It's apparently disabled after 300 blocks, but with lots of people in a SMP server, that's not as likely to be an issue.
Ooh, ok. 300 blocks is already far enough anyhow. Haha. And if it does disable after 300 blocks, the two players in communication would have to be more than 600 blocks away for the stuff to be disabled, so it's all good.
Wow, this is a great idea. However, if an enemy clan found your wires they could secretly cut off communication, extend the wires so they can listen in on transmissions, or even hijack it and send messages impersonating one end. Clans would probably have to start using keys to identify each other, or just hide their wires very well.
I would solve this by having the tunnel large enough to walk through, and send patrols down regularly. You could also have a minecart track by it to quickly check out the line.
There would always be the possibility of making semaphore towers, or communicating through messengers / signs left places if you were paranoid. If you had enough materials, you could make elaborate displays, though I doubt that notch will add in any blocks that could act as a computer in one block.
You could use redstone torches on the side of the block the wire is resting on to discretely tap the signal (the torch would be under the wall of the corridor), so you would have to make the corridor 3 blocks wide to ensure no one has tampered with it. As far as I know there's no way to transmit signals directly downward, so this should work. If you want to do it in style you can line the tunnel with glass too.
I see all of you are discussing the fact that Redstone dust, when in an infinite map, will stop working at a distance, but you are all discounting the fact that multiplayer will only have limited maps, as announced by Notch.
You could create a connected light that tells you if the line was cut.
I don't think that would work all the time.
It would generally work. If you keep the signal on all the time, you could Always have a light on until the line was cut, or you could build a light that would go on if the line got cut and stay on, though that would make it impossible to use as a telegraph line...
You could create a connected light that tells you if the line was cut.
I don't think that would work all the time.
It would generally work. If you keep the signal on all the time, you could Always have a light on until the line was cut, or you could build a light that would go on if the line got cut and stay on, though that would make it impossible to use as a telegraph line...
All you really need is a line going from your base to an ally's base that has lights telling you if the line was cut (since you can't have a light tell you if the line is being listened in on), because you can just label what certain lines mean.
Anyway, I had an idea like this and said "Screw it, I don't know Morse code!" Glad to see people thinking about this.
Yea, a basic telephone/keyboard-telegram would be preferable, IMO. A long-distance "programmable" sign would probably have some other benefits as well.
I'm sure in game chat could just have some private message system.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"Survival" is a film/literature/video game genre about survival and self-sufficiency in the wild.
"Survival of the fittest" is a phrase used to paraphrase natural selection.
Anyway, I had an idea like this and said "Screw it, I don't know Morse code!" Glad to see people thinking about this.
Yea, a basic telephone/keyboard-telegram would be preferable, IMO. A long-distance "programmable" sign would probably have some other benefits as well.
Someone made a huge thing with redstone torches, and it had 9 3x3 cells, which was programmable. There was a button that turned on each cell, as well as a reset button. It was amazing.
Eehh... I like the idea, but it seems a little vulnerable. Redstone dust is an obviously player-made item (and also sort of valuable), so if someone happens to be digging right along and they find the line, they will most likely take the dust and/or follow the line back to it's source, exposing you.
Eehh... I like the idea, but it seems a little vulnerable. Redstone dust is an obviously player-made item (and also sort of valuable), so if someone happens to be digging right along and they find the line, they will most likely take the dust and/or follow the line back to it's source, exposing you.
Well, that's part of the fun, really. Haha. someone said that if an "enemy" found the line, they could just tap the line to spy. Haha. It's just an interesting scenario.
Eehh... I like the idea, but it seems a little vulnerable. Redstone dust is an obviously player-made item (and also sort of valuable), so if someone happens to be digging right along and they find the line, they will most likely take the dust and/or follow the line back to it's source, exposing you.
Well, that's part of the fun, really. Haha. someone said that if an "enemy" found the line, they could just tap the line to spy. Haha. It's just an interesting scenario.
You could tap it at one of the not gate extenders and no one would know there was a tap until they removed the not gate.
I love it. And to the person who said its wasteful to have patrols for a comm line, why wouldnt you protect something that could potentially save your life?
I love it. And to the person who said its wasteful to have patrols for a comm line, why wouldnt you protect something that could potentially save your life?
Oh Dear, I'm under attack! Let me stand here for 10 minutes while I consult the Morse code chart, send a message, hope my friend happens to be standing near the other end, wait for him to decode it, and wait until he arrives!
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"Survival" is a film/literature/video game genre about survival and self-sufficiency in the wild.
"Survival of the fittest" is a phrase used to paraphrase natural selection.
I love it. And to the person who said its wasteful to have patrols for a comm line, why wouldnt you protect something that could potentially save your life?
Oh Dear, I'm under attack! Let me stand here for 10 minutes while I consult the Morse code chart, send a message, hope my friend happens to be standing near the other end, wait for him to decode it, and wait until he arrives!
That's why the emergency alarm is one button that stays on until deactivated in the other base.
I love it. And to the person who said its wasteful to have patrols for a comm line, why wouldnt you protect something that could potentially save your life?
Oh Dear, I'm under attack! Let me stand here for 10 minutes while I consult the Morse code chart, send a message, hope my friend happens to be standing near the other end, wait for him to decode it, and wait until he arrives!
That's why the emergency alarm is one button that stays on until deactivated in the other base.
Or could just press the chat button and go, "Help, I'm being attacked?"
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"Survival" is a film/literature/video game genre about survival and self-sufficiency in the wild.
"Survival of the fittest" is a phrase used to paraphrase natural selection.
for whoever's interested, here's a different way of differentiating between dot and dash, without having to guess
[]
[]
[] [] [] [] [] []
[]
[]
[]
The first button (iron) turns on for a whole second, the second turns on and then quickly extinguishes itsself.
The trouble with this is that it does take a full second between every dot or dash.
PS Penguins!!!
You could use redstone torches on the side of the block the wire is resting on to discretely tap the signal (the torch would be under the wall of the corridor), so you would have to make the corridor 3 blocks wide to ensure no one has tampered with it. As far as I know there's no way to transmit signals directly downward, so this should work. If you want to do it in style you can line the tunnel with glass too.
It would generally work. If you keep the signal on all the time, you could Always have a light on until the line was cut, or you could build a light that would go on if the line got cut and stay on, though that would make it impossible to use as a telegraph line...
Anyway, I had an idea like this and said "Screw it, I don't know Morse code!" Glad to see people thinking about this.
Yea, a basic telephone/keyboard-telegram would be preferable, IMO. A long-distance "programmable" sign would probably have some other benefits as well.
"Survival of the fittest" is a phrase used to paraphrase natural selection.
♣♦♠♥
Former King of Alesgan
Well, that's part of the fun, really. Haha. someone said that if an "enemy" found the line, they could just tap the line to spy. Haha. It's just an interesting scenario.
PS Penguins!!!
♣♦♠♥
Former King of Alesgan
You could tap it at one of the not gate extenders and no one would know there was a tap until they removed the not gate.
Oh Dear, I'm under attack! Let me stand here for 10 minutes while I consult the Morse code chart, send a message, hope my friend happens to be standing near the other end, wait for him to decode it, and wait until he arrives!
"Survival of the fittest" is a phrase used to paraphrase natural selection.
That's why the emergency alarm is one button that stays on until deactivated in the other base.
Or could just press the chat button and go, "Help, I'm being attacked?"
"Survival of the fittest" is a phrase used to paraphrase natural selection.
If Notch implements chat fallout range, they might be unable to hear you.
[]
[]
[] [] [] [] [] []
[]
[]
[]
The first button (iron) turns on for a whole second, the second turns on and then quickly extinguishes itsself.
The trouble with this is that it does take a full second between every dot or dash.