Salvage array on planet

[ilec]

I have been trying to establish a method to mine planets in a way that saves me from dealing with the pain (to my hand) that is gravity.

I tried using my slider on my joystick to map to up/down and then balance the force of gravity to maintain position - however as soon as I activated my salvage array I lost equilibrium and had to resort to the L-Shift method.

My next thought, and the reason for this thread, is to mount the salvage array on the planet. So I dug out a cavern and decided to build a prototype that digs with a single beam before progressing to a more effective array.
This array was built as follows. A Salvage Computer (S) was placed pointing toward a Target Block (T), 4 Salvage Modules (=) were placed in a single line in front of the salvage computer (also pointing the correct direction, and connected to the SC), 5 Power Modules (P) were stacked parallel to the Salvage Array. A Storage Block (O) was also connected to the SC to provide an output. I have placed a diagram below (+ is empty space)

++++++++++++
+O++++++++++
+S====+++++T
+PPPPP++++++
++++++++++++

I then "entered" the salvage computer. The view changed to depict a random point above the planet surface Showing the corner of a random plate. After firing the array there was product in the storage block, but the target block remained and no other blocks in the room had been removed either.

In order to work out what had happened I decided that I needed to be able to monitor the situation in more detail and so added a Display module (D) and a logic clock (C) following the logic tutorial 3 to control the salvage computer. The new setup was as follows

++++++++++++
+DC+++++++++
+O++++++++++
+S==== +++++T
+PPPPP++++++
++++++++++++

The Display was set to monitor the power. The clock was functioning correctly.

However when connected to the SC nothing happened, there was no product in the storage block, the power level was stable (at maximum) and the target block remained and no other blocks were removed.

I then disconnected the clock from the SC and re-entered the SC with the same view shift as before. I proceeded to fire the SA until a shaft broke the surface of the planet plate in the camera view.

I then took time to locate the shaft by marking it with lights and checking with the SC view until I found the correct shaft. upon exploring the shaft (on an adjoining plate) I found the shaft ended at the plate boundary and did not extend into the plate where the Salvage Array was located.

Long story short.
1. What's going on with the salvage array not firing with the clock as shown in the logic tutorial? I followed the instructions explicitly and when connected to lights it works perfectly - but the salvage array will not fire when connected

2. When manually fired why does the salvage beam ignore all the blocks on its own plate? I wanted to build a tunneling machine to help me build a planetary base.

Problem 1 is not really a big one If I have to fire it so be it but problem 2 is quite frustrating, the ability to carve long straight tunnels with a salvage beam should be much faster than manually doing it. Doing it with a ship however I can't seem to get an actual straight tunnel.

Any idea what I am missing?


I can post pics of setup if need be but it will need to wait till I get to my gaming PC

 

[Deleted member 433088]

I haven't tried using logic to trigger salvage or weapon modules yet so I can't answer your first question, but about the second I do have a slight idea:

You built the salvage rig on that plate, so the game considers it a part of the plate itself. This makes it invulnerable to its fire, just like your weapons won't damage the ship they're mounted on and instead go clean through it. If you want to build a salvage rig that will work on the entire planet, you're gonna have to make it a ship and support it with pillars above the planet. At least, I think that should work.

 

[Jaaskinal]

1, it probably isn't doing *damage* fast enough to salvage the block before the clock resets it and all of the *damage* has been lost.
2, this is inherent of how the game works and the opposite would be even more frustrating. Weapons and beams originating from an entity can not hit that entity.

 

[Panpiper]

Why don't you just equip your ship with a proper defensive 'stop' setup? I did that myself on a salvage ship and could mine planets all day and never get moved an inch by gravity.

 

[jath]

I've been planning on building a concept miner in this style, you've just motivated me to do it. Check out some of my other mining concept videos on my YouTube channel (same name) in the mean time. Most of what i have done will be available for download soon.

 

[Deleted member 433088]

I just remembered something extra that I haven't seen mentioned in other places and might help if you can't fix your logic issues:

When firing salvage beams, if you hold Left Shift at the moment of firing you can let go of your mouse and keyboard and the beams will keep going until it enters cooldown. Couple your salvage system with Damage Pulse modules which increase the firing time (and cooldown) and it might save you some hand strain.

 

[ilec]

1, it probably isn't doing *damage* fast enough to salvage the block before the clock resets it and all of the *damage* has been lost.

How many would I need? - I bumped up the number of modules to about 12 and still didn't get anything with the clock.


Okay my next question then; how do I make sure my salvage array aligns with my intended tunnel I am terrible at making an actual straight and true tunnel - I am always bumping the cursor while doing this skewing my tunnels resulting in terrible clean up operations.
I assume that docking the ship to the planet makes it 'part' of the planet? - I really would like to be able to carve a perfectly straight, underground tunnel through a plate without having to go over the entire length of the tunnel patching holes. I will experiment.