Chained Gearbox order dependent?

[pgelinas (Pascal Gélinas)]

Alright, so I’ve been messing around with gearboxes and I’ve found a couple of nice thread here that explains the concept. The issue I’m facing is it seems that the order in which I “connect” my gearbox affects the output.

I have this setup, which outputs 4x256RU/t packets, which results in 1024 on the tachometer. All seems good.

However, if I disconnect-reconnect the left-most gearbox, the output drops to 512RU on the tachometer?!?

Disconnect. Drops to 512, logical:

Reconnect. I would expect to go back to 1024:

And then, if I do the same thing on the right-most gearbox, it fixes it?

Disconnect. RU stays at 512 from the previous experiment:

Reconnect. Back to 1024:

Is there some mechanic I don’t understand that would explain this behaviour? This extends to any number of gearbox on the left, you always seem to need to connect them from left to right. I was expecting that since the result is just X packet of 256RU/t, the ordering shouldn’t be important? I’m on the 6.16.01 version BTW.

[Gregorius (Gregorius Techneticies)]

Whatever happened there must be either the mechanic that only same size Packets can properly merge, or the mechanic that it checks clockwise and counterclockwise rotations being proper.

I hoped this would not happen, but I have no Idea what the Issue is and how to fix it…

[Demosthenex]

I’ve had the same issue. The only reliable way to add power is to add ONE engine per gearbox. Don’t use both sides.

[Gregorius (Gregorius Techneticies)]

Found the Issue you were having. The Gearboxes ARE directional, so they decided to transfer their power the opposite way for the behind Gearboxes, while the front Gearboxes could transfer into both directions.

↓↓
←→→
↑↑

One half goes to the left, the other to the right, this is what happened to you.

And this one is what you intended with both going to the right

↓↓
→→→
↑↑

This is a very systematic Issue and a result of tick order, and all I can promise is, I wont ever do this garbage again outside of Minecraft…

[Demosthenex]

Nice catch! It did look at the tick level based on the server refreshes. Being able to make a line works fine so far.

[Donzil (Donzil Zenovka)]

Any way to visualize this in-game so we know which way to expect the power will flow, or a way to toggle?

[Gregorius (Gregorius Techneticies)]

How would I visualize it if the faces in question are obstructed though?

[Donzil (Donzil Zenovka)]

in that instance you wouldn’t see it no, but it might help when bug-testing, I’ll usually pull large pipes, wires, axles etc apart when they’re in the way to find a fault in my designs. I’m not sure how you would visualize it though, rather than messing with textures maybe right-clicking with a tool can tell you the cardinal direction. Wrenches are out as they already have a function, I don’t think the soft hammer does anything to gearboxes does it?

[Gregorius (Gregorius Techneticies)]

Soft Hammer unjams Gearboxes if you screwed up the clockwise/counterclockwise rotations.

[Donzil (Donzil Zenovka)]

oh yeah, I knew it reset machines but forgot gearboxes can jam. oh but the magnifying glass would be perfect for examining it?

[Demosthenex]

Magnifying glass is a great idea. Don’t render if you can print!