Hi Everyone,
We are back with an informative piece on how data works in our game. Here’s an excerpt from the in-game manual and some screenshots to show how data flows in the game:
Overview
All data values (in and out) use 16 bit values between 0 and 65,535. These 16 bit values are used to control every part and module of your ship.
For example:
When you set a controller such as a slider to its minimum the output will be 0.
When you set a controller to its maximum the output will be 65,535.
When your thruster receives a value of 0, its thrust output will be off.
When your thruster receives a value of 65,535 its thrust output will be maximum.
Cables
All data cables in the game are green and white striped.
A Small Data Cable carries a single 16 bit channel that can be updated up to 50 times per second. These cables are used to pass data between modules within a room.
The Large Data Cables can carry up to the equivalent of 32 small data cables. These are used to transport data between rooms.
Multiplexing
Data Merger modules are used to merge several Small Data Cables into one Large Data Cable.
Data Splitter modules are used to split the data channels from one Large Data Cable back into separate Small Data Cables.
When merging and splitting, the first 14 channels (0-13) are reserved for flight controls from the cockpit, however you can make use of these channels for other purposes if you wish.
Central Hub
When data passes into the Central Hub, the signal from each channel will be combined using a "binary OR" operation.
For example:
If on channel 0 you are sending a binary signal of:
0000000011111111
and from another source on the same channel 0:
1111111100000000
Then the hub will combine them both to:
1111111111111111
The combined signals for each of the 32 channels are then sent back out to all the rooms plugged into the data outputs of the central hub.
Binary Merging
Some modules, such as the Logic modules consider all data input to be either True or False.
The 16bit value of 0 is considered to be False.
Any value greater than 0 is considered to be True.
Binary Splitter modules can split the 16 bit value from 1 Small Data Cable into 16 separate True or False values.
Binary Mergers modules can merge 16 different true or false values into 1 small data cable.
NOTE: Each Binary Merger and Splitter module can only merge 8 bits at a time. There is a shift toggle switch on the module to select the first 8 bits or the last 8 bits of the 16 bit value.
To set all 16 bits on a single channel you can use two Binary Mergers (one shifted and one not shifted) and combine the output of both using a Binary OR module.
Closing Comments
That teaser of text and screenshots shows not only the fine control you can have over your Asteroid Hauler but the intricacy of the simulation we have created.
Don’t fancy configuring everything yourself? Then good news! In Career Mode your hauler will be pre-configured so you can fetch those rocks right out of the gate!
We will be posting further updates shortly so stay tuned.