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Resource Connections
Individual Resources can move from Node to Node through a Machinations diagram along Resource Connections.
Resource Connections can transfer Resources at different rates. A Label beside the Resource Connection indicates how many Resources can move along the Connection in a single time step.
Set the Label of the Resource Connection in Properties > Label.
A Resource Connection may transfer an unlimited number of Resources in a single time step by using the word all as the Resource Connection’s Label.
info
Any Connection leading into a Node is the input of that Node, while any Connection leaving a Node the output of that Node
The origin of a Connection is the Node where the Connection starts, and its Target is the Node where it ends.
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A Resource Connection will blink if there are not enough Resources to be transferred, or if the Resources available can’t be accepted by the Target (eg. in a colour coded diagram).
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There are multiple rates at which Resources can flow in a diagram (apart from the examples presented in this article). For more depth, make sure you check out:
Labels
The transfer of Resources between the Origin and the Target Nodes may be set to Interval (default) or Instant.
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Interval: If there are more Resources being transferred between 2 Nodes, each of them will be treated as individual entities. The changes to the state of the target Node will be updated for each Resource that consecutively reaches the Target (within the same Step).
Instant: All Resources are transferred at the same time, at the beginning of the Step.
This is an important thing to take into account if you have Nodes that are influenced by state changes on your diagram. Here’s an example.
In the examples above, the Registers change along with the state-changes the Pools go through. In the red example, where the Resource Connection is set to instant, the Register will gradually reach 5 and the execution will stop mid-way, due to the End Condition being triggered. In the blue example, the transfer happens instantly, at the beginning of the Step, so all 10 Resources reach their Target, and the End Condition never triggers.
Notice: When you hit Play, the Pools and Registers on the right are instantly updated to 10, whereas the example on the left takes into account the Speed set for the transfer (3 seconds).
Use the Shuffle Origin option in a Resource Connection’s Properties panel to randomize the transfer of differently coloured Resources coming from the same origin Node.
By default, Resources from multiple Sources are transferred according to the LIFO principle (last in, first out). When using Shuffle Origin, Resources will be transferred randomly from their origin to the target Node.
For emphasis, in the example above, we used Colour Filter.
Machinations diagrams do not handle fractional values.
To emulate fractional values you can express your game’s Resources in subunits, so that
1 subunit = 1 Resource
An analogy for this would be working with the amount in ¢ (cents) in stead of the amount in $ (dollars). To work with transferring 3.14 Resources, you’d need to multiply the whole flow by 100, resulting in 314 Resources.
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