I have an idea for a new type of machine I call the Deconstructor; it allows for the recycling of unwanted items to get back some of what they were crafted with, and can also break down natural blocks into special items. Below is a more detailed explanation on how it would work:
Deconstructing crafted items and blocks
All items and blocks that can be crafted can be put into the Deconstructor for a chance at getting back some of the items they were crafted with. Like with other crafting, one can deconstruct one item at a time, a bulk ammount of the item, or a mass ammount; deconstructing more of the item at once gives a higher chance that more of the items they were made with will be obtained. Power coils also increase the chances of getting back more ingredients.
Deconstructing natural blocks for special items
Natural items like leaves and meat cannot be deconstructed, but natural blocks can. Here are examples of the types of items that natural blocks can yeild:
Mold/Growth/Sponge: Mold, growth and sponge blocks can be deconstructed for a chance to obtain fungus type items like edible/reactive/glowing lamella, and the various types of orbs.
Tangle/Thorns/Foliage: Tangle, thorn and foliage blocks can be deconstructed for a chance to obtain inky/fleshy/fibrous leaves and beans.
Wood: Natural wood blocks can be deconstructed for a chance to obtain sap or bark.
Stone: Natural stone blocks can be deconstructed for a chance to obtain flint/opal/rocksalt and fragments.
Soil: Soil blocks can be deconstructed for a chance to obtain any of the earthyam types (normal/waxy/exotic).
Sand/Gravel: Last but not least, sand and gravel blocks can be deconstructed for a chance to obtain precious elements such as gold ore and diamonds.
A couple questions, what happens when you throw a forged item in it? How does durability of tools affect it? And why would you ever want to deconstruct a tool after it has been crafted?
Oh and soil drops the fragments, right? Ash, gravel etc I think.
The game that shall not be named had a mod like this idea it only worked for full durability items. It would give you the mats back used to make the base item. So if you went that rout you would not get any forge materials back.
I would say forged items would only give their base ingredients, not forge ingredients used on them, of course. As far as durability of gear, less durability would lower the chances of getting items back from it.
Why deconstruct gear? Let’s say a newer player is trying to sell copper or iron gear. A more experienced player could buy them all up, deconstruct them and use the ingots for making alloys or crafting other different things.
Also, another idea I had is that there might be an extra leftover item from deconstructing gear that could be used in crafting centraforge ingredients; I like to call them “Alchemic Ashes”.
The drops from natural blocks were just ideas, the devs could make them give whatever items they want, if they ran with this idea.
A quite amazing idea, and I love how it actually has a chance to destroy the base ingredients, thus not giving it back 100%, but this might also prove inefficient. Think about this scenario:
Player has crafted a bunch of Iron Hammers for future use.
Player needs iron to put it to better use and decides to deconstruct half of those hammers.
Instead of getting 100% of his iron back, he might get 60%-70%. And deconstructing would take quite a while. Why not spend the amount of time it takes to deconstruct all those hammers on actually mining more iron? The player can end up with both the hammers and more iron.
I think if this idea is analyzed properly, it can be a pretty awesome addition to the game!
So can go out to a forest, whack down some trees for their sap and bark. Then bring them back to our bases and throw the wood back in the deconstructor for a chance to get sap and bark again? Possibly doubling our haul? Hmmm… Those shops that sell strictly trunks and rocks would definitely get an uptick in business. Interesting idea.
I think you’re on to something here, I like the crafted items/blocks part of the new machine proposal. Being able to separate metals would be cool and a chance to get back some base materials makes sense. Kind of like a recycler style thing.
To play devil’s advocate a little on the 2nd part for natural blocks, though:
I’m not sure the Dev’s are going to go for a system where you mine/harvest a resource, whether for it’s own value or for a chance to get a drop, e.g. sap, starberries, bark, orbs, etc. and then also are able to convert that resource into another item which can obtained by existing methods. Kind of a double-dip.
Perhaps just a little re imagining:
Maybe a Fusion Power device that turns junk into a new type of fuel?
Maybe a Composter for the upcoming farming system?
I don’t know what to do with the stone/gravel/sand, though.