Quick Component Grade Change in Designer

[MoonSet416]

Not sure if this is suggested before but I'd like to see some quick way of changing material/grade of components across the ship, mainly to create higher/lower spec versions of the same ship. I can see this be really useful if you want to create a military version of a civilian ship by switching out the armor plates for better ones. So instead of removing and reinstalling the plates one by one you just select a different material in some menu. Another function I would like to get implemented is the ability to group components/plates. For example you only want to change the outer plates to a different material, etc.

 

[MAXD]

You mean, change all the plates with another martial?
I think it's a nice idea. I always want this in other sandbox games.

 

[MoonSet416]

Ye thats pretty much it. Lets say I already have a regular cargo ship design, but I want a up-armored version because my trading routes are getting more dangerous. With this system I can just click one button to up-armor the entire ship, or select particular areas where I want to protect either by clicking on individual panels or groups of plates I already established. An example of a group would be "all internal panels surrounding the generator".

 

[MAXD]

Ye thats pretty much it. Lets say I already have a regular cargo ship design, but I want a up-armored version because my trading routes are getting more dangerous. With this system I can just click one button to up-armor the entire ship, or select particular areas where I want to protect either by clicking on individual panels or groups of plates I already established. An example of a group would be "all internal panels surrounding the generator".

I thought different martial will cause structure problems it won't always work.
But for some special design it will be very helpful.
Such as modular armor that hang on the ship and easy to replace.
In general, It will be helpful but there are problems too.

 

[MoonSet416]

I thought different martial will cause structure problems it won't always work.
But for some special design it will be very helpful.
Such as modular armor that hang on the ship and easy to replace.
In general, It will be helpful but there are problems too.

Wait you aren't allowed to use mixed material plates? Mind pointing out the source?

 

[CalenLoki]

So basically material painting. But instead of changing colour, it changes plate material.

ATM there aren't really any upgradeable parts other than plates and maybe beams (not with much fewer choices: only bastium or bastonium).

 

[MoonSet416]

So basically material painting. But instead of changing colour, it changes plate material.

ATM there aren't really any upgradeable parts other than plates and maybe beams (not with much fewer choices: only bastium or bastonium).

Yes, material painting is quite accurate. This function will probably be most useful when upgrading large amount of parts at once (so exactly plates and beams) Only other one I can think of right now is the FCU with its three variants. Idk but maybe FB will come up with more parts. A similar system might be useful for changing out ship weapon loadouts as well.

 

[CalenLoki]

Each FCU requires different thruster layout. And you have up to 2 per ship. Not a big deal.

 

[Sven Drunken Heart]

I like the idea of this. I always loathed grinding down and re-welding plates in Space Engineers just to replace them with heavy plates.

 

[Brushes]

This is a must