Improve advanced build mode tools

[jayman38]

Repeating the typical request for the game's strongest suite:

Improve advanced build mode tools to improve build flow.

For this suggestion, I am focused on the selection, removal, and pasting of parts/clipboards/templates.

1. The dimension-based advanced removal process (normally right-click) should affect the exact same dimensions as the advanced placement (normally left-click). There simply should not be a different area effected by multi-block removal than multi-block placement. The yellow outline for advanced mode build area should be the location for both effects. Once this is in effect, the "Remove Mode" checkmark in advanced mode with red outline can be removed as unnecessary.

2. There should be an option to limit the paste contents to the build dimensions currently selected. (E.g. if you have a "clipboard" that is 3x7x5, but this toggle is engaged and your advanced build mode area is 2x4x4, then you will only paste 2x4x4 of the original clipboard instead of the whole thing.) There needs to be a "crop" button, to allow the user to move the selection box around the template, to select exactly which part of the template will be in the new paste group. The game can utilize the existing cuboid-area selection control on a ghost-copy of the template to make this "cropping" more intuitive.

3. There should be controls that select where a paste is placed, with detailed X, Y, and Z coordinate controls. I wouldn't mind if it was exactly like the selection control, where you manually pick one corner and navigate to the other. You should be able to select any size area you wish, and then the "template" should fill in the area, with multiple copies starting at the first block, if the selected area is bigger than the template.

I have found that unless many, many pasted copies are needed, which suggests a boringly repetitive design but can yield dividends on paste experimentation, it's typically easier to paste a template once and then manually reconstruct it where needed. (Or manually reconstruct the block layout from memory) In my experience, manual placement of blocks takes the same amount of time as pasting templates, while providing opportunities for optimized layouts. One of the benefits of templates should be easier and faster placing of multiple blocks in a good pattern. Unfortunately, the existing problems with false placement "ghosts" and weird placement "anchors" makes the template placement take as long or longer as manual block placement.

tl;dr: All points suggest that the paste-ghost placement should be fixed; it is usually a block off in one or more dimensions when pasting.
1. make multi-block removal to affect the same "group" of blocks as multi-block placement.
2. Allow the builder to "crop" templates and other multi-block "clipboards", possibly using the existing cuboid selection control. Fix paste-ghost location in preview.
3. Allow the builder to flood-fill a selection area with a template or multi-block "clipboard". Fixing the paste-ghost location is even more important here.

 

[Arcaner]

Repeating the typical request for the game's strongest suite:

Improve advanced build mode tools to improve build flow.

For this suggestion, I am focused on the selection, removal, and pasting of parts/clipboards/templates.

1. The dimension-based advanced removal process (normally right-click) should affect the exact same dimensions as the advanced placement (normally left-click). There simply should not be a different area effected by multi-block removal than multi-block placement. The yellow outline for advanced mode build area should be the location for both effects. Once this is in effect, the "Remove Mode" checkmark in advanced mode with red outline can be removed as unnecessary.

2. There should be an option to limit the paste contents to the build dimensions currently selected. (E.g. if you have a "clipboard" that is 3x7x5, but this toggle is engaged and your advanced build mode area is 2x4x4, then you will only paste 2x4x4 of the original clipboard instead of the whole thing.) There needs to be a "crop" button, to allow the user to move the selection box around the template, to select exactly which part of the template will be in the new paste group. The game can utilize the existing cuboid-area selection control on a ghost-copy of the template to make this "cropping" more intuitive.

3. There should be controls that select where a paste is placed, with detailed X, Y, and Z coordinate controls. I wouldn't mind if it was exactly like the selection control, where you manually pick one corner and navigate to the other. You should be able to select any size area you wish, and then the "template" should fill in the area, with multiple copies starting at the first block, if the selected area is bigger than the template.

4. I have found that unless many, many pasted copies are needed, which suggests a boringly repetitive design but can yield dividends on paste experimentation, it's typically easier to paste a template once and then manually reconstruct it where needed. (Or manually reconstruct the block layout from memory) In my experience, manual placement of blocks takes the same amount of time as pasting templates, while providing opportunities for optimized layouts. One of the benefits of templates should be easier and faster placing of multiple blocks in a good pattern. Unfortunately, the existing problems with false placement "ghosts" and weird placement "anchors" makes the template placement take as long or longer as manual block placement.

tl;dr: All points suggest that the paste-ghost placement should be fixed; it is usually a block off in one or more dimensions when pasting.
1. make multi-block removal to affect the same "group" of blocks as multi-block placement.
2. Allow the builder to "crop" templates and other multi-block "clipboards", possibly using the existing cuboid selection control. Fix paste-ghost location in preview.
3. Allow the builder to flood-fill a selection area with a template or multi-block "clipboard". Fixing the paste-ghost location is even more important here.

1-There's a very good reason for this :r

2-That just overly complicates ABM. Do it yerself lazy :P (And don't even get me started on what part It'll fill or not fill)

3-The X,,Z coordinates, agreed. Make 'pasting' similar to when you adjust the core orientation while making a new dock. About the second part, Flood fill? How will that work? What if your template is 3x3x3 but you select 8x8x8 to fill? So, use the suggestion-2 you say? Nu-uh, way too many loose ends here.

 

[rocketman221]

1-There's a very good reason for this :r

What is the reason for this?
I find it rather annoying that you have to switch back and forth between place and remove mode if you want to see what you are going to remove.

 

[NeonSturm]

I'd like if the paste-tool could work like the set-position from the fill-tool.
Or if you could just place it like a block rather than having it flood into existing blocks behind your cursor position.

I find it rather annoying that you have to switch back and forth between place and remove mode if you want to see what you are going to remove.

That's why I don't toggle to remove. I just imagine the inverse selection direction.

 

[jayman38]

1-There's a very good reason for this :r

2-That just overly complicates ABM. Do it yerself lazy :P (And don't even get me started on what part It'll fill or not fill)

3-The X,,Z coordinates, agreed. MAKE PASTE SIMILAR TO THE WAY YOU SELECT THE CORE POSITION WHILE "PLACING RAIL DOCKER" .About the second part, Flood fill? How will that work? What if your template is 3x3x3 but you select 8x8x8 to fill? So, use the suggestion-2 you say? Nu-uh, way too many loose ends here.

1. Doesn't matter. I understand the coordinate system. However, it's non-intuitive, an extra step, and therefore, broken.

2. I am already placing partials myself, manually. Until modding becomes a thing, builders will be looking to Schine to add more advanced options in build mode to make the job easier and get more enjoyable results done in shorter amounts of time. There are already "over-complicated" features already in ABM, depending on subjective opinion, so your claim that it overcomplicates ABM, which now has about 8 or 9 tabs, patently absurd.

3. Flood fill would work exactly like in a painting program. The part would paste, starting with the first block selected, and repeat-copy along all longer-than-the-part dimensions. Shorter dimensions that are smaller than the part would crop the part. A 3^3 part would place 8 full copies and 19 partial copies into a 8^3 space. You can manually place templates in a repeating pattern yourself and crop the excess blocks to verify.

 

[petlahk]

4) allow you to choose the 'anchor' for the template/selection when you copy it. This would be done by having your cursor pointing at the block that you wish to be the attachment point.

Other ideas for choosing the anchor point:
- Having it 'C' selected within the boundary when you make the template.
- Selecting it in some extra step after copying the template.