Chutes - Now with Conveyors

Now with Vertical Chutes, Funnels, and Screw Conveyors!

With the release of the survival overhaul fast approaching, and bringing with it major changes to early-game resource collection and progression, there will soon be a new challenge for the start of a survival game: How to transport large quantities of mined, loose stone from its source to a processing location, without access to powered conveyor tech?

Engineers, I present a solution - Chutes.

The discovery of chute technology gives us the ability to move nearly unlimited quantities of loose ore long distances, using only the power of Gravity(tm)!*

*For best results, 1-gee standard gravity recommended. Warranty void if used in zero-gravity environments.

Gone are the days of large, cumbersome networks of conveyors, or endless back-and-forth trips from the mine to the refinery. With chutes, you can get on with mining, while the hill you set up on takes care of the legwork. You did set up on a hill, didn't you...?

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This mod is exactly what it looks like- a number of chute sections in various shapes and sizes, meant to be used as a cheap early-game way of moving stone and other ores before you can unlock conveyors or afford to use large numbers of them.

NEW

Now includes Screw Conveyors, which allow rocks to be moved along flat ground, and even up inclines! To use these, start with a Screw Conveyor Motor, and add chute sections and auger sections until you reach your desired length. The Motor is a rotor, and therefore allows fine control of direction, speed and torque. It will initially spawn a single length of auger, but additional sections can be placed directly on the end, inside either standard straight chutes, or the two dedicated Screw Conveyor sections. Use of these sections is not required for the conveyor to operate, but they allow easier loading, in the case of the Hopper, and prevent rocks from bouncing out of the chute, in the case of the Covered section

Currently includes:

- 1x1 and 5x1 straight sections - 1x1 straight section, on a 45-degree angle - 6x1 inclined section - 2-way Y-splitter - Cross and T-junctions - Normal and inverted straight-to-45-degree corners - "Loading ramp" for funnelling rocks off the ground into chutes

- 1x3 and 5x3 straight sections - 1x3 straight section, on a 45-degree angle - 6x3 inclined section - Wide 2-way Y-splitter - 3x3 Cross and T-junctions - Wide normal and inverted corners - Wide loading ramp

- 1x1 Vertical tube chute - 1x1 Vertical Funnel - Half-height Funnel

- Screw Conveyor motor - Screw Conveyor loading hopper - Covered Screw Conveyor trough

- Plus, a seat with a rollcage sphere around it, in case you want to make yourself sick by rolling down your chutes

Tips:

- IMPORTANT! Make sure your "Max Objects" limit is set as high as possible, ideally at max! Your stone may not make it all the way down otherwise! - Likewise, ensure any floating object cleanup is disabled

- Chutes require a minimum downward slope of at least 10 degrees for proper function, and rocks will flow faster and more reliably the steeper the slope - Match your chute width to the expected throughput volume. Rocks have a tendency to get stuck easily with narrow chutes and high volumes - If rocks are getting stuck, increase the slope of the chute, or use wider chutes - Chute segments can be placed upside-down on top of others to create tunnels, which is helpful for preventing rocks from coming over the sides on corners

- Screw Conveyors will become more difficult to feed rocks into the steeper their incline is. 45 degrees is about optimal - Screw Conveyor augers will fit inside standard straight chutes, but the chute must be placed first, and the auger second - Use the Covered sections with high volumes/steep inclines to prevent rocks being pushed out over the sides

Planned Features

- Roll-cage cargo container - Screw conveyor sections Done! - Triple-width versions of standard chute sections Done!

Update 4:

- Added inverted versions of the normal and wide loading scoops (These versions slope downward when placed level) - Added rollcage cargo container

Update 3:

- Added vertical tube sections and funnels - Added screw conveyors!

Update 2:

- Added triple-width versions of most chute sections

Update 1:

- Tweaked rollcage seat collision mesh. Seat should roll better and get stuck less with narrow chutes and/or shallow angles.

Hitboxes should be accurate to the models, and any bumps/inconsistencies have been smoothed as best I can. If you come across any I've missed, leave a comment and I'll see what I can do. As always, feedback is welcome.