A simple feature request. Should take devs very little time.

[Qybat]

I like the air control console. It's realistic, it's compact, it looks nice, and it replaces a giant tangle of circuits. I do not like huge spawls of logic chips, they waste precious processing and network resources.

So can we have a console circuit board for temperature too, please? It'd work in much the same way: Build, insert disk, select one sensor and one or more wall heaters and coolers. Then pull disk. All it needs control-wise is a temperature and a target temperature, and up/down arrows. If the temperature gets more than, say, one degree above target, then turn on the coolers. More than one degree below, turn on heaters. Almost all the code is already written for the air console, it should be a piece of cake for the devs to modify it into a temperature console.

No alternative to real AC for managing a big sprawling base, but perfect for a greenhouse or some fine control to prevent swings when someone empties a belt of ice or turns on all the machines at once. The alternative is lots-o-chips, which just looks silly.

[BackNorth]

I was thinking making a circuit board that we could plug the logic chips into. one that is about the size of a normal console. instead of these chips being the size of laptops...

[Qybat]

You'd be looking at quite the overhaul for that - it's a lot of interface code and new devices. That's why we have consoles for the very routine things - airlock operation, air pressure regulation. The things that every base is going to need, likely several times over. Those are worth having a circuit board for. I'd add temperature control to the list.

[Daggoth]

While I wouldn't be surprised if more control boards come along, I'll be interested to see where the cutoff is between "So common and essential that we may as well automate it with a console board" and "Nah, we want to make it rewarding to learn how to do it in logic".

It's only like 7 chips to get a basic temp control setup anyway.

[TinMan]

I'm willing to bet for a lot of people, including myself, the point of building games like this is to do it ourselves. Fully automated sounds/seems like a good idea, but I don't think thats the point. While I do think there could be more logic boards out there (timed logic, programmable logic, etc) I don't think it would be much fun to fully automate things. Other than the chips being smaller/less cable used, I think everything is fine. I've found it better to plan out my building/room before I go at it. I switch to the creative mode a lot to test things.

[CaptainCamembert]

I hate consoles and circuit boards. What we need is a proper, intuitive and powerful logic or programming system, that would make all consoles obsolete. Or be able to create our own custom circuit boards on a computer and them use them instead.

[Qybat]

Not all players want to get into the intricacies of logic design and programming. The only way I could see that working would be if the new logic system came with pre-written programs that could be used to do all the routine things, so actually delving into it would only be needed for the optimisation-crazed who want everything running as perfectly as is possible.

[CaptainCamembert]

Originally posted by Qybat:

Not all players want to get into the intricacies of logic design and programming. The only way I could see that working would be if the new logic system came with pre-written programs that could be used to do all the routine things, so actually delving into it would only be needed for the optimisation-crazed who want everything running as perfectly as is possible.

Isn't that the exact same thing as keeping the consoles in there? The system would just have to be intuitive enough, that's all

[DrSID666]

I like the hard-core way of things. Like SS13 :D But im agree with

Originally posted by BackNorth:

I was thinking making a circuit board that we could plug the logic chips into. one that is about the size of a normal console. instead of these chips being the size of laptops...

Chips take too much space\energy. There might be a machine, like computer but with little import\export chutes. Put in logic i\o's, math units e.t.c. and assemble them into 1 chip. Or something...

[Qybat]

I think DrSid is on to something. The chips work, but they are unsatisfying. Cumbersome. Not fitting to the visual asthetic or level of realism. They give an awkward interface. How to fix that, though.... that I have no idea on.

But I still want my temperature console. Anything which is 'routine' operation should be considered a candidate for a console for reasons of convenience, immersive interface, compatibility with the access control system, and lag minimisation.

[CaptainCamembert]

One needs to be able to copy self made chips is all. If the stuff is as 'routine' as you say, then creating it in this first place can't be that hard. And even if it was, it's very rewarding when it works.

For example airlocks aren't simple in real life, and they shouldn't be as simple as putting one premade board in a console and calling it a day. You could just have an active vent in your first design and do everything BY HAND, but if you want a proper automated airlock, you will have to 'program' it yourself.

Everything that is done by consoles can be done by hand in the game, so it's not like removing those boards will lock you out of certain experiences. It's just that you have to create the logic yourself.

Creating the logic should be intuitive and simple, yet powerful enough that, creating a good logic system is more of a puzzle than a nuisance.

I feel like the only reason those consoles are there in the first place was to fix the weaknesses of the logic chips and the computer. Now if you ask for circuit boars for every 'routine' operation that youmight eventually need, that would shift the 'meta' even more to pre-built solutions and less attention on the logic in game... Which is not what should be the case.

Like i said the focus should ne on creating and copying own logoc contraptions, in a way that would make pre-built circuit boards obsolete.

Thank you for your attention 😂

[Qybat]

The best thing about consoles is the interface. Yes, you could make an airlock in chips or some sort of scripting language, but would you then get that really nice screen with buttons, labels, and the bar pressure gauge? I like those, they make the station look more 'professional' somehow - more like a real station, less like a pile of components. Especially once you get the deco in, like walls.

Perhaps what we need is a 'logic console' - not a full-fledged programming environment, but a device that lets you simply set inputs, outputs and conditions when it setup mode, and in non-setup mode can define a numerical display and an up-down number selecter. Such a device couldn't serve as an airlock controller, but it would be perfectly suited for air pressure control, temperature control, staged power off (low battey alert), regulating the more advanced power generation processes we have discussed elsewhere.

[CaptainCamembert]

Originally posted by Qybat:

The best thing about consoles is the interface. Yes, you could make an airlock in chips or some sort of scripting language, but would you then get that really nice screen with buttons, labels, and the bar pressure gauge? I like those, they make the station look more 'professional' somehow - more like a real station, less like a pile of components. Especially once you get the deco in, like walls.

Perhaps what we need is a 'logic console' - not a full-fledged programming environment, but a device that lets you simply set inputs, outputs and conditions when it setup mode, and in non-setup mode can define a numerical display and an up-down number selecter. Such a device couldn't serve as an airlock controller, but it would be perfectly suited for air pressure control, temperature control, staged power off (low battey alert), regulating the more advanced power generation processes we have discussed elsewhere.

You could still achieve that "interface" of yours witg diode slides and flashing lights, there are a lot of tools to have the airlock tell you what's going on.

[electron2059]

I've been using the computer with logic motherboard to do this. Thought it was easier and took way less space then with chips. Just select an air sensor and wall coolers/heaters. Use the If conditions to set them on at a temp and off if not. I Do agree a console with a specific circuit board would be a nicer solution. Maybe make the resources high for it so it is not so easy early on.

[CaptainCamembert]

Why would it be easy? You would stil need a computer to program, a blank circuit board from the electronics printer, a storahe device for the code as well as the extra machine to burn the board. If that's not enough steps for one simple console, then I don't know what is.

[Qybat]

The logic motherboard is not the most intuitive system to use either. Simply refining that might give us a better option than a whole new game mechanic.