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Rotator Blocks that change the orientation of blocks

under review

A Rotator block is a block that, when powered, changes the orientation of the block is facing (if that block can be oriented) by 90 degrees clockwise. a good example would be a change the direction a piston pushes, for example. Would be very useful for slimeblock machines and guardian farms.

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  • 6
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    There is already an item like this in carpet mod, which I find is really helpful when building my world eaters, because it means I don't have to spend hours on end building scaffolding for every little piston and observer I want to place facing downwards.

    This is a great idea!

  • 10
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    Debug Stick ? just have to add a diffrent verson less cheated in survival mode with a recipe.

  • 3
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    I actually had this idea this morning I think you should b able to power it mid redstone contraption so it's can turn a position to face up from sideways and then can pull a block down and then the rotator block activates again on the retract the it pulls the block sideways there should also be a wand /stick that does the same thing in survival so it's easy to fix redstone rotation mistakes

  • 2
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    This would open up so many possibilities. Yes this will be awesome 

  • 9
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    This sounds very handy. I'd like to throw in an additional option to allow the rotational direction to be reversed.

    crouch, and right click for rotation counterclockwise, and likewise again for clockwise, in the same way light sensors can be set to detect sunlight, or moonlight.

  • 0
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    Minecraft should add something like Pulse With Modulation to control the angle of the rotator block. Just like the real life servos. 

  • 7
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    A better idea for a block with a similar function would be a spinner block. It could have an interface that allows you to control the direction, speed, and range of motion. The block could be useful for making working vehicles, windmills, waterwheels, etc. You could even make a dance floor using armour stands (this would utilize the way you can have an armour stand change stance with a varying signal strength, but would actually be able to make them appear to dance, rather than just move their arms and legs). I think it should look like a piston with a roundish head that kinda looks like a pirate ship's steering wheel. This design could also be used for decorative purposes. They should be linkable, and work like sticky pistons in that they use slime blocks to hold multiple blocks together (I also have an idea for a sort of glue that could be use instead of slime blocks; it's in another thread). As far as crafting them goes, I think you should have to put a piston in the middle; sticks in each of the cardinal directions; a piece of Redstone dust, a slime ball, a lever, and a powered rail in the corners (the exact position doesn't matter). The reason for the complicated and expensive recipe is because I do think it would be slightly overpowered in a multiplayer world, because it could potentially be used to set up ingenious (and dangerous) traps, plus it seems like the type of thing that should really only be used when you've amassed a great fortune and have moved on to the decoration and fortification stage, which is always near the end of my time on a world. Of course, it should be free to obtain using commands and creative.

  • 2
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    yes! it will take redstone to amother level like observer did!

  • 2
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    This would be good for redstone. Placing and reseting contraptions in small places can be near impossible sometimes.

  • 1
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    I had a very similar idea:

    • A rotator piston where the face would pop up 1/2 block, rotate 90º and pop down gain.
    • Bocks on the piston would be rotated with the face.
    • Couldn't work if there wasn't the space to extend into.
    • Powered like any piston
    • The rotator piston would have a "front" and "back" face with an arrow etched into the face plate. 'punching' the block would change the face that the arrow points to:
    •  - pointing right would rotate anti-clockwise 90º every time it was powered.
    •  - pointing front would rotate 180º every time it was powered.
    •  - pointing left rotates 90º clockwise
    •  - pointing back would spin it 360º. (Can't think on why you would want this, but could be used to 'display' a block)
    • The block being rotated wouldn't be stuck to the be stuck to the rotator and would return to the same location. 
    • Rails would remain attached to the original block
  • 2
    Registered User commented
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    I had the same idea. Even non-technical players could have fun with rotating stairs and such. I had considered possible methods for allowing counter-clockwise and 180 degree rotations such as the input strength of the redstone line.
    I also considered if it was animated and the block clipped through adjacent blocks, perhaps setting a limitation so only blocks which are unobstructed can be rotated. I didn't like that idea because it greatly limits the applications, but it might make it look less like a glitch. There's always the somewhat cartoony option of making the block shrink somewhat when it's rotated.
    I also considered if it should rotate once, then stop, or keep rotating while it's powered. Sustained rotation works well with redstone power because greater power could translate to a faster rotation. However, basically every other redstone component will do something and stop, even if it remains powered. So, the rotator should do the same. That's why I think it should be something like 1-5 power = counter-clockwise, 6-10 = 180 deg, and 11-15 = clockwise.

  • 2
    Registered User commented
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    Are you Mumbo? Mumbo, you there?

  • 1
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    Switchable Observers. Yas!

  • 0
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    It will be really helpful in my farms!

  • 0
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    I totally agree with ky2d2. This  is a great idea. This needs to be added into the game !😀

  • 1
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    This would be handy for red stone defences. Imagine a giant fire charge turret that can be turned manually!

  • 1
    Registered User commented
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    And an option if you right click it, it can turn to the other direction too.

  • 4
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    This could interact with honey blocks very well - While honey blocks don't have orientation, rotating a honey block could rotate entities on the honey block, which could be immensely useful, especially for many farms.

  • 2
    Registered User commented
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    This idea is terrific. Its a simple change that would alter how builds are made, reduce lag on MANY MANY servers (because builds would be less bulky), and allow for greater innovation.

  • 2
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    So basically a debug stick for survival

  • 3
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    The "wrench" that was a special item in hermitcraft 6 is a perfect example of a simple too. Make it craftable and allow it to rotate blocks. I go crazy trying to place pistons or glazed terrecotta..... need this.

  • 5
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    This needs to be in Vanilla. BOTH Java AND Bedrock. Amazing it hasnt yet. It would make building so much more enjoyable for both technical and beautiful builders. Anyone know why no one uses glazed terracotta? Cause it is a nightmare to place correctly. With this tool, you'd see ALOT more glazed terracotta in the community.... wasted block right now (in my opinion).

  • 1
    Registered User commented
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    Totally agree with a "Rotator" or "Spinner" block

    Being able to place one on say a wall, attach some slime blocks and a fin out of wood, and you've got yourself a windmill blade that actually rotates

    Id love for it to be able to rotate in more than just the 4 compass stages for things like clock hands (12 points of rotation) too, but even if it just rotated to the 4 set angles would be amazing

  • 1
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    This would work better as an item than a block, as although it would have interesting redstone applications it would be more beneficial to the building process of the game, as having to move you player into strange positions just to place that trapdoor or piston right can be annoying.

  • 0
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    yeah, I see a need for that I'm my project for light sensors. and water elevators

  • 0
    Registered User commented
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    And we should be able to determine the rotator's own orientation based on how we place it to determine how it rotates other blocks

  • 0
    Registered User commented
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    (i already write this comment but got deleted, i think, probably because of the images i had linked within, it was just a piston for showing my suggestion, but i didnt get any notifications about...weird)

    anyway, you could use the pickaxe instead of a new block, by holding right click on the "face" of the block you want to rotate for example the head of a piston and then look in the direction you want it to rotate, and for block like hoppers, dispensers ecc you have to press shift.

  • 0
    Registered User commented
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    there is an item like this in java edition (only creative) that called the debug stick

  • 1
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    I bet you redstone engineers would be all over this if it was added. It's a neat concept!

  • 1
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    It will be so helpful with hoppers