. She can then fill her outline. When she's finished, she can move on to create some more of Magical Stars. Suzy is one happy camper, and she builds many a Magical Star that day.
Example 2:
David created a ship. He spent weeks agonizing about every detail of the ship, placing all his weapons and shields and everything, and it is a beautiful ship, worthy of prizes and fame, but he realized something.. He put his ship core in the wrong spot. He assumed there was some easy way to move the ship core, but David was wrong. That ship core is hard coded into the way the game processes entities, and there is no easy way to move that ship core. David considers jumping off a cliff. But have no fear David! Don't jump off that cliff, just yet! Advanced Build Helper is here to help! David can simply enter his ship, place a block down where he wants his core to be moved to, then press CTRL to open advanced build mode, selecting "Save Build Helper Design." He selects the block he wants his ship core to be moved to. He is able to save the ship itself as a custom design. Then he breaks his ship down in a shipyard, pulling the items to his central storage area. He then creates a new ship, loads up the custom build helper design, selecting "Place original block types" and "Restrict building/removing to helper area." He sets all his build axis to make the process faster. He can then use any block type, doesn't matter, the game will place the ORIGINAL block types in the correct orientation. It also remembers the connections of logic and computers when those blocks are placed. After rebuilding his ship with the core in the correct location, David is one happy camper. He goes on to win many prizes for his beautiful ship and defeats many in battle. In fact, he becomes so confident and famous, he later becomes a ruler of a distant kingdom. His pride swelling, he becomes a tyrant, and under the weight of his excessive ambition, his kingdom falls, and he does in fact jump off a bridge, but it had nothing to do with StarMade.
As a side note, having this type of coding in the game would also support other ideas. The "Repair a ship using Astrotech Beams, utilizing a blueprint" idea could use this coding as it's backbone. But instead of using a saved build helper design, it would use a blueprint.
As always, thoughts and suggestions are welcome. Thank you for your time! :D
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