Logic block docking connector... WHUT?

[ghettodexter]

I thought of all things we would be able to link activator blocks to docking connectors but no ... would make it a lot easy and faster to just hop out my core press the activator block and all of my fighters launch at once. Even if they can't return... I'd like the option ya' know?

Not prodding too much on this one just saying:

1. A way to send a signal when something is docked from the dock directly?
(to an activator block, not/and/or gate)

2. Undock ship... wait just think of it!
:p(easy wing launch system wont take ages to setup just hop out core and press activator switch to all connected docking ports).


**Most importantly**

3. Link a cockpit + ship docking port then laser fires non stop at a very limited distance 15-20 block max (with no visuals unless a plex light is below the cockpit or can be seen in build mode) and grabs ships cores and attaches entire ship to linked dock regardless of direct view to the ships core. This will be limited by distance and faction to prevent grieving. Maybe one day we get an owner block too for locking ships between same ranked faction members?
(Automatic fighter storage hangar!!!! For AI carriers of course via the logic system (no need to worry about fighters finding their way through user created corridors because ships will be like bullets in a magazine being plex lifted or docking port beam "shifted" to a new location)

Looking at you schema....:D
(I just thought of that just now...you know that feeling you get you feel so awesome... yeah...)

Only thing I can say bad is well nothing... It would allow for a grand scale of user created machines that can move (in a way) ships around and to different locations without needing to enter each core or reset the AI settings by doing so... I mean it's about time we had some form of working carrier... With this I can Launch and recover ships by flying close to them after battle and "scoop" them back into the hangar (through some ludicrous docking-port conveyor belt like automatic tech-beam repairing, ship sorting thingy first )

I'm sure with just a few clicks all of this can be done within a few hours IN NO WAY AM I RUSHING OR BEGGING DONT ATTCK ME!!!!

:p Thanks for reading be nice plz.

 

[Ithirahad]

Cool it with the emoticons and random thoughts... also, programming a game doesn't consist of 'a few clicks.'

That aside... yeah, we need some way to transmit a logic signal through docking blocks, and we also need a way to activate docks using logic. And I have no idea if I like your idea about fighter re-docking or not because I can't quite figure out what they heck you're even saying. :P

 

[ghettodexter]

There isn't much clicking in fact I know this I'm saying with minor adjustments to the xml files to can do exactly as I stated above and It would only take about 30 minutes (I looked into it and currently making modified xml and custom blocks right now)

Ithirahad Basically its a bunch of ideas that in the end will give us the ability to make conveyor belts that move ships around, the ability to create hangars that store ships (like the car garage in the movie iRobot) and the ability to launch and recover ships by use of the logic system.

This requires we have... docking ports that can be linked to logic block (currently cannot) a laser system to "grab" ships and dock them (when your in a ship core and aim at docking port you dock, my idea is the reverse... A docking port linked to a cockpit block, activate the cockpit by using a logic setup of your choice and it will fire a "docking laser" a very short ranged laser that docks the ship it touches) this way you can fly up to fighters and the laser will grab them from space onto a conveyor going to hangar storage... get it?

I'm sorry I do ramble on and throw in a bunch of random thoughts but that's because I blog a lot... habit sorry. I hope I clarified this a bit for you thanks... I use emoticons because umm what are they for again... oh yea to add emotion.
I do know what programming is IJS I have 3ds max Mudbox and Maya... and in the process of making a game title so I know a little bit about programming also its how I've been paying my rent the past 9 years.

Thanks for your input and I will take your thoughts into account next time I post and try to make it short and concise... I personally like to give as much detail and information when speaking as possible as to reduce confusion.

 

[Ithirahad]

Nah, lots of information isn't bad, it's that the way you format it (or rather, the way you don't format it) that makes it confusing. Also, unless I'm a total idiot, 'minor adjustments to the .XML files' can't implement a new type of beam that automatically docks things to docking modules... nor the physics for a conveyor belt block. That would have to be coded in as completely new behavior, right?

 

[ghettodexter]

no
use what is there no new physics no new blocks just new functions.... the docking beam is the same that is on every ship core and acts the same to make a conveyor just use a row or linked docking blocks and cockpits to laser the ship in the beams range from one to the next

to automatically do so you just need to use logic blocks Activation/not/or/delay/back to the not/then off to the weapon but first through one more activation block... you can build and test this now it is a basic clock that will fire anything over and over non stop until you turn it off.
Use the "clock" connected to a "conveyor" with one "docking laser" pointed out the side of the ship and you can grab ships from space into your cargo bay simple... just a few modifications to what is already in the codes of each block.... cut and paste..... easiest mod ever

 

[ltmauve]

It's not at easy as you would think. Yes, adding in the docks to logic blocks would be one thing, but having that new tractor beam system would not be as easy. Also, what we need is a form of activation beam that can run off the logic system.

 

[ghettodexter]

No again :p

The docking beam is exactly like the beam on ships cores already... the only thing being changed is the target effected from its self to another entity... and THAT is not hard at all creating another system would be un-needed is. Its not tractoring its using the same glitch jump from one dock to the next method that is already here so no physics... just calculations of block placement... they would need to also have a buffer added for increasing docking size to a larger standard and not need extenders as it cant be resized (made for small fighters of carriers only) or what ever works best for the server it being ran on.

All in all you will just be cutting and pasting lines of code and changing a few things to make it mesh but none of this is rocket science... and even that is easy played Kerbal?

 

[Ithirahad]

no
use what is there no new physics no new blocks just new functions.... the docking beam is the same that is on every ship core and acts the same to make a conveyor just use a row or linked docking blocks and cockpits to laser the ship in the beams range from one to the next

to automatically do so you just need to use logic blocks Activation/not/or/delay/back to the not/then off to the weapon but first through one more activation block... you can build and test this now it is a basic clock that will fire anything over and over non stop until you turn it off.
Use the "clock" connected to a "conveyor" with one "docking laser" pointed out the side of the ship and you can grab ships from space into your cargo bay simple... just a few modifications to what is already in the codes of each block.... cut and paste..... easiest mod ever

...But, 'docking laser'? That's pretty much a completely new behavior. We don't have that, we just have the inverse version (the Docking Beam). :p

(And no, I doubt that it's quite as simple as just literally reversing the same process used by the docking beam.)

 

[ltmauve]

No again :p

The docking beam is exactly like the beam on ships cores already... the only thing being changed is the target effected from its self to another entity... and THAT is not hard at all creating another system would be un-needed is. Its not tractoring its using the same glitch jump from one dock to the next method that is already here so no physics... just calculations of block placement... they would need to also have a buffer added for increasing docking size to a larger standard and not need extenders as it cant be resized (made for small fighters of carriers only) or what ever works best for the server it being ran on.

All in all you will just be cutting and pasting lines of code and changing a few things to make it mesh but none of this is rocket science... and even that is easy played Kerbal?

you certain about that? don't make unqualified assumptions about the game engine so absolutely.

Anyway, so what you want is: (simply because you aren't so clear with your words)
a) docking units to work with logic. Pretty sure this is confirmed to be in the next stable release.
b) activation beam that can be triggered by logic to connect to other ships.
c) docking/tractor laser that pulls in other ships. Might be a bit OP (due to pulling in enemy ships or hauling back something.)

 

[ghettodexter]

A no its not just talking with AndyP and said he ask schema
B wrong again logic activate the block the block run all possible funtions when triggered true/false...
C If you read my entire thread you see I said grieving limited by beams distance and faction... gosh why did I waste my time just now...

As you can see notepad++ and way ahead of all the you need to do this and that's already in testing so far no go but no the right path I know what I'm doing if not I'm open to help going to be starting a WIP thread soon!!! Depending on if schema gives a yes/no to this being implemented... if no look for a new mod.

 

[ghettodexter]

Ithirahad It isn't as easy as I make it sound but It is fairly easy bro.

 

[AndyP]

Posting an one to one message as a screenshot is really ethical questionable.

Asked schema, and got the permission to put that into 'features' section. (As it was not a clean bug either)

It is now handled and tracked as:

Issue 226: Missing logic link target: Docking module

- Andy

 

[ghettodexter]

YAY! but aww now I must think of a new mod....
Thank me... I'm welcome me...:p
No thanks AndyP

 

[ghettodexter]

Posting an one to one message as a screenshot is really ethical questionable.

Asked schema, and got the permission to put that into 'features' section. (As it was not a clean bug either)

It is now handled and tracked as:

Issue 226: Missing logic link target: Docking module

- Andy

So sorry as I did not think the topic of conversation was of the nature needing to be handled in a private way as the conversation was made to be open and people added... (the options) But I assure you I know what confidentiality is and how to keep secrets just didn't think you would mind... I promise I will in the future NEVER repost a one-to-one again I don't want to seem like the type to leak info that isn't supposed to be. For others peace of mind and will ask first for any information shared by members of the testing team schema mods or devs... again AndyP I'm sorry... will not happen again.

 

[AndyP]

Apologies accepted, I didn't really mind in that topic,
but ignoring it totally would have been wrong either. =)

It was okay in this case, as it only was non-confidential nor personal stuff we talked about.
So no worries.

- Andy

 

[Doomerzzz]

I think the best method for redocking (has been suggested in old forum) is having a flight path you could record, and I guess you create a icon somewhere to trigger all fighters that were docked to your ship to fly towards the start of wherever you set the flight path to be, makes it abit more realistic doing it this way..

 

[ghettodexter]

Doomerzzz True I like that idea! a whole lot less blocks but in the end... with that feature there is no other expandability for it... unlike using a set of blocks you can make into different configurations like a repair conveyor, ship storage, station tram/shuttle service and other user created contraptions. Yes you have a good idea but its use would be limited and could be done with something else that can add more features and expandability.

 

[Doomerzzz]

Well there isnt much you need to expand in relation to docking :P
if you want could create different flight paths, allocate a flight path to each dock, have a default path probably be more easy, then allocate others to other paths :P so wouldnt need any more to do with docking :P

 

[ghettodexter]

I'd like to see recorded flight patterns used for thing like escorting, ship protection and wing flight pattern configuration. The ability to record and play back actions to an AI's flight computer by clicking pre-recorded actions like circling a ship patrolling an area.

 

[ghettodexter]

Docking could be an issue as you may have multiple ships in queue to land but lag is created when a ship too big to land is assigned to a dock... then what? I could see a fix with there being a message saying the ship cant dock here maybe? also what if you decide to change the shape of your ship but forget to remove the recorded pattern? Either way issues will arise but you idea is good non the less kudos to you!!