Starting a new ship...

[=OLG= Commander Reaver]

maybe this forum can help... ive been looking everywhere for info on starting a new ship, it used to be just go into G menu and press a button, but that has been gone for awhile apparently. ive been getting by with just placing a piece floating in space and building on that, but there has to be some sort of official one now isnt there? Thanks M8s

[casualsailor]

All ships are started by putting down a landing gear. Press the button on your toolbar for the landing gear a 2nd time to switch from small ship to large.

You need a good surface for it to attach to. And if you get too close to the surface before left-clicking your small ship gear may switch to a large and turn over. So just get it close and click it will attach.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEyt7DFZTcY

Edit: that video is wrong about "R" changing sizes. It's now just pressing the number again.

[=OLG= Commander Reaver]

it may just be the surface im trying to build on, but i tryed that and couldnt get it to switch over to small ship

[casualsailor]

Its best to build a small platform and attach your landing gear to it. The game seems to work better that way since that is how one had to build before planets.

[dga8705]

Casualsailor, you are incorrect. You don't have to start a new ship from a landing gear at all now, that was the old system when there was a specific button for it in the G menu. Now, you can start a ship with any block you want. If I'm building in gravity, I usually just place a frame of small light armor blocks on the ground in a giant H, then build up from it and use that as a base to work off of.

The other more complicated way to do it is build a rotor, then replace the head with a small rotor head and build from there.

You can use a landing gear as a start for your new ship, but realize it will not necessarily lockdown until you have completed it and sometimes even given it power.

[Ω Spriggan Ω]

best way i always build my ship if on a planet....
start with a landing gear so you can't trying to build a ship that is rolling around the place.

then on the landing gear build
cockpit = oxygen generator = medium cargo container = connector.
then a gyroscope,beacon,ore detector,reactor and battery.
then stick a large atompshereic thruster to go UP on both sides for lift
then some small ones facing front back left right and down.

when flying....tilt the ship towards the direction so the powerful thrusters bring it up to speed.
like a helicopter

The rest is really up to you how much armoring you want on it...extras like drills,guns and rocket launchers...maybe some lights.....a soundblock if you enjoy soundblock music mods. :3


thats if you're on a planet....
space.....you've ion and hydrogen...hydrogen is awesome for getting you up to speed but don't always depend on it.

[GMC]

Originally posted by =OLG= Commander Reaver:

it may just be the surface im trying to build on, but i tryed that and couldnt get it to switch over to small ship

First, if you get a large-ship "ghost" block, press the same number again to turn it into a small-ship block. Second, bringing a ghost block into contact with a large-ship block will make the ghost into a large-ship block (and align it to the large-ship grid); press the number again to turn it back to small-ship (and disable the alignment). It can be a bit of a nuisance, but it doesn't take that long to get used to.

You don't have to start with a landing gear, but a landing gear will stick to the surface it's placed on, while other small-ship blocks won't. Connectors and merge blocks sort-of work, but both sides have to be powered. I find a landing gear to be the easiest option.

[casualsailor]

Originally posted by dga8705:

Casualsailor, you are incorrect. You don't have to start a new ship from a landing gear at all now, that was the old system when there was a specific button for it in the G menu. Now, you can start a ship with any block you want. If I'm building in gravity, I usually just place a frame of small light armor blocks on the ground in a giant H, then build up from it and use that as a base to work off of.

The other more complicated way to do it is build a rotor, then replace the head with a small rotor head and build from there.

You can use a landing gear as a start for your new ship, but realize it will not necessarily lockdown until you have completed it and sometimes even given it power.

What I said was not incorrect. Yes you can drop a block and start a ship. But that block will not be locked to either the ground or a grid and is subject to being knocked over or toppling over should you build up from in in an unbalanced way.

Landing gear of both sizes will lock to a grid of either light or heavy armor blocks even in Survival and even before it is built. I tested that right before posting this. It will even lock to the ground but it is possble that it will not which is why I recommend always building on a platform.

So although it is possible to start a new ship without starting with a landing gear the benefits outway the negatives. And even on a planet I stand by my advice that it is best to start with a landing gear locked to a platform.

But I appreciate that there is more than one way to skin a cat. Not all will keep hair out of your teeth.

[=OLG= Commander Reaver]

thanks M8s, i think i got it down, the system changed and i just have to get used to it.