Suggestion: Smoke

1st Official Post

    One thing that has been bothering me since I started using nuclear power is the lack of something to vent from the reactor, as in an excuse to build smoke-stacks. That's why I purpose that nuclear reactors produce smoke when they turn uranium ingots into power. This smoke wouldn't just be cheesy little particles coming from the reactor though, but would instead be a "block" of smoke that generates directly above the reactor.


    Smoke would behave like a liquid (specifically water) but would instead flow up eventually disappearing into the sky. Also, whenever the smoke gathers in one particular block to the point of producing a source block (think water behavior) it would make a solid smoke block instead that would allow flowing smoke to build upon until it fills the room. And if that wasn't enough, if you let smoke fill up your reactor room (to the point of occupying 3 or more blocks adjacent or diagonal to the reactor) or if you let it touch any adjacent water blocks (as in you cover the top of the reactor with water and don't let the smoke vent) it would more than double the chance of a reactor meltdown. It would also be un-breathable.


    Now this idea is built on one big assumption though: that water can be recoded (with only a tolerable headache) to flow up instead of down. If this is not the case than the whole idea becomes unrealistic(coding wise) and can be disregarded.

    actually, the funnels at the top of nuclear power plants simply vent steam, not smoke
    a nuclear reactor doesn't convert radioactivity into electricity, it simply uses the heat from the reaction to turn water into steam, which in turn turns a dynamo which creates an electric current. If there is any excess steam, it is released through the "smoke stacks"

    Quote from Pikastorm

    actually, the funnels at the top of nuclear power plants simply vent steam, not smoke
    a nuclear reactor doesn't convert radioactivity into electricity, it simply uses the heat from the reaction to turn water into steam, which in turn turns a dynamo which creates an electric current. If there is any excess steam, it is released through the "smoke stacks"

    I like the idea of adding more industrial themed aesthetics to my IC world. Right now my power plant looks like your standard castle from the outside until
    you walk down into the power producing rooms. Smoke could be produced by normal generators and furnace/iron furnaces (which burn coal), and steam could
    be produced by nuclear reactors. Just make it white instead of black.

    Quote from Pikastorm

    actually, the funnels at the top of nuclear power plants simply vent steam, not smoke
    a nuclear reactor doesn't convert radioactivity into electricity, it simply uses the heat from the reaction to turn water into steam, which in turn turns a dynamo which creates an electric current. If there is any excess steam, it is released through the "smoke stacks"

    I understand that my description doesn't reflect how a normal nuclear reactor functions but I was also thinking of the possible application of this "smoke" block with other machines that in fact do produce smoke. It is possible that the "smoke" could instead be referred to as "fumes" or "exhaust" to be more generic.

    • Official Post

    Hmmm... i will note this down as an idea:


    Machines create "Entity"-smoke clouds, which will raise to the sky with a few sideward-patterns (f.e. moving to the next free block if above is blocked) and can cause "Smog"-Blocks to be created if it#s not cabale of drifting off (into layer 128+). SMog blocks would only be removeable with... a VACUUM CLEANER (Suck-O-Matic 8is0), be pasable, but with the ability of blocking sight and damaging players...


    Amusing idea :D

    Well since the nuclear reactors seem to function more Molten Salt Reactors they don't really need SMog. It seems that hey are actually using the radioactivity to generate the power. But if they are tweaked to be more like the nuclear steam system(current RL systems), then they could produce SMog as a by product. If it's possible there might be a 'Fog' system(ground lvl clouds?) allowing for the build up of SMog in a area, reflecting actual industry. This could lead to ventilation systesm for mines as when you use the tools they slowly generate SMog(carbon monoxide, as I'm assuming SMog is a general term for general air particulate pollution).

    Could the density of the smoke be defined by a damage value?
    Nvm, it can. Different densities of smoke would just be nicer than a suddenly appearing black blocky cloud.

    Quote

    Buildcraft – spilling items.™

    i support this idea 100%. it would be cool to have the aesthetics (and dangers) of industry :D perhaps radiation as well? it could spread out from the reactor(and perhaps uranium ore as well? that way players would have to construct lead armor or a hazmat suit or something), unless it is contained in an obsidian or reinforced metal container.

    Quote from dookie4455

    i support this idea 100%. it would be cool to have the aesthetics (and dangers) of industry :D perhaps radiation as well? it could spread out from the reactor(and perhaps uranium ore as well? that way players would have to construct lead armor or a hazmat suit or something), unless it is contained in an obsidian or reinforced metal container.

    I'm pretty sure radiation has already been rejected, read this:
    HELP: Suggestion Compendium

    As with radiation, if I am not mistaken is that the game would have to continuously call to a method to check the blocks for the "irradiated" flag which in turn eats up processor power and the game would have to give that single block and definite place inside the RAM instead of lumping everything together into what we know as chunks.


    Same case with radiation from Uranium ore.

    You guys remember the Omni-Mod? they did it successfully. I mean yeah it was never updated much but they did have uranium with radiation. lag free as well

    Quote from dookie4455

    You guys remember the Omni-Mod? they did it successfully. I mean yeah it was never updated much but they did have uranium with radiation. lag free as well

    Yes, but if I recall it was also fairly ugly.


    Quote from ultimate_omega

    As with radiation, if I am not mistaken is that the game would have to continuously call to a method to check the blocks for the "irradiated" flag which in turn eats up processor power and the game would have to give that single block and definite place inside the RAM instead of lumping everything together into what we know as chunks.


    Same case with radiation from Uranium ore.

    How do you figure that? If my method was introduced only a few select blocks would need to be updated at a time. If you would use this system for both smoke and radiation you would have a very small amount of blocks that require processing (as much as would be needed for water to calculate) because any space that is fully "irradiated" or "smoke filled" would just be a transparent gray(smoke) or invisible(radiation) solid block that would only need to be updated upon interaction (like collision or removal). This would also make radiation and smoke a building deterrent which would fit as well.

    What if you make Uranium Ore a damaging block, similar to cactus?
    Or have them damage you when you mine them unless you are wearing a hazmat suit? As far as I know (which isn't much) it would only have to check when you mine it.

    Back on topic:


    Perhaps putting windmills along the path of the smoke would allow for some extra energy? (I realize this probably seems redundant as that is theoretically how nuclear power works, though as of current, the nuclear power seems to be generated by the fission itself, rather than using it to heat water to steam)