Modular Building Techniques

[Geep]

The use case for the ducts is probably somewhat different than for wall modules.That said, I do think that the existing single-face ducts have their uses as is, so would not propose replacing them with 2-faced ducts, just would like to have both sets available.

Pluses of 1-sided ducts -

- Perfect if mapper is hiding them, within existing architecture or custom shell enclosure

- In which case, the enclosure can take care of blocking light from any internal lamps (similar to what Springheel indicates)

- Half the draw calls of 2-sided ducts

- Since walls are transparent from outside, easier to see any internal doodads like fans, and abutment with architecture in DR camera view.

Pluses of 2-sided ducts -

- Looks like a realistic duct from outside; no need to create one's own enclosure

- Easier to see where the real openings are, when surveying the module set and assembling a run

 

The situation with internal lights and 2-sided ducts is TBD. If this can't be solved by the modules themselves, it's not the end of the world -

- Many ducts don't need internal lights

-The range of an internal light can be tightly restricted

- Maybe only parts of runs with external shells would have lights within

[Geep]

@Aosys, I need to decide how to go forward with ducts in my FM. I don't know that I can add the twosided keyword from my end, to your prefab items. Do you plan to work on either twosided versions or external shells? If not, or not this year, I'll solve this another way.

[Geep]

Actually, never mind. I've just created a very thin brush panel with the duct texture that I can apply to each face: along the thin dimension, the panel straddles the patch skin; along the other dimensions, it fits inside the brackets. Obviously, positioning a panel on each face is a bit tedious, but does the job.

BTW, I'm repurposing your generator prefab, by replacing the generator itself with heat exchanger pipes.