I'm thinking there should be a corporation dedicated to effective and efficient manufacturing and base design. Using the temporary name of SmartBuild, I have made this detailed (WIP) post of a list of blocks, concepts, and other ideas for such a corporation.
As a simple list of some blocks they would have:
As a simple list of some blocks they would have:
- SmartBuild conveyor - T junction (likely Grade 1)
- This conveyor is a 1x1x1 size conveyor that acts differently in different situations. Similarly to normal conveyors, right clicking on it would cycle the direction of the conveyor by changing which of the three sides is the input and which is the default output. The smart part of it is that it can automatically redirect certain resources to the path which isn't active via signalling from other manufacturing blocks. As with all blocks with signalling functionality, it has the two antennae, mounted on the side of the block which isn't a conveyor path. This single block will also passively be able to prevent conveyor blockages, only allowing chunks to pass through if there is a suitable destination, such as a silo, which isn't completely filled (it should take into account how many chunks are on route to the silo as well). This passive function would allow for conveyor "trees", distributing resource chunks and components only to blocks with enough free storage.
- SmartBuild Mass Refinery (likely Grade 2)
- This efficient refinery would be different in a few ways. It would take up to twice as long as the GSO Refinery, however, it has two input points and two output points. Unlike the GSO and Venture varieties, the SmartBuild Mass Refinery would require energy to refine chunks. I don't know how much energy each thing has, but I think 2/3 the energy output of the GeoCorp Geothermal Generator (GGG), meaning two GGGs can fully power three SmartBuild Mass Refineries with no excess energy. The mass refinery must take 4 resource chunks of the same type before it will refine them, and due to the energy and its efficiency, it will output 5 refined chunks (input : output ratio of 1 : 1.25). Naturally, this block would be high grade, high cost, and large size (at lest 3x3x2).
- SmartBuild Resource Reverter (likely Grade 2)
- This block would be the most unique of all the blocks listed here (for now). The overall mechanics would be the same as the Mass Refinery, however, it would take in three refined chunks and output two unrefined resource chunks (input : output ratio of 1 : 0.67), allowing for access to the required materials to make grade 1 blocks in fabricators. This conversion ratio would be suitable for efficient, yet not perfect resource conversion, as by using both the Mass Refinery and Resource Reverter, 1 unrefined chunk becomes 1.25 refined chunks, which then becomes 0.83 chunks, resulting in a net loss. This means that they can't be exploited to produce infinite resources.
- SmartBuild Chunk Compressor and SmartBuild Chunk Decompressor (likely Grade 3)
- These two blocks would work as the input and output of SmartBuild's resource storage solution. Starting with the Compressor, this block, with a relatively small input of energy, will take 4 refined resource chunks and compress them into a more easily manageable compressed form, known as a Resource Compression Unit, or RCU for short. Compressed item names should be formatted as "[Resource name] Compression Unit". These RCUs can be stored in a silo and moved along a conveyor like any other chunks, however, they cannot be used directly in the manufacturing of components or blocks, nor can they be sold, or at least not for the full price of their contents (maybe 2/3 value of the 4 contained resources).
This is where the Decompressor comes in. Using the same amount of energy as the Compressor, the Decompressor takes the RCU and separates it into the four contained resource chunks. Using both the SmartBuild Chunk Compressor and SmartBuild Chunk Decompressor allows for very efficient storage and transport of refined resources.
- These two blocks would work as the input and output of SmartBuild's resource storage solution. Starting with the Compressor, this block, with a relatively small input of energy, will take 4 refined resource chunks and compress them into a more easily manageable compressed form, known as a Resource Compression Unit, or RCU for short. Compressed item names should be formatted as "[Resource name] Compression Unit". These RCUs can be stored in a silo and moved along a conveyor like any other chunks, however, they cannot be used directly in the manufacturing of components or blocks, nor can they be sold, or at least not for the full price of their contents (maybe 2/3 value of the 4 contained resources).
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