Question: the ultimate fate of outdated blocks and blueprints?

[DeepspaceMechanic]

My main concern has little to do with systems, but I was recently informed by a fellow player that the current compatibility of blueprints that rely on legacy systems is only temporary, and we won't be able to spawn such blueprints down the road(?).


The only thing I read about outdated block types is that they won't appear in any inventory, which is already the case... But let's say we started building a structure in a pre-0.200 game version, and we achieved some splendid detailing using, for example, scanner antenna modules on exterior surfaces, or some of those insanely nice jump inhibitor computers as the eyes of make-believe android guards in the interior... And then we move on to fit functional stuff into the thing in a Systems 2.0 game version, meaning that we won't have any outdated power blocks present, only other legacy system blocks used decoratively.


So the question would be, will the game retain some of the unobtainable blocks for such reasons? - I'd say save those pretty textures! ;D

Obviously, this mainly goes to either dev team members or those with some insider info. Thanks.

 

[Dire Venom]

You can download any previous version of Starmade from the Archive btw.
So for old models you can just load them in an older version/ 2.0/1.0 hybrid version, refitt, then upload to the latest one.

I concurr regarding textures, I hate losing the Jump Modual texture and others.

 

[DeepspaceMechanic]

You can download any previous version of Starmade from the Archive btw.
So for old models you can just load them in an older version/ 2.0/1.0 hybrid version, refitt, then upload to the latest one.

Right, the Archive is a must-know for any devoted player. I have my own miniature archive of aged, but essential game versions. EVERYONE READING THIS: keep a backup of the last pre-0.200 release!

I concurr regarding textures, I hate losing the Jump Modual texture and others.

It seems the Jump Drive and Jump Inhibitor modules are the only decommissioned system blocks that survived as decorative blocks (now labeled as "Cascade Blue / Cascade Red").

IDEALLY, we would get decorative replacements for every of the many highly aesthetic faces of different outdated system blocks, like the "eye" part of both the jump drive/inhibitor computers, the scanner modules, and I'm sure that many have noticed the magnificent top side of JD computers as well. It's all low-priority, especially in the light of current major changes, but THESE were already produced and were probably relied upon for visual purposes quite a lot:



JD computer vs JD module "vent openings"




Jump Inhibitor computer's wicked eye




And don't these gems look too nice to waste?

 

[JinM]

There should be at least an external replacement tool that swaps blocks according to a list in a textfile before loading it into the game. For example all old power blocks with nothing and jump drive modules with deco blocks and so on. It shouldn't be allowed to swap rail related blocks to keep the entities intact.

It would be sad to see good textures gone though. But they are not crazily important though...and I don't know if we haven't allready too much decorative blocks (computers, motherboards,...). Whenever I start new on a server I have to crazily bulk shop until I have all build blocks in my inventory.

 

[virtue1987]

You know what Schine also could have done? Finding a way to get Blocks from Blueprints back.

 

[Nosajimiki]

frankly, he should have just left the blocks alone, remarked their properties that make them do shit, and changed their mass/cost to make them appropriately "decorative" blocks. Then just make something to auto deletes or ignores logic connections to and from them if that is something that creates a problem.

 

[JinM]

You know what Schine also could have done? Finding a way to get Blocks from Blueprints back.

OR just remove the fill option, and replace it with direct pull from inventory. "Spawn" only works if you have enough ressources in inventory. "you don't have enough blocks in inventory to spawn it". So the blueprint doesn't have to be filled at all.

Not a "fill blueprint" button, only a "check inventory if there are enough ressources and show what's missing in the table" button. And it doesn't even need a button, it could check that directly right when you open the bp gui.

 

[NaStral]

Any old blocks should be retained as decorative ones and a means to reliably load old blueprints available. At the moment it's simply not worth refitting anything old as too many critical changes are happening and down the road. I for one have no interest in even attempting to refit anything of mine until after the weapons update and subsequent stabilizing patches which will inevitably follow.

 

[Nauvran]

Right, the Archive is a must-know for any devoted player. I have my own miniature archive of aged, but essential game versions. EVERYONE READING THIS: keep a backup of the last pre-0.200 release!



It seems the Jump Drive and Jump Inhibitor modules are the only decommissioned system blocks that survived as decorative blocks (now labeled as "Cascade Blue / Cascade Red").

IDEALLY, we would get decorative replacements for every of the many highly aesthetic faces of different outdated system blocks, like the "eye" part of both the jump drive/inhibitor computers, the scanner modules, and I'm sure that many have noticed the magnificent top side of JD computers as well. It's all low-priority, especially in the light of current major changes, but THESE were already produced and were probably relied upon for visual purposes quite a lot:



JD computer vs JD module "vent openings":
View attachment 47800



Jump Inhibitor computer's wicked eye:
View attachment 47801



And don't these gems look too nice to waste?
View attachment 47802

IIRC Kupu answered this on his thread, go look there.
If you cant find anything then ask him on his thread

 

[PriZm]

JinM There is a problem though. If you tried to spawn a bigger ship directly from your inventory, the mass of the blocks needed would exceed the personal inventory's maximum mass limit. You would only be able to spawn it from a personal cargo with enough storage connected.

 

[JinM]

JinMYou would only be able to spawn it from a personal cargo with enough storage connected.

I think spawning a huge battlecruiser literally out of my pocket is not immersive neither. Needing cargo storage for huge ships would change that a little bit.

Yeah the devs now have in mind that this will get implemented correctly with shipyards anyway. But until this happens in one year a little change would be cool. But it's not important, and not really on topic.

 

[Star-Boy]

*Clicks non existent agree button*

 

[DeepspaceMechanic]

Ok, half-way resolved, I posted this simple suggestion/request and question on Kupu's thread: Kupu's thread

Uhm, go spam it with likes if you care, to force it onto his mile-long to-do list ;D

 

[Benevolent27]

My main concern has little to do with systems, but I was recently informed by a fellow player that the current compatibility of blueprints that rely on legacy systems is only temporary, and we won't be able to spawn such blueprints down the road(?).


The only thing I read about outdated block types is that they won't appear in any inventory, which is already the case... But let's say we started building a structure in a pre-0.200 game version, and we achieved some splendid detailing using, for example, scanner antenna modules on exterior surfaces, or some of those insanely nice jump inhibitor computers as the eyes of make-believe android guards in the interior... And then we move on to fit functional stuff into the thing in a Systems 2.0 game version, meaning that we won't have any outdated power blocks present, only other legacy system blocks used decoratively.


So the question would be, will the game retain some of the unobtainable blocks for such reasons? - I'd say save those pretty textures! ;D

Obviously, this mainly goes to either dev team members or those with some insider info. Thanks.

I can't give you any sort of official answers here, BUT..

A few points to note:
1. Down the road custom textures will be a thing. They're currently broken, but it's obvious they are intended to be included. So servers could very well create custom blocks with these textures. It would then theoretically be possible to replace the old blocks with the custom blocks by using a program like SMBedit.

2. You will likely be able to use blueprints still, but not by spawning them from your inventory. You will likely need to spawn them using a shipyard, as can be done now by creating a shipyard design from blueprint. You would then likely save a ship you are currently in as a blueprint to store it for later use or as a backup (or perhaps this would be done through a shipyard?). "Ship in a can" is not really a very realistic or fair mechanic. Blueprints can be used to store an unlimited number of blocks with 0 weight requirement. I think it still only exists because of the remaining issues that need to be worked out with shipyards. I for-one would like for blueprints to remain in-game, but have the weight be the same as the total of all blocks contained within it. (The reason for this is we have developed a kiosk system on LvD which allows players to turn in bronze bars for filled blueprints, which is our incentive for players to perform quests)

 

[DeepspaceMechanic]

I can't give you any sort of official answers here, BUT..

A few points to note:
1. Down the road custom textures will be a thing. They're currently broken, but it's obvious they are intended to be included. So servers could very well create custom blocks with these textures. It would then theoretically be possible to replace the old blocks with the custom blocks by using a program like SMBedit.

2. You will likely be able to use blueprints still, but not by spawning them from your inventory. You will likely need to spawn them using a shipyard, as can be done now by creating a shipyard design from blueprint. You would then likely save a ship you are currently in as a blueprint to store it for later use or as a backup (or perhaps this would be done through a shipyard?). "Ship in a can" is not really a very realistic or fair mechanic. Blueprints can be used to store an unlimited number of blocks with 0 weight requirement. I think it still only exists because of the remaining issues that need to be worked out with shipyards. I for-one would like for blueprints to remain in-game, but have the weight be the same as the total of all blocks contained within it. (The reason for this is we have developed a kiosk system on LvD which allows players to turn in bronze bars for filled blueprints, which is our incentive for players to perform quests)

Thank you for your input, I appreciate it

My personal concern regarding outdated blocks and blueprints that use such blocks is something very specific that I might have failed to make clear.

It all revolves around the info/rumor that I heard from only one fellow player so far: that down the road, the game will detect whether a blueprint contains any classic power blocks, and will disallow its use either through shipyard production, blueprint-fill-out spawning or Admin-Loading.

What I would really like to know is whether or not this will work the same way with other outdated systems (scanner, jump drive/inhibitor, etc). I have a titan ship project, constructed in a pre-0.200 game version, currently around 20% done; it uses a lot of outdated system blocks decoratively, some on docked entities; I mainly asked to know whether I should go and refit everything while it still isn't too much (it kind of already is), or if I can continue with the already well-established pattern.

It would be an instant "nervous breakdown" to learn that my pet project won't be viable in a few months time just because of a few unwise choices in interior decoration (despite the fact that non of them are power-related blocks)

 

[Jeffenuva]

I've wasted a couple nearly full blueprints now on unobtainable blocks. (One on an almost 40K ship...) It's not a fun surprise.

I see a couple potential fixes for this:

• Make all unobtainable blocks decorative and obtainable
• Allow to remove blocks from a blueprint (so as to not waste blocks)
• Allow to spawn a partially full blueprint with unobtainable blocks as empty space

Any of these solutions would be equally helpful.

Thank you!

 

[OfficialCoding]

The old blocks show up in my inventory and i can still craft them. And they still work.

 

[Skwidz]

The old blocks show up in my inventory and i can still craft them. And they still work.

Either you have an older version or that's because of some config funniness.

 

[OfficialCoding]

Either you have an older version or that's because of some config funniness.

If you want to play with old power, play on Aetherion. Old power is still enabled.

 

[Skwidz]

Or you're on that server which would boil down to "config funniness".