Computers

[Dr. Mackeroth]

This topic is for discussing how computers/the control chair might work and how we might go about making them work. There might b some overlapping with the "electricity" thread, but that's fine.

Post your ideas/comments, then argue and discuss. Any things that prove useful towards the understanding/creation of computers will be put in the idea summary section:



Summary of computers:

-Nothing interesting yet, this topic hasn't been explored much.

[joykler]

this is a combination of the tiels core
and my commanding space ship idea

Spoiler:

i explain it with 4 kinds of blocks[there will be more but this is to keep it clear]

the four blocks are
1 executing block [all machines and things that need to work]
2 terminal
3 mainframe
4 computer

each executing block has a control monitor connected to it,this gives all data about the machine it also is a way of controlling the machine [on,off,high energy use low energy use exct.]
each machine reacts a certain way to certain variables such as temprature,gravity.amount of energy present,fuel present
a engine would have a diffrent amount of output with a diffrent temprature, thus creating a very flexible and tweakable thing.

a terminal is a block that executing blocks can be hooked into
about 6 machines in one terminal [this can be changed by hand by adding a code or something]
a terminal works the same way as a controller monitor only it can only change the default of a machine type [so it cant power one engine and shutting the other one off. it can turn on the lights and shut down a engine]

a mainframe is almost the same as a terminal only it has a little more to offer
it has place for 6 terminals
and another 4 executing blocks. you would use this to connect your whole ship togheter. [naming one terminal life support and another one defence and you have a whole battle ready ship/fortress/factory]

at last the computer now the computer is a bit more complicated

a computer can be hooked up to everything
it needs to be in a certain area of the thing it is controlling [it needs to be on the same ship]
but with this you can controll all executing blocks and terminals/mainframes

the controlling of the computer shouldnt be like computer craft because alot of the players wouldnt be able to understand.
when controlling you see the stats of the thing you are controlling when controll a mainframe or a terminal you see the avarage stats of a type of machine
and also the stats of the ones that are in danger zones [too hot,overloaded]
for the rest its the same like a terminal.

on a computer there would be 4 programs
1 a messenger service that makes it possible to send messages to connected computers [more later]
2 a documentation program like word [just copieng the book possible with screenshots]
3 the controlling
4 creating programs

connecting computers each computers is linked to a computer circuit
each computer within a certain area has the option to use the same code
this creates a link between the two or more
also linking to a mainframe or terminal causes all linked systems to work together
one single computer never has total acces they wouldnt see all things that happen

programming should be in but not like real programming rather putting things in order
when using a computer you have the option to program if you do this you get into a screen with all possible adjustments in your computer circuit
then you can alter these things and set them in order
like
if i give the command start :
the engine temprature would rise
the lights would go on
a siren would go off
the engine would combust
the doors would shut
each other computer would go on
and the thrusters would be engaged

many options of this could be used
and because each machine has a number of variables
you could also tweak them by command
so it wouldnt be hard to change from attack to defence
you could have that programmed

last but not least commanding a ship/command chair
if you look at this idea you would see it has alot to do with controlling a ship
ofcourse alot of things have to be added but thats for phase 3
but for now
with this system you allow
players on their own to command a ship loaded with executing blocks
but with little precision but the more players on a ship the more that can be tweaked
for a large vessel you would need about 3 players to controll everything but that should be clear now
the actual steering i already gave a solution for that on the old development thread]

im done...

before you respond read the whole thing

[Ivan2006]

How about taking joyklers idea and changing a few things: Remove Terminals and Mainframes and replace them with a central computer.
On a spaceship, that would be the core. It centralizes the control of machines.
Also, make it so that machines can only detect certain values and the detection of additional values (such as ammo storage in turrets) requires additional sensors that are placed next to/on the machine or somewhere in the ship.
Instead of having these Terminals and Mainframes, make it possible to create categories and subgroups.
Machines can be in one category only, but inside that category, they can be assigned to several subgroups.

Programmes would be used to manage the ways machines influence each other.
You can choose between two ways of programming:
Text programming is Computercraft-style LUA-coding while graphical programming would be similar to the LEGO NXT default coding language. (actually a very good example, as it is used for a management of sensors and machines/motors)

Here is an example:

Spoiler:

You want to be able to get information on all life support systems on your ship at once.
You create a category, name it "Life Support" and put all your oxygen generators and temerature control systems in there.
You then tweak the category display options to only display power supply and current working status and activate on/off switches for the machines.
Then you notice you don´t know how high the temperature is ATM and don´t know either how high the oxygen percentage is in the air.
You then install some environment sensors around the ship and add them into the category as well.
You configure them to display their measured values as well as their power status.
Then you write a code that regulates the way your systems work by opening the programming menu and choosing graphical coding.
You add the measured values of the sensors and have each trigger a switch that regulates the work of the Life Support machines.
You also create three subgroups: Oxygen, Temperature ans Sensors. You put the machines into the subgroups on the machine management screen and enable all information.
Then you add an average oxygen measurement, an average temperature and average activity for the machines as values in the main screen.
You then disable single machine/sensor display in the main screen, but enable master power switches for the subgroups.
Finally, you add a "machine locator screen" in each subgroup that shows you where the machines are located (transparent, turnable model of the (undamaged) ship with dots for the machines that show the name of the machine if moused over)
If you were to select a single machine, you can change its name in the network, which is advised, since every machine will just have a random number as default name.

[joykler]

ivan can you delete this

i had almost the same idea

but i thought that should be implemented in phase 3
the programming would be really diffrent but i will explain that later too

because lua would be too hard to use i suggest making a new kind of easy language just for this

those subgroups and stuff are made by naming the diffrent terminals

and the central computer of a ship is a mainframe
but the rest will be for phase 3

and i also have an idea for core

a core is a executing block that contains more basic machines
simple life support engine and generator
this is used on small vessels to make it possible to handle it with one computer

[Keon]

because lua would be too hard to use i suggest making a new kind of easy language just for this

Lovely. Just what I wanted.

[Chairman_Tiel]

Phase 3 ~ Programmable computers using a simple event system.

That's something I could sink my teeth into. You could program your ship to react in different ways to assaults...hell, that might even solve the whole 'logging off' quandary, you'd just want to make sure you had a good macro on your ship before leaving.

[fr0stbyte124]

The challenge will be in allowing sufficient sophistication without railroading the gameplay.

[Chairman_Tiel]

Something like Blockland's system, perhaps?

[fr0stbyte124]

I don't know anything about blockland. What's this system like?

[Chairman_Tiel]

[fr0stbyte124]

Well, I'm sure it has a great personality...

[Keon]

Why not just a Lua program? I think it's not compiled, it's interpreted, right? That means we could store it as a string inside the TileEntity.

[Luna]

We want them to be simple for the player to use.

[fr0stbyte124]

More than likely the program would be an abstract object referenced by the computer network. Storing it inside a block is a liability once chunk loading gets involved.

[Keon]

We want them to be simple for the player to use.

Hire a programmer.