Yup, the structure is finally done (woop!!). Block count is somewhere around 49500 bricks, I forget.
Allthough it looks complete, it's pretty bare, so I wouldn't say it's a done deal just yet.
What I'm planning on doing is straightforward, but it's going to require alot more time
1- Create a Visit-type version of it
This will be the completely furnished build for people interrested in visiting it.
2- Create a DM-Friendly version
Cut down on emitters, strategically positioned furnishing for cover, etc. This will be alot less laggy in some cases than the visiting version. This version will also be much better for visitors with comps that simply can't handle the shear amount of emitters and special bricks (undolu/glowing bricks) No bulky stuff or things that could get in the way in a fire fight.
All this might take, oh I don't know, another 3 weeks at best (Exams end for me the 23rd)
Here's the low down on the station, it has 5 sections (an Agri-dome, Research lab, Factory, military hangar and the main core)
There's also a Base facility, this is pretty much where you board the happy fun elevator that leads to the station.
Here's another fun fact: This thing is positively huge
The base facility
side
front
The elevator
The station
Factory
Agri-dome
Research lab
Military hangar
The Core
You might also be wondering why it took so long, well I kept macroing to a minimum, moslty because I never got over that time it took me 3 hours to macro a 200 brick mech.
Key features
- Optional Sheild load
This is the secret defensive mechanism I was talking about. It's a giant sheild that envelops most of the station (excluding the core tower). It is effectively and almost completely invisible (visible from far away), and it Loads under invisible paint as well.
Problems: The lag! Oh my god the lag is terrible!
Answers: Build it with 4 single gigantic bricks as walls instead of 1000 2x12x5 bricks, but I'm too lazy to measure and use Brick mods.
...Why?: To keep stunt plane greifers at bay (it works pretty well too, The lag kills them)
-The structure is mostly rocket proof
Unless you're using a ridiculously powerful weapon (Sniper Rifle against bricks = automatic bricksplosion) you won't have much luck blasting through this thing.
Oh yeah, here's a teaser save
http://www.mediafire.com/?ejm4ddzmtjtSome other stuff
I MIGHT be doing a preopening to let other builders help me with the furnishing. IF I decide to do this, I'll post another thread to advise people of the date/time and how it's going to work.
Some problems
It finally outgrew the Slopes map. Outgrew as in the high altitude spawn point is no longer high enough for all the bricks to spawn correctly. What this means is that visitors, who will probably not be aware of this, will either
1- Jump off the mountain, leading to the entire build not loading correctly for them
2- stay on the hill, in which case will cause most of the build to load correctly, but the top of the core tower will glitch out
3- Jetpack immediately to the correct altitude, allowing the build to load correctly
I was planning initialy to build a warning box around the spawn point telling visitors to stay in the box until they see a green light appear (still in testing). Now that the spawn point is no longer high enough, this simply means that I'll need to get a slopes map with a higher spawn point (any help offered with this would be well appreciated)
Another issue is that people will absolutely want to drive vehicles off the station (I really don't blame them, it's pretty fun). What happens is that the vehicles actualy pass through the grid sometimes and this will tend to mess up brick positioning for the client side (or maybe even the server, although I'm not exaclty sure)
Other suggestions/ideas/comments are very welcome. Also feel free to rate the build so far.
