[0.7.7.0] Control a Cab-less, Anchor-less tech easily with Undo trick

1. Pop the sole cab off an unanchored tech, so it disintegrates.
2. Move the cab block once (so it makes the taking control click).
3. Click Undo.
4. You should now be controlling the re-assembled tech without a cab.

Cab can then be sent to inventory, or whatever (as it's no longer your focus). You can add blocks to a controller-less tech, but removing any will disintegrate it, as if it were a tech death (hanging the rames for a second or two). In campaign, this will bring up the re-spawn dialogue, offering either the cab-less tech or a nearby friendly tech. If you have no techs nearby, you can take the free GSO tech. This is a very cheap and easy way to farm/exploit the charity tech's blocks (if you're very bored). Or just have a pair of GSO 1-blocks dropped from the sky, for giggles.



When in control of a cab-less tech: [Tab] key is locked out, as is build beam, [F], [G] amd obviously driving controls, but the anchoring button still works {Edited}.

You can optionally add an AI cab for 'spectator mode' (credit to @Legionite for that phrase, I think, after something similar happned in a CC stream, I think).

Alternative method (in R&D): turn the cab into an enemy after it falls off (to prevent reattachment), as already reported in this thread reply:

Edit: oh here, have a cab-less auto-snapshot of a pair of GSO 1-blocks. I've got quite a few to spare.

 

Also, you can create glitched, floating anchorable blocks using a controller-less tech:

1. Use above method for cab-free tech.
2. Attach an block with anchor (e.g. fabricator, etc).
3. Move block to another position, attached to same cab-less, unanchored tech.
4. Tech disintegrates, but moved anchor block stays in mid air.

This can be move around and left to float in there, but doesn't permit block attachment. I've added this as I wondered if it might help pin down a loophole in the code that affects other things in different ways.

 

And another interesting bug arising from this: it can create loose blocks that won't get pulled in by SCUs:

It's happened for me after making a very large cab-less base tech, then having it disintegrate due to block damage from a small fall. I'd guess that the block not being picked up is one of those that took damage...



Snapshot used and output log (that might have other stuff happening too) attached. Save with unsuckable blocks from a previous test, also included (don't know if it'll re-load the problem).

Again, I posted this in case this behaviour is revealing any hidden code flaws; clearly not going to be a direct problem for players.

 

Yes, that's what I meant by "pop it off"; clicking the cab directly is no good for causing this situation. (I should have been slightly more specific.)

 

I've merged @NotExactlyHero's new thread titled "[0.8.2] Controlling Techs Without Cabs" with this existing one on the same topic.

Thanks for the report and the extra information: so you don't need to 'pop off' the cab to get this to work. Just having (re)moved it in between breaking the tech and undoing it.

 

Quite possibly (I'd have to check to be sure). A different method for floating anchors was patched, I believe...