Mod Feedback [By Request] RotaryCraft Suggestions

[Kirameki]

Please elaborate; I do not fully understand.

Sorry about that, I'm at work and the idea suddenly came to me, wanted to get it down before I forgot. Maybe an example would help.
In my workshop, for instance, making TRISO fuel requires a grinder, a furnace, and an autocrafting table, at least 5 logisticspipes, basic pipes connecting them, 2 power sources, and proper power conversion. Instead of this complex mess, I thought, why can't we have an assembly line similar to real life manufacturing? In this case, dump coal onto a conveyor block. This moves it to the next conveyor block where a grinder is placed in the module slot. It processes it, outputs coal dust to the next conveyor block, which has a furnace&friction heater. It processes it and sends out graphite. On a separate assembly line, conveyor>grinder turns uranium ingots into dust. These two lines then merge on a junction conveyor, which drops all the items to the last conveyor block containing a crafting table in the modular slot. This outputs TRISO fuel.
This way, while it'd take a few more blocks (8+control), there'd be no piping mess other than the initial and final products, only one power input, and it'd look cool watching things move along the line. This is a simple example, of course, it could get much more complex with things like turbine parts or auroral batteries. It doesn't necessarily need module slots, individual conveyor 'types' could be crafted instead (basic conveyor+grinder=grinder assembly unit or somesuch.)
Hopefully this makes more sense. Another way to conceptualize it is if one were to chain a ton of TE or Engineer's Toolbox machines together but with RoC/ReC machines, more control over the process, and more risk/reward.

 

[Reika]

Sorry about that, I'm at work and the idea suddenly came to me, wanted to get it down before I forgot. Maybe an example would help.
In my workshop, for instance, making TRISO fuel requires a grinder, a furnace, and an autocrafting table, at least 5 logisticspipes, basic pipes connecting them, 2 power sources, and proper power conversion. Instead of this complex mess, I thought, why can't we have an assembly line similar to real life manufacturing? In this case, dump coal onto a conveyor block. This moves it to the next conveyor block where a grinder is placed in the module slot. It processes it, outputs coal dust to the next conveyor block, which has a furnace&friction heater. It processes it and sends out graphite. On a separate assembly line, conveyor>grinder turns uranium ingots into dust. These two lines then merge on a junction conveyor, which drops all the items to the last conveyor block containing a crafting table in the modular slot. This outputs TRISO fuel.
This way, while it'd take a few more blocks (8+control), there'd be no piping mess other than the initial and final products, only one power input, and it'd look cool watching things move along the line. This is a simple example, of course, it could get much more complex with things like turbine parts or auroral batteries. It doesn't necessarily need module slots, individual conveyor 'types' could be crafted instead (basic conveyor+grinder=grinder assembly unit or somesuch.)
Hopefully this makes more sense. Another way to conceptualize it is if one were to chain a ton of TE or Engineer's Toolbox machines together but with RoC/ReC machines, more control over the process, and more risk/reward.

I very strongly doubt this to be possible from an implementation standpoint, and also do not at all like the idea of obviating the need to actually use machines rather than just craft them.

 

[1M Industries]

I very strongly doubt this to be possible from an implementation standpoint, and also do not at all like the idea of obviating the need to actually use machines rather than just craft them.

What about a MineFactory Reloaded design?

 

[Pterodactlol]

Chemicraft... I love it! I would like to see your take on some of the more common industrial chemical processes, especially those in the petrochemical industry.

I think it would be fine for you to have some crossover between your mods, similar to how you have machines that add compatibility between Rotarycraft and other mods (magnetostatic dynamos, fuel engines, etc.).

Here's another batch of suggestions:

-Heat recovery for turbine
Some engines, such as the gas turbine, produce a lot of waste heat that could be recovered. Add the ability to place an engine to use the waste heat from a turbine. Either add a new type of engine or use the existing steam engine. If the steam engine route is chosen, make steam engines consume fuel to operate to incentivize this use - no more passive lava or netherrack power generation.

-More Ethanol Sources
Allow more plants to be used for ethanol production. Potatoes, for example, have a high starch content that would be suitable for fermentation. I would like the algae from Emasher's Resource to be useful for making ethanol, since it is currently only used in Gascraft's photobioreactors.

-Diesel Fuel
Vegetable oil, such as canola oil, can be turned into diesel fuel via base-catalyzed transesterification, which could be represented as a single-step process. This could then be used in your fuel-powered engine and fuel-enhancer (currently the Buildcraft crossovers).

-Mobility
Elevators and conveyor belts to move items, mobs, and players would be nice uses of shaft power. I would love to see large vehicles powered by your engines, like container ships, but that is probably off the table.

-Hard hat
Maybe with safety goggles, because it looks cool and would make me feel like I am working in a real industrial plant

-Sprockets
Sprocket and chain attached to a shaft unit. Functions like a belt, gearbox, and shaft junction in one, with the added ability to act like a variable gearbox if a gear shift is added (like in a bicycle). The input/output would be from the shaft, and all the sprockets on that shaft would be the output/input.

Belt: Power over distance like a belt, but the torque and speed limitations and lubrication requirements based on the materials.

Gearbox: Ratio of the number of teeth on the input and output sprocket determines mechanical advantage. More exotic gear ratios could be achieved by using combinations of gears.

Shaft junction: My favorite function, the ability to have an indefinite number (or at least more than two) of sprockets on the same shaft, far more than just the one input and two outputs of shaft junctions. Power would be split evenly among all the sprockets, for the sake of simplicity.

Gear shift: If the speed/torque of a power source or consumer fluctuates, a gear shift could be used. It would require one chain and multiple sprockets; the chain could be switched between the sprockets according to the strength of a redstone signal.

 

[Reika]

Chemicraft... I love it! I would like to see your take on some of the more common industrial chemical processes, especially those in the petrochemical industry.

I am not interested in a 21st mod...

-Heat recovery for turbine
Some engines, such as the gas turbine, produce a lot of waste heat that could be recovered. Add the ability to place an engine to use the waste heat from a turbine. Either add a new type of engine or use the existing steam engine. If the steam engine route is chosen, make steam engines consume fuel to operate to incentivize this use - no more passive lava or netherrack power generation.

The idea is interesting in and of itself, but I do not see it being useful. Making steam engines more costly or use fuel is not an option, as they are intended for early game.
Well, I can make it heat machines behind it, allowing it to be used as a sort of inefficient and impromptu heater.

-More Ethanol Sources
Allow more plants to be used for ethanol production. Potatoes, for example, have a high starch content that would be suitable for fermentation. I would like the algae from Emasher's Resource to be useful for making ethanol, since it is currently only used in Gascraft's photobioreactors.

I can do this.

-Diesel Fuel
Vegetable oil, such as canola oil, can be turned into diesel fuel via base-catalyzed transesterification, which could be represented as a single-step process. This could then be used in your fuel-powered engine and fuel-enhancer (currently the Buildcraft crossovers).

That would again require far more than currently exists in RC, plus I do not want to allow people to sidestep the BC fuel generation process.

-Mobility
Elevators and conveyor belts to move items, mobs, and players would be nice uses of shaft power.

Fans already do this.

-Hard hat
Maybe with safety goggles, because it looks cool and would make me feel like I am working in a real industrial plant

It needs to serve a purpose, and it also does not fit well, needing plastic.

-Sprockets
Sprocket and chain attached to a shaft unit. Functions like a belt, gearbox, and shaft junction in one, with the added ability to act like a variable gearbox if a gear shift is added (like in a bicycle). The input/output would be from the shaft, and all the sprockets on that shaft would be the output/input.
Belt: Power over distance like a belt, but the torque and speed limitations and lubrication requirements based on the materials.
Gearbox: Ratio of the number of teeth on the input and output sprocket determines mechanical advantage. More exotic gear ratios could be achieved by using combinations of gears.
Shaft junction: My favorite function, the ability to have an indefinite number (or at least more than two) of sprockets on the same shaft, far more than just the one input and two outputs of shaft junctions. Power would be split evenly among all the sprockets, for the sake of simplicity.
Gear shift: If the speed/torque of a power source or consumer fluctuates, a gear shift could be used. It would require one chain and multiple sprockets; the chain could be switched between the sprockets according to the strength of a redstone signal.

The shaft power bus includes all of this functionality.

 

[R4FKEN]

I would really like vertical shafts...

 

[McJty]

I would really like vertical shafts...

Shafts can already go vertical. That's how I get power from my solar tower down to my bevel to get it horizontal.

Use the screwdriver to rotate them vertically.

 

[R4FKEN]

Thanks McJty, didn't know that!

 

[Pyure]

Thanks McJty, didn't know that!

fwiw, the bevel shaft can be turned vertically as well (so that you can do bends.)

Next idea on my list (For Electricraft)

Possibly my favorite block in ElectriCraft is the Resistor. I love this damn thing. But using it with dyes is annoying as hell.

I would kill for a tool that let me shift-right-click it into a different color mode, and right click to change the bands on the resistor.

Maybe the same tech as a color laser printer or something.

I don't even mind if I have to "load" it with dyes somehow, or magnetize it, or anything else, so long as I don't have to carry and use 9 dyes with me.

PS: My hatred may be partly related to my color-blindness.

 

[Reika]

fwiw, the bevel shaft can be turned vertically as well (so that you can do bends.)

Next idea on my list (For Electricraft)

Possibly my favorite block in ElectriCraft is the Resistor. I love this damn thing. But using it with dyes is annoying as hell.

I would kill for a tool that let me shift-right-click it into a different color mode, and right click to change the bands on the resistor.

Maybe the same tech as a color laser printer or something.

I don't even mind if I have to "load" it with dyes somehow, or magnetize it, or anything else, so long as I don't have to carry and use 9 dyes with me.

PS: My hatred may be partly related to my color-blindness.

Given the amount of right-clicking involved (stepping through each state, for a total of 729 states), that would be far less friendly. However, yes, there is a problem in the case of colorblind users. I do not see a way around this.

 

[Pyure]

Given the amount of right-clicking involved (stepping through each state, for a total of 729 states), that would be far less friendly. However, yes, there is a problem in the case of colorblind users. I do not see a way around this.

FWIW, I can clarify the idea a bit: I'd be happy if a tool just cycled through the 9 available colors. (I think Engineer's Toolbox has a tool which does this, but over 16 colors)

I'm not looking for something that would imprint the final three bands all at once. Just something so that I can select "red", tap the resistor, and then "blue", tap the resistor.

For color-blind help, you just need to echo the color selected. "Mode: Blue".

Does that make more sense?

 

[Not_Steve]

Or you could use numbers instead...

 

[Pyure]

Or you could use numbers instead...

That would be preferable to me, but In keeping with Reika's realism direction, and how resistor bands work, I think the color system can be preserved just fine with the proposed Prism Laser Tool (tm)

 

[Reika]

That would be preferable to me, but In keeping with Reika's realism direction, and how resistor bands work, I think the color system can be preserved just fine with the proposed Prism Laser Tool (tm)

Something about this idea feels "wrong" to me...

 

[Pyure]

Something about this idea feels "wrong" to me...

Well I can't fight that. But if you can think of an appealing Reika-spin on the same notion that doesn't require me to adjust my resistors with cocoa beans and ink sacs, I'll likely be an extremely happy person.

 

[1M Industries]

FWIW, I can clarify the idea a bit: I'd be happy if a tool just cycled through the 9 available colors. (I think Engineer's Toolbox has a tool which does this, but over 16 colors)

I'm not looking for something that would imprint the final three bands all at once. Just something so that I can select "red", tap the resistor, and then "blue", tap the resistor.

For color-blind help, you just need to echo the color selected. "Mode: Blue".

Does that make more sense?

What about a GUI for the resistor? Have the different bands be different boxes that you can cycle through, with a final output resistance box on the bottom. This would make things a lot easier for both color-blind people and regular people. Just an idea.

 

[Pyure]

What about a GUI for the resistor? Have the different bands be different boxes that you can cycle through, with a final output resistance box on the bottom. This would make things a lot easier for both color-blind people and regular people. Just an idea.

Again this is an idea which flies just fine with me as a player, but it flies in the face of what Reika wants to do. I was really hoping my idea would let him have his cake and eat it too.

 

[1M Industries]

Again this is an idea which flies just fine with me as a player, but it flies in the face of what Reika wants to do. I was really hoping my idea would let him have his cake and eat it too.

What about a multimeter then? That is realistic.

 

[Reika]

What about a multimeter then? That is realistic.

The angular transducer (and WAILA) already includes that functionality.

 

[Eruantien]

I probably just haven't found it yet, but: is there a tool that you can use to copy settings from one machine to another? it would be helpful when laying down large infrastructure.