Immersion Change: Themed Cargo Block Appearances

[Edymnion]

This one is just really kinda "It would be cool, but would have no effect on actual gameplay at all". Basically, I'd enjoy it if cargo blocks showed some idea of what was in them based on the skin it uses.

So if you had storage for unrefined goods, it would look like a pile of crystals, or a pile or rubble ore. Refined raw materials looking like racks of tubes. Weapons in crates with I dunno, skull and crossbones on them or what kind of weapons they were.

So that there would be more reason to build cargo space into a ship or station in a meaningful way, instead of just hiding them in with the other systems. Make the cargo look diverse and interesting so that you'd want to show it off, maybe even use it as a decoration.

Heck, I could totally see if currency could be given a physical block just so I could build a giant bank vault that would fill up with gold coins Scrooge McDuck style.

 

[splatthecat]

I sometimes make the stacks of cargo ununiform so they look more "realistic" and if I have space I dot it around all over the place.

I don't expect this will ever happen but it would be a nice effect. Maybe some more textures could be added to the random ones along the lines you suggested? That might be a compromise.

 

[jayman38]

This would be a fun addition. It would be tricky to simulate a pile of something. Maybe an algorithm and an updated cargo texture set, where each cargo face has a special color (traditionally green for green-screen effects). Then, if the algorithm finds that most or all of the cargo in that block is of X type, the green in the texture is replaced with a picture of X block type, as seen in the hotbar. If it's a relatively even mix of various things, maybe just grab a random grey-wall texture to place in the green.

With such a system of combined textures, you could have a wide variety of item-specific cargo boxes. I would then recommend that the player be able to select the cargo box the same way that they would select a different shape of armor, so that they can place a specific cargo box, to control how the multi-texture looks. (Maybe a cargo box with bars looks good with crystal, while a cargo box with wood planks looks better with stone, etc.)

 

[Extholious]

i like this idea but i dont think its at the top of the list for being added

 

[NeonSturm]

I think this should be top priority on the RP-side because it's easy to implement and very great for decoration.

We already have multiple textures for one block. The content may cause an orientation change and this changes which textures are used.
It is as simple as an update to the block-config, just in run-time with an added formula.

For example rotations:
0=default uniform empty space
1=default uniform static box
2=default uniform static key-code
3=default uniform open/closable door
4=crystal transparent
5=crystal multicolour
6=fluid water
7=fluid multicolour

you need a conversion table for original rotation, content and new orientation.

 

[Lecic]

How about a selection option in the container itself, so you can have whatever you want? I wouldn't want a bunch of loose piles of ore hanging off the side of my early game miners and would prefer the current crates, for example.

 

[NeonSturm]

How about a selection option in the container itself, so you can have whatever you want? I wouldn't want a bunch of loose piles of ore hanging off the side of my early game miners and would prefer the current crates, for example.

On each one? Individually apply options?

And if it's an option, the engine still needs a way to tell the graphics card which option to display. I would use leftover rotation bits for this.
Perhaps we could additionally add a crate-slab for the outside of content-blocks.

 

[Lecic]

On each one? Individually apply options?

On the storage module itself, not the individual cargo blocks.

 

[Nickizzy]

How about a selection option in the container itself, so you can have whatever you want? I wouldn't want a bunch of loose piles of ore hanging off the side of my early game miners and would prefer the current crates, for example.

What if they were strapped down?

 

[alij331]

i would say why not just allow the user to access a simple gui that has storage modes that align with skins on a lookup table. that way you wouldnt have a million options to scroll through on the hotbar, but would be able to choose a category with 'R'.

it would also be a good opportunity for a slightly more complex mechanic. you can have a 'generic' cargo space (which could be the current solid metal skin - recycle!) which will take anything, but the categories will only take certain blocks and once that space + generic is full, that's it! people would have to plan and balance aesthetics and functionality. it wouldn't be massively complicated either - just like having multiple storage blocks feeding one master.