[New Feature] U-Joints and Ball Joints

Kennet0508 shared this feedback 27 days ago
Under Consideration

Proposal:

Introduce more variety to functional Blocks. We already had the Rotors and hinges. Having new types of joints, will give players absolute freedom when it comes to subgrid creations. Whatever type! down below is a couple examples that would be massive for creativity!


Universal Joint

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Ball Joint

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Ill also quickly reference this SE1 feedback topic that got over 870 thumbs up:

Add Free 3 Axis lockable Ball joints From GrindyGears - 6 years ago

https://support.keenswh.com/spaceengineers/pc/topic/add-free-3-axis-lockable-ball-joints


Theese parts would fit nicely with my other topic:

[New Feature] Springs & Shock Absorbers - Stackable and adjustable

- https://support.keenswh.com/spaceengineers2/pc/topic/45223-new-feature-springs-shock-absorbers-stackable-and-adjustable

Replies (8)

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The LEGO piece sold it.

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This could be great for trailers. Trailers need multiple axis of movement. Currently players need to use two rotors/hinges to achieve this, which adds extra physics complexity to the vehicle. This would decrease the number of grids required.

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Good idea, but...

But not all real working things are easy to computer simulate. And just a rotating gimbal joint and determining the position and orientation of objects attached to it is one of the "mathematically hideous" things. The same goes for a ball joint - it's just a different physical realization of the same principle.

In both cases, all it takes is a few turns and the accumulating rounding error will do its destructive work. Welcome kraken... Or clang.

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That may be true, but its the next step in the evolution of functional blocks for the game.


And its definetly possible to make a ball joint/U-joint using vanilla blocks in SE1, having the grid pivot along all axis, they just get so stupidly large: a3dee22fb9561dcce9dfbf4f9f2744fd

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So if you can functionally already make them in SE1 using hinges and rotors, clearly theres a precedent that it should be doable in SE2 aswell


Link to blueprint using u-joint/ball joint in custom supension setup SE1

- https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3141080352

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Sub Grid Controls:

(All grids connected to main act as main grid.)

  • No need for sub-grid coding Thrust
  • No need for sub-grid coding Wheels/Tracks/ Rocker Bogey
  • No need for sub-grid coding Custom Weapon turrets

Functional Blocks:

(Made for all grid sizes, Thick & Thin, with Conveyor & Armored

  • Hinge- Custom Doors, Angled Armor
  • Piston-Basic Hydraulics, Need 25cm for Robotics
  • Rotors- Mounting for "Bezels"/Ring shaped rotors hollow in the middle, and Pinion Gears of various ratios
  • Gears- Round, flat tooth plates, and curved for Rotating Gravity rings, Elevators, water wheels for power generation (Can attach to Rotors , Hinges and Wheel suspensions)
  • Power-Take-Off- A block to redirect rotor spin and torque power (A future idea for generator blocks and player made water wheels. )
  • Ball Joint- U-joint/Cardan for direction of torque changes with Power-Take-Offs (PTOs)
  • Tracks- Conveyor belts

AI Block:

We all want a killer mech to curb stomp enemies or as "ripley" utility loaders right?

For all those Functional blocks, a unique Custom Locomotion Controller (CLC):

(It would Slave, control and coordinate blocks to manage the the designated articulating points to a walking SE model, unique animation rigs for each type of CLC)

  • Bipedal, Forward Knee & Backward Knee
  • Quadruped,K9
  • Hexapod, Insect
  • Octopod, Arachnid
  • Serpentine, Aquatic motion/fish
  • Tracked or wheel with sub grid locomotor, Skid steer, Rocker Bogey
  • Railroad/monorail
  • Upper Extremities, can slave to an emote, (Aim/Shoot/Block/Slash/Pary/Dance)

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Sad I can only put 1 thumbs up on this. It needs 1000 and maybe a few hearts and booms... At minimum the U joint would be awesome.

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They all 100% have to be 25 grid size, the larger stuff is okay but we will 1000000% see most of this functionality on the small sizes. the largest grid sizes would use up so much PCU that hulking machines may be too costly. B ut I am sure there would be Leviathan sized mechs too.

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2

Ball joint is pretty much included by default in most physics engines. A lot of times other joints like hinges and rotors are just restricted versions of a base "joint constraint".

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So... to make a universal joint, all you need is a cross spider, which is effectively a hinge part that can simultaneously be attached to two different hinges.


A ball joint would be awesome; you could use it for a tow hitch.

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I have already tried to mod a "hitch ball mod" and this subject responds to my wish to have a system of connectable and passively moving blocks (trailer hitch, tracking of the terrain between two connected sub-grids)


I vote for

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Ball Joint Concept

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End joint

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How about a Slewing Drive functional block that can make Orbital rings possible.

They are hollow so you can fly/pass through and allow the inner or outer ring to spin.

  • Small ones could be used for robotics and mechs

OR

  • Shipyard Welding Rings

OR

  • Ship solar array alignments without splitting the ship up in weird ways.

OR

  • If we had the components (i.e. curved gears and screw/worm gear) they would be big enough for stations.

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