Programmable and customisable screens

[MikeMortez]

I am suggesting a simple programmable screen, something similar to garry's mod -> Wiremod -> EGP Screens.

The way they work are quite simple, you get a blank screen, that you can then modify by programming in shapes, text and polygons at x and y coordinates.

It's a really simple concept, yet it is super powerful, as it could add a lot of new content, that players could create them self.
Here just some of the millions of uses these screens could have, if programmed to do this things:
º Create a Groups logos in-game
º Navigation System with a map
º Showing information about a system (Damage / Power / Inventory / Ammunition e.t.c)

Even a touch screen functionality could be implemented, making it possible to make custom interfaces for your ship / factory e.t.c

I know this is quite ambitious, however I think that it could be really great for the game, if implemented correctly.


Here are some EGP examples from garry's mod:
Click Here - An example of logos I made using EGP.
Click Here - Altitude indicator.
Click Here - Tactical Consoles inside a ship.
Click Here - A simple touchscreen interface.

 

[MoneylooJr]

This would be a great feature. YOLOL coders would have a field day with something like this!

 

[XenoCow]

We already have bar progress displays, text displays, and buttons that can have text on them. The main thing that we're missing is a more dense graphical screen or a really big screen. ASCII may not be pretty, but it could be used for maps etc.

I do think there is a kernel of something here, though. Now just to see how to merge it into the Starbase universe in an elegant way.

 

[CalenLoki]

I wouldn't go as far as you examples. Remember that you're working with limited amounts of data fields in each component. To create a line you need at least 4 device fields: x and y coordinates for both start and end of the line. Possibly some more for colour or thickness.
Your artificial horizon screen would need over 100 device fields with all the lines, numbers, colours, ect. And each operation in yolol updates just one field, so you'd need tons of chips.

But for simpler applications it could work. And could be made saleable for more complex displays.
I'd love to have it as holographic display:
You'd have:
- hologram projector unit (HPU): single device field name that turns it on/off. 48x48x24cm.
- hologram control unit (HCU): 8 device fields: x,y,z for start and end point of a vector, colour, and HPU reference name. 24x24x12cm

It would display cone for each HCU in proper position relative to the HPU. Cone size would be proportional to vector length.
Both HPU and HCU would cost quite some money, so the more complex hologram you have, the more you pay.

Could work with 2d transparent screen too. Than we save 2 device fields per object.

 

[XenoCow]

And each operation in yolol updates just one field, so you'd need tons of chips.

Perhaps a new chip could be created a "Graphics Chip" that has functions that take arguments to work on multiple vector variables at a time. Or, better yet, a "Vector Chip" that works with any 1 (at least) dimension vectors (matrices).