Use conveyor block instead of tube?

[Ryuul]

Personally I use the almost always the conveyor block instead of the tubes when building ship, except if the conveyor is visible. So that it connects on all sides to the blocks, so that even if it they don't drift away.

But on the workshop I see that most people use the tubes for connecting stuff, even if the conveyors are behind blocks, walls, etc. Just not visible. Is there an advantage of using the tubes?
I know they're a little lighter, but aren't airtight, got no mounting points, always shine green, can't place blocks on them.

[Thalyn]

Likely a mix of performance and aesthetics.

Aesthetics should be fairly obvious, but each Conveyor block acts as a node where Conveyor Tubes are simply links between them. Too many nodes can have a significat performance impact for the time being. It's likely that this will improve in future but for now anything which reduces performance tends to be avoided.

[Ryuul]

Well aesthetics is clear. I also use them when the conveyor is visible or coming out of a wall.

I didn't know about this node thing. Personally I don't really experience a problem. My builds / worlds only slow down if I build really big things with ten thousands of blocks and over 500 meter long and 500 million kg +.

Also I was under the impression that tubes cost more performance. At least it was like that when they were still out of glass on the sides.

But I also have a very good and overclocked computer, so I'm hardly the average.

[Loues.S.Cat]

The junctions use power.
The tubes don't.

[Ryuul]

Originally posted by Loues.S.Cat:

The junctions use power.
The tubes don't.

Really? According to the wiki both use the same amount (40w).

[Loues.S.Cat]

Hmm.
Just retested and apperently now all of them use 0 power >.>
Who knows when thet was changed.

[Thalyn]

It should be 20W for every active connection. To result in anything useful, however, two active connections must be linked to each other for a total of 40W. Since most times you'll be working in kW or MW, the amount is fairly insignificant (though still relevant). If it's been changed, it's within the last 4 weeks (since that's when I first looked into it myself).

The amount of performance hit will depend on a lot of things. The number of Conveyors, how many things are linked to each of them and so forth. A whole bunch which are being used as pipe replacements will be less intensive than a group with all 6 ports in use.

My understanding of them (and I'm open to being wrong) is that nodes (anything with either a function or more than 2 conveyor ports) have to be mapped with regards to what other nodes they're attached to. Connections (pipes) would only need to know what node is on either side, possibly denoted by nothing more than a "network" number, and may not even get updated at all when the link is active (green emissives). When you start tracking across multiple nodes is when performance starts to tank.

[Ryuul]

Hmm. I build regularly builds with thousands of conveyor cubes and haven't really noticed a performance hit with them build or deleted. Timers or scripts and LCD cause more lag. Some scripts even cause stuttering.

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=847270214

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=847270387

One of my slightly larger builds. With conveyor cubes inside everything is connected and still playable. It's singleplayer so I don't know how it works with multiplayer.

[orb]

Aren't blocks using more resources to build them than tubes, or was it also changed to be the same? If it isn't the same, then unless you are playing only in creative, I can see a reason why people prefer using tubes instead of blocks.

[Ryuul]

Originally posted by orb:

Aren't blocks using more resources to build them than tubes, or was it also changed to be the same? If it isn't the same, then unless you are playing only in creative, I can see a reason why people prefer using tubes instead of blocks.

I don't know, according to the wiki page they use different components. Tube uses glass and steel plates which the cube doesn't use. So while the cube needs more construction components and small steel tubes, it doesn't use glass. Also it's airtight and you can place other blocks on top of them.
So I would say it depends on what materials you have more.

[Twelve]

Originally posted by orb:

Aren't blocks using more resources to build them than tubes, or was it also changed to be the same? If it isn't the same, then unless you are playing only in creative, I can see a reason why people prefer using tubes instead of blocks.

you need less of everything to build a pipe so in survival its always best to build a pipe.

also last i checked pipes had a smaller triangle count than conveyor junctions so their easier on performance as neither pipe or junction is occluded by blocks.

Originally posted by Ryuul:

Originally posted by orb:

Aren't blocks using more resources to build them than tubes, or was it also changed to be the same? If it isn't the same, then unless you are playing only in creative, I can see a reason why people prefer using tubes instead of blocks.

I don't know, according to the wiki page they use different components. Tube uses glass and steel plates which the cube doesn't use. So while the cube needs more construction components and small steel tubes, it doesn't use glass. Also it's airtight and you can place other blocks on top of them.
So I would say it depends on what materials you have more.

that wiki page is not up to date, pipes no longer need glass and keen rebalanced their other reuirements to be more in line with the junctions
pipes need -
14 int plates
30 c components
12 ss tubes
6 motors

junctions need -
20 int plates
30 c omponents
20 ss tubes
6 motors

(that is from memory so may not be 100% accurate but should be close enough)

[Ryuul]

Oh. OK. I didn't know that. But is the only different the plates and tubes?

If the tubes are more performance friendly I will need to test them on some bigger builds

[Twelve]

Originally posted by Ryuul:

Oh. OK. I didn't know that. But is the only different the plates and tubes?

yeah its negligable unless your playing 1x inventory where it means you can build 1 and a half junctions in one go or 2 pipes. and as i say the triangle count which would only matter if you were building something really big.

[Twelve]

fyi - the triangle count of the new blocks
junction - 476
pipe - 350

[Loues.S.Cat]

Well a double double checked and yes it seems they only draw power with valid connections. Intrestingly, rather than per block the charge seems to be per connection, so pipes and junctions can both cost the same, but junctions can, if they have multiple pipes/junctions coming off them add a lot of extra cost on top.
So I guess the system has been improved.

[2000]

what about weight