Everyone misses the ability of the modded pistons to fling blocks and players through the air. Notch removed it from the pistons he added to the game, possibly for game balance reasons or to preserve Minecraft's low tech feel.
What if TNT could be used to replicate that fling effect, while adding a bit of a cost for this fast-fling travel?
I suggest that Iron Blocks be made completely damage resistant to TNT blasts, never being destroyed by explosions. However explosions will be capable of pushing iron blocks 1 block away from the initial blast. That iron block will push other blocks away just as if it were a piston, and unlike the official pistons will be capable of flinging sand/gravel/TNT/players/mobs/and items far through the air. Just like pistons, a long enough row of blocks in front of the iron will stop it from moving.
Illustration:
Step 1:
Step 2:
Step 1:
Step 2:
:laugh.gif:
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How could a player launch themselves without taking damage from the blast? Just make sure there's a blast proof surface between you and the explosion. Build a solid floor or wall out of iron blocks. Or create a cannon out of something blast proof like obsidian, then place the iron block between you and the TNT like so:
:smile.gif:
:laugh.gif:
This set up would completely shield you from blast damage (not counting fall damage from returning to earth). A series of precisely timed blasts from several cannons could launch you all over the map. Or if that's too much redstone for you, each cannon could launch you next to the next cannon, and then you'd trigger it manually.
This particular cannon design makes it a little hard to reset the cannon because you have to break the iron block to put another TNT at the bottom. But it would be simple to create an alternate design where there's an iron block "door" in the side of the cannon that gets pulled aside by a sticky piston so another piston can push a new block of TNT inside. Another piston could be on the lip of the cannon to automatically push the iron block back down. But that's tricky stuff. A simple obsidian tube is all it takes to make a basic cannon.
Hypothetical: You read a thread in the Suggestions forum. You suddenly realize you've seen the idea before. Maybe it's a duplicate? No. Maybe it's just you? No. Maybe it's been done already? Very likely: Click here if there's a mod for that.
Or you could go back to Hipopplatimus' original piston page and download the mod that restores the new piston properties to the original piston mod properties.
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There may be balance issues to blame for it not being included (not wanting to make minecarts and portals and other modes of transportation obsolete). I remember that Notch was initially hesitant to even add ladders, he probably doesn't like the idea of people launching themselves direct from the bedrock to surface level with a piston or two. This prevents that by requiring you to spend TNT, which is good since TNT doesn't have much practical use at the moment.
It's also useful to have a piston that doesn't fling you across the map when you turn it on. That's not always a good thing. It'd be nice to have both a weak piston and a separate strong piston. But if Notch doesn't want to add a strong piston for balance reasons, this would be nice.
What if TNT could be used to replicate that fling effect, while adding a bit of a cost for this fast-fling travel?
I suggest that Iron Blocks be made completely damage resistant to TNT blasts, never being destroyed by explosions. However explosions will be capable of pushing iron blocks 1 block away from the initial blast. That iron block will push other blocks away just as if it were a piston, and unlike the official pistons will be capable of flinging sand/gravel/TNT/players/mobs/and items far through the air. Just like pistons, a long enough row of blocks in front of the iron will stop it from moving.
Illustration:
Step 1:
Step 2:
Step 1:
Step 2:
:laugh.gif:
^
^
^
^
How could a player launch themselves without taking damage from the blast? Just make sure there's a blast proof surface between you and the explosion. Build a solid floor or wall out of iron blocks. Or create a cannon out of something blast proof like obsidian, then place the iron block between you and the TNT like so:
This set up would completely shield you from blast damage (not counting fall damage from returning to earth). A series of precisely timed blasts from several cannons could launch you all over the map. Or if that's too much redstone for you, each cannon could launch you next to the next cannon, and then you'd trigger it manually.
This particular cannon design makes it a little hard to reset the cannon because you have to break the iron block to put another TNT at the bottom. But it would be simple to create an alternate design where there's an iron block "door" in the side of the cannon that gets pulled aside by a sticky piston so another piston can push a new block of TNT inside. Another piston could be on the lip of the cannon to automatically push the iron block back down. But that's tricky stuff. A simple obsidian tube is all it takes to make a basic cannon.
Or you could go back to Hipopplatimus' original piston page and download the mod that restores the new piston properties to the original piston mod properties.
There may be balance issues to blame for it not being included (not wanting to make minecarts and portals and other modes of transportation obsolete). I remember that Notch was initially hesitant to even add ladders, he probably doesn't like the idea of people launching themselves direct from the bedrock to surface level with a piston or two. This prevents that by requiring you to spend TNT, which is good since TNT doesn't have much practical use at the moment.
It's also useful to have a piston that doesn't fling you across the map when you turn it on. That's not always a good thing. It'd be nice to have both a weak piston and a separate strong piston. But if Notch doesn't want to add a strong piston for balance reasons, this would be nice.