Context
The last few days we have been discussing 'normal mode' (earlier, survival mode) on IRC. This mode aims to provide base gameplay for mods to build upon. Too be overly reductionistic about it; it would include what one would expect to find in a voxel game. In regards to this we would need an easily extendable crafting system, and this is a take on that need.
The concept
The assembly table is a take on crafting where the attention is directed towards the materials used rather than how the item is built. Some might suggest that this is overly simplistic, wanting to impose elements of physical reality through weighting the process of assembly as much as the materials used. Although this might be interesting in its own regard, it is very hard to generalize block or item crafting down to a core system that will satisfy this. The assembly table seeks to satisfy the wants for complexity through the use of different types of assembly tables to produce different results. Also, the table allows for the usage of a tool or modifier, together with the input, to produce various outputs. There is also the option of adding the requirement of the user having to have certain recipes, in some sort of recipe storage unit (e.g. books), which can further add to the gameplay. Let’s have a look at what the assembly table could look and function like.
The representation found beneath is (possibly) overly simplified, and would not necessarily reflect the only, or final implementation. Also, the actual contents of the slots do not make sense, but bare with me.
Input Slot
The four slots on the left are the input slots. If you were to add something into all four slots, the grid would expand downwards by two, allowing an infinite amount of material requirements needed to craft any item.
Tool / Modifier
The slot in the middle is the tool or modifier slot. Imagine the following example; you are trying to craft an electric furnace, and in addition to craft one of the core components: the heating element, you would need a screw driver. Different assembly tables could have different amount of slots for tools required for its recipes.
Output slot
The final eight slots on the right are the output slots. These grow and shrink according to how many blocks can be made with the input materials. It would also be possible to add a standard view, and type view to allow users to sort the outputs by the type, if there are very many results for the material; like with wood which can be made into possibly many other blocks. One example could be; you input wood into the input slot, some sort of carving tool in the tool slot, and you would get every variation of the wood block in the output slot; round, sloped, smaller microblocks etc.
The latter example could also maybe only be performed in a carpenter table. The point is that the assembly table wouldn’t necessarily be a or the only table of its kind, but rather a concept that could be used throughout the game.
The positives and negatives
One of the core strengths of this concept is that it is very easily extendable by mods. Not only is it flexible, but it also is closer to how machines usually work; you input something, and you get something out. This stays true to the concept of I/O (input/output), while still not being overly simple (e.g. by adding the requirement of recipes, the usage of tools and modifiers in nested recipes, or even by having different tables for different blocks).
The obvious drawback is that it can indeed become overly simple. Some might want something 'more' from a crafting system, usually pointing to how crafting would work in the real world. I do however think that this is not easily achieved, and also even if achieved; is it worth it? One would have to ask if the crafting process is the more important one, or the gameplay that would follow. I reckon making a crafting system that is overly complicated will eventually be hard to extend by other mods, and with normal mode mainly aiming at providing a base gameplay for mods to build on (much like Minecraft survival does), this would in my opinion defeat the purpose for which it is being built.
Any feedback is much appreciated.
(Please, also, if you find my writing style overly complicated, hard to understand, or too simple and without meaning - please highlight this in your post, or a PM. Thanks!)
The last few days we have been discussing 'normal mode' (earlier, survival mode) on IRC. This mode aims to provide base gameplay for mods to build upon. Too be overly reductionistic about it; it would include what one would expect to find in a voxel game. In regards to this we would need an easily extendable crafting system, and this is a take on that need.
The concept
The assembly table is a take on crafting where the attention is directed towards the materials used rather than how the item is built. Some might suggest that this is overly simplistic, wanting to impose elements of physical reality through weighting the process of assembly as much as the materials used. Although this might be interesting in its own regard, it is very hard to generalize block or item crafting down to a core system that will satisfy this. The assembly table seeks to satisfy the wants for complexity through the use of different types of assembly tables to produce different results. Also, the table allows for the usage of a tool or modifier, together with the input, to produce various outputs. There is also the option of adding the requirement of the user having to have certain recipes, in some sort of recipe storage unit (e.g. books), which can further add to the gameplay. Let’s have a look at what the assembly table could look and function like.
The representation found beneath is (possibly) overly simplified, and would not necessarily reflect the only, or final implementation. Also, the actual contents of the slots do not make sense, but bare with me.
Input Slot
The four slots on the left are the input slots. If you were to add something into all four slots, the grid would expand downwards by two, allowing an infinite amount of material requirements needed to craft any item.
Tool / Modifier
The slot in the middle is the tool or modifier slot. Imagine the following example; you are trying to craft an electric furnace, and in addition to craft one of the core components: the heating element, you would need a screw driver. Different assembly tables could have different amount of slots for tools required for its recipes.
Output slot
The final eight slots on the right are the output slots. These grow and shrink according to how many blocks can be made with the input materials. It would also be possible to add a standard view, and type view to allow users to sort the outputs by the type, if there are very many results for the material; like with wood which can be made into possibly many other blocks. One example could be; you input wood into the input slot, some sort of carving tool in the tool slot, and you would get every variation of the wood block in the output slot; round, sloped, smaller microblocks etc.
The latter example could also maybe only be performed in a carpenter table. The point is that the assembly table wouldn’t necessarily be a or the only table of its kind, but rather a concept that could be used throughout the game.
The positives and negatives
One of the core strengths of this concept is that it is very easily extendable by mods. Not only is it flexible, but it also is closer to how machines usually work; you input something, and you get something out. This stays true to the concept of I/O (input/output), while still not being overly simple (e.g. by adding the requirement of recipes, the usage of tools and modifiers in nested recipes, or even by having different tables for different blocks).
The obvious drawback is that it can indeed become overly simple. Some might want something 'more' from a crafting system, usually pointing to how crafting would work in the real world. I do however think that this is not easily achieved, and also even if achieved; is it worth it? One would have to ask if the crafting process is the more important one, or the gameplay that would follow. I reckon making a crafting system that is overly complicated will eventually be hard to extend by other mods, and with normal mode mainly aiming at providing a base gameplay for mods to build on (much like Minecraft survival does), this would in my opinion defeat the purpose for which it is being built.
Any feedback is much appreciated.
(Please, also, if you find my writing style overly complicated, hard to understand, or too simple and without meaning - please highlight this in your post, or a PM. Thanks!)
