Watermill opinions

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by Fiero Steele, Feb 10, 2018.

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  1. Cora Cuz'avich

    Cora Cuz'avich Avatar

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    You guys are all assuming these are powered by water. They are in reality powered by under ground steam engines, as part of a kobold plan to push the ocean back out during high tide.
     
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  2. Mischievous Dragon

    Mischievous Dragon Riparian Reaper

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    I don't like the Watermill of SotA as Mills in Ultima 7 are more realistic and more immersive.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Feb 12, 2018
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  3. kaeshiva

    kaeshiva Avatar

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    I think this house, like the windmill house and the windmill deco item, you have to kinda take with a certain grain of salt.
    I know the wheely-bit doesn't align to a river, but no matter what they did, this would be the case.
    Even if the wheel was on the back of the house, player placement decisions would always potentially make this not work logically

    I mean, I live in a pot with no river, so if I wanted to put one of these on my water lot, it would be in the....ocean? Or at least, the really big ocean-like-bay thing off the docks common to many pot templates.
    How in the world does that make sense? There's no waves or tides...come to think of it, rivers dont 'flow' either...

    I think its a nifty idea for a house, but you have to use your imagination to bridge the gap here about physics and water flow just a smidge. Unless the devs wanted to take the time to code some way to switch wheel direction which I don't see happening, it is what it is. If the logical fallacy really bothers you, then don't buy this house, just like you don't buy other houses that you don't like for whatever reason you don't like em.
     
  4. DarkStarr

    DarkStarr Executive Producer SOTA Developer

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    The waterwheel is placed where it is on the house for several reasons:

    1. Placing it on the back of the house made it almost completely invisible from the front of the house (curb appeal!).
    2. We do not limit placement of the house to just rivers/streams so players can put this on the ocean or on a lake. In those locations the tide would actually drive the water direction towards the shore (and back).
    3. There are real world examples of waterwheels perpendicular to the main water way. To be fair those examples usually are connected to secondary water flow (canals, ditches, water diversion areas, holding pools, etc.)

    We can consider making an alternate version but it is unlikely due to the rarity of water home sales.

    FYI we explained almost all of this in the community livestream where we debuted the home:
     
  5. Browncoat Jayson

    Browncoat Jayson Legend of the Hearth

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    I don't think the wheel needs to change positions, but perhaps just add a small water wall to the corner of the house that would direct current toward the wheel. That would be enough "realism".

    The one thing I think it needs is a gear under the stairway that shows that waterwheel is doing something. Any "work", like a grindstone or mill, would likely be under the house anyway, but right now it doesn't look like it does anything at all!
     
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  6. Rufus D`Asperdi

    Rufus D`Asperdi Avatar

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    Thank you for the information DarkStarr. As closely as I follow development, I can't read every post or watch every video.

    For those interested, the segment on the Watermill starts in the 45th minute.
     
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  7. Hazard

    Hazard Avatar

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    Thanks for responding DS. Can we also get a sluice? Kidding of course... just fun to say.

    Right now I've got a cast iron chimney attachment and a Kobold Capacitor under the stairs. The running gears would have been ideal, but needed some alternative since that wall was bare bones.
     
    Last edited: Feb 12, 2018
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  8. redfish

    redfish Avatar

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    Btw is it possible to make a waterwheel as a free standing deco that can be placed on a water lot, whether attached to the house or not? Similar to how we have a wind generator in addition to the windmill?
     
    Last edited: Feb 12, 2018
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  9. eli

    eli Avatar

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    On the scale from 0 to 100, this bothers me 0.

    Maybe it's an impeller? Maybe it's an antique from an old renovation? How many people here have fireplaces in their house which don't work?
     
  10. Lockey2

    Lockey2 Avatar

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    Actually, a water sluice would have solved the issue without a lot of drastic changes.
     
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  11. Gorthyn

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    Apologies - I was in a very grumpy mood when I posted this.

    Rule number 1 - never post on a forum when in a bad mood ;)

    I do think the dev team are spending too much time/resources on pixel fluff when the game has many more pressing requirements right now.

    That said I do think its a good idea for an alternative to inland lighthouses (another symptom of an odd design decision) although not terribly well executed in this instance sadly imho.
     
  12. Aurelius Silverson

    Aurelius Silverson Avatar

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    True, but to be fair they are usually in tidal river estuaries, and often 'assisted' with tidal pools and water gates to trap incoming water and then release it in a 'stream' to power the wheel.
     
  13. Vladamir Begemot

    Vladamir Begemot Avatar

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    Lighthouse plagues are bad.
     
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  14. Fiero Steele

    Fiero Steele Avatar

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    Was hoping that the lighthouses would be replaced by some watermills but $100 to replace the lighthouse is I guess too much for the lighthouse owners, and to be honest I dont think I would change if I had a lighthouse.

    Then again I dislike the row of lighthouses in Kingsport!

    Maybe an idea that you could trade in your lighthouse for an watermill?
     
  15. Beaumaris

    Beaumaris Avatar

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    Things could be worse - like if the wheel didn’t spin.

    As is this house is a welcome addition. Thanks for making it.
     
  16. Fiero Steele

    Fiero Steele Avatar

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    and maybe a contest in the future, how many avatars can jump on the wheel together and keep on running without falling off :)

    would make great pictures/videos
     
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