APS Tetris #1: 1m Loaders! From the Depths Tutorial

Video Number One of probably-too-many.

Time Stamps:
0:00 - Ze Beginning
1:47 - Balancing Stats and the UI
3:26 - Ze Gauge Snake and Connectors
4:10 - Rotational Symmetry and Asymmetry Are Your Friends
4:58 - Advanced Cannons are ADVANCED
5:32 - Pure Autoloaders and Loader Stacking
5:45 - Intermission: Volatile vs. Non-Volatile Components
9:09 - APS Cost, Pros and Cons
9:37 - Loaders plus Clips
11:00 - 'Unfortunate Symbolism' Rotational Symmetry
12:21 - 'Unfortunate Symbolism' plus Gauge Snake
14:42 - Belt-Fed Loaders
16:01 - Intermission: Clips Replacing Loaders
18:50 - Intermission: Turret Necks
19:03 - Deck Gun Tetris
19:14 - Intermission: Shells Make The Gun (Explode)
23:26 - 1940's Wisdom...?
24:55 - Closing Disclaimer Or Something

Other music used:
Chris Haugen - Campfire Song
Dan Lebowitz - Birds in Flight
Doug Maxwell - A Walk in the Park
Freedom Trail Studio - Kona Sun
Lauren Duski - Rollin
Midnight North - Sunny Looks Good on You

I had nothing to do with the development of this game. All rights to From the Depths belong to Brilliant Skies Limited. Please do not upload this video elsewhere without my permission.
#FromTheDepths #Tutorial

[jkrazor]

Oh wow, a BorderWise upload on my birthday about something I've been trying to work on in FTD? What a wonderful birthday present!

[Justfalor]

Finally a guide series to make my aps mortars even better!

[eaglesridge]

Crazy 1m APS cannons are so wonderful, gotta love 900rpm 150mm cannons

[Loooom]

I’m oddly obsessed with making 1m rail guns

[dr.robertnick]

You can prevent the "unfortunate symbolism" by sticking 2 input feeder each to two clips and leave the other ones without feeders (Also elminates the need for rotational symmetry). Every input feeder can feed all clips attached to the same autoloader. Just use clear clips and you will see each clip loaded one by one and not all that have feeders at the same time. Thats also why input feeders attached to autoloaders can still fill attached clips.

[Goofygooberston]

Since with historical builds I often struggle to make semi competent turrets in auxiliary spots(so on the port and starboard side of the craft) because of turret width issues I usually give my tetris a bit of a butt, makes them unable to turn 360 degrees but that's largely irrelevant since there's superstructure behind the turrets 9/10 times.

[Gonzakoable]

I actually love 2m autos because you can fill practically any space with those

[aynonymos]

Yay, small guns are something I'm bad at, unfortunately I'm equally bad at large vehicles, so at least now my small vehicles can be properly armed.

[llydeexactus]

Thanks for the video! I just got back into FtD and I am back on the learning curve

[_tyrannus]

12:00 As far as I know, having less inputs than the game requires doesn't hurt rate of fire, at least not until you've fired all your shells faster than they replenish. For any non prolonged battle like a tournament, this is generally fine. Here with 516 shells in the clips and only a 20% difference between firing and loading, you would be fine for a good while longer than any reasonable fight. So, I'd say this is better than the next one shown!

16:00 Might want to mention, since this isn't well known apparently, that belt fed autoloaders get a higher bonus to loading time the lower you go in gauge, down to a whooping 12% at 18mm. Over iirc 50mm, a beltfed loader loads slower than a 5-clip regular loader.

Other than that and the lack of 5-clip autoloaders, pretty good summary of what's what.

[zuthalsoraniz]

Your "unfortunate symbolism" loader ring is actually my favourite 1 m APS tetris. Four clip, and sure it doesn't have enough inputs... but in your 60 mm example, each loader loses 1 shell every 7 seconds, and has 129 shells available, so you can shoot at full ROF for 15 minutes! And you can put four of those loader rings onto the sides of a 3x3 gauge snake core (or 6 on the sides with a 3x1 gauge snake core) to fit very nicely in a 5x5 turret.

[whwhwhhwhhhwhdldkjdsnsjsks]

1:12 I found that the best CRAM Tetris design I could make basically is a swatstika so when I join them together to make bigger cannons there is literally just a grid of swatstikas that I can’t do anything about lol

[stephanellenberg]

"...central column of autoloaders and ammo clips..."
Thanks, now I've got to redesign my railguns.
Again.

[jamesscalzo]

Loved the video Borderwise! Loved how your 16 inch gun just wasn't firing for no apparent reason!

[Hankbob_Hillpants]

For a 3x3 turret I usually use the following pattern for each layer
C: cooler
A: autoloader
S: solid ammo clip
I: input feeder

I A S
I C I
S A I

It might not be the most efficient, but it keeps the coolers under the deck so the turret cap can be smaller and more heavily armoured

[MiguelAbd]

Awesome video! The tutorial made by community members like you reaaally help, so much so I'd give up on the game without them!

[zourin]

you only need 2 feeders to a standard loader in general, which can save a ton of space mathmatically, but adding a single magazine helps smooth out sync issues where they try to load at the same time, but one can't because there's already a round in the loader. The only reason to have multiple magazines per loader is with the belt-fed if you want a longer burst. The only issue overall with small APS guns is getting any meaningful damage out of it when mounted as a primary weapon on a small ship.

[HarenunHoppus]

Need all that dakka for that sweet ass CIWS!

[abcadef]

The "unfortunate symbolism" does have enough room to squeeze in the extra intakes: remove one of the four clips, put an intake directly on the autoloader there, and turn the autoloader from that clip 90 degrees so that it connects to the back of the other clip. As an added bonus, it removes the unfortunate symbolism.

[Klint_Izwudd]

Oh thank christ, I needed this. I am so bad at making compact APS.