Well, I take issue with that. I feel that we're all getting unduely penned in. With hoppers coming to Vanilla, it's silly having our only options for moving things up in our machines be "use minecarts (with an automatic minecart station required, but never mentioned)" or "use transparent block item elevators", which take up a lot of space and aren't necessarily sticking around.
Pipes have been suggested a hundred times, but I'm suggesting them restrained. I'm suggesting them with only one type of pipe, many limitations, and functionally all they do is tell Hopper A that it now feeds into Block B, which is over there at the other end of the pipeline. They're nothing more than a direct extention of the Hopper's existing capabilities, plus the ability to go upwards.
So, for your consideration, Simple Pipes: they're worth a look.
So there you have it. A simple and limited edition to the existing hopper system. Branching and combining pipelines can be handled by intermediate hoppers and chests, sorting can be completed with current hopper methods, as can switching by locking hoppers with redstone.
I'm not asking for much, and I'm not expecting much to happen. But it's worth an attempt, and I think this limited form of pipe fits the sort of gameplay style that Minecraft is known for, and will work well with the hopper block being developed.
edit:
Followup: I also tried to post this in the Minecraft Suggestions Reddit, and I don't know what I did wrong, but I seem to have messed it up. Never used Reddit before.
When will Minecraft stop updating? When pigs fly over the frozen plains of hell, twice in a blue moon, while Taylor Swift sings a song called, "Maybe I'm the Problem".
I like the idea and share the issue with ice.
On the other hand, I feel an alternative to the pipes could be an enchanted redstone. This would limit the addition of new items to just the coding of the pipe effect. I love the idea though and would love to see something like this.
I think the "Ice" thing is because items flow faster in water over ice. But that is silly. Just the Iron would be fine. But this is very well thought out and balanced. The one thing I'm not sure on is if they should ship items instantly or not. It all depends on what would be less resource intensive for the game.
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Hey everyone, thanks for the attention so far, and the positive comments. I was a bit nervous doing this..
Ice: That's just a suggestion. I'm more than happy to discuss alternatives, so suggest away, I'll update the OP if we come up with something good. However, let me explain my reasons for ice: There's a balance reason, and a "minecraft physics" reason.
My balance reason is straight forward: you can't get ice right away. you can build hoppers as soon as you can smelt iron and afford them, so the basic shipping technology is available very soon. But pipes, a massive advancement to the technology, would only be available once you managed to enchant a silk-touch to get ice. You'd need diamonds, obsidian, books, and enough XP to get it, plus it would encourage people to look around and find the right biome. So it requires time and effort to be invested. But ice is renewable, so we're not using up our glass or diamonds to build these systems.
So, while this would immediately be available to a seasoned player, it would make pipe technology a goal post, a big achievement, to new players and new play throughs. The same way that enchanting isn't immediately available.
The "Minecraft physics" reason is that it fits. Ice ships items in water streams quickly, and as a transparent block it can ship items up if you use ice and sticky pistons to press items into a vertical column of blocks. Basically, pipes take both those properties, and compact them. So it's sort of a weird logical extension of ice's player-scale properties into a block-scale property.
But, I'm more than happy to discuss better crafting recipes. The goal is to keep it balanced, interesting, and simple.
The one thing I'm not sure on is if they should ship items instantly or not. It all depends on what would be less resource intensive for the game.
This is also a really good thing to discuss. I went with "instantly", because the logic is already worked out with the hoppers, it means the pipes don't need an internal inventory, and it makes them different than the Buildcraft and other pipes. Basically, it prevents logic problems like "what if the item is on it's way, and the target inventory fills up while it's moving?" The answer is "it gets there right away."
But, that also might be super overpowered. Balance is just as important here as simplicity.
While not exactly following the Minecraft Ice physics, it follows the same Nether Quartz pattern that a lot of Redstone or related items have. Plus it looks substantially more pipe shaped, and encourages Nether exploration. You also can't simply farm these like you can with Ice, adding a little challenge to get a large amount of them.
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The recipe should be like this:
For x pipes, wool being ice.
Pistons should move the pipes like any other block, or it just limits the redstone contraptions you can do.
But this is still a balanced way to add pipes, so I support.
I support, minus the ice. But since it's basically redstone, but transport and in all directions, you oughta also have pipes that zigzag in one spot, delaying it a bit, like a repeater.. There wouldn't be much point, but perhaps for adventure maps where an item doesn't get to you until a certain amount of time.
I support the idea, but there needs to be an easier way to get ice, or switch it for something. Maybe add like a freezer or something which is made out of iron or gold or something? Maybe you could switch ice for water buckets and make the pipes slower...
I dunno, it's weird with your idea.
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Check out SpaceAge, a new futuristic themed mod on GitHub: Link
Well, I take issue with that. I feel that we're all getting unduely penned in. With hoppers coming to Vanilla, it's silly having our only options for moving things up in our machines be "use minecarts (with an automatic minecart station required, but never mentioned)" or "use transparent block item elevators", which take up a lot of space and aren't necessarily sticking around.
Pipes have been suggested a hundred times, but I'm suggesting them restrained. I'm suggesting them with only one type of pipe, many limitations, and functionally all they do is tell Hopper A that it now feeds into Block B, which is over there at the other end of the pipeline. They're nothing more than a direct extention of the Hopper's existing capabilities, plus the ability to go upwards.
So, for your consideration, Simple Pipes: they're worth a look.
So there you have it. A simple and limited edition to the existing hopper system. Branching and combining pipelines can be handled by intermediate hoppers and chests, sorting can be completed with current hopper methods, as can switching by locking hoppers with redstone.
I'm not asking for much, and I'm not expecting much to happen. But it's worth an attempt, and I think this limited form of pipe fits the sort of gameplay style that Minecraft is known for, and will work well with the hopper block being developed.
edit:
Followup: I also tried to post this in the Minecraft Suggestions Reddit, and I don't know what I did wrong, but I seem to have messed it up. Never used Reddit before.
When will Minecraft stop updating? When pigs fly over the frozen plains of hell, twice in a blue moon, while Taylor Swift sings a song called, "Maybe I'm the Problem".
On the other hand, I feel an alternative to the pipes could be an enchanted redstone. This would limit the addition of new items to just the coding of the pipe effect. I love the idea though and would love to see something like this.
Want some advice on how to thrive in the Suggestions section? Check this handy list of guidelines and tips for posting your ideas and responding to the ideas of others!
http://www.minecraftforum.net/forums/minecraft-discussion/suggestions/2775557-guidelines-for-the-suggestions-forum
Ice: That's just a suggestion. I'm more than happy to discuss alternatives, so suggest away, I'll update the OP if we come up with something good. However, let me explain my reasons for ice: There's a balance reason, and a "minecraft physics" reason.
My balance reason is straight forward: you can't get ice right away. you can build hoppers as soon as you can smelt iron and afford them, so the basic shipping technology is available very soon. But pipes, a massive advancement to the technology, would only be available once you managed to enchant a silk-touch to get ice. You'd need diamonds, obsidian, books, and enough XP to get it, plus it would encourage people to look around and find the right biome. So it requires time and effort to be invested. But ice is renewable, so we're not using up our glass or diamonds to build these systems.
So, while this would immediately be available to a seasoned player, it would make pipe technology a goal post, a big achievement, to new players and new play throughs. The same way that enchanting isn't immediately available.
The "Minecraft physics" reason is that it fits. Ice ships items in water streams quickly, and as a transparent block it can ship items up if you use ice and sticky pistons to press items into a vertical column of blocks. Basically, pipes take both those properties, and compact them. So it's sort of a weird logical extension of ice's player-scale properties into a block-scale property.
But, I'm more than happy to discuss better crafting recipes. The goal is to keep it balanced, interesting, and simple.
I'll be back later, time to hit the gym and eat!
This is also a really good thing to discuss. I went with "instantly", because the logic is already worked out with the hoppers, it means the pipes don't need an internal inventory, and it makes them different than the Buildcraft and other pipes. Basically, it prevents logic problems like "what if the item is on it's way, and the target inventory fills up while it's moving?" The answer is "it gets there right away."
But, that also might be super overpowered. Balance is just as important here as simplicity.
While not exactly following the Minecraft Ice physics, it follows the same Nether Quartz pattern that a lot of Redstone or related items have. Plus it looks substantially more pipe shaped, and encourages Nether exploration. You also can't simply farm these like you can with Ice, adding a little challenge to get a large amount of them.
Want some advice on how to thrive in the Suggestions section? Check this handy list of guidelines and tips for posting your ideas and responding to the ideas of others!
http://www.minecraftforum.net/forums/minecraft-discussion/suggestions/2775557-guidelines-for-the-suggestions-forum
It's lubricant.
That said, I'd rather have something greasy rather than ice. Milk?
For x pipes, wool being ice.
Pistons should move the pipes like any other block, or it just limits the redstone contraptions you can do.
But this is still a balanced way to add pipes, so I support.
This is logical, smart, well planned and thoughtful.
+1 for the good topic
But hoppers already act like pipes
(Picture the iron bars as hoppers)
I dunno, it's weird with your idea.
IDEA.
EVA.
I SUPPORT!!
Nice work on the whole suggestion.