States of Matter: Gasses

[BKing234]

Describe the content or mechanics you are proposing. TL:DR: introduce gasses into the game. Different mixes of materials/liquids + air (+ pressure?) to produce different gases, each with their uses and liabilities. Of course, this will demand new units, factories, transport, and mechanics. Maybe introduce pollution, too. More ideas below, as far as I could come up with in 20 minutes.

There are already has several examples of solids and liquids well established in the game. Why not include gasses in the mix? I'm thinking pressurized tubes, pressure/vacuum chambers, and tradeoff between materials to gasses/liquids to gasses/vice versa. Of course there would need to be few new factories and a new building category, and perhaps revised requirements to get the best out of some of the more powerful factories/towers in the game. I'm also thinking about pollution and the effects on units and industry. Sure, there's your regular atmospheric gas, but there could also be steam (maybe something with the steam generator returning water, rusts units/factories that sit in one place for too long), dust (air with sand/coal, needs filtered before it can be used, can clean rusted units under pressure, or take away their paint), or maybe something related to natural gas (air + pyratite/blast compound), where the gas is flammable (useful in slag/power/heat damage to units). Turrets might manipulate the air of the environment to bring damage and turbulence of flying/light ground units.

Describe how you think this content will improve the game. If you're proposing new content, mention how it may add more gameplay options or how it will fill a new niche. Having this new segment to work with could introduce a quite a few interesting additions and functions to the game, particularly in the uses of gasses made with material through new/revised turrets and new boosts/deficiencies to factories. Sandblasting, flamethrowers, tornado/hurricane turrets, new and improved smelters/kilns, the extent could really change the entire game.

Before making this issue, place an X in the boxes below to confirm that you have acknowledged them. Failure to do so may result in your request being closed automatically.

1. • [X] I have done a quick search in the list of suggestions to make sure this has not been suggested yet.
2. • [X] I have checked the Trello to make sure my suggestion isn't planned or implemented in a development version.
3. • [X] I am familiar with all the content already in the game or have glanced at the wiki to make sure my suggestion doesn't exist in the game yet.
4. • [X] I have read README.md to make sure my idea is not listed under the "A few things you shouldn't suggest" category.

[ConveyorBusBuilder]

To be completely honest, I see 'add gasses to Mindustry' and get a bit nervous. I think one of the advantages of Mindustry is its simplicity and I feel like if I were to try and create a gas system, it would ruin the game. That's just me and my programming tendencies though and Anuke is rather good at making complex-sounding things simple on paper in the game. I think if implemented well and kept simple, gasses could absolutely add tremendously to the game assuming they are unlike item, liquid, and power transport and the logistics present their own simplicities and challenges. Gasses would have to come in their own update for sure but ultimately, I think an attempt to add them to the game would be challenging yet rewarding. For the foreseeable future though, I think this sounds like a controversial major update but also an idea for a truly awesome mod.

[joshuaptfan]

I think it's a mistake to look at the liquids and solids already in the game and think, "what about gas?" Good game design is about adding things that enhance the gameplay, not adding them just because you can; that is, the idea for the gameplay concept should come first. Deciding what end items you want to add first then thinking of ways to fit them into the game after is the wrong way to approach things, and creates bloat.

There already is a 3rd state of matter in the game, and it's the plasma created by arc turrets when they fire. But it's not a resource you harvest, store, and use directly. The same would apply to gasses.

[ConveyorBusBuilder]

There already is a 3rd state of matter in the game, and it's the plasma created by arc turrets when they fire. But it's not a resource you harvest, store, and use directly. The same would apply to gasses.

Well by that logic I think you can say that gasses are already in the game too as indicated by the particle effects given off by some machines

[ConveyorBusBuilder]

But I do agree with you joshuaptfan, that adding content to a game based on what is logical comes secondary to what is needed to best create the desired mood / effect / experience

[deltanedas]

mods

[BKing234]

I think it's a mistake to look at the liquids and solids already in the game and think, "what about gas?" Good game design is about adding things that enhance the gameplay, not adding them just because you can; that is, the idea for the gameplay concept should come first. Deciding what end items you want to add first then thinking of ways to fit them into the game after is the wrong way to approach things, and creates bloat.

There already is a 3rd state of matter in the game, and it's the plasma created by arc turrets when they fire. But it's not a resource you harvest, store, and use directly. The same would apply to gasses.

I don’t disagree, you have to have the concept and see how it enhances the game before you can come up with the details, not the other way around. I mostly added specific details to drive home the general idea of making gasses more involved in the game. They’re just examples I could come up with when I started thinking about the concept - really, if the idea is seriously considered, the details aren’t up to me, it’s up to the dev team. I thought that exploring the potential of gases would create an opportunity to enhance the game. This also isn’t just about checking off all the states of matter in the game, or merely stuffing more into the game because we can. I want to be clear; this is about an opportunity to enhance the game, if it is implemented well. This isn’t because I want to see a specific thing added to the game for no reason. I apologize if the title/specifics make that point misleading, I probably should’ve presented this differently to make the outcome clearer.

[Bohaska]

This makes me bring up the idea of pseudo air unit walls, a block that blasts air upwards and pushes aerial units away (though they can get past if they try harder) Requires electricity, and that's it.

[sudobeans]

I think that your ideas of gases like dust/steam are cool, but I think a new kind of pipe would only make things more confusing than they need to be. Factorio handles this by basically having gases and liquids be the same thing (i.e. flowing through the same kind of pipe), and if gases were added to Mindustry, I think it would make sense for them to work like that, too.

[Bohaska]

I think that your ideas of gases like dust/steam are cool, but I think a new kind of pipe would only make things more confusing than they need to be. Factorio handles this by basically having gases and liquids be the same thing (i.e. flowing through the same kind of pipe), and if gases were added to Mindustry, I think it would make sense for them to work like that, too.

Only make gases flow able in titanium and plated conduits

[SuperficialIntelligence]

I think gasses should just be a planet modifier that slightly changes the color of the atmosphere and affects certain buildings. It would change depending on what buildings you made. Maybe gasses should be extractable depending on the concentrations in the atmosphere, hydrogen and oxygen can be used for fuel or turned to water, nitrogen can be used to increase efficiency of certain buildings, chlorine to kill all organic life, the possibilities are endless.

[mockwriter7772]

I do agree that mods are a very obvious way to get this done