Exot Improvements
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Recently, exot was changed so that it could be activated by neutrons. While I agree that this makes it a lot more useful, I still think there is room for some improvements. The problems I see with the current version are these:
• Activation spreads through the exot in a way that is very slow, random and unreliable.
• It's quite cumbersome to use, since you need a very large amount of neutrons to activate it properly
• The instant copying is also very unreliable, since it is not always instant. Often, due to the updating sequence of particles, it will convert a large batch of exot particles but then suddenly (and for no immediately apparent reason) stop. See this image for an example.
• The graphics of activated and unactivated exot are so dissimilar that, by first glance, they could just as well be two completely different elements. (this is a very nitpicky complaint, but I still think there's some small room for improvement here)
Therefore, I propose we make these changes to the element:
• Unactivated exot will sparkle, not pulse
• Activated exot will look just like unactivated exot does today
• Activation will happen at max speed (like the activation of LCRY)
• Only the exot particles that is close to other particles at the exact moment of the pulse will be converted. The conversion of particles will not spread through the exot instantly like it does today.
If it is still unclear what I mean by all this, I have put together a demonstration video on Youtube. Here is the code I used to produce the new exot, if anyone wants to compile and try it for themselves.
I believe these changes will have these advantages:
• Sparkles are pretty :)
• Activation is now fast, reliable and effective. You only need a single neutron to activate a large mass of exot instantly.
• Copying now happens in a predicable and reliable way
• By controlling the particles pulse cycles relative to each other, it is now possible to precisely control the speed of copying. (see the video)
• Unactivated and activated exot are now coherent in color, but still very distinguishable from each other.
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WOW, you really did your work on this, and for that, i must give you a virtual high five
but unfortunately, I dont think this will be put in the game: it'll break saves, plus, everyone will probably miss the pulsation that we all know and love :(
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I dont know, this seems like a nice idea, but it just doesn't feel right; It strays too far away from the original to me.
but you still did a good job at this. I wouldn't be surprised if someone is putting this in their mod right now...
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> it'll break saves
I'm not so sure about that. Exot is a very new element, and very few saves rely on it. (I have seen none on the front page, except some "look, here's a new element" ones)
Plus, they already changed exot in a save-breaking way when they updated it to the current version a few days ago. I don't see the problem with quickly improving it once again. Surely the risk of breaking a dozen saves must be preferable than having troublesome-to-use version left in 'till the end of times? At least I suppose that was the rationale when they changed it the first time.
And really, as I explain below, the changes aren't that big.
> everyone will probably miss the pulsation that we all know and love
The pulsation won't be gone at all. When activated by neutrons, it will pulsate just like to current one does. The only thing that happens is that a second graphic is added, sparkling. Two for the price of one. :)
> It strays too far away from the original to me.
I don't really follow you. The only things that are changed are some added graphics, the speed of activation and the rate of copying.
Considering that the original version couldn't be activated at all and copied stuff even slower than my suggestion does, the current version is just as far from 'the original' as my suggestion is.
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I think what would be better is if the pulsing was by default. and then when you use the neutrons it will sparkle
that would just make this improvement amazing.
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I don't think that would be very practical. When exot is activated and copying you really want to see the pulsing, since it determines when it copies.
But I am curious, why is it so important that it is on by deafult? By my suggestion, it would (literally) take two seconds to activate it (as seen in the video).
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The copying should be off by Default, of course, but you should switch around the states: The pulsating should be the normal state, and when it's irradiated with neutrons, then it should start sparkling.
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Yeaaah!
It is cooler than the current version from github!
I compiled it and it looks cool, also the NEUT activation is with only one NEUT and... BOOOM it's all activated!
It should sparkle in deactived state and in activated state, it should flash, like in the code.Good work!
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Then you would have to rush to deactivate it every time you added it to a creation, before it starts copying and destroys whatever you put it in.
And it is more often you want to activate creations than deactivate them (there are more creations with only a start button than there are creations with only a stop button).
But I still don't see why it has to be on by deafult. Like I said, it is very easy to activate it.
Thanks!
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The changes that 'broke' old saves that I added were only late, and not meant to be serious changes. The element was literally not finished yet, and so some of the features didn't make it in on the first try.
Element copying, like you've toyed with a lot here evidently, was made into a separate toggle mode with the aim in mind of making it possible to mimick a single particle into a huge mass all at once, and slowing it down or limiting it only removes possible function, since anyone can draw EXOT in a particular pattern if they -need- it to copy at a particular speed without these changes.
...The fact that it doesn't instantly change modes is also deliberate. EXOT is not a solid powered material, and instant liquid transitions tend to look weird. Anything that moves at the speed of game update tends to be either energy or energy flowing through something.
The identifying characteristics of EXOT element are chiefly aesthetic, as a simple blue liquid that copies when exposed to neutrons and explodes with electrons is actually pretty boring.
...And the reason for why the color scheme is different for NEUT copy toggle mode is to give people the impression that whatever quality NEUT gives it by touching it is changing it into a different material, so that the fact that it copies materials instantly when it normally doesn't at all isn't so strange.
