Display module networks

[JanusForbeare]

I usually hate posting in mod suggestion forums, regardless of the game, because I feel like there's almost an implied level of laziness to it. I know, I should learn Java and develop this idea myself - and I might, someday - but I have a job, and a family, and very little time, so I thought I'd humbly toss it to the community and see if anyone picks up on it.

I have a couple of display monitors standing in as a PC screen in the living quarters of my ship, displaying a fake news story. I've spent a distressing amount of time working in newsrooms in my life, and so I started thinking about the feasibility of creating modified display monitors that could work as transmitter/receiver pairs. Basically, any message entered into the transmitter block would be displayed on any and all receiver blocks attuned to the correct frequency. Frequencies would be defined by the players themselves using a simple alpha-numeric code, just like making a private chat channel in an MMO. That way, there's an infinite number of "channels" available, and anyone with the right code can "browse" the selection.

I can even see an application for logic here: build a circuit that would cycle power through a series of transmitters attuned to the same frequency, causing the receivers to display a series of messages. The potential here goes beyond just simulating news broadcasts - it would allow players to install more complex displays on their ships and installations. Hell, you could potentially even set up a circuit that runs along the length of your hull, and, when severed, changes your displays to "CRITICAL HULL DAMAGE SUSTAINED". The possibilities are practically endless.

Anyways, I think there's a lot of potential here, and I'm hoping that more than a few of you will feel the same. Let me know what you think.

 

[Criss]

That is definitely something I could see the devs working on.

 

[ToyotaSupra]

Yeah, I'd like to see this as well. Display blocks are cool and all but they need more functions, more strings. A scrolling text thing would look good for a newsroom, right? I always wanted one that shows your current position for my nav room.

I'm sure more is coming, SOON (tm) which really couldn't come SOONer.

I should learn Java and develop this idea myself

That's OK, Schema should have learned to code in C, and developed his idea properly. This is what the mods forums are for. I think a few lines into the display block should do.

 

[Sp0tty J0nes]

Guess a good addition is there had an activation Texture which becomes activated like this:
[shieldenenergy] < 40% ( 'Shield Level: Stable' / 'Shield Level: Critical' )

It would be also great if there can give a signal back when the activation appears.

 

[NeonSturm]

I would like string-logic blocks. Modded display blocks could be great for this too.

Just enter a password and a block with the same text activates a door.

BTW: Doors could be set to logic-only if they are slaved by logic.​

Also restrict editing of display blocks to just-logic if they contain a certain text like [LOGIC_ONLY].

If you can combine text from 2 into a third you can use this to set/reset this flag.​

 

[Zoli]

First step: faction news on displays

The first time I made a public faction I immediately posted some news for some role-play. To make it more appealing for the visitors of my faction home, my first idea was to put these news on displays, but sadly I had to do all of these manually.

We already have [shield], [shieldCap], [power], and [powerCap] variables on displays, I think adding some [post1], [post2], [post3] variables for the last 3 posted news wouldn't be that hard at least for your own faction. And definitely a lot more easier than adding a new transmitter block.
By the way, I think hull status displays don't need new blocks and logics, just a new [hull] variable, and some math formulas in the code. And I bet current position display is even easier.

I don't know about the params though. Could we add variables like [post1 faction='Not My Faction' password='t4Dz35F']? Or a <style></style>-like <post></post> could be implemented? But I'm sure we could put the scrolling text params into the <style></style> header somehow.

What else? Item prices maybe? Sure thing. If you have a trading faction with several shops based on shop modules why don't you advertise your prices on the news. An entity identifier displayed by using the right Shift is enough, because every structure can have 1 shop module. [sellingPrice module='ENTITY_PLANET_1_3_4_1_1235232324']
This code could go in the news post or straight on a display.

Pros:

• no need for transmitter blocks or circuits
• news could be posted anywhere directly from the faction window by anyone who has the news poster role in the faction
• faction name-password pairs are safer than frequencies alone, no accidental frequency conflicts
• same passwords can be defined for different factions without finding out that the other has the same
• public news of factions without password

Next step: screenshot thumbnails on displays just for fun

Freelancer? Anybody?