Obligatory Ladder Suggestion

Whiplash141 shared this feedback 6 years ago
Completed

As Marek noted in one of his streams, the community has oft expressed the desire to have ladders in the game.

It would drastically aid in planetary base navigation, and it would greatly facilitate creative, vertical designs.

Please consider adding ladders back to the game <3

Replies (27)

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7

As long as we can slide down them in a gravity field I'm happy

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2

Elevators would be nice, concidering the highly advanced space era time of the game.

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20

You guys should specify what features you really want on the ladder, because they could make it extremely basic or limited (like the game's initial ladder :P)

My ladder currently:

  • the ladder-only model allows them to be placed in way more areas.
  • you can use tools/weapons while on them.
  • engineers can pass each other on the ladder.
  • you're still physically there (you can be shot at, crushed, etc).
  • you can slide from one ladder to another next to it.
  • you can jump off of the ladder in various directions.
  • you can grab the ladder by holding the use key while you run/fly/fall near it, you don't even need to aim at it.
  • retractable ladder (should be more like 2x1 come to think of it)

And the reason my ladder doesn't have proper animations is that I can't do them with what modAPI has exposed, I need to be able to rotate parts of the body with code, but modAPI only allows me to trigger specific animations and that's it - something that is not a problem for the devs, they can make the legs rotate towards the ladder while you rotate in another direction.


They also could add a rail in the middle of the ladder with a strap connected to the engineer, so that the arms are not needed to hold onto the ladder, making the whole equipped tool/weapon thing easier.

Like: http://www.aikencolon.com/assets/images/miller/15729/miller-honeywell-15729-glideloc-component-aluminum-vertical-rail.jpg

Which can also enable you to hold onto the ladder in more extreme angles against gravity, allowing even more usage.

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3

Since your ladder came out it seemed to me that we don't need ladders back, per se. Just the animation. I know it's not that simple, but clearly the only thing weird about your mod is the animation, which you can't control.


Doesn't stop me from using it, though ;)

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2

Well what we need then is Digi's ladder in the game by default with improved animations.

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2

Sounds great!

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1

i think they should add it in with the same over all art style as the game so it fits better then there could be variants for different situations, like an open ladder like Digi's mod for wide open arias like a hangar and what is basically a passage with a ladder in it for ships.

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1

Are you allowed to place a link to your ladder Digi?

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1

Digi, if you made an animation that didn't match up to the ladder quite right it would still be better than floating. ...unless i'm misunderstanding the problem.

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1

It's not a tiny amount of not matching, it would just be a different pose with maybe movement if you're moving or not. Rotating horizontally will rotate the entire body regardless, it will be a lot of "not matching" depending on how much you rotate.

It's also work that I have to do knowing that it won't be satisfying, so I'm just waiting until modAPI can get more access to animations so I can rotate the legs independantly of the upper body to fake as if they're on the ladder.

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1

I literally just learned that you can flip the stair model vertical and it works just like it would if you stretched it horizontal with smooth transitions from the "window" block everyone that we all uses as 1x1 stairs to the vertical stairs.

Maybe they could update the model to make it obvious that you can climb it in both alignments -- but for me at least, it alleviated the need for a ladder model + animations + all the code things that this implies (merging the player grid with the ladder grid, etc).

Just curious, does that help anyone else who wants ladders?

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1

Not really, when I use ladders they can be like 6-8 blocks high.

The stair trick for short 2 block ladders has been around for ages :)

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1

Can we get trapdoors as well?

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1

We want ladders to get way up or way down, not just a couple blocks.

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1

Adding ladders to vanilla would be perfect with the 'no-jetpacks' option and allows players to have more compact builds. They could even allow the jetpack to be built in that case and then used as an item if that box is ticked. The players will still be able to move up and down their builds easily with ladders. Currently using Digi's amazing ladder just recently and cannot believe I hadn't noticed it before. I would love if they implemented Digi's ladder. The extendable ladder would be perfect if it could drop 2 or 3 blocks and would allow an alternate option for landing ramps freeing players from using rotors or pistons.

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1

I really liked the initial ladders block, even if it was limited, the fact that you could travel vertically in a 1x1 area without having to risk smashing your head against the ceiling or forcing people through a corridor that way was brilliant

when they replaced it with the passage, all I see the passage being used for is for spacing things out but keeping them close enough for things like thruster exhaust, or to pressurize areas that might not otherwise pressurize, ive had very few instances where ive used it like an actual corridor.

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1

How about more of a "grab grid" block, that could run vertical or horizontal? Engineers would "stick" to them somehow. I am thinking of a rope/climbing net like in an obstacle course, but SE would have a rigid grid that can be latched on to and then you climb around on it.

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1

This sounds like an excellent way to do it! It would make "elevators" very simple to do.

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1

Thank you. I have thought about this issue for a while, specifically in regards to acceleration, warping, pressurization, and ease of use, and I think this "latched grid" may work best for users in most cases. Nothing will make everyone happy. I am not sure how tools/building would work, if at all, while on these "ladders" but that is up to the devs to figure out and balance.

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1

I really don't see the point in making a fuss about ladders. Its a trivial thing that is very irrelevant to the game and gameplay.

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2

Not just normal "irrelevant" it is "very irrelevant" huh?

Your opinion is very special.

XD

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1

It’d be cool if you could still use the jetpack while holding onto a grid to drag them around a bit.


But honestly a basic 1block stackable vanilla ladder would easily scale up my play time a lot.


Last time I checked the vertical stair block trick didn’t work on our planetary base on a DS.

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1

Hi guys, thank you for the feedback

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1
  • My wheeled vehicles can't have large stairs on ground level due to suspension/terrain. Would break to pieces. Need to build a camera, and write a complex script that can lower the vehicle's suspension so I can climb on board, and it might still not be low enough to get on without a jetpack.
  • My space vehicles are built to be small and light, due thrust, thus large 3x3x3 (or bigger) staircases everywhere are not within reason.

Ladder blocks required:

  1. End of ladder (one that serves as both top and bottom), for stepping off the ladder (and in some cases climbing on).
  2. Middle of ladder.

Ladders involve character animations, so I can understand if it's not desirable to get into production.

Another option like someone may already have mentioned: Elevator.


Elevator blocks required:

  • Elevator shaft/rail/gears (decides the distance the lift/plate can travel).
  • Elevator lift/plate (the lift/plate that travels along the shaft/rail/gears).

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1

You don't need complicated script to lower suspension, couple timer blocks can do that work quite easily. I prefer elevators, ramps and gangways. They are cheap and reliable on ground vehicles. Of course ladders would help a bit, like many other things... But as my grandpa said, when you haven't got what you want appreciate what you already have. Plus building dedicated movable entrances is so fun work to do, such tasks separate users from space engineers :-D.

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2

You don't need timer blocks, elevators, ramps, or gangways neither. You can just go into your suspension's settings and adjust the suspension manually every time you want to step on and off the vehicle. You can also just setup and dismantle a ramp between each stop. And you don't need wheels when you have thrusters. And you don't need vehicles when you can walk.

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1

That's my philosophy exactly! Why walk or ride when you can fly?

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1

Point of engineering is to engineer within limits and handling boundaries within same limits with creative thought. This is why this game is unique, you are limited only by your imagination, you are not just a user, you are also constructor. As much as I would love to see many things added to game I'm also glad for lacks game has, those lacks force me to be creative. Answering 'flying' question... Are you pilot going for groceries with helicopter? Why to walk or drive? Cause it's cheaper than flying ;-).

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1

Yeah, but...

Resources are easy to come by in this game. A source of power, a refinery, an assembler...you can make anything. Again I say, why walk when you can fly?

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1

If you say so...

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I do. I do say so. :)

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1

Here's another solution that saves the developers the time of having to create character animations for climbing ladders: Smaller stairs. There's a mod on the workshop for this already, so the developers might not even have to do anything.

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1

Who in their right mind could ever possibly be against the idea of bringing back ladders?!

They existed once, they must be made to exist again!

Of course this gets my vote!

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1

Personally I would rather have a block set that allows for making 6 directional Turbo Lifts...

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3

extending/retracting/folding ones so they can be tucked away

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1

A simple 1x1x1 stair/ramp would also get my vote.

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1

I can walk up dy/dx=2/1 slopes easily, so building a stair case of vertically placed 1x2 ramps or even a straight line makes a very steep ladder, and it is faster to walk it up than climbing ladders in real life or even walking forward!

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1

Just in case someone missed it, this is now coming to the game... :P


We've had that teaser, it's been on the small loading screen tha shows up first when you launch the game and they've confirmed it on Facebook comments amongst others.

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1

Extendable and retractable ladders, please

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1

The fact that there's an under consideration tag is comforting, even if it doesn't happen, they are at least listening

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1

Check out their youtube channel. It is all but confirmed that Thursday's release will have ladders.

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1

Imagine how angry everyone would be if they didn't add ladders, and said it was just for nostalgia

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2

I’ll just leave this here...

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1

The fastest way to scale heights is still a 2:1 ramp. You have full walking speed (unlike other games like Astroneer) and ascend very, very fast.

(I would say, Jetpacks, Elevators and Pistons still beat that but they need energy, many inputs, cause fall damage or can stutter in Multiplayer.)

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2

I think we can mark this one complete. Lol

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1

You make it sound like they've added LADDERS to the game or something!

Ha! As if they'd ever do a crazy thing like that...

What we need now is a treehouse block!

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1

no. I still want S M A L L G R I D ladders and also a retractable version.


...also they're broke.

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3

would be great if you could add climbing ladders faster by pressing Shift, same as running with shift button pressed down

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4

Completed with pride :)

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3

Appreciate the new ladders, but for many applications it'd be nice for them to be like they originally worked back in Alpha, basically mounted in Passage-type blocks. Honestly, you need both. as there's many, many times where a ladder on a bare wall just doesn't look good, but there's also many times where you just need a ladder by itself.

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2

It's a shame you lack the same passion for adding weapons and PVP features to this game.

2 weapons in 5 years of development.........

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4

These new ladders are pretty clunky.


Could we Ascend like 1.5x faster?

Can we like triple the animation speed of getting on and hopping off?

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1

Yes but only after chugging a Clang Cola.

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2

The ladders are an OK feature, but you need to add tool usability while on them like you can in ARK, where you can build one or two, then go up and place/construct more all the way to the top. Climbing up a ladder with a turret at the top is the worst, since you cant defend yourself.

My main point: On planets (without jet packs) its impossible to make a wind farm without making a huge ramp up to the top; where ladders would be most realistic and simple. I end up with a goofy looking 6 block tall column with a long truss jutting out 10 blocks with wind turbines down it and an ugly ramp at one end. It not power efficient this way either. due to wind mechanics being goofy also.

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1

yeah, a good point would be that there could be an animation where you "clip" some sort of safety rope to the ladder and you are able to weld or grind nearby items, giving you very little room to maneuver, but still being able to do so

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1

Now if only the ladders didn't suck. A modder did better ladders than Keen can.

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1

the original ladder mod that also included retracting ladders was far buggier than the current ladders, but the original ladders from keen were far less buggy, and far faster to traverse

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2

Can we get a floor for attaching the ladders to and allow for middle of the block ladders plus doors/trapdoors at the top?

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1

if someone adds it as a mod for the existing ladder and it looks vanilla enough, keen might just yoink it

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1

maybe even folding ladders like what rust has...

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1

Next we need extension ladders, please :>


This should would look much better if the ladder would be pulled up in midflight :)

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4

the only issue ive had with the ladders is it always activates my jet pack when i get to the top, this absolutely sucks when im low and trying to conserve hydrogen, aswell as when im trying to be cinematic.

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2

I would suggest you make that as another bug/feature request. It probably won't get the proper visibility that you want here on as this feature has mostly been implemented.

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1

It was informative, thanks.

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1

why is this still in the top tier of the suggestion? we have ladders again!???

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Cos its completed.

One in a milion issues that actualy got fixed.

Now Keen pops it up on the first page of topics for you to see that for once they actualy did their work.

Also "save the presuratization feature", "new system for spawning respawn pods" and others. All are on the first page for us to see and wonder in amazement at their abilities.

Personaly i think all fixed issues should be moved somewhere ealse, since they are no longer an issue they no longer need support.

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1

Please make it faster to climb/descend

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