Prototype castle builds

I haven't seen a thread for this yet so I'm starting this one for people to post their builds that they have so far. I started with a basic box and got the hang of the wood pieces. (Sorry for the lighting)



Then I added a second layer. Sadly I was not able to complete it due to the wood not placing properly on the second floor. I'm not quite sure what is causing it but you can see the two columns sticking out without anything on top. I couldn't even place them where I wanted. It seems only certain spots on the wood platforms accept columns on top of them. When I have more time I plan to approach it more methodically to determine the pattern and possibly identify anything that seems like a bug. I dressed up the rest I could to finish it off.


Lessons learned:
1. Do not click a filled barrel with left click with a bricktron selected. The results will lead to tears. Luckily the quarry was far from my construction.
2. Wood platforms can only be placed length-wise connected to horizontal logs and they must be fully secured first. There are some cases where it would not let me attach to a floating log. I hope to put together a full tutorial on my findings if I have time next week if no one beats me to it.
3. 2x1 blocks can be broken and picked right up from where they were placed. 1x1 blocks will be broken but rather than returning a block produce a bunch of little rocks which I assume can be collected by a miner for reprocessing (see the right side of the image above).
4. The catapult has an option for launching a bricktron! Sadly this feature does not appear to be active in the prototype so no linking islands quite yet.
5. Mines and lumber yards can be dynamically modified to dig deeper or take trees from a larger area using the second tab on the tasks menu (top left) when the group is selected. It does not appear to properly extend the mines stairs however.
6. Blocks on the second floor of the castle can only be placed on other blocks and the wooden beams (wooden planks are forbidden) so plan accordingly!

Share your designs and tips if you have them!

I managed to make a bridge connecting two island, but it took a very long time, much tinkering, and the loss of one bricktron to a bad choice of brick removal. It is possible though.

Here you go guys. A polished and easily built bridge and an example of two floors of a castle(Wooden pillars in the corners)

ERMERGHERD CERSTERLS.. Why didn't I back them up!? curses.

I still didn't build one. I've been wondering about how to use the camera first, so I can build the castle, plus...school. no school tomorrow for me tho!

I can never get the wood and platforms to work properly

Yeah, i still have to figure that out! Someone with a video demo?

But nice buildings. @

Lycanwarlord

nice looking details on your castle!

I have so much to do tonight when I get home from work but I need to make a castle, I will need to get the caslte all laid out in phantom blocks and go away while they build it I don't want to go away this weekend anymore wont be able to play till Tuesday next week after tonight.

you should make a video of how to use the wooden planks and logs, and how to make a bridge, lol please

I can make a video quite easily but its having time to edit it etc I only have tonight to do it and I am going on holiday Friday till Monday night next week so.... I will see how quickly I can get through my packing check list

cant see the pics

Yeah the planks take a bit of practice. I don't have access to recording tools on this computer but I might be able to put together a few screenshots of using planks later. No promises, it's going to be a busy day outside of the game.

You can always check out the old dev blog on wooden blocks http://www.sauropodstudio.com/dev-diary-number-six-walk-cycles-and-wood-blocks/

that was very helpful ty sir

Its great reading this thread.
Seeing members build there structures, shame I dont havo Prototype acces.

I look forward to seeing some Super Structures.

Dear lord! Is that how you're supposed to use the planks? I take it that you're doing... And it causes a shift in the way the plank is rendered?

Code:

[L] = Horizontal Log, [P] = Plank
[L][L][L][L]
[P][P][P][P]
[P][P][P][P]
[L][L][L][L]

So I did another build using what I learned from the first and managed a little bit more in a lot less time. Here's an early step in the build.


Following some plank laying about half way through the second floor.


Finally complete for show with proper lighting and adornment.


Lessons learned:
1. I've discovered a few bugs with wood beam/plank placement that I've narrowed down enough that I'll be posting bug reports on them shortly if others have not already done so.
2. Due to AI path-finding I discovered unfortunately that builders will get stuck if the stockpiles are too far from the build location. This delayed my construction as I relocated my set of stockpiles closer to the build site.
3. Beams and columns count as completely valid foundations for all blocks while planks don't, though there appears to be a bug which sometimes allows blocks placed on them. This allows stairs to higher levels to be built on them rather than requiring a stone foundation which allows more open spacing. This still requires careful planning if it is desired that the floor is covered with as much planking as possible.
4. At about equal distance, long trips, miners and builders are needed about 1:1 as the mining time doesn't take much longer than the time for the builders to climb and place their blocks. This assumes a collection of barrels is provided on route so that crystals don't clog up the miners' bags. In the process of building this castle the miners filled about 8 barrels.
5. This may be known by others but I just discovered it this time: to create an additional build group press the plus sign in the top left menu when the build group is selected. It is next to the button used to delete the group. I had overlooked it before as the mining and lumber always made extra groups for each task.

I hope to build even bigger for the next time. The save/load situation keeps me from going bigger right now until I can leave my computer running through sittings when my life settles down next week.

Your second build looks great. It's also a great example of how the joists/planks work. Giving me ideas on some larger castles I could build. As for what you said about the stockpiles, the pathing bugs out even when they're all close. The problem with the wooden joists etc seems to be that they get assigned a block to place that they can't yet place. This causes bricktrons to block each other. The easiest solution seems to be to run two build groups as you said. I'm gonna experiment with a larger build. Be back in a few hours with some screenshots