Adv. Turtles, Locating Blocks.

I have seen many suggestions for advanced turtles. Mouse support and colors: Good ideas. Eyes/cameras: Always denied. Instead of cameras that can see 16 blocks or something, how about a relative-position, line-of-site, compare and detect function? Turtle looks at selected block, compares it to block 2 blocks ahead of the normal range. Same thing with detecting. The turtle can look two blocks up, down, and forward. Looking up or down takes a while to move the detector. This way, people can effectively map out areas more easily, because the turtle doesn't have to go right up to a block.

Here is a diagram of the detection range horizontally:

Txx
|x
y
x

-/| = LOS, T = Advanced turtle, x = unseen wall, y = seen wall.

And vertically:

x
y
|  x
T--yx
yxx
x

The functions:

local bFound, iDistance = turtle.scan()
local bFound, iDistance = turtle.scanUp()
local bFound, iDistance = turtle.scanDown()

What do you think?

Hmmm…I'm somewhat in favor of turtles having ranged detection. I don't know about having it be able to detect in diagonals. I think that I'm opposed to being able to compare at range.

So detect could take a number argument specifying the range to detect (default being 0, or normal detect). Then a return of true could have a second return of the range (interval of air blocks).

If you wanted a diagonal detect…I don't know. I'd have to think a bit about the best ways to do that.

A non-OP feature for advanced turtles would be the ability to (detect|place|dig|move|compare|suck|drop) (left|right|back), or at any rate a reasonable subset of these (perhaps not dig). This would eliminate the need for turning motions in some cases, making the turtle faster, thus earning the "advanced" title.

Another feature would just be a slightly larger inventory space.

Er…you mean at range? All of those?

The thing about being able to detect at range is that it really would help to reduce the amount of sheer moving about turtles do, which can become a slight issue. But place/dig at range would be pretty…I guess it could save some moving, but still.

ChunLing, on 08 January 2013 - 10:38 AM said:

Er…you mean at range? All of those?

The thing about being able to detect at range is that it really would help to reduce the amount of sheer moving about turtles do, which can become a slight issue. But place/dig at range would be pretty…I guess it could save some moving, but still.

No, I was suggesting keep it to just adjacent blocks, but allow 3 more directions.

Adv. Turtles would be good, and locating blocks. It would be nice for making a program that maps areas, then displays it on a computer. Then you could control the turtle throughout the mapped area, knowing where blocks are, and what type they are, all remotely.

I think that advanced turtles should just have colored screens and touch support like advanced computers.

Eric, on 08 January 2013 - 07:54 AM said:

A non-OP feature for advanced turtles would be the ability to (detect|place|dig|move|compare|suck|drop) (left|right|back), or at any rate a reasonable subset of these (perhaps not dig). This would eliminate the need for turning motions in some cases, making the turtle faster, thus earning the "advanced" title.

Another feature would just be a slightly larger inventory space.

I had the same idea. Although, I wouldn't mind if the inventory stays the same size. Anyway, great suggestion :D/> +1

Perhaps just faster turning? I mean, eliminating turning motions has a pretty small impact to increase utility but has a large impact on program compatibility. Not that I think that faster turning should be the only feature of advanced turtles. I also like the idea of a ranged detect. Perhaps that could use a unit of fuel for every…3 blocks of detection range? So a zero range detect (the default if called without an argument) would be completely normal, but a 1-3 range detect would use 1 fuel, 4-6 range 2, and so on (up to some reasonable limit).

I guess color screens is okay, but better monitor support doesn't really fit the role of a turtle so well. Maybe the ability to be crafted with an enchanted tool? That would be quite a thing…probably.