Allow space platforms "turn around" and/or totally stop in the halfway of a space route automatically

[AnriMachishiro]

TL;DR

Allow space platforms return the departure planet and/or totally stop in the halfway of a space route automatically.
In current game, it can only be done manually and/or in the shattered planet sapce route.


What?

Allow players set an interrupt to make space platform return the departure planet by a specific distance, like how the mechanics works in the shattered planet space route.
If the space platform can totally stop automatically, it would be even better.

Why?





According to wiki, the point 1500km away from Nauvis is full with asteroid, and taking no risk to face medium ones.
If you allow the space platfrom cruise between Nauvis and the 1500km point, it would be more efficient to produce white science packs.
Since the mechanics is already implemented in the shattered planet space route, I think it can be a good template.

[quineotio]

Have you tried using an interrupt after time elapsed to turn your platform around? Maybe something like that would work.

[AnriMachishiro]

Have you tried using an interrupt after time elapsed to turn your platform around? Maybe something like that would work.

Tried, won't work, except the shattered planet space route.
The platform always need reach the destination to trigger the interrupt, regardless the priority of interrupts you use.
Same thing would happen to train, but you can use a way (e.g. turret) to "disable the route" to control the train when they're going to a train station, already on the way.
...We can't destroy a planet right?

[quineotio]

What about item count? It'd be fiddly, but if you empty the hub of a specific item onto a belt loop then back into the hub, you could only enable the inserters when traveling in a particular direction. The number of items would be like a timer.

[AnriMachishiro]

What about item count? It'd be fiddly, but if you empty the hub of a specific item onto a belt loop then back into the hub, you could only enable the inserters when traveling in a particular direction. The number of items would be like a timer.

Seems the platforms still have to go to the destination? Since the platform cannot be stopped...
The real point is: if I don't allow a platform go further than 1500km, I don't need any defence (e.g. turrets) on it, which would obviously save the space and fuel (and brain cells on designing defence)

[quineotio]

Hmm, I guess there's no way currently to do what you want then. Bummer.

[eugenekay]

Why?





According to wiki, the point 1500km away from Nauvis is full with asteroid, and taking no risk to face medium ones.
If you allow the space platform cruise between Nauvis and the 1500km point, it would be more efficient to produce white science packs.

The Spawn rate for asteroids depends upon the Platform’s movement through space, over time. The rate “at rest” is far lower (to Balance platforms in-orbit from being instantly destroyed by passing meteors, presumably) such that it is usually worth it to have your Science Platform make a Loop of the Vulcanus->Gleba->Fulgora->Nauvis loop purely to restock on Chunks occasionally.

Or to put it another way: you will spend more time Waiting for Asteroids to spawn at this point than you would save by just flying all the way to Vulcanus & back; for less Asteroids picked-up. It is true that they won’t be “dangerous” until you pass this point…. Enabling your Platform to venture deeper into space by adding Turrets is sort of the Point of this stage of the game.

You can try using a Combinator circuit to Sum the Velocity signal (as a makeshift Odometer, since there is no signal for “Distance along Space Route”). When it reaches the value that you want: Cut Thrust to 0. There is a 10km/s Gravity Factor which applies towards the nearest Planet, so it will automatically return to Nauvis. I think this counts as “arriving” so Schedule Interrupts don’t error out.

Good Luck!

[AnriMachishiro]

Why?





According to wiki, the point 1500km away from Nauvis is full with asteroid, and taking no risk to face medium ones.
If you allow the space platform cruise between Nauvis and the 1500km point, it would be more efficient to produce white science packs.

The Spawn rate for asteroids depends upon the Platform’s movement through space, over time. The rate “at rest” is far lower (to Balance platforms in-orbit from being instantly destroyed by passing meteors, presumably) such that it is usually worth it to have your Science Platform make a Loop of the Vulcanus->Gleba->Fulgora->Nauvis loop purely to restock on Chunks occasionally.

Or to put it another way: you will spend more time Waiting for Asteroids to spawn at this point than you would save by just flying all the way to Vulcanus & back; for less Asteroids picked-up. It is true that they won’t be “dangerous” until you pass this point…. Enabling your Platform to venture deeper into space by adding Turrets is sort of the Point of this stage of the game.

You can try using a Combinator circuit to Sum the Velocity signal (as a makeshift Odometer, since there is no signal for “Distance along Space Route”). When it reaches the value that you want: Cut Thrust to 0. There is a 10km/s Gravity Factor which applies towards the nearest Planet, so it will automatically return to Nauvis. I think this counts as “arriving” so Schedule Interrupts don’t error out.

Good Luck!

That's an amazing idea! I think it would work! (At least I hope it would work!) I'd try it later! Thank you!

[vinnief]

This could be easily implemented if the game just adds a circuit variable to the cargo hub "Distance Traveled" which can then be used in combinator logic to shut the engines off. It would also be cool if circuits could change the destination of the ship.