How does a multiblock structure work ?

[AndyMASH]

When you create it for the first time, how does it... recognize itself ? Does the game check for it every time you place a block designed to be part of the multiblock structure (or per tick)? I know that was the case for Railcraft (or still is) and other older mods, but how do the new mods do it ? For instance the Thaumcraft Arcane Infusion Altar and the Big Reactors Turbines or the huge portals you can make in Mystcraft ? Also, as a side question, how does the Arcane Infusion Altar know if the items you've placed are symmetrical ?

 

[malicious_bloke]

It varies.

The infusion altar only checks when you give it a whack with a wand iirc

 

[Inaeo]

Several newer mods (1.6+) have used a designated control block (ex. TiCo Smeltery Control Block) to do all the processing, allowing all the other blocks to be used for decorative purposes without consuming processing power. Others use an activation mechanic (like the wand tap from TC mentioned above) to save on the constant searching that bogged down some mods.

 

[AndyMASH]

Several newer mods (1.6+) have used a designated control block (ex. TiCo Smeltery Control Block) to do all the processing, allowing all the other blocks to be used for decorative purposes without consuming processing power. Others use an activation mechanic (like the wand tap from TC mentioned above) to save on the constant searching that bogged down some mods.

What is this designated control block ? Could you elaborate, please ?

 

[Celestialphoenix]

A specific block that has all the multiblock code, so the other parts can be regular blocks. It stores all the inventory data and processes the materials when it has a recipe- its effectively a single-block machine in itself.

The TiCon smeltery uses the controller with all the smeltery code, and the seared stone bricks are just regular blocks- so you can build with them without any performance loss.
Gregtech did it in 1.4.7, with the implosion compressor/blast furnace ect being controllers and the machine casings being just regular blocks again.
XyCraft tanks had valves that'll complete the tank and store the liquid data, allowing the tank multiblock to be built out of every/any regular block type [from vanilla or any mod]​

 

[rhn]

Also, as a side question, how does the Arcane Infusion Altar know if the items you've placed are symmetrical ?

Once the scanning algorithm(I guess it simply scans through the box around the matrix one block at the time) have found a valid item(is this item on this list of items?) inside the range of the altar it simply checks the opposite coordinate to check if there is a similar item present there. If there is: +stability. If there is not -stability. Simple as that.

Here is some more information on items and stability:
http://www.reddit.com/r/feedthebeas..._to_know_how_thaumcraft_infusion_symmetry_is/