Pipes reversing their flow

[The Former]

I've done some reading on here and discovered that in essence, I have to "force" all piping to flow in a general direction. What I'm after are some generalized tips on how to do that. Specifically, if I want to merge a new pipeline into an existing one, is there any trick to making it all flow properly aside from "go all the way around the long way and don't bother using intersections"?

[Strygald]

You can make flow go in exactly the directions you want using bridges:

- no bridges, flow goes where it wants

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1570237311

- some bridges, flow goes haywire .. probably what a lot of new players experience at some point

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1570237329

- fully bridged, 100% control over flow!

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1570237344

*same thing applies to gas piping

[Angpaur]

Very good example and explanation, Strygald!

[Strygald]

Thanks :p once you understand ONI pipes they stop being frustrating and become a creative process

[The Former]

Aha, interesting! Thanks for the tip! Now if I could just figure out how to delete bridges when I misplace them... (I dread using them because they never want to delete for me once they're down.)

[Clonefarmer]

Originally posted by The Unfettered:

Aha, interesting! Thanks for the tip! Now if I could just figure out how to delete bridges when I misplace them... (I dread using them because they never want to delete for me once they're down.)

You have to delete them over the ends, if you try to delete them in the middle it won't work. You can also click on any ghost and click cancel build.

[The Former]

Well, this did work one time, but a lot of times no matter what I do, I can't get rid of it even if I drag the uninstall job all across it. Getting rid of the ghost is never a problem, fortunately.

[Donut Steel]

Even the strongest pump will have this problem IRL, but in ONI it happens with very little pipe capacity: it doesn't simply have to pump one bit of water at a time into the pipe, which will push the last bit of water along, that pushes the water in front of it along etc. You push something, it pushes back so the longer and bigger the pipe is the more water a pump is fighting against.

This is why gas and water pipes have pressure valves at intervals, to hold the backwards-pressure so it isn't all being taken on by the pump, it lets the water through but closes when the water flows the other way if it's a vacuum-pump(not sure what happens with constant flowing rotary and fan pumps). Bridges in ONI work more like valves than the actual valves do.

[The Former]

Ah, I see! So ostensibly, valves are SUPPOSED to be used for this, but bridges work better.

I wonder, then, what ARE valves best for in ONI?

[Clonefarmer]

Originally posted by The Unfettered:

I wonder, then, what ARE valves best for in ONI?

For limiting flow.

[The Former]

Originally posted by Clonefarmer:

Originally posted by The Unfettered:

I wonder, then, what ARE valves best for in ONI?

For limiting flow.

Well, fair, but I haven't practiced enough to learn when this would be a good idea haha. I can KIND of make some logical guesses, but I haven't put any to practical application yet so I can't be sure.

[Clonefarmer]

Originally posted by The Unfettered:

Originally posted by Clonefarmer:

For limiting flow.

Well, fair, but I haven't practiced enough to learn when this would be a good idea haha. I can KIND of make some logical guesses, but I haven't put any to practical application yet so I can't be sure.

Usually I just use them to limit hot water flow to reservoirs. And to divert small amounts of hydrogen from a SPOM to an AETN. IMO usually a bridge or shut off works better for most other applications.

[The Former]

Aha, hot water! That'd make sense. And I suppose it WOULD also help one balance a supply between various applications from one reservoir. Sounds good, thanks for the direction. :)