Flying machines used to fly beyond island boundaries and so could be used for griefing neighbouring islands. They , like water flow etc, can no longer leave island boundaries so cannot be used for this anymore. Hence I'm suggesting that we be permitted to build flying machines as many helpful and cool contraptions fall into the category of flying machines.
But you haven't been online for a while have you? They are only of any good use if they are bound by immovable blocks and follow a fixed path such as with elevators. The rule could state such restrictions.
How do you test this? I found pistons can still push blocks outside of my (fully expanded) island limits, and sticky pistons can still retrieve those blocks.
It is very easy to accidentally grief another person's island with a rogue flying machine. Even with flying machines banned, I've seen new players who didn't know about this rule building them and losing control. The rule is indiscriminate and hence easy to enforce.
As much as I'd love to have them allowed its a definitely no from staff. I had permission early this year and last year to run a couple flying machines, but was told by staff at a later point to remove them bcos a player reported me using a flying machine setup for amethysts. The reason was its unfair if one player can use them and others can't. It would be great if we could, but they cause a lot of lag apparently and then it would require staff to check on them regularly to ensure no grieving is done. Too much work for staff to make this viable.
What's a little bit more lag. We average about 10TPS, no one will notice if that drops to 9.7. If we want to talk about unfair, look no further than the TPS. No work at all for the staff if they just ignore it like other practices, they "don't condone"
As much as I support this, I fear staff won't. I had permission from a staff to use my old carpet sweeper flying machine which didn't lag much at all, however certain players didn't like that fact and reported against me using them. Staff explain the new reason why I had to remove them and I've done so. Unfortunately there's just too many variables that could go out of control. Machines escaping the island, or lag machines being made by flying machines on a continuous loop. However saying all this I do see the benefits, redstone crop farms that could be made more efficient, awesome ways to move around your island, automatic amethyst shard harvesting(I miss my budding block flying machines they worked so well.) Etc. Ways these could be implemented: Code them so that pistons and slimeblocks cant be pushed outside our island borders (currently they still can) Restrict flying machines by the distances they can go, eg a redstone limit that detects them moving past say, 32 blocks, and then they stop by default like how pistons are limited to stop working overtime. Regular staff island checks, though this means more work for a staff team that's already over worked. Allow a limit, eg only two flying machine designed farms/builds per island at the most to reduce the amount being operated per person. These are some of my suggestions and ideas.
And you say I’m living under a rock Drogo? No support, they may create excessive lag and can, in fact, leave islands.
You’re a bit late to the conversation Cal. It’s evolved a fair bit since then. Maybe you want to try evolving.
LOL, Yes, sure, it's just like that. ......... As for the use of flying machines, one would be to use them as a more versatile replacement for water flush systems in farming. While they might cause some lag, so to do water flush systems. I would hope that there is a long term plan to address the lag issues on the server so that we don’t have to further restrict how we play.
