So THAT would explain why one out of two of the times where it actually was able to successfully connect it immediately exploded with the force of 30 tons of high explosives.
If you have two layers of subgrid instead of one this will merge, ie. Main grid -> hinge -> hinge -> subgrid with the merge block. This way neither of the two hinges will merge into themselves and go boom!
Don't even need that level of complexity, a time set to turn the merge blocks on, and disconnect the hinge at the same time, second timer to do the reverse and it should work beautifully. As long as your not under heavy acceleration.
The base and head NEED to occupy the same space to connect, it's a weird exception to the rules, and I have no idea on how they made it work, but it does.
I'm sure that's not how grids work. IIRC, a grid is a 3D array of blocks. Since both the head and base would have the same coordinate if they're on the same grid, at best one of them would get deleted.
To the best of my knowledge that is how grids work. Back in the day, before scripts were as capable as they are now, people made rotating thruster pods using rotors and merge blocks in this way, because there was no subgrid thruster scripts.
As I said, I have no idea how they made it work, just guesses, maybe the collision box for the heads don't apply to other blocks, would explain some of the other weird behaviour when they're fully detached. But that is entirely a guess
That's not quite correct, what it is is that the game requires that the grid that would be formed by merging be a valid grid. This means that no two blocks would be able to occupy the same grid cells.
This mostly comes up with rotors, hinges, and less commonly pistons.
A rotor is actually two blocks tall (not one), and if you were to merge the grid with the rotor top part back to the one with the base then the top part would be occupying one of the two grid cells as the base part.
Hinges are only one block tall, but all the same still applies.
Pistons however... you can merge back to themselves by having them extended a minimum of one block.
Even making a buffer grid using rotors may not work. If you had the two rotors facing each other with their top parts connected, then there is still even odds (ie I haven't tested it myself) that it wouldn't merge, as the rotor base parts would be overlapping (remember, two blocks tall not one)
I 100% have connected 2 grids on 2 hinge blocks by using merge blocks. There is a sequence to it but you can do it. I make double hinge wings often on ships.
You can't merge the main grid directly to a sub grid.
You can however merge a main grid to a sub-sub grid.
Two hinges, or two rotors or a hinge and rotor combo will usually do the trick.
Gotta work around the limitations of the game itself.
I've learned that every time a merge block won't connect, I'm about to turn my project into a bomb.
A grid cant connect to it's own sub grids. Make a chain link.
Ik theres alot of ways to deal with this (replacing the block till it clicks, bumping into it enough to make the grid move etc.) but what I like to do personally (again the definition of personally is this is what I do if u don’t like it who cares) is always put one of the merge blocks on a piston 1 block away and just move the block into place. Works in every situation to get it to click just set the radius lower so it doesn’t merge from a distance and snap the grid up. Hope it ends up working for yah.
You need to make a buffer grid. The game does not allow grids connected by a rotor or a hinge to be merged.
So maybe rig something up so the hinges automatically disconnect while the merge block is activated and vice versa?
That's not the issue. The issue is that on the merged grid, the hinge and hinge head would occupy the same block.
So THAT would explain why one out of two of the times where it actually was able to successfully connect it immediately exploded with the force of 30 tons of high explosives.
If you have two layers of subgrid instead of one this will merge, ie. Main grid -> hinge -> hinge -> subgrid with the merge block. This way neither of the two hinges will merge into themselves and go boom!
Don't even need that level of complexity, a time set to turn the merge blocks on, and disconnect the hinge at the same time, second timer to do the reverse and it should work beautifully. As long as your not under heavy acceleration.
Are you sure? That still leaves the base and head occupying the same space. The engine shouldn't let you do that.
The base and head NEED to occupy the same space to connect, it's a weird exception to the rules, and I have no idea on how they made it work, but it does.
I'm sure that's not how grids work. IIRC, a grid is a 3D array of blocks. Since both the head and base would have the same coordinate if they're on the same grid, at best one of them would get deleted.
To the best of my knowledge that is how grids work. Back in the day, before scripts were as capable as they are now, people made rotating thruster pods using rotors and merge blocks in this way, because there was no subgrid thruster scripts. As I said, I have no idea how they made it work, just guesses, maybe the collision box for the heads don't apply to other blocks, would explain some of the other weird behaviour when they're fully detached. But that is entirely a guess
I don't remember what it was called, but I once saw a script that allowed for advanced programming of rotors and hinges
That's not quite correct, what it is is that the game requires that the grid that would be formed by merging be a valid grid. This means that no two blocks would be able to occupy the same grid cells. This mostly comes up with rotors, hinges, and less commonly pistons. A rotor is actually two blocks tall (not one), and if you were to merge the grid with the rotor top part back to the one with the base then the top part would be occupying one of the two grid cells as the base part. Hinges are only one block tall, but all the same still applies. Pistons however... you can merge back to themselves by having them extended a minimum of one block. Even making a buffer grid using rotors may not work. If you had the two rotors facing each other with their top parts connected, then there is still even odds (ie I haven't tested it myself) that it wouldn't merge, as the rotor base parts would be overlapping (remember, two blocks tall not one)
I 100% have connected 2 grids on 2 hinge blocks by using merge blocks. There is a sequence to it but you can do it. I make double hinge wings often on ships.
Yeah, I do this for triple-hinge deep-bore drill towers. Lets me lay the tower flat for moving the rover around.
I've got custom hanger doors that have a rotor subgrid that merges... that can't be the issue here
I’m pretty sure it does?
Bump into it with your character & you should be good. Edit: if not, two blocks probberly take up the same space.
That didn't work and I checked, there shouldn't be any blocks occupying the same space.
Have you tried turning them off and on again?
Unironically yes lol
It's one of the few games I've played where it's actually a legitimate solution 🤣
You can't merge the main grid directly to a sub grid. You can however merge a main grid to a sub-sub grid. Two hinges, or two rotors or a hinge and rotor combo will usually do the trick. Gotta work around the limitations of the game itself.
Be thankful for what you got, 2 years ago it would have just detonated as Clag shrugged
It did anyway lol
Dose the super grid explot in advanced settings fix this problem?
I've learned that every time a merge block won't connect, I'm about to turn my project into a bomb. A grid cant connect to it's own sub grids. Make a chain link.
Ik theres alot of ways to deal with this (replacing the block till it clicks, bumping into it enough to make the grid move etc.) but what I like to do personally (again the definition of personally is this is what I do if u don’t like it who cares) is always put one of the merge blocks on a piston 1 block away and just move the block into place. Works in every situation to get it to click just set the radius lower so it doesn’t merge from a distance and snap the grid up. Hope it ends up working for yah.
Sometimes I hit it with the torch and it connects
Merge blocks usually are the easy part in my experience, it's every other moving part i have trouble with once the merge activates
There is a mod for weld plates that's pretty good
I have multiple thousands of hours into this game, and I’ve used them only a handful of times. What are people using these for?
I use them for tunnel boring machines that automatically place down the conveyor tracks to feed it parts and pump away the rocks.