Star Made's largest asset as a game is the creativity of its community. With the amount of blocks we have, we do amazing things. Just look at Keptick's drone thread, or the beautiful ships the community has constructed. This thread suggests a system to take that creativity a little further, into the sub-block level.
Here is the general idea of the suggestion. Please pay more attention to this than anything else, for it is the most important part of the idea.
Essentially, make each block in the game constructed out of a series of sub-block parts - micro blocks, basically.
Here is how I believe it should be done.
Integration into the current game:
Current builds would not be affected. All the current blocks in the game would remain. However, they would be constructed with the micro blocks. The layout current blocks would remain constant no matter where you are, but each trade station could sell a little of it's own custom blocks. There could be a config file to change the internal structure of each block. Crafting would not be affected.
Specifics:
This is the least important part of the suggestion, as it is quite large and easily argued upon. I suggest everyone discuss the benefits and drawbacks of the general idea, but please post any way you believe my idea for the specifics of the micr blocks could be improved. Here it goes:
First thing: Each micro-block would be 1/10th the size of a normal block. There would be a smaller version of each of the current blocks, and some new ones only available in the micro-block form that all of the larger blocks would be constructed from.
New micro blocks:
Magnetic distribution block: Connects one part to the rest of the ship. So basic and essential when you create a new part, it is pre-built into the block in a 10x10x10 block frame.
Particle collector:
Collects grey matter and refines it.
Particle emitter.
Most basic and essential part of most parts, found in nearly every block. Collects dark matter from adjacent collectors or magnetic distributors and emits it in a straight line. It would emit the matter at certain ticks. When placed in a 10x10x10 block (Including magnetic frame), it would be a single cannon block. Of course, you'd need enough dark matter to run it. When you shoot one emitter at another, the second collects the matter and shoots it in it's own direction.
To make a reactor, you'd only need these two blocks. Your basic store bought reactor would be a core of particle collectors, connected to a series of particle emitters. When connected to the magnetic distributors using c and v, the emitters would shoot directly at the magnetic distributors. This would distribute dark matter throughout the ship. Making more efficient reactors would be an interesting design challenge.
Particle compressor: Pushes dark matter in whatever direction it is facing.
This would make beam weapons possible. To make power supply beam, you would place compressors behind a some power collectors. This would push the dark matter out into space. You would use compressors placed into a tube, facing inwards as to compress the beam. This would make the stream dense enough to make a power supply beam.
To make a beam weapon, you would use the same concept. Particle emitters facing outwards would fire, making a small cannon. To make a beam, the compressors would be placed in the same inward facing tube to condense the stream. The density would greatly increase, at the expense of range. Since all the energy is facing inwards and out, the velocity of the matter stream would greatly increase. Voila, a beam.
You could also construct a basic missile with it. A missile would be an extremely dense concentration of dark matter. It would consist of several outward facing particle emitters, and a hollow sphere around it made of particle emitters. The emitters would shoot at center, storing a large amount of dark matter in one emitter. However, one emitter would only be able to collect and fire certain amount of energy at a time, so you would need another set of compressors to aimed at the center emitter. When a compressor slightly pushed the ball of dark matter away, it would shoot off into space.
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At any rate, there's no point in going in depth. I could add more, but I doubt anyone would care. What do you guys think?
Here is the general idea of the suggestion. Please pay more attention to this than anything else, for it is the most important part of the idea.
Essentially, make each block in the game constructed out of a series of sub-block parts - micro blocks, basically.
Here is how I believe it should be done.
Integration into the current game:
Current builds would not be affected. All the current blocks in the game would remain. However, they would be constructed with the micro blocks. The layout current blocks would remain constant no matter where you are, but each trade station could sell a little of it's own custom blocks. There could be a config file to change the internal structure of each block. Crafting would not be affected.
Specifics:
This is the least important part of the suggestion, as it is quite large and easily argued upon. I suggest everyone discuss the benefits and drawbacks of the general idea, but please post any way you believe my idea for the specifics of the micr blocks could be improved. Here it goes:
First thing: Each micro-block would be 1/10th the size of a normal block. There would be a smaller version of each of the current blocks, and some new ones only available in the micro-block form that all of the larger blocks would be constructed from.
New micro blocks:
Magnetic distribution block: Connects one part to the rest of the ship. So basic and essential when you create a new part, it is pre-built into the block in a 10x10x10 block frame.
Particle collector:
Collects grey matter and refines it.
Particle emitter.
Most basic and essential part of most parts, found in nearly every block. Collects dark matter from adjacent collectors or magnetic distributors and emits it in a straight line. It would emit the matter at certain ticks. When placed in a 10x10x10 block (Including magnetic frame), it would be a single cannon block. Of course, you'd need enough dark matter to run it. When you shoot one emitter at another, the second collects the matter and shoots it in it's own direction.
To make a reactor, you'd only need these two blocks. Your basic store bought reactor would be a core of particle collectors, connected to a series of particle emitters. When connected to the magnetic distributors using c and v, the emitters would shoot directly at the magnetic distributors. This would distribute dark matter throughout the ship. Making more efficient reactors would be an interesting design challenge.
Particle compressor: Pushes dark matter in whatever direction it is facing.
This would make beam weapons possible. To make power supply beam, you would place compressors behind a some power collectors. This would push the dark matter out into space. You would use compressors placed into a tube, facing inwards as to compress the beam. This would make the stream dense enough to make a power supply beam.
To make a beam weapon, you would use the same concept. Particle emitters facing outwards would fire, making a small cannon. To make a beam, the compressors would be placed in the same inward facing tube to condense the stream. The density would greatly increase, at the expense of range. Since all the energy is facing inwards and out, the velocity of the matter stream would greatly increase. Voila, a beam.
You could also construct a basic missile with it. A missile would be an extremely dense concentration of dark matter. It would consist of several outward facing particle emitters, and a hollow sphere around it made of particle emitters. The emitters would shoot at center, storing a large amount of dark matter in one emitter. However, one emitter would only be able to collect and fire certain amount of energy at a time, so you would need another set of compressors to aimed at the center emitter. When a compressor slightly pushed the ball of dark matter away, it would shoot off into space.
-------------
At any rate, there's no point in going in depth. I could add more, but I doubt anyone would care. What do you guys think?
