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+--- Thread: Modular Design (/showthread.php?tid=2621)
Modular Design - Greydog - 01-23-2022
In getting back in game and having to relearn 3d design, and also seeing the comments at how unfriendly the designer is to those needing to learn it for the first time. I began thinking of the Mr. Potatohead method of taking a hull and plugging in the accessories. Because most players are casual at heart and prefer to just throw something cool together and go have fun. ("dammit Jim, I'm a gamer not an engineer!")
Obviously it should be a little more involved than that, but not by a whole lot. It would mean more work for Haxus on the back end, developing the tools and methods that designers would use and building a set modules for players to start with. But on the front end I think it could remove many of the frustrations new players have in space flight and could possibly increase retention.
Ships could be broken down into two Larger module categories, Exterior and Interior. Those would again be broken down by object type. Everything would be kept in a library accessible in the designer via drop down list. Other modules and assorted parts could be published to a "Library" section in the Exchange and downloaded to our individual libraries.
Ship interiors would consist of prebuilt rooms with paths, voids, obstructions and what not already there. Rooms could be snapped together using the docking mechanic idea Haxus was toying with. Bridge/Cockpits could come with prebuilt frames outside so exteriors can be built to fit. (I foresee making making the bridge modular, and unique, being the most difficult part) Lift system would work the same except that a door designated for the lift would be built into the room and then a lift could be chosen from the library to associate with it.
Interiors could be finished any way the architect pleases, empty, or with any variation of consoles and accessories added. Door "plugs" could be used to close off unused doorways, removing unneeded paths and voids. Parts and accessories could be further divided between ship parts (consoles, beds, game tables, etc ) and permanent décor. (ambient geometry) Later you can still pull stuff out of inventory and place it where you like.
Exteriors could consist of anything from a completed hull, to a completed section of hull ready to be snapped to another completed section, to as small as a single panel used in building a larger section of hull. Hull panels could be manipulated by snapping them together and sculpting with restrained push/pull commands. Hull accessories would be categorized much the same as interior and placed on the hull where needed or desired. This would allow the user to select entire section of hull by selecting full panels as objects rather than one face/vertex at a time.
It would have a separate room in the designer, files used should have a different file type beside .soh. Upon entry users could choose to either start with the interior and build a hull around it, or start with a hull and fit an interior to it, or take finished sections and snap them together, ...or simply grab a finished ship and fit it out as desired. Once completed users would refresh obstructions and finalize the design making it useable in game.
I would also like to see animations get fleshed out to make adding landing gear, ramps and vtol engines more intuitive.
As users get familiar with the program they may begin to appreciate the more intricate features associated with the designer as a whole, while new users would still be able throw together (or simply grab) a useable design and get playing.
Architects would still have the full functionality of the designer and would still be able to build fully unique designs.
RE: Modular Design - Wincil - 01-23-2022
Well not all players are casual at heart ksp probably had a drag and drop feature like that Tbh I think the fact that people are comparing the designer to a 3d modeling software is more of a exaggeration I would say it lacks much of what separates 3D digital modeling from just CAD But that's is just to insult the designer if I'm being honest it's more of a dumbed down version of a cad program. I would think a modular design feature or a simple mode would make it more newbie freindly.
RE: Modular Design - Norm49 - 01-24-2022
What i think would be the best is a combination of the 2 disiner. You can make the ship with the old one then add visual stuff with the new one. Thing la engine,antenna, furniture... This would also fix the fact that you can have invisible solid wall in the ship and have visible but not solid as well.
RE: Modular Design - Wincil - 01-25-2022
Idk about that tbh I doubt haxus would bring back the old designer tbh none of my ship designs would have invisible solid walls except for windows.
RE: Modular Design - Norm49 - 01-25-2022
I know Haxus wont bring back the old studio that why i hope for a hybrid but i don't expect him to do it even if the current one is ways to complicated and it is killing the game.
RE: Modular Design - Wincil - 01-26-2022
I don't find that the current one is too complicated and killing the game tbh.
RE: Modular Design - jakbruce2012 - 01-30-2022
(01-26-2022, 02:55 AM)Wincil Wrote: I don't find that the current one is too complicated and killing the game tbh.
Agreed, It may be clunky, however it is not impossible to use. Also there will be more designs shared publicly over time.
I too still miss the old designer, though it was very limited.