Introducing the 'Master Switch' Block.

[Roninpawn]

The Master Switch is a simple, astronaut-activated block enabling the user to affect the activation state of multiple other blocks simultaneously and through a single convenient interface. (Aka. a switch on 'da wall)

After placing the Master Switch, select it as controller by pressing 'C,' then select the blocks you would like it to control by placing them in the crosshairs and pressing 'V.' The master switch can be linked to any astronaut-interactable, non-computer block, and can control many different kinds of blocks at once. For example: A single Master Switch can be linked to a series of PlexDoors at the same time that it is linked to a number of lights. When this switch is activated the doors open and the lights come on all at once.

The Master Switch is a binary device, controlling other binary devices. It is either on or off, and is used to tell other things to be either on or off. To simplify implementation, the Master Switch is in an 'off' state when placed. Upon first activation it will send the 'on' state to all linked blocks. If some of the blocks being controlled are already in the 'on' state, they -will not- reverse their state to 'off,' they will simply remain 'on' while any blocks that are not 'on' will become 'on.'

To create more complex configurations Master Switches can be bound to one another. Because a Master Switch simply reverses its own state whenever interacted with, it will effectively disregard the 'On' or 'Off' signal being issued by a parent switch and just flip its binary state. Example: An airlock. Connect outer doors to Master Switch 1. Connect inner doors to Master Switch 2. Now interact with Master Switch 2 by pressing 'R' once. Switch 1 is now in the 'off' state, and switch 2 is in the 'on' state. Place Master Switch 3 between the doors, and then connect switches 1 and 2 to it using 'V'. Activating Master Switch 3 via 'R' now closes one door as it opens the other.

Master Switches that are physically connected to their children will activate if the child is activated. This means that a Master Switch physically touching a PlexDoor will activate if the door itself is activated by an astronaut, sending the associated state-change to all other Switch-linked blocks. This applies to any type of block that the Master Switch can control.

So incredibly versatile!! The Master Switch is just what your ship and station has been lacking: Centralized control of many small, independent systems through a single point. Ship's captains and Space Station commanders can finally fully access all ship's systems conveniently from bridge, deck, or helm. Pick up the reasonably priced 'Master Switch' from a shop in your sector today!

This message brought to you by Master Switch Makers Inc., a black market, for-profit organization.

 

[RsG]

I like this idea. Would be very useful for docking bays, especially ones that extend some distance inside the ship/base. Have a \"close outer door\" button next to the gravity console.

 

[The Last Baron]

This would be great. Combine it with a timer block and we can have flashing lights. Or prison ships.

 

[Ixalite]

I love this idea! not hard to implement, makes the game better! The best inspirations are often like this, I wish I had thought of it first!

 

[John Sheridan]

Lost me further down on the on-off being unaffected with two master switches...



BUT YES - EXCELLENT BLOCK IDEA.

Example uses:

Open docking hangar for incoming ship to dock to your ship

Open lights to indicate a path for user to follow

Open security doors and provide access for visitors

AKA Remote control of lights and Plex doors and anything else you can use \'R\' on (mostly)

 

[Incap]

Can it be used to activate Disintegrator blocks?

A big ship needs a self-destruct mechanism.

 

[Roninpawn]

Thank you all for your interest in our amazing product. It\'s customer feedback like this that keeps us working \'round the clock to satisfy our many clients\' diverse needs. In direct response to your inquiry, Incap, Master Switch Makers Inc. has fully prototyped, tested, and implemented your request for Disintegrator block compatibility. Now, at the touch of a button, you too can blow anything you wish straight to kingdom come.

Look for the new and improved \'Master Switch: BANG\' on shop shelves soon!

 

[Incap]

I\'ll take a thousand!

 

[Roninpawn]

Consider this a self-solicitous bump. Just in case Schema ever actually sees this thread (maybe someone could put it on Reddit - I know nothing of Reddit) I thought I would auger for how simple the implementation of some form of Switch block could (might-maybe) be.

I\'m sure you have a myriad of base block-objects from which to build this on, so there\'s only a handful of custom functions that would actually need written to put this block in-game -- I think.

You\'ve clearly got a control-block/linked-block scheme that works swimmingly already. Configure which blocks are okay to link to a Switch and you\'re done there. And I would hazard to guess that all the blocks that can be activated by an astronaut use the same function call to do whatever it is they do when activated. So it\'s just a matter of having the Switch block send that single function call to each block linked to it when the Switch itself is activated. Now, if you already have, or could add a passable boolean variable to the activation function call for those blocks, then the Switch could call that function with either an \'On\' or \'Off\' signal. That would unify the activation states of all linked blocks.

The Switch\'s own activation-function would disregard the passable boolean, thus making it a true switch that simply flips state when called. And if we allow Switch blocks to be child-linked to Switch-blocks, then players will have the ability to setup two or more seperate Switch-arrays and join them together through a parent-Switch. When activated, this would have the effect of turning one array on as it turns the other off.

To keep us from crashing servers with endless loops of Switches calling Switches, you need only integrate two one-line conditional statements that prevent control-links from being made more than one Switch deep. ie.: You can have: [Parent Switch] -> [Child Switch, Child Switch, Child Switch, etc...]. But you can\'t have: [Parent Switch] -> [Child Switch -> [Child Switch] ]. That will keep players from linking switches back on one another and crashing the game. Throw up an error message in the HUD when someone tries to link more than one switch deep and that puts a bow on linkage.

The idea for inheriting activation from physically abutting blocks is not necessary - but would be really, really cool; you have to admit - and could be put together using a variation of the PlexDoor code. In fact, the best part of this would be if it worked with PlexDoors, so just make the PlexDoor function that activates abutting PlexDoors think the Switch block is a PlexDoor too and you\'ve tied that off as well.

I know there\'s bound to be unforeseen issues and bugs, Bugs, BUGS, every time the code expands, but I really think that the difficulty curve of this, relative to the myriad uses players could come up with in-game for a component like this, make it worth doing. And knowing you, you could almost certainly bang this whole thing out in less than six hours. (Will flattery get me anywhere?)

Thanks for reading this blather -- if you ever do.

 

[AxNinjaX]

I\'m AxNinjaX, and I approve this message!

Master switches would be ideal for controlling hangar bay doors from a central control area; they would be even better if you could assign them to a number key and use them in Flight Mode!

 

[Roninpawn]

Having Master Switches on a ship\'s control bar could allow a captain in a fight to toggle red alert mode, switching ship lighting to Red and simultaneously locking down all open PlexDoors in case of non-factioned invaders coming aboard via a hull breach!

 

[Moon Walker]

Currently if you want to activate adoor at a distance, you\'d have to run a row of door blocks between where you are and where you want the door to be. And there\'s no way that I know of to turn groups of lights off and on. We\'ve mastered space travel, we should be able to master garage door openers and light switches.