Request for advice

[kiraen]

just....wow.

Link a Rail Speed Controller to the rail that is docked to. Have a single Activation block linked to the controller, but leave it off. With the speed of the rail set to 0 the server no longer bothers to check the docked entity for collision since it's "not moving".

 

[Trekkerjoe]

just....wow.

... XD I am blind. Fair enough then. Kind of surprised that just flew over all of our heads. If someone noticed, then the situation would have been resolved long ago.

 

[NeonSturm]

However, not everyone knows that you can solve this by connecting a speed controller on your rails, and shutting them off when the dock is stationary.

But this makes rail-doors even larger! There should be another solution to this BTW.

 

[Blaza612]

But this makes rail-doors even larger! There should be another solution to this BTW.

By only two blocks...

 

[NeonSturm]

By only two blocks...

Yes, but that's as much as a standard door on some minimal-interior ships.
Sometimes I wish for special rail blocks which only need a docker and a pusher/puller. Push will push the door 5 blocks away or until it hit something and then stop. Pull would draw the door toward the puller until it hits something and then stop.
2 additional blocks per door.
9 additional blocks with all you currently require (additional to the door-blocks themselves) + 1 per above-minimum rail-length.

 

[HolyCookie]

Yes, but that's as much as a standard door on some minimal-interior ships.
Sometimes I wish for special rail blocks which only need a docker and a pusher/puller. Push will push the door 5 blocks away or until it hit something and then stop. Pull would draw the door toward the puller until it hits something and then stop.
2 additional blocks per door.
9 additional blocks with all you currently require (additional to the door-blocks themselves) + 1 per above-minimum rail-length.

And don't forget the part where you add more entities for this special door effect you want. Every entity means about 3 extra blocks. But I can assure you that you don't need to turn off the rails for 1 tiny entity on a small ship, it won't make a big difference. The hardest part comes when you put multiple entities on 1 rail and make the rails stop per piece, that rail should stop when that is there, but not when that is passing over it, nor should it stop when it is opening and closing, yet once the entity is there it should stop moving. (Why my hanger door used to make a lot of lag :3)

 

[NeonSturm]

And don't forget the part where you add more entities for this special door effect you want. Every entity means about 3 extra blocks. But I can assure you that you don't need to turn off the rails for 1 tiny entity on a small ship, it won't make a big difference. The hardest part comes when you put multiple entities on 1 rail and make the rails stop per piece, that rail should stop when that is there, but not when that is passing over it, nor should it stop when it is opening and closing, yet once the entity is there it should stop moving. (Why my hanger door used to make a lot of lag :3)

Agree

I always felt the entities should decide what they do, rather than the rail does it.
The rail could just be used to suggest the entity what to do.

And if something falls into place, collision stuff should only happen after something triggers it's movement again.​

 

[HolyCookie]

Agree

I always felt the entities should decide what they do, rather than the rail does it.
The rail could just be used to suggest the entity what to do.

And if something falls into place, collision stuff should only happen after something triggers it's movement again.​

Well, right now, the rails are triggering the entity to move, then the entity checks if it is possible to move, find out it's not possible and say STOP to the rails. The rail has a short memory, he tries it again after waiting a bit. Then the entity has to check again: "hey can I move now" he still can't so he says STOP again, this goes on and on until the blockade is away.

If we'd do what you suggest the following will happen: entity is moving over the rails, a block is in the way, the entity stops, a logic signal has to restart the rails to make the entity move again. Now this might sound pretty good, but with multiple entities on 1 rail, it will be impossible to make it work. Added to that, you remember the logic machines people made for super jumpdrive charging, image putting an entity on a rail, block its road and then spam the entity with restart moving again, every signal would cause a collision check this means: hell to all servers.

So yea, what you suggest would be nice if it was possible. The entity is already deciding what to do, stay or go. The rail just says where.

 

[Dr. Whammy]

Thank you all for your ideas. You've helped me reach a decision on how I'm going to approach multiplayer in the future.

In short; I have a lot of designs that simply do not fit within the boundaries of multiplayer. This is due to a surplus of overly complex designs that eat up server resources and older, slower, less power-efficient designs that are less than optimal for use in combat with the new hit-point system. I have neither the time nor desire to custom rebuild everything to accommodate the requirements of specific servers but I don't want to just call it quits on multiplayer altogether.

I think the best thing for me to do now is take a break from StarMade and wait to see what the Devs' next move will be. As it sits now, the game doesn't seem ready for the kind of building I want to do; which is planets, nomadic-ism and large station environments. I really hope they fix collisions for planets and rails; I think that was where some of my best work was done. When I return, I hope to have a nice surprise for everyone.

See you out there.

 

[Dr. Whammy]

I have some new experiments under way. I've basically "mothballed" my older fleet designs and started refitting my newest 3 ships. All my new/modified designs will be set up to minimize unnecessary collisions and enhance combat efficiency. I'll also be rebuilding my command system entirely from scratch. Before I go any further, I have a few questions regarding turrets and the rail speed controller being set to zero.

1) Do turrets greatly impact collision checks for a ship/station?
2) If so, what is a good way to minimize collisions checks for a turret?
3) Do rail speed controllers affect turrets in any way?

Thanks again for all your help. Special thanks to kiraen and Trekkerjoe for the tips on the speed controllers.

 

[Reilly Reese]

I have some new experiments under way. I've basically "mothballed" my older fleet designs and started refitting my newest 3 ships. All my new/modified designs will be set up to minimize unnecessary collisions and enhance combat efficiency. I'll also be rebuilding my command system entirely from scratch. Before I go any further, I have a few questions regarding turrets and the rail speed controller being set to zero.

1) Do turrets greatly impact collision checks for a ship/station?
2) If so, what is a good way to minimize collisions checks for a turret?
3) Do rail speed controllers affect turrets in any way?

Thanks again for all your help. Special thanks to kiraen and Trekkerjoe for the tips on the speed controllers.

Embedded turrets while nicer looking i'd expect to have a similar collision check with ships docking to stations. They don't really cause much trouble unless they are in mass numbers or collide often with their parent ship.

 

[Sgtwisky]

1. Yes

2. make sure that the turret base and barrel are outside the ships bounding box (not always easy to do). Also try to make the barrel part of the turret outside the bounding box of the turret base. I have given up on trying to do the second part and have good looking turrets. SO I don't bother at all with that. IF You can manage keeping your turrets on the outside of your ships bounding box though, you can reduce collision checks.

3. AFIK: Turrets are unaffected by rail speed controllers.

Side note is that stopping rails that are just a docking point is a good idea. It can reduce lag. Also try to build your docking points so that when you dock your ship to the station, your ship's bounding box and the stations never intersect but rather just sit next to each other.

I think that covers my knowledge on rail lag.