Construction Hitboxes Proposal.

[deMangler]

Points relating to this have been raised in other threads. I start this thread for the presentation and discussion of a specific proposal.

The proposal is a change in the approach to the way hitboxes work for construction, that would solve a few issues and present new possiblilites for the enrichment of gameplay.
At the moment, as soon as a construction is started, and until it is built, by default there is a hitbox that prevents mobs and characters from entering the space where it would be built.
An alternative would be to have no construction hitbox until it is built.
This would require that you cannot build a construction if there is a mob or player within the construction zone.
The advantages I see for this different approach are as follows.

1. Players will no longer be able to build impenetrable barriers with a few twigs. Leading to a more realistic gameplay that is more in line with what appears to be the intention of the devs (kind of semi mythical nordic/slavic/shamanistic bronze age type scenario) where people did not fill the wilderness with signs simply to hunt or make pictures.
To trap a fox you would actually have to build a fence, for example.
2. Exploits like the teleporting past pallisades into villages by using an ocean of construction signs would be fixed.
3. More possibilities for gameplay enrichment, such as people would be able to halt construction by 'laying down in front of the bulldozers' (until they are killed or moved on by the authorities, or an agreement is reached).
4. It becomes more intuitive to have some constructions with no hitbox at all even when they are built - especially for the types of construction that do not neccesarrily obstruct, for example fires are a possiblity here - further down the line maybe people could take damage from standing in a fire - a possible military use for this anyone?
5. It just seems like a better foundation from which to take the game forward from alpha. I can see more potential issues as the game progresses unless this issue is addressed and more implicit benefits from changing the system sooner rather than later.
I have thought about this at some length, but I have said enough to get a dialogue going and to give my feedback to the devs, which I believe is the point of this forum.

Pros, cons, elaborations?
Let the discussion commence.

[sabinati]

there was some reason that loftar wanted to preserve hitboxes, something about making sure that there is room for the finished construction to be built

[deMangler]

there was some reason that loftar wanted to preserve hitboxes, something about making sure that there is room for the finished construction to be built

Yes, for this reason I am highlighting some implications of the current system as it as turned out in gameplay testing and suggesting an alternative approach along with some possibly advantageous implications.

[sabinati]

yeah. there are certainly some drawbacks to them having hitboxes. personally i'd like to see more of a "foundation" system instead of a sign, where the footprint of the building would display on the ground, and the footprints of buildings under construction couldn't overlap, but could be walked through. it couldn't be built if anything with a hitbox was in the footprint. the only problem is how to interact with it without a construction sign.

[deMangler]

yeah. there are certainly some drawbacks to them having hitboxes. personally i'd like to see more of a "foundation" system instead of a sign, where the footprint of the building would display on the ground, and the footprints of buildings under construction couldn't overlap, but could be walked through. it couldn't be built if anything with a hitbox was in the footprint. The only problem is how to interact with it without a construction sign.

True.
If it isn't broke don't fix it kinda thing.
There is nothing wrong with signs that I can think of quickly. Just seems like the construction hitbox idea has shown itself to be not ideal. Without a hitbox signs could be interacted with like plants (apart from trees) are now.
I am sure someone can think of better alternatives than me - I just usually think that simple is best - at least in the testing stages.