Gate design.

I want opinions/suggested improvements! There will be a few of these over the main pathways leading out of town. (Built in single-player test map)

http://www.oddworldforums.net/attach...1&d=1318428952

http://www.oddworldforums.net/attach...1&d=1318428952

EDIT: Here's a screenshot of the section I built on the server:

http://www.oddworldforums.net/attach...1&d=1318433762

I like the wall, I had originally envisioned it with concrete or stone brick, but being in a desert this makes much more sense. Only one point, I think the wall should be equally high everywhere. Doesn't look right to me if it's bouncing up and down everywhere.

Yeah I thought about that - However the town isn't all on the same level, and there are parts where the hills would overshadow the wall unless they were levelled entirely.

I suppose another way of doing that would be to keep the wall universally as high as its tallest point, then adjust the bottom accordingly to go with the land, but that would mean it would be incredibly tall in parts. And would need a lot of sandstone.

What do you suggest?

I think it's ok going up and down with the land; that's more realistic.

I would have given it a less European design and looked more into Middle Eastern architecture, though.

Funny, I didn't know the great wall of China was European (my inspiration). There's only so much you can do at the scale I'm doing it at though considering everything is made from massive blocks, and there are no slopes in Minecraft.

I did play around with the gate design but the one in the screenshots is the only one that really worked for me.

EDIT: Maybe you can come up with something in creative if you think you can do better than me?

I would have made it entirely out of obsedian.

I never said I could do better! I meant no offence! I might have a go designing something. And sorry for my cruel and ignorant accusation that your wall is a mimicry of typical European fortifications.

Looks cool, I approve of the design. And I don't mind the elevation differences in the wall - it's not as if the town was set between mountains and hills.

Ah - I wasn't offended at all and typed out that last post quickly so my wording was off. Sorry if I came off that way. Shame voice tone doesn't transfer through text.

I simply meant that if you have a better idea then please feel free to suggest it - And that applies for everyone else too. I mean this thing's going around the entire town and everybody will be always looking at it and building their structures near it, so it's important that it looks good in a way that pleases at least most people.

You're kidding, right? :P

You can tell when Nexy's kidding because she types things.

Also, I reached 4000 posts without even noticing!

It's not truly pronounceable by the human tongue. Lovecraft himself offered multiple facsimiles.

So what happened just now?

Uh, did BM get the wrong thread?

Are we still making a map room under the town hall?

Well now Maps now exsit, would they be a point to make a map room?

Maps are relatively pointless anyway. I don't think I've ever actually used one.

Will, I went to put some torches on your roof earlier to stop mobs spawning on it but was ironically blown up by a creeper that had spawned during the night. I think everything's back in place, but do take a careful look next time you're on the server.

Question:

As Splat suggested I made the gate actually function, but it's a pain to build and you need to have fast reactions to pass through it (I tried implementing a delayed repeater but there isn't enough space - I tried with switches too, but both have to be up for the gate to close, meaning you have to go back and fourth many times). It may cause problems for people who lag - But at least you don't get stuck or hurt if it closes on you:



Shall I build the gates like this (they'll actually keep the mobs out then) or stick to the original design? In the mean time I'll try and think of some ways to make this better. Suggestions welcome!

I'd recommend putting the switches right next to the gate. Then there'll be plenty of time to get through.

Can you make it so the gate stays open until a button is pushed a second time? Seems that would be more user-friendly and would be closer to how a real gate would function.

There is a way, but not without miles of wiring. Unless I make some hidden chamber underground or so...

Hmmm.

EDIT: After playing around, I've found a way of doing it. It didn't need as much wiring as I thought it would after all. Will post another vid when I'm done working out how to compact my wiring.

I really like that gate idea. I think its fine as it is however would a Pressure Pad work?

Not bad, but it'll be good to see how it develops. If it's too much trouble (and redstone circuitry is always a pain in the posterior) then it closing gates aren't a necessity.

Crash, I used a double door with pressure pads and iron doors in my old lair. I don't know how well it would work with pistons but with mine it was an absolute pain to get through. Also, mobs can activate pressure pads so if a creeper chased someone into a gateway, it could get through.

It makes the entrance kind of small in my opinion. I liked the old wide open entry to the town. Now it's like entering a prison or something.

Why not make some sort closeable bridge instead if it's the mobs we're worried about?

This alone was a big, big pain in the arse to do, let alone making something bigger. If I had it my way I'd stick with the original design, but make that close. Unfortunately, that's impossible.

Ah, the limits of Minecraft really are joyful, aren't they?



If people hate this that much, maybe it'd be a good thing since I'd have to re-create this 5 times for each of the 5 planned gates, which would be a pain. If people liked it and wanted me to, I'd do it anyway though 'cause I'm crazy. :P

BTW, the bars could be replaced with glass or maybe simply sandstone if people think it's too prison-like.

That is awesome! My vote would be go for it, but that is in the knowledge that I wouldn't be the one doing the hard work. So it's up to you if you do.

In other news, where did you get that music from? It's eerily familiar. Is it from Super Metroid?

If the laws of physics no longer apply in the future, god help you.

Couldn't you add another RS NOR latch to make it one button on each side?

This is still really well done. Great work.

I like.

Fence?

DH - You're a genius. I don't think it looks prison-like at all. I think you should go ahead with that.
As for the map room:
I think map rooms are really sophisticated. I love the one at Genesis, it adds a lot of class to the base.

That is really cleaver! Rep+ can't wait to see this in action on the server

Thanks for the feedback, people. :)

Seems a bit complex - I think I'll stick to what I know to keep things a little easier. Space is sort of an issue as well since I'll be building this near people's homes.

I'll have a bit of a look tomorrow and see if I can come up with something based around your design. You can see if you can work with it or not.

You're welcome to do so anyway, but I'm not entirely keen on making it more complex - I did a recount. We'll need 6 gates, so any mechanism will have to be built 6 times.

I'll see how compact I can make it and we can weigh it up. People will be happy to help build it if it isn't too complicated.

I know I will.

If you want to swap the buttons for levers the gate becomes as simple as an XOR connected to an RS NOR latch. There are numerous versions of both, each with different dimensions and output directions.

Here's the setup I used. If you tell me some dimensions I'll toy around with some different layouts, too.

http://www.oddworldforums.net/attach...1&d=1318593963
http://www.oddworldforums.net/attach...1&d=1318593963

EDIT: Holy shit. My screenshots align perfectly. That was not intentional.

Well, if it helps, here's the layout of my gate building. Red = walls, blue = gate, green = door.

http://www.oddworldforums.net/attach...1&d=1318594680

EDIT: Extra plan from the front:

http://www.oddworldforums.net/attach...1&d=1318595251

http://www.oddworldforums.net/attach...1&d=1318595326

EDIT 2: Also, after looking at the wall and gate around what used to be the mountain shelter back at Genesis, maybe Havoc does have a point about the gates being too small.

But what do people want the most? Large, impressive looking gates which are always open, or small, square, but functioning gates?

Small functioning; much, much more impressive, and rather more useful. It really concerned me that the gate at Mountain Shelter wasn't at all mob-proof.

Oh yeah, it's so obviously Portal now you tell me.