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Gravity Generator
Icon Block Gravity Generator

Category: Functional Block
Status: Functional

Function:
Provides gravity for players in space when their jetpacks are turned off.

Fits large ship and station
Mass: 8,532 kg
Power: -1.85 - -567.13 kW
Force: 0-4000 N
Range: 0-150 m

Data Controls: [edit] [purge] (?)

The Icon Block Gravity Generator Gravity Generator is an endgame block that can be added to large-grid ships and stations to provide artificial gravity, so that players can turn off their jetpacks in zero g and walk to conserve hydrogen fuel. Artificial Gravity is also more intuitive than walking with Magnetic Boots. More creative advanced constructions will enable you to push, pull, grapple, or accelerate floating items, or even whole ships!

Construction[]

Gravity Generators are 1x1x1 blocks in size and exist for large grid only. Place it in the center of the intended area of effect. The block attaches to other blocks on the bottom side only and has one terminal on the front side.

The block needs to be powered to function. The power consumed by a generator varies strongly depending upon the size and strength of its gravitational field that you configure. To save power, make the area of effect as small as possible.

Usage[]

Using the Control Panel Screen from the cockpit of the ship or station, or through the control panel on the gravity generator itself, you adjust the strength and direction of the gravity effect and the size of its area of effect. Details are described in this article.

Although termed a "Gravity Generator", the device has a number of properties that go against conventional terrestrial wisdom about gravity that the real-life physics-aware novice players would use. Gravity Generators affect only:

  • players that have their jetpack switched off,
  • floating items (mined ores, tools, dropped components, etc.), and
  • rovers and ships with mass blocks

Important Tip: This means, when using gravity generators to accelerate something, make sure to keep your jetpack turned on before you enter the affected area, or you are in for a very fast trip to the respawn screen.

Recipe[]

Icon Block Gravity Generator Gravity Generator
ComponentLarge Ship/Station
Required
Large Ship/Station
Optional
Icon Item Computer Computer40
Icon Item Motor Motor6
Icon Item Large Steel Tube Large Steel Tube4
Icon Item Construction Comp. Construction Comp.60
Icon Item Gravity Comp. Gravity Comp.6
Icon Item Steel Plate Steel Plate11040

How to set up direction and intensity?[]

Possible intensity values range from 0 G (no artificial gravity) up to 1 G, which is the same as Earth gravity at sea level. The generator can also be set to -1 G, pushing players and objects "up" instead, relative to the generator’s orientation.

The direction does not flip below the base of the block and (unintuitively) stays the same throughout the cuboid area of effect. Positive gravity is always applied towards the base of the generator (that’s "down" from the point of view of a walking player that is looking at a generator that’s sitting on the floor). Negative gravity is applied upwards.

Tip: If you want gravity to flip at a focal point and be centered on the generator, use a Spherical Gravity Generator instead.

How to set up the Area of Effect?[]

The Gravity Generator’s area of affect (AoE) is cuboid (see Spherical Gravity Generator for an alternative). To see the AoE highlighted on the HUD, enable the Show on HUD setting for the generator, and then enable Show gravity range on the Info Screen.

You can adjust the cuboid shape in three dimensions, that means that you can specifically target very flat or oblong areas as well.

The AoE is a squared cuboid measured in meters from the outside edges of the generator's collision box and can be set from 1 to 150m in width, height, and depth. A large ship/station block is 2.5m in all dimensions, so a gravity generator sitting in the middle of a 5x5 pad could be set to 5 meters to make the AoE match the pad exactly.

The width and depth are relative to which direction the control panel is facing; from the player's point of view standing in front of the control panel, width will be the left and right span of the AoE, and depth will be the front and back distance.

What happens in Overlapping Areas of Effect?[]

The effects from several Gravity Generators adds up, and negative gravity values are subtracted and can even cancel each other out. Additional planetary gravity weakens the artifical effect, that's why Gravity Generators are mostly used only in space. When multiple AoEs overlap, game elements are subject to multiple forces at the same time. This effect can be purposefully exploited to create gravity-powered transportation, machinery, and even weaponry.

It’s equally important to adjust the areas of effect to a minimum so they don’t accidentally overlap. For example when ships land on stations (or more generally, when a mobile grid with a gravity generator comes close to another grid with a gravity generator) and their AoEs inadvertently add up, players and objects will float or be pushed or pulled unexpectedly.

When the effects overlap, you obtain the vector that affects objects through vector addition (Online Calculator). The acceleration value can exceed 1.0 when they add up (or be lower than -1.0, respectively), and objects will be affected accordingly.

Creative uses of Artificial Gravity[]

The following ideas only work in space (zero g), their effect will be drastically reduced or even negated in the natural gravity of planets.

Non-Jetpack Travel[]

Use targeted placement of multiple sources of Artificial Gravity on a space station to make walking on foot and jumping more intuitive in any orientation desired. You can also use gravity fields to create transport tubes for players. Or you can let players walk on the inside of a “rotating” space station drum, like in Babylon 5 or in the movie “2001”. You don’t actually need to rotate the drum since in game, rotation is not what creates the centripetal force.

Wheeled Vehicles[]

Artificial gravity and Mass blocks are a must when using wheeled vehicles on asteroids due to obvious reasons. Gravity Generators also help conserve suit power by allowing travel on foot and jumping. For example vehicles, see the Sparks of the Future Scenario.

Acceleration Gate[]

Propelling ore, personnel, and ships from point A to point B in space by imparting acceleration far in excess of what engines can produce. Inertial dampeners on grids must be offline until destination. Floating ore may despawn over longer distances, check your Trash Cleanup settings on the Admin Screen.

Gravity Cannon / Gravgun[]

Gravguns are simplistic Player Built Weapons dating back to the days before specialized weapon blocks were available. Its practical value in the current state of the game is doubtful; however, proper designs do demonstrate considerable damage potential regardless of range to target.

To build a gravity cannon, you need: a battery of gravity generators, preferably tuned to affect a narrow column of space, and, mounted in that area of space via a Landing Gear, a slug of arbitrarily large size, with or without an explosive payload. The slug obviously has to be equipped with Small Reactors, Artificial Mass cubes, and Gyroscopes to prevent tumbling. Calculate the exact quantity of artificial masses and gravity generators using the equations "(quantity of gravity generators) * 9.8 m/s^2 * (artificial mass, kg) = (inert mass, kg) * (imparted acceleration, m/s^2)", "v(t)=a*t" (the definition of acceleration), and "s(t)=(a*t^2)/2" (simplified by presuming a uniform field; a good approximation is only counting the area where all the generators overlap) with the aim to achieve the maximum velocity possible in the game, in the range of 145 m/s.

An exemplar gravgun, which generates 36g over a 62.5 m track, projects a 5x5x14 small-block cylindrical slug of heavy armor with sufficient force to penetrate 10 light armor blocks or 4 heavy armour blocks. Without mods, such player-built railguns are limited by maximum speed, but can deal tremendous amounts or damage when mods allow higher speed limits.

A strong advantage of gravguns is that powered projectiles have a virtually unlimited range in zero g, compared to under 1km for regular weapons. This allows performing "sniper bombing" of very heavily defended ships that would leave no chance to smaller ships within range.

Gravity Drive[]

A peculiar characteristic of in-game physics is that gravity generators affect even Artificial Mass blocks mounted on the same ship. This is frequently exploited to create a reactionless drive/warp drive, with the potential of being more effective at accelerating large-grid ships than thrusters. You control your flight by changing the generator's Area of Effect. Gravity Drives work in space only.

Gravity funnel[]

The gravitational force produced by a Spherical Gravity Generator will affect any small rocks and ore produced while mining asteroids in zero g. Similarly, it affects floating components when salvaging. This can be utilized to funnel floating ores and components for easy collection. Typically, four generators are focused toward a central point, where a fifth generator will draw them toward the ship's Collector. This can be combined with angled armor to build a physical funnel.

Gravity grapple[]

The gravity grapple works along the same lines as the funnel, using six gravity fields in combination with Artificial Mass blocks. Small ships with artificial mass blocks can be held in position near a larger ship even while it's moving. The small ship's inertial dampeners must be turned on so that they help stabilize its position.

Launch tubes[]

A must-have among Battlestar Galactica fans is a reduced-power gravity cannon and an artificial mass cube in the nose of their replica Colonial Viper, which cause the craft to be violently propelled out of the carrier when combined (disable inertial dampeners for launch). "Necessary" amenities are a triangular-shaped launch tube and two blast doors; and install a Connector to control the launch process from inside the craft.

Practical applications utilize the capacity to quickly pick up distance from a carrier, either to avoid being blasted on take-off or to quickly enter the battlezone; see Acceleration Gate above.

You can also have a 3-4 gravity generators and have a connector and a storage container filled with items (drills or other tools, components, stone/ore). Put 1 item into the connector, have the connector eject the item, and then turn the gravity on. Aim before you fire.

Gravity shield[]

By setting up gravity generators around your ship so that they repel any gravity-affected objects that get close, one can make a gravity-based shield which will repel any incoming items and PBW projectiles that are equipped with artificial masses.


Blocks

Functional Blocks

Cockpits & Control
Icon Block Cockpit Cockpit, Icon Block Fighter Cockpit Fighter Cockpit, Icon Block Control Station Control Station, Icon Block Flight Seat Flight Seat, Icon Block Helm Helm, Icon Block Saddle Cockpit Saddle Cockpit, Icon Block Saddle Cockpit Compact Saddle Cockpit Compact, Icon Block Cab Cockpit Cab Cockpit, Icon Block Buggy Cockpit Buggy Cockpit, Icon Block Rover Cockpit Rover Cockpit, Icon Block Passenger Seat Passenger Seat, Icon Block Control Panel Control Panel, Icon Block Control Panel Pedestal Control Panel Pedestal, Icon Block Vertical Button Panel Vertical Button Panel, Icon Block Sci-Fi One-Button Terminal Sci-Fi One-Button Terminal, Icon Block Sci-Fi Four-Button Panel Sci-Fi Four-Button Panel, Icon Block Sci-Fi Control Panel Sci-Fi Control Panel, (Icon Block Inset Button Panel Inset) Icon Block Button Panel Button Panel, Icon Block Button Panel Pedestal Button Panel Pedestal, Icon Block Remote Control Remote Control, Icon Block Custom Turret Controller Custom Turret Controller

Automation
Icon Block Sensor Sensor, Icon Block Timer Block Timer Block, Icon Block Programmable Block Programmable Block, Icon Block Event Controller Event Controller, Icon Block Emotion Controller Emotion Controller, Icon Block AI Basic AI Basic, Icon Block AI Flight AI Flight, Icon Block AI Defensive AI Defensive, Icon Block AI Offensive AI Offensive, Icon Block AI Recorder AI Recorder

Communication
Icon Block Antenna Antenna, Icon Block Beacon Beacon, Icon Block Round Beacon Round Beacon, (Icon Block Top Mounted Camera Top Mounted) Icon Block Camera Camera, Icon Block Laser Antenna Laser Antenna, Icon Block LCD Panel LCD Panel, Icon Block Corner LCD Corner LCD, Icon Block Text Panel Text Panel, Icon Block Wide LCD Panel Wide LCD Panel, Icon Block Transparent LCD Transparent LCD, Icon Block Sci-Fi LCD Panel Sci-Fi LCD Panel, Icon Block Holo LCD Holo LCD, Icon Block Inset LCD Panel Inset LCD Panel, Icon Block Sloped LCD Panel Sloped LCD Panel, Icon Block Curved LCD Panel Curved LCD Panel, Icon Block Ore Detector Ore Detector, Icon Block Sound Block Sound Block

Defense & Offense
Icon Block Decoy Decoy, Icon Block Gatling Gun Gatling Gun, Icon Block Gatling Turret Gatling Turret, Icon Block Interior Turret Interior Turret, Icon Block Rocket Turret Rocket Turret, Icon Block Reloadable Rocket Launcher Reloadable Rocket Launcher, Icon Block Rocket Launcher Rocket Launcher, Icon Block Artillery Artillery, Icon Block Autocannon Autocannon, Icon Block Artillery Turret Artillery Turret, Icon Block Autocannon Turret Autocannon Turret, Icon Block Railgun Railgun, Icon Block Assault Cannon Assault Cannon, Icon Block Assault Cannon Turret Assault Cannon Turret, Icon Block Target Dummy Target Dummy, Icon Block Warhead Warhead, Icon Block Explosive Barrel Explosive Barrel

Power
Icon Block Battery Battery, Icon Block Small Battery Small Battery, Icon Block Large Reactor Large Reactor, Icon Block Small Reactor Small Reactor, Icon Block Solar Panel Solar Panel, Icon Block Colorable Solar Panel Colorable Solar Panel, Icon Block Hydrogen Engine Hydrogen Engine, Icon Block Wind Turbine Wind Turbine, Icon Block Twin-Blade Wind Turbine Twin-Blade Wind Turbine

Life Support
Icon Block Medical Room Medical Room, Icon Block Corner Medical Room Corner Medical Room, Icon Block Survival Kit Survival Kit, Icon Block Cryo Chamber Cryo Chamber, Icon Block Inset Cryo Room Inset Cryo Room, Icon Block Oxygen Farm Oxygen Farm, Icon Block Interior Light Interior Light, Icon Block Offset Light Offset Light, Icon Block Spotlight Spotlight, Icon Block Offset Spotlight Offset Spotlight, Icon Block Inset Light Inset Light, Icon Block Air Vent Air Vent (Icon Block Air Vent Full Full), Icon Block Air Vent Fan Air Vent Fan (Icon Block Air Vent Fan Full Full)

Mobility
Icon Block Gyroscope Gyroscope, Icon Block Atmospheric Thruster Atmospheric Thruster, Icon Block Ion Thruster Ion Thruster, Icon Block Hydrogen Thruster Hydrogen Thruster, Icon Block Parachute Hatch Parachute Hatch, Icon Block Short Wheel Suspension 1x1 (Short) Icon Block Wheel Suspension 1x1 Wheel Suspension 1x1, Icon Block Short Wheel Suspension 2x2 (Short) Icon Block Wheel Suspension 2x2 Wheel Suspension 2x2, Icon Block Short Wheel Suspension 3x3 (Short) Icon Block Wheel Suspension 3x3 Wheel Suspension 3x3, Icon Block Short Wheel Suspension 5x5 (Short) Icon Block Wheel Suspension 5x5 Wheel Suspension 5x5, Icon Block Offroad Wheels Offroad Wheels

Mining & Manufacturing
Icon Block Basic Refinery Basic Refinery, Icon Block Refinery Refinery, Icon Block Basic Assembler Basic Assembler, Icon Block Assembler Assembler, Icon Block Drill Drill, Icon Block Grinder Block Grinder Block, Icon Block Welder Block Welder Block, Icon Block Projector Projector, Icon Block O2 H2 Generator O2/H2 Generator, Icon Block Oxygen Farm Oxygen Farm, Icon Block Yield Module Yield Module, Icon Block Power Efficiency Module Power Efficiency Module, Icon Block Speed Module Speed Module

Storage
Icon Block Large Cargo Container Large Cargo Container, Icon Block Medium Cargo Container Medium Cargo Container, Icon Block Small Cargo Container Small Cargo Container, Icon Block Oxygen Tank Oxygen Tank, Icon Block Hydrogen Tank Hydrogen Tank, Icon Block Store Store, Icon Block Contracts Block Contracts Block

Inventory Management
Icon Block Connector Connector, Icon Block Small Connector Small Connector/Ejector, Icon Block Collector Collector, Icon Block Conveyor Junction Conveyor Junction, Icon Block Conveyor Tube Conveyor Tube Icon Block Reinforced Conveyor Tube (Reinforced), Icon Block Curved Conveyor Tube Curved Conveyor Tube Icon Block Reinforced Curved Conveyor Tube (Reinforced), Icon Block Conveyor Tube T Junction Conveyor Tube T Junction Icon Block Reinforced Conveyor Tube T Junction (Reinforced), Icon Block Conveyor Sorter Conveyor Sorter; Icon Block Small Conveyor Small Conveyor, Icon Block Small Conveyor Tube Small Conveyor Tube Icon Block Small Reinforced Conveyor Tube (Reinforced), Icon Block Small Curved Conveyor Tube Small Curved Conveyor Tube Icon Block Small Reinforced Curved Conveyor Tube (Reinforced), Icon Block Small Conveyor Tube T Junction Small Conveyor Tube T Junction Icon Block Small Reinforced Conveyor Tube T Junction (Reinforced), Icon Block Conveyor Sorter Small Conveyor Sorter; Icon Block Conveyor Frame Conveyor Frame, Icon Block Conveyor Converter Conveyor Converter

Mechanical Blocks & Gravity Control
Icon Block Advanced Rotor Advanced Rotor, Icon Block Rotor Rotor, Icon Block Piston Piston, Icon Block Hinge Hinge, Icon Block Landing Gear Landing Gear, Icon Block Magnetic Plate Magnetic Plate, Icon Block Merge Block Merge Block, Icon Block Artificial Mass Artificial Mass, Icon Block Gravity Generator Gravity Generator, Icon Block Spherical Gravity Generator Spherical Gravity Generator, Icon Block Safe Zone Safe Zone


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