Mina's Ideas & Stuff

[Mini_Minamitsu]

I will post my ideas for things here, adding new ones as I think of them.

1. Movable Core / Additional Cores / Pilot Seat Module:
I am no pro builder, and often I will give up on making a ship before I even start because of how you build around the core. I can't totally plan out ships beforehand and will mostly make everything up as I go, but having the ship core as a fixed central point makes this really hard. And since I don't build on a huge scale I have had to scrap ships because I can't find a decent way to get to the core from outside.

My ideas to fix this are:
Being able to pick up the core and place it in another spot.
Ability to add another core that works as a new place to pilot your ship from.
A new module that can replace the core as a point to control your ship (core can still be used without it)

2. Lead Indicator on Target
I love projectile weapons, especially when they are on spaceships, but it seems like the only way to know where your shots are going in relation to your target is by actually getting a hit. Would really love if we had lead indicators to better aim cannon shots.

 

[NeonSturm]

Small ships are more efficiently loaded if they do not extend more than 14m on all sides of the core.
I use sizes to the power of 2 in my ship gate classification system to encourage that and continue it on a larger scale not keep it easy.

A good way to build your ship is to get pen and paper and draw outlines from above, from front, from aside at least.

And then, you build such an outline around your core - the core in the centre.
When you have 3 2D versions of your ship (it's like using MS:paint or Gimp, photoshop), then, you add depth/height/volume to the build.

Build a 1D-stick an important block on XZ upwards and the same block from YZ toward the side until they met.
Do that a few times with nearby blocks to get a few fixed points for your hull-shaping phase.

That's all assuming you build hull before interiors or systems.
After that, start by making a 2D wire-frame within the hull for deck-floors and the rooms above.
Use grey and black hull for example indicating walls or doors or blue hull for windows.

After you know your room layout (but have not finished them jet), you can build your systems, power, weapons, …
Now you can still move rooms around by drawing them differently on the floor, especially if you leave 20% space free to get more flexibility.
This 20% free space can later be used for logic, shield-blocks, additional room size to make the ship's room layout unique or cargo blocks…
​

I think a pilot-block is reasonable, but I don't think shine will include a function for moving the core (look at the chunk32 update description for details - there they say that's a huge effort).

Though it would be easier if logic uses relative coordinates for other logic blocks as destination (and the same for computers) based on it's current position. (a hint for shine, I hope they see it)

 

[jayman38]

If you don't want to plan a ship ahead of time, then I recommend always, always, always building a teleporter below-and-behind the core, with a 3x3x3 empty space above the teleporter blocks to teleport into from outside the ship. A smaller teleport area might work, but I always prefer to build real rooms, with space to move around. Then build the rest of the ship around that space. As long as you don't fill in the space above the teleporter blocks, you should always be able to get into the ship.

Specifics:
1. Your option, but maybe place the teleporter computer directly below the core.
2. Give the teleporter computer the name of your ship.
3. Then place a faction block below the teleporter block (to keep the whole ship "protected" if you spawn this ship while a faction member).
4. Build a 3x3 flat "pad" of teleporter blocks, centered behind the faction block.
With this setup, when standing on the teleporter pad facing forward, you should be able to see the core straight ahead, with the teleporter computer directly below that, and the faction block hidden below that, at the same level as the teleporter pad on which you stand.

 

[NeonSturm]

If you don't want to plan a ship ahead of time, then I recommend always, always, always building a teleporter below-and-behind the core

Good idea, but TP-blocks are sometimes sold out or expensive on some servers. It's an additional block you have to use for ships.

 

[Monchoman45]

I generally decide roughly where I want my core, then frame around it. I try to build a core room and some stuff around it as soon as possible just so I have something centered around the core that I like and don't feel like changing. Then I can move other things around in relation to that using massive copy/paste bricks.

Generally if I'm building something small, like a shuttle, I put the core on the bridge / in the cockpit so that you can actually walk there, get in the ship, and fly it. So, I start by building the bridge/cockpit and maybe something for the front of the ship, then work backwards.

 

[Bladeriker]

Also the core need not be to center of the ship, as core sniping is a thing of the past. I have placed it on the main bridge of several ships. it just comes down to where you want it.

 

[NeonSturm]

Also the core need not be to center of the ship, as core sniping is a thing of the past. I have placed it on the main bridge of several ships. it just comes down to where you want it.

yes, put the core into open space at the end of some antenna. Everyone targeting it will shoot 99% of times into open space

 

[Madman198237]

Yes, but then any halfwit boarder with a torch can completely wreck your ship without doing anything to anywhere else on the ship. Believe you me, that's not a good strategy.

 

[Monchoman45]

Yes, but then any halfwit boarder with a torch can completely wreck your ship without doing anything to anywhere else on the ship. Believe you me, that's not a good strategy.

Surround it with armor and throw in a logic activated damage pulse. Problem solved.

 

[NeonSturm]

Yes, but then any halfwit boarder with a torch can completely wreck your ship without doing anything to anywhere else on the ship. Believe you me, that's not a good strategy.

you forget the damage pulses :p