Possible to edit rail block stats? Specifically strength.

[RabidBat]

I know the game is extremely customisable via configs, but I am specifically looking for the files/settings for rail block stats.

I want to mess around with them to try and eliminate one of mine and other peoples biggest issues with the game, and why I keep docked entities to a minimum, like still using blast doors over pretty rail doors, and that is docked entities are just too damn easy to undock, especially by heat seekers and the God of Heat Seekers the Suns.

Think we all know how the game goes once entities start coming unstuck and begin colliding, made the suggestion to make the rails invulnerable or much stronger so they stay attached, seems a simple solution to a major problem.

But no idea if and when that will happen so would like to do it myself for single player and if it works suggest making the changes to the server I play on.
Just seems to make sense that docked things can be destroyed while remaining docked.

So does anyone know and can provide me the following.
1.) Can the rail blocks stats be modified by us in the manner described.
2.) What file are these setting located in.
3.) Specific code that needs to be altered.

Thanks in advance and free virtual hug and cookie to anyone who can help me.
(I know I could go digging through the files myself but not got the time or patience right now.)

 

[NeonSturm]

You can edit block armour or block hp.
But make sure you also edit cost or peoples will use this block instead of advanced armour on your server.

Just search for "rail" or "docker" within the blockconfig file, using your fav text editor's search function (usually CRTL+F for "find")

 

[kingreol]

Just remember it's no substitute to not design with the weakness of rails in mind. Internal turret base, faction modules to add a block of super armor next to the docket. Etc.

 

[Edymnion]

If nothing else, cover your exposed rails in blast doors, and then use activators on the rails to detect when something is going down them and open the door segments in front of it.

Now you've got even more armor and ship HP, and no edits need making.

 

[DrTarDIS]

Yup, blockconfig is the file you want. Closest thing to invulnerable you can edit into it is to give it a 100% armor value, since HP is limited to a rather small value because of orientations and whatnot being stored in the same bit. Don't try adding hp over 120 if you do mess with it, it'll just bork the whole shebang.


the make it invulnerable thing would be nice but...AFAIK that's not feasible outside of some low-level java magic.

 

[RabidBat]

Thanks for the feedback, nope not going to keep the weakness of rails in mind, well actually I am, because that is exactly the problem I am talking about. Them being weak is their flaw. Too easily destroyed which creates the major issues I mentioned in OP.
Should be no need to put blast doors or anything else over, around or on them, short of the armour already there, or like in a welled design which should offer protection but does not. (Well when missiles and suns are concerned any way.)

The solution would be of course, if implemented on the server, that rules would need to be put in place making it clear rails are only to be used for rail purposes and that trying to armour your ship with them would result in the ship being deleted. E.g Turret axis must only be for attaching turrets. Not armour plating an area.
Other wise you would need a way to set a cap to them like certain blocks, e.g only one bobby A.I per ship. Which would be too restrictive.

Only other solution is Schine fixes missiles, specifically heat seekers and the sun damage that seem based on them for always targetting docked entities and their ability to ignore the blocks in the way surrounding them. (Heat seekers should, well, go after heat, not rail dockers or rails or whatever it seems to be that they target by default)

Think it is better to police peoples use of the blocks, than watch a server almost crash 2 seconds after people begin combat.
How easily entities become un-docked and the issues they cause is kind of silly.

Again I'll use popular sci-fi and even real world turreted vehicles as an example. You never see them in battle and when destroyed their turrets all pop off as if held on by sticky tape.

 

[DrTarDIS]

Thanks for the feedback, nope not going to keep the weakness of rails in mind, well actually I am, because that is exactly the problem I am talking about. Them being weak is their flaw. Too easily destroyed which creates the major issues I mentioned in OP.
Should be no need to put blast doors or anything else over, around or on them, short of the armour already there, or like in a welled design which should offer protection but does not. (Well when missiles and suns are concerned any way.)

The solution would be of course, if implemented on the server, that rules would need to be put in place making it clear rails are only to be used for rail purposes and that trying to armour your ship with them would result in the ship being deleted. E.g Turret axis must only be for attaching turrets. Not armour plating an area.
Other wise you would need a way to set a cap to them like certain blocks, e.g only one bobby A.I per ship. Which would be too restrictive.

Only other solution is Schine fixes missiles, specifically heat seekers and the sun damage that seem based on them for always targetting docked entities and their ability to ignore the blocks in the way surrounding them. (Heat seekers should, well, go after heat, not rail dockers or rails or whatever it seems to be that they target by default)

Think it is better to police peoples use of the blocks, than watch a server almost crash 2 seconds after people begin combat.
How easily entities become un-docked and the issues they cause is kind of silly.

Again I'll use popular sci-fi and even real world turreted vehicles as an example. You never see them in battle and when destroyed their turrets all pop off as if held on by sticky tape.

Totally follow your logic. I'm unsure of it since I haven't tested it myself, but adding OVER 100% armor % might effectively make shots to rails and dockers a "a bad thing" by multiplying the damage to the pool while still making them effectively invulnerable until overheat is very likely to begin with. Good self-balancing method if you ask me. At least to prevent "wall of modified rails" as a smart defensive measure. Let me know if your testing proves that true/false.

 

[RabidBat]

Yeah I do not necessarily want to make them invulnerable, but I do want them to not be so piss weak that they are always the first thing to go on a ship, every time, guaranteed.

edit: Schine maybe needs to make them not count towards a ships structure. Unless there is a way I can do that myself also.

edit2: or make missiles completely ignore them altogether or something.

 

[NeonSturm]

I would like if that when rails get destroyed either:

1. Turrets stop turning, but stick to the ship
   • may still fire
   • or be disabled as whole.
2. Turrets disappear until the ship is repaired
   • doesn't kill block resources, but mass, hp, vision or weapons is all temporarily disappearing.
   • When the ship dies, they might be a sticky entity or at a random position around the dead ship.
3. Turrets which are shot off are not colliding until they leave the ships boundary box.

 

[RabidBat]

I would like if that when rails get destroyed either:

1. Turrets stop turning, but stick to the ship
   • may still fire
   • or be disabled as whole.
2. Turrets disappear until the ship is repaired
   • doesn't kill block resources, but mass, hp, vision or weapons is all temporarily disappearing.
   • When the ship dies, they might be a sticky entity or at a random position around the dead ship.
3. Turrets which are shot off are not colliding until they leave the ships boundary box.

1. Destroying mass enhancers effectively does this already. In regards to turning that is, their weapons computers and or modules being destroyed will stop or diminish their ability to fire.
2. Would break immersion, for me personally if turrets disappear I want it to be because they were physically obliterated.
3. That would be an effective solution for the time being in regards to the issues un-docking causes. But only a temporary one.
My main concern would be them ghosting out permanently as many un-docked entities already do.

If entities do become un-docked I think it should be due to receiving large amounts of damage to their rails and dockers. Where as now, mostly regarding missiles, a single hit and they're gone.

 

[DukeofRealms]

Them being weak is their flaw. Too easily destroyed which creates the major issues I mentioned in OP.

This was something we spoke about in the last Schine meeting. We plan to implement a solution, hopefully, while we're addressing other older issues. I simply remember it being recognised as an issue and that it should be worked on very soon.

 

[RabidBat]

Thanks for the info DukeofRealms here's hoping it comes sooner than later. It is a massively big problem for servers where combat occurs regularly.
But it is good to know the team is aware and planning to fix it. Thanks