Coloured Blocks

I'm a bit more leaning towards option 1 because of the creative nature of it, but at the same time I think 3 would be a bit better. Though, I'm kinda wanting to see wood and that be separate stacks, cause having all the same colour wood is kinda bland. And while I do like the paint-gun, the colours are really limited. I want maybe a dark red coloured stone, nope, can only get the super bright red from the paint-gun unless I am on a planet with dark red stone.

It's a bit hard to choose, because having different coloured stone and stuff would be awesome for building, but if there's like 10 different colour of stone with very minimal differences between them and they all stack differently then I can see there being issue. So not sure exactly what would be better.

 

If you picked up green dirt, it means you have green dirt. Having dirt turn colors just because its on different planet is fking stupid and it takes away option to combine looks of different planets together. No, big no to number 3, and I don't think people even understand what they are voting for in this case.

 

Actually, just thought of another option:

If you mix two stacks of colored blocks together, they become a new stack of blocks with a color that is a weighted blend of the two colors added. So, you mix equal parts red dirt and green dirt, then get out yellow dirt. If you mix mostly blue dirt with a small amount of white dirt, you get a slightly lighter blue dirt. This kinda like option (2), but the computation of the color is based on the mixing operation, rather than reverting to a default color. This might be directly in the inventory or could be at a special 'mixing' crafting station. This avoids the weirdness of having dirt change color arbitrarily, while still allowing for combining blocks if you don't care about separating colors. It even allows you to keep some colors separate, while choosing to combine colors you don't care about.

I see two possibilities for the reverse process, which would be useful, but not strictly necessary:

1. Have some machine for changing the color of colored blocks. Put in your blocks of whatever color, choose a color from some selection UI, get out the blocks you want.

2. Have a machine that splits blocks into components that can be recombined to get the original color. For instance, a bright yellow block splits into pure red and green blocks. A dark yellow block splits into black, red and green blocks. This allows you to achieve the effects of the color-changing machine, but requires a bit more manual work to figure out how to combine your 'primary' red, green, blue and black blocks to get the exact color you want. This could actually be somewhat fun in its own right.

 

I chose 1 and 2 but I am thinking a mix of option 1 and 3, how about when you place a dirt block down it is option 3 but later on in the game when you get the paint tool, you get an option to change the colour of the block so there is variety, without an unorganized inventory.

 

Very eloquent and well-reasoned argument, good sir.

I've now seen the error of my ways because my preference "is fking stupid".

You still have the paint tool, and it wouldn't be hard to have a tool that enables option 1.

Option 3 is just a better default choice because it is easier for most situations.

 

With the "these are already functioning in the game" options given, I have to say that I'd personally prefer #3, though I certainly understand the appeal of #1. Perhaps one of the assorted #4s mentioned in the thread can be a post-release feature, devs willing.

 

It's your game, GeorgeV. Just do it the way you want. But if you didn't want there to be many different types of materials to use, why not just make every one the same everywhere since that's essentially what we get with Options 1 and 2. ALL materials can just be the same color everywhere. Then there is no need for all that pesky VARIETY! Jeez! These 4 stacks of reddish stone blocks look too much alike! Just make them all the same red! Then we don't have to worry about all this confusion and inventory clutter! Whew! Thank God for simplicity! It's so...simplifying!

But then again, I thought Starbound was supposed to revel in it's procedural vastness. I like having things stay the way they were when found. I understand why you're advocating for the simplistic approach, but I guess I don't see the insanity in Option 1, unless the player CHOOSES to make it insane. Does the game FORCE you to keep excess materials? Also, if it tagged each material with where it was collected, you could differentiate one from another via this information.

Meh. It's fine. Go with 3. I like having restrictions.

Then I'll just wait for the Mod that makes it like Option 1.

 

Juxtor, I think you might want to calm down a little. GeorgeV was being humorous.
I mean, seriously, "Also all the cool kids pick 3"? Learn to laugh a little.

You and I already argued about this dirty issue extensively in My Thread Here.

If you're going to restate your old points you should at least do it with fewer caps.

Option 1 does force you to either discard old dirt/paint it to match the dirt on each new planet.

Option 3 does force you to paint it to match the planet you got it from.

Both options force players to do certain things in certain situations. That said, I strongly suggest you listen to GeorgeV's experience because he actually has built things within the game. He actually has experienced what both options are like. You haven't. You're only forming opinions based on how you imagine it will be.

 

Option number 1 for me.

For arguments sake, what if someone doesn't want to use the paint tool, but also doesn't want their dirt, or other natural materials, to magically change color?

Plus, why the HELL would you go to every single planet just to dig up dirt you're going to lug around space for no reason. You can store your stuff every time you go back to your ship.

 

For arguments sake, what if someone doesn't want to use the paint tool, but also wants the dirt to match the color of each new planet they visit?

This isn't even an argument. Both sides could ask this question. The real question is which of these is more reasonable: using the paint tool while building something artistic, or using the paint tool while making impromptu dirt bridges for exploration? In my opinion, it is obviously more reasonable to expect players to use the paint tool while building, not while exploring.

Because it's nice when the resources you've harvested can be used anywhere instead of just stashing them away.

 

I voted for both option 1 and option 3, now I regret voting for option 3 because it would end up limiting the creative side of the game. Would love to see option 1 as stackable, then there wouldn't be much problems, just use a default if you want it to match the environment on the planet.

 

I think a paint system is all we need to solve this. Or something as simple as a sub-stack menu for stacks with colors.

((Edit: by that, I mean, stack everything of the same type into one stack, but when you click on it, a submenu shows up showing what colors you have. Similar to the bottles in Link to The Past))

 

I completely agree with this post. I also don't understand why option 2 isn't far ahead in the votes(maybe poor wording), but it basically combines option 1 and 3 in the best way possible. It would have all your dirt go into a one block chest like dirt bag where you could pick your dirt out of.

 

Yeah, that would be great, something similar to this would be awesome.

Edit:
Yeah I do understand how if option 1 was picked then there could be a lot of different colored dirt in the inventory, more than 10 different colors... But that's only if you were on that many different planets and actually gathered dirt from each one of them. Either way I agree that it would feel stupid to have orange dirt turn into blue dirt when you travel to a planet with blue dirt on it. I don't think that limiting the colors is a good idea, I think everything should be used within the sandbox.

 

I think what they mean by "default color" is that dirt would be brown, sand would be sand colored, etc. That's not good enough though to be honest, why not use all the unique colors if they are already existing in the game.

 

Option 2 says "default color" which makes me think it would just end up being brown no matter where you got it or place it.
Edit: ninja'd

 

I would prefer if 1 be the default.
Mainly because I think this whole problem is being looked at the wrong way. It's not a problem of material colour - it's a problem of changing planets. How often wll that happen? Is it feasible that you'll only spend a few minutes on a planet before switching to a new one? I haven't had a chance to play so I don't know, but I can't imagine I would be changing planets that often in a play session.

My optimal solution-
Maybe you could configure your transporter to alter the colour of the materials you carry to match the planet you are beaming to? (or not configure it that way, if you like your coloured dirt) It's already breaking you down to your component level to reconstitute you on the new planet, changing the colour of what you are carrying would be simple for such advanced technologies!
PROS:

1. It does not break immersion.
2. It allows people from the dirt hoarder/dirt changer camps to both have what they want.
3. It does not lead to new players crying "Where did all my blue dirt go?!!!! WTF??!!!!!". This I feel is the most intuitive solution (3 is totally NOT intuitive, as handy as it would be).
4. It (hopefully) does not require any more development time apart from a toggle box somewhere - as what is happening is essentially option 1 or option 3, except you get a choice.
5. It does not require carrying a paint tool everywhere (I would still like a paint tool, but I don't want to have to have it with me unless I'm building something specific)
6. You get coloured dirt on your ship!

CONS:

1. Dirt hoarders accidentally ticking the box and losing their precious dirt collections. Awww.
2. More development time that I expect? Idk. I am not a developer so I can only guess on that part.
3. I can't think of any more cons, I'm just putting another point here to make it look more balanced

 

Precisely what I was wandering what would happen if we went with Option 3. I like being able to separate colours with some form of tool if necessary. Thanks!

 

Well, GeorgeV actually has had a chance to play, and he strongly supports option 3.

I also disagree that the issue is how often you change planets. IMO the issue is being able to freely use resources gathered on a different planet instead of having to store it/toss it because it naturally clashes with the natural environment and makes everywhere you use it look bad unless you take out your paint tool, which you don't want to have to do because you are just exploring. Imagine if I only change planets once every 10 hours of game-time. That means 10 hours worth of dirt that I'm probably just going to toss, and might never use again because it doesn't match the new planets I explore. If I don't store it/toss it then the stacks will add up until it does becomes a problem.

So what it really boils down to is when we should have to use the paint tool: Should I have to use it while I explore so that I don't leave behind an awful looking trail of clashing dirt everywhere, or should I have to use it while I'm building if I want to have different colors? The answer seems obvious to me, but it must not be so clear to others.

 

DeadlyLuvdisc - doesn't my optimal solution fix your issue too? You don't have to chuck your dirt, the transporter will recolour it for you if you want it to (just leave that option ticked).
And I support the paint tool, and you'll only need it when building unless you deliberately choose to keep your coloured dirt when you transported down. I'm really not sure why you disagree with me, unless it's just my phrasing of the problem