Several construction improvement ideas: snap-grid size, collisions
Barhandar
Join Date: 2014-08-07 Member: 197855Members
Join Date: 2014-08-07 Member: 197855Members
Currently, large base pieces snap to a grid with every tile being exactly the size of one Compartment. Foundation is therefore 2x2 on that grid, multipurpose room is 3x3 (but visually 2x2), etc. This results in visual mismatches that also don't align with existing abandoned seabases, which are built with centers of rooms being exactly matched to centers of foundations (while you have to contend with central tile of room aligned with one of the quarters:tiles of the foundation). The solution that I have thought of is, halve the grid's dimensions, meaning, let each compartment be 2x2 instead of 1x1, without changing model size. 4x4 for foundations, 6x6 for rooms, et cetera. This will make building slightly more awkward (it's a separate problem that construction needs more reliable positioning, however), but will let players build like they can now, copy abandoned seabases, or something in-between, with collision checks taking care of constructions overlapping.
Collisions for building are currently awkward. They do not match displayed model and result in requiring construction in specific order even when resulting constructions do not intersect (for example, in one of my rooms I can only build a bed in the center despite edge being free of obstructions). To solve it, construction collision boxes would need to match the actual model better. But even then it would have cases of slight mismatches, so I suggest two things.
1: On construct action if the thing cannot be placed, provide feedback: display the error message ("No support could be found.", "Construction intersects terrain.", "Construction intersects another construction.", et cetera), and if obstruction is another player-built object, highlight it, through walls and preferably exact model instead of a marker.
2: Provide a console command to completely disable construction collision check, while keeping suitability checks and snapping intact, so that those who want to build things intersecting anything else - other things, terrain, whatever) can do so.
External growbeds currently require convex (resulting in partially-floating models) or very flat surfaces to build them on, as consequence of disabling terraforming-by-buildings. I suggest that they should be raised to highest point of surface underneath, and the sides extended downwards (like supports of bigger buildings) to make them flush with terrain.
Collisions for building are currently awkward. They do not match displayed model and result in requiring construction in specific order even when resulting constructions do not intersect (for example, in one of my rooms I can only build a bed in the center despite edge being free of obstructions). To solve it, construction collision boxes would need to match the actual model better. But even then it would have cases of slight mismatches, so I suggest two things.
1: On construct action if the thing cannot be placed, provide feedback: display the error message ("No support could be found.", "Construction intersects terrain.", "Construction intersects another construction.", et cetera), and if obstruction is another player-built object, highlight it, through walls and preferably exact model instead of a marker.
2: Provide a console command to completely disable construction collision check, while keeping suitability checks and snapping intact, so that those who want to build things intersecting anything else - other things, terrain, whatever) can do so.
External growbeds currently require convex (resulting in partially-floating models) or very flat surfaces to build them on, as consequence of disabling terraforming-by-buildings. I suggest that they should be raised to highest point of surface underneath, and the sides extended downwards (like supports of bigger buildings) to make them flush with terrain.