[1.7] Sensors, Coordinates, Beacons, Servers, Notification monitor, Integration into other mods

Liked this mod a lot and formed few suggestions i would like to see in it, sorry for my English, here they are:

I. Sensors [1.7-1.9]
I do believe there is a need to get more data about the world, so here is a set of sensors i would like to see in the mod:
1. Volume sensor - detects if there is a change in the environment (if block in area appeared/dissapeared) - med range, max 5*5*5 area, do not detect animals/players/monsters. Various uses can be found, for me it is explosion detection (may be self repairs for some constructions if sensors are able to remember block map, reactor overheating for ic, trees cutting…)
2. Movement Sensor - for players/monsters/animals, may be minecarts, directed only
3. Fire/Temperature sensor
4. Block type sensor ? - not sure if there is need for such thing, but it can be set up to detect water blocks or lava (may be grass, crops, e t c), may be no need in such block if Volume sensor will have changeble range and direction.
5. Light sensor - day/night (light level?)
6. Sound detector - detects anything at range of 16*16*16.
7. Chest sensor - simply says what in the chest, gives info about free place.
For regular computers sensors should be attached with mmodem or directly (near console), turtles should have few slots for sensors

II. Beacons [1.9]
Something similar to Buildcraft - but instead of 2-4 buoys you need only one, to specify for turtle, where to move (possibility to operate multiple buoys will be better - like getting list of coordinates). with one buoy player will be able to order turtle moveToBuoy/digToBuoy and it will move without need to write "complicated" programs or moving turtle in your inventory.
It is totaly different from GPS since it is simpler for user - you go to place, put there a buoy, and your turtle will foolow to that buoy.
With multiple buous turtle will be able to do something like BC filler (after programing by player) along with sorting resources into different chests marked with buoys (or droping near BC tubes e t c). Completely different way - construct a bulding with moving to different chests for resources. The difference to BC filler is significant - you can go whenewer you want, put a buoy there and turtle will follow you doing the program - for example making a road, stairs (just following you), dig/build building of unusual form (in case you have a program recognizing different types of bouys as floor, walls, stairs e t c)
i do believe, anyone is able to imagine at least 5-6 ways of use. Should look like getBuoys(rangeOfSearch /*or search width,heights,depth*/ ,color).
P.S. Programs recognizing buoys will be much more universal, also specifying coordinates by buoys is much simpler.

III.Notification Monitor [1.8]
Console is a good thing but some thing are hard to specify there, and especially show.
Such thing as a monitor without controlling functions but with possibility to organize some info about signals/devices should be usable - current monitor needs to much to show even one string of data, it is hard to implement interface for all ingame needs. there is a need for simple solution without coding (may-be tester like) which can be set up to needed monitoring functions in a moment.
I imagine this like a table (in right-click window), with devices as rows. First you specify a device
1.for exaple computer/sensor wiresly conected, it will show the name of last program and computer coordinates/name/player typed text, set a notification mode - for example notify if there is no program launches, set a notification color
2.redstone signal - you chose a side, icon for you signal, type a text to visually identify it, chose a show mod (for example green if no signal, red if there is signal), notification timeout and notification color (if not colors, then at least blinking e t c)
the Monitor should change its collor acording to changes (if watching not from right-click, but from distance), if right clicked - player should see a table with specified list and highlighted device.

IV. Integration into other mods

IC: ability to read EU, batery charge, status for some devices like reactor (temperature). For generators/machinery on/off status and energy storage should be enought. thanks for detector cable this one is not really needed. But it will be good to program something like alternate power sources using switch cables and integration (i.e. first priority - solar, wind, water, second - reactor, third - furnances/geotermal)
BC: engines control (heating, fuel, water, online/offline), not really needed again.

AndreyKl, on 16 April 2012 - 07:43 PM said:

Liked this mod a lot and formed few suggestions i would like to see in it, sorry for my English, here they are:

I. Sensors [1.7-1.9]
I do believe there is a need to get more data about the world, so here is a set of sensors i would like to see in the mod:
1. Volume sensor - detects if there is a change in the environment (if block in area appeared/dissapeared) - med range, max 5*5*5 area, do not detect animals/players/monsters. Various uses can be found, for me it is explosion detection (may be self repairs for some constructions if sensors are able to remember block map, reactor overheating for ic, trees cutting…)
2. Movement Sensor - for players/monsters/animals, may be minecarts, directed only
3. Fire/Temperature sensor
4. Block type sensor ? - not sure if there is need for such thing, but it can be set up to detect water blocks or lava (may be grass, crops, e t c), may be no need in such block if Volume sensor will have changeble range and direction.
5. Light sensor - day/night (light level?)
6. Sound detector - detects anything at range of 16*16*16.
7. Chest sensor - simply says what in the chest, gives info about free place.

For regular computers sensors should be attached with mmodem or directly (near console), turtles should have few slots for sensors

Check the CC Sensors peripheral. It includes many of your suggestions, and the author is open to suggestions.

AndreyKl, on 16 April 2012 - 07:43 PM said:

II. Coordinates [1.6]
There were a suggestion for GPS, this one is something similar, but i would prefer a possibility for each computer (even stationary one) to know its coordinates without other devices - just a function getCoordinates(). It can be usable not only for turtles, when there will be networks, it will be easiest way to indentify some remote computers, function should be available without any rights or if specified - available only for computer owner. Example of use: you have a computer controlling something far away and you forgot, where you put that network machine - you just type this command and go to you computer… So it is just to find your computers yourself.
Also this function should provide some info like type of biome, distance to current player location (may be something else)
Possibility to write down location into variable should be avaliable.
As for turtles - may be there is need for command moveToCoordinates, digToCoordinates, fillToCoordinates. (not really necessary - players will write them soon after this function appear). turtles may have this command blocked unless GPS added.

GPS functionality is already available using a modem. If you increase the modem range, you can have GPS which will cover lots of the world. The other suggestions regarding biome etc are more inline with sensors, see above.

AndreyKl, on 16 April 2012 - 07:43 PM said:

III. Beacons [1.9]
Something similar to Buildcraft - but instead of 2-4 buoys you need only one, to specify for turtle, where to move (possibility to operate multiple buoys will be better - like getting list of coordinates). with one buoy player will be able to order turtle moveToBuoy/digToBuoy and it will move without need to write "complicated" programs or moving turtle in your inventory. With multiple buous turtle will be able to do something like BC filler (after programing by player) along with sorting resources into different chests marked with buoys (or droping near BC tubes e t c). Completely different way - construct a bulding with moving to different chests for resources. these were just an axamples, i do believe, anyone is able to imagine at least 5-6 ways of use. Should look like getBuoys(rangeOfSearch /* or search width,heights,depth*/ ,color).

Not gonna happen. This functionality is already possible using the GPS API and coding, and the point of this mod is to code things yourself to do your desired action.

AndreyKl, on 16 April 2012 - 07:43 PM said:

IV. Servers [1.9]
Typing programs in game and writing them to disks is tiring.
There is a need for regular File server accesible by any computer without other functions except writing programs directly to game client and game server (like BC blueprint library). If not equped with modem, should be accesible like external floppy (or more correct - as hdd)
P.S. There may appear a need for cheap modem-repeaters.

There is a pastebin program included. Provided the http library is enabled in the config, you can easily get programs. There is also a program called cc-get which allows you to upload your creations to a server, and then download it from another computer using cc-get.

Finally, you do not have to write a program in game. You can use any editor you choose - many choose Notepad++ as it supports Lua highlighting. The programs are stored in %appdata%/.minecraft/saves/savename/computer/idnumber.

AndreyKl, on 16 April 2012 - 07:43 PM said:

V.Notification Monitor [1.8]
Console is a good thing but some thing are hard to specify there, and especially show.
Such thing as a monitor without controlling functions but with possibility to organize some info about signals/devices should be useble:
I imagine this like a table (in right-click window), with devices as rows. First you specify a device
1.for exaple computer/sensor wiresly conected, it will show the name of last program and computer coordinates/name/player typed text, set a notification mode - for example notify if there is no program launches, set a notification color
2.redstone signal - you chose a side, icon for you signal, type a text to visually identify it, chose a show mod (for example green if no signal, red if there is signal), notification timeout and notification color (if not colors, then at least blinking e t c)
the Monitor should change its collor acording to changes (if watching not from right-click, but from distance), if right clicked - player should see a table with specified list and highlighted device.

Have you seen monitors? They are an external display. You should try those out. Again, most of your suggestions can be coded yourself - a blinking light/character on a display is easy to create. There are many API's for helping you out, and using rednet you can get information from other computers.

AndreyKl, on 16 April 2012 - 07:43 PM said:

VI. Integration into other mods
RP: integration into RP wires - ability to work with wires by color, set/get signal by color (i mean Bundled Cables).
Wireless Redstone: will be good to integrate some king of modem to send and receive signals by channel specified in program.
IC: ability to read EU, batery charge, status for some devices like reactor (temperature). For generators/machinery on/off status and energy storage should be enought. thanks for detector cable this one is not really needed. But it will be good to program something like alternate power sources using switch cables and integration (i.e. first priority - solar, wind, water, second - reactor, third - furnances/geotermal)
BC: engines control (heating, fuel, water, online/offline), not really needed again.

Have you even tried this mod? It already includes interaction with redpower. It already has its own wireless modem for communicating with computers, and wireless redstone will work fine with the mod.

As for your other suggestions regarding getting information from sensors, again, there is a peripheral for it. I believe it already includes integration with BC and IC.

FAIL sugestion..

I agree with Cloudy, you should really search the forums better, they aren't that big. An you should TRY this mod, because you are suggesting things which are already included. Play around for some time and try the functionalities, because you obviously don't know them

You can already figure out the time of day with a default program, but the name slips my mind…time() maybe?

All this segestion is is a way to do the things already posable without coding.. Thus defeating the point of the mod!