Blueprint of buildings to plan ahead

[Joshua Raven]

Is it possible to put blueprints of buildings down, to plan ahead?

I know I can place a building and pause it, but it takes up a building slot, and it's also less convenient, especially when building large walls.

[...👑 JOST AMMAN 👑...]

Problem is if you had "blueprints" it would have to be a separate overlay from everything else, since there's stuff going on in the game at the same spot you place a blueprint.

The dev would need to program an independent overlay to show blueprints that you could turn on/off like (e.g.) the range visibility.

[EldVarg]

You would not have to do that way. Still could be a "normal" building that cost nothing, build instantly, block none and 50% transparent (with blue hue or something) and removed instantly if you bulldoze it.

[...👑 JOST AMMAN 👑...]

Originally posted by EldVarg:

You would not have to do that way. Still could be a "normal" building that cost nothing, build instantly, block none and 50% transparent (with blue hue or something) and removed instantly if you bulldoze it.

No, it wouldn't be a like real blueprint... did you notice that worksites of new buildings can get destroyed by monsters?

[Rayvolution]

Blueprints would be a fine idea, problem is the engine can't "do" them right now in a way that wouldn't be a hacky mess. It's a bit of an awkward situation and hard to explain why though.

Basically, when you place a building right now (even a construction outline) is "actually exists" on the game map (eg; actual tiles are drawn to the map on the object/topography layer). The combat AI just ignores it until it has hit points.

Now, you're probably asking yourself "Ok, so why can't blueprints be the same way?" and you're absolutely right, they can be. But they should be on their own layer, so you can have a "Blueprint view" and a "regular" view, that allows you to place blueprints over things you can build on regardless if you can actually build there yet, like trees you plan to clear out in the future. You can't do that in the current system, as buildings share the same physical layer on the map (data wise) as topography and of course, the other buildings. If I allowed it as-currently-written it would actually erase things on the map, replacing them with the blueprint.

I could allow blueprints to work just like construction outlines do, but that means you'd only be able to place blueprints where construction outlines could be placed and you could never hide the blueprint view, as it'll also hide the buildings and topography as well.

This is one of the things that needs to change in the code, I'm planning a fundamental rewrite for how construction and dismantling works, when I do that, blueprints like you're describing will be possible (and probably added!) But for now, for many awkward technical reasons, they're not. :)