#Custom sculpting using clay

1 messages · Page 1 of 1 (latest)

digital grotto
#

The inverse of hammering out a shape from a whole block: being able to sculpt freely using soft clay, then fire the finished object in a pit kiln.

gray terrace
#

How would you suggest the mechanics of this work?

#

I don't mind the idea but not sure how this could even be remotely implemented. I think the current chiseling works the best... fire a clay block and then chisel it?

digital grotto
#

Like making pots and such with clay does-- placing voxels onto a grid. It would just be more freeform.

rose sequoia
#

So like an early game chiseling mechanic? Seems like a nice little feature!

digital grotto
#

I mean, yeah. It would ultimately use fewer resources than just hammering out a whole block.

gray terrace
#

The current clay forming system has a layer system, how do you suggest moving through the layer system since there is no pattern to match in a freeform setting?

#

And the other issue I see is that anything you freeform sculpt will only be deocrative as the game won't know that it's a vessel of sorts.

#

I'm not opposed to the idea if there is a good way to build it and sort out how it would deal with the current limitations. I just don't think the current system would adequately be able to handle a freeform style.

#

while chiseling feels like it doesn't have some of the same limitations.

oak shoal
#

Being able to place individual voxels of specific colored clay in order to make custom patterns on the item. In addition, different colored clays, black and white, etc.

bronze creek
#

Just sounds like normal chiseling to me except that you want to be able to fire the finished chiseled result

#

If you do it like that it's fairly easy to implement

#

And it doesn't require any new in game interactions

#

It's just chiseling + pit kiln

gray terrace
fringe sail
#

Maybe it just doesn't use a pattern? Like a new option on the clayforming menu that's just a plus subtitled "New form"

gray terrace
#

The problem is that currently the system requires a pattern to compare it to.

fringe sail
#

Could just be that a new system is implemented. Would take some work I'm sure but I don't see why it wouldn't be possible

gray terrace
#

How the current system works:

  1. select a pattern
  2. fill in items on layer 1 to match pattern
  3. once pattern is the same move to layer 2
  4. repeat steps 2 & 3 until complete
  5. when final layer is filled place completed item on the ground
fringe sail
#

Not something I'm dying for, I'm just throwing ideas around

gray terrace
#

I am not against the idea myself. But the current mechanics won't work. lol. They have serious limitations. I think you could do the same thing with chiseling and maybe a block of "raw clay" that then could be fired after?

#

That would work without a pattern needed for function

#

Just not sure on the firing process.

#

Since most items aren't as big as the whole block (and this could be) then you run the issue of how do you fire that in a clay pit that requires packing material to fire it.

bronze creek
#

It could still be done with chiseling because chiseling does allow more free form building

#

But instead of chiseling by carving out you would chisel by building up

#

But that wouldn't require a lot of changes to the code

gray terrace
#

That's what I figured... but again the firing becomes my next question... How do you fire what could possibly be a full block?

#

I can see that a pit kiln COULD work but I think for a full block you'd probably want some other method for firing that big of an object.

#

And if it's using the chiseling method wouldn't it just be a placeable block instead?

fringe sail
#

My assumption was that for a larger block you'd just use more material

gray terrace
#

But the issue is that the item fills the "block space" and then adding the stuff for a pit kiln would be harder to do. I can see the one bottleneck as placing a block fills the hole and thus would affect the ability to fire the item.

fringe sail
#

If the form is a full block's worth then it might be that you have to make a deeper or wider pit kiln, and fill it with more grass, sticks, and fuel

#

I'd say imposing a maximum size could be worth the reduced creative freedom

gray terrace
#

But how would you determine that as all items would be seen as "blocks" rather than specific items.

fringe sail
#

It'd have to be a coding thing, I think, and bc of that I can't really say since I'm not educated on that

gray terrace
#

I am a programmer and that's why I'm struggling to see how to do it. lol. I think it's possible and a reasonable thing to do but just not sure how all those mechanics would work. You'd need to have a flag on the "item" but then when you place it, it would need to be some sort of item... and maybe as you suggest limit the size of the item so that it doesn't fit a full block max and that could potentially allow for it to be placed in a pit as an "item" rather than a block and as such you could then place the materials around it to allow it to be fired.

#

That could work but you'd never get an item to be a full block size or larger.

#

And the item still won't be anything more than decorative unfortunately.

#

since they are "freeform"

rose sequoia
#

I could see it where players get two additional options to the traditional claymaking menu: one for freeform clayblocks and one for freeform "items" (has to fit in a smaller "build area", can be picked up with right click)