Since the other thread in the sticky related to keys was old and my idea is fundamentally more complicated, I figured it warranted a new post. If you disagree, feel free to yell at me.
This idea relates to the crafting and use of keys and locks for controlling redstone currents. The most obvious use of such a device would be for locking / unlocking doors, but more complicated and creative usages could certainly be developed. The way it works involves 3 separate crafted items that work together in a system: Keys, Locks, and Redstone Tumblers.
Keys
The key itself is the cornerstone of the entire mechanic, and would be crafted in the following manner:
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I guess it kinda looks like a key...This input would yield 2 copies of a key. But wait, you may be thinking, what's the point of a key if it is so easy to craft!? Anyone could just craft one and break into all my secrets! Well, let me finish explaining. It would be possible to substitute any number of the iron bars for gold bars; each specific combination would yield a slightly different variation of the key (represented by a differently shaped blade of the key). System-wise, this could be similar to the colored variants of wool.
Being able to substitute either iron or gold for any individual portion of the general crafting shape would result in 16 different variants of the basic key item which could be crafted. This base functionality could be expanded to include crafting keys using other materials like bone (for skeleton keys) or diamonds, but as I am relatively unfamiliar with the memory resources involved with multiple variants on items, I will only be dealing with Iron / Gold keys in this post.
Locks
A redstone input device that requires a key to operate. The appearance would be similar to other stone-crafted devices, but would have a keyhole in the center. I'm not sure what would be the best crafting method, but I was thinking something along these lines:
*The torch would be any key
*The red wool is redstone
Since you would receive 2 copies of a key from a single crafting, one could be used in the creation of the lock itself. Any lock that is created would be tied to the type of key that used to create it, and will only provide the correct output if the same type of key is used on it.
Right clicking a Lock with a key equipped would insert the key into the slot, and right clicking on the key would then turn it, activating the redstone output if the keys match. Left clicking / punching the key would remove it, terminating the redstone current.
The output signal from a Lock would always be directly opposite the side with the keyhole.
Redstone Tumblers
I couldn't think of a good name for this, but Redstone Tumbler sounded sort of catchy. Redstone tumblers would be an optional addition to this basic system, and would provide the possibility of adding a separate output in the event an incompatible key is turned in the lock. Again, crafting is not especially important, but my idea was thus:
If a redstone tumbler is attached directly to the back of a lock, it would give a different output depending on whether the key inserted is correct or not. For example, if the correct key is turned in the lock, the signal passed to the tumbler would cause the tumbler to output a redstone current directly behind itself, as in the following poorly illustrated diagram:
*Chest is lock, Furnace is tumbler, roses are current.
However, an incorrect key turn will pass a "false" condition to the tumbler, and will cause it to output a redstone current to the sides, as in the following diagram:
This would allow you to setup traps that would activate if someone tries to break into your secret dirt vault by trying random keys, or create puzzles that would play a "too bad" buzzer if you use the wrong key.
In order to allow further control (and make wiring devices with redstone tumblers easier), there could also be a function to change the output directions. For example, a dial on top could indicate which direction the "true" output will flow, and all other directions would be "false" outputs. Right clicking the top of the tumbler would rotate the dial to the next side, allowing you to wire more efficiently (I hope that made sense).
Questions? Feedback? Complaints? This is the place for it.
I don't. I think this is kinda cool. While it ultimately suffers the same flaws as any lock suggestion in a world of completely breakable blocks, it would be fun to use in redstone devices, unlike other suggestions which simply utilise locks directly on doors/chests.
Thank you. I agree that locks in general may be somewhat unnecessary given how frail even solid stone is, but if you look at the world like that a lot of things become less exciting (iron doors, for example). I doubt there'll ever be the option to make structures you've built unbreakable (officially, I mean), but the potential for interesting redstone devices and things like that are what really made me want to post this in the first place.
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This idea relates to the crafting and use of keys and locks for controlling redstone currents. The most obvious use of such a device would be for locking / unlocking doors, but more complicated and creative usages could certainly be developed. The way it works involves 3 separate crafted items that work together in a system: Keys, Locks, and Redstone Tumblers.
Keys
The key itself is the cornerstone of the entire mechanic, and would be crafted in the following manner:
[] [] []
[] []
I guess it kinda looks like a key...This input would yield 2 copies of a key. But wait, you may be thinking, what's the point of a key if it is so easy to craft!? Anyone could just craft one and break into all my secrets! Well, let me finish explaining. It would be possible to substitute any number of the iron bars for gold bars; each specific combination would yield a slightly different variation of the key (represented by a differently shaped blade of the key). System-wise, this could be similar to the colored variants of wool.
Being able to substitute either iron or gold for any individual portion of the general crafting shape would result in 16 different variants of the basic key item which could be crafted. This base functionality could be expanded to include crafting keys using other materials like bone (for skeleton keys) or diamonds, but as I am relatively unfamiliar with the memory resources involved with multiple variants on items, I will only be dealing with Iron / Gold keys in this post.
Locks
A redstone input device that requires a key to operate. The appearance would be similar to other stone-crafted devices, but would have a keyhole in the center. I'm not sure what would be the best crafting method, but I was thinking something along these lines:
*The torch would be any key
*The red wool is redstone
Since you would receive 2 copies of a key from a single crafting, one could be used in the creation of the lock itself. Any lock that is created would be tied to the type of key that used to create it, and will only provide the correct output if the same type of key is used on it.
Right clicking a Lock with a key equipped would insert the key into the slot, and right clicking on the key would then turn it, activating the redstone output if the keys match. Left clicking / punching the key would remove it, terminating the redstone current.
The output signal from a Lock would always be directly opposite the side with the keyhole.
Redstone Tumblers
I couldn't think of a good name for this, but Redstone Tumbler sounded sort of catchy. Redstone tumblers would be an optional addition to this basic system, and would provide the possibility of adding a separate output in the event an incompatible key is turned in the lock. Again, crafting is not especially important, but my idea was thus:
If a redstone tumbler is attached directly to the back of a lock, it would give a different output depending on whether the key inserted is correct or not. For example, if the correct key is turned in the lock, the signal passed to the tumbler would cause the tumbler to output a redstone current directly behind itself, as in the following poorly illustrated diagram:
*Chest is lock, Furnace is tumbler, roses are current.
However, an incorrect key turn will pass a "false" condition to the tumbler, and will cause it to output a redstone current to the sides, as in the following diagram:
This would allow you to setup traps that would activate if someone tries to break into your secret dirt vault by trying random keys, or create puzzles that would play a "too bad" buzzer if you use the wrong key.
In order to allow further control (and make wiring devices with redstone tumblers easier), there could also be a function to change the output directions. For example, a dial on top could indicate which direction the "true" output will flow, and all other directions would be "false" outputs. Right clicking the top of the tumbler would rotate the dial to the next side, allowing you to wire more efficiently (I hope that made sense).
Questions? Feedback? Complaints? This is the place for it.
I HATE SIGNATURES MADE BY PEOPLE WHO THINK THEY'RE BEING CLEVER.
Thank you. I agree that locks in general may be somewhat unnecessary given how frail even solid stone is, but if you look at the world like that a lot of things become less exciting (iron doors, for example). I doubt there'll ever be the option to make structures you've built unbreakable (officially, I mean), but the potential for interesting redstone devices and things like that are what really made me want to post this in the first place.