Command Block and Logic

Note: This page contains legacy information that is no longer fully applicable to LMT as of 9/16/2022

The Command and Logic team is tasked with creating command block and other logic systems for Marketplace team projects. Trainees who want to become a member of this team must complete the Commands Competency test to receive placement on the team. Ask Cody/Dr. Funkenstein for the test only if you've exhausted all other means to find it yourself.

Terms to know:

Assistant: Persons on the command team who can take tier 1 bounties. People who roughly pass the commands competency exam will end up here.

Mechanic: Persons on the command team who can take tier 1 and 2 bounties, focused on tier 2. People who pass the commands competency exam well will end up here.

Logician: Persons on the command team who can take bounties from tiers 1-3, their focus being on 3.

Tier 1: Bounties that are the equivalent to command grunt work. These tasks are specific, no creative input is required from the bounty taker. As a result, these bounties are likely born from the desire to save the time of a Logician or an Office member. Seldom does a Tier 1 bounty have any fresh work created, usually relying on existing work. No more than 2 Assistants per bounty.

• Copy pasting command blocks and command clusters to a desired number or area.
• Making specified modifications to existing commands.
• Making prescribed additions or changes to command work.
• General bounties to save the time of higher level personnel that don't require technical knowledge.

Tier 2: Bounties that require some working understanding of commands and logic. These bounties are given specific requirements but allow for the Mechanics to have some flexibility in command creation. These are generally small or uncomplex bounties; command-wise. Depending on the project, these tasks can have 1-2 Mechanics assigned; although 1 is advised if the commands work off of each other directly.

• Item detection
• Entity detection
• Testforblock(s)
• Scoreboard usage for variables with simple purposes: used as an actual scoreboard, or light objective tracking. (Player action drives the scoreboards)
• Simple uses of /execute
• General bounties to save the time of higher level personnel that do require technical knowledge.

Tier 3: Bounties that require people who understand and can create/implement logic systems. These are generally larger or more complex projects, logic-wise. Minigames will generally default to tier 3. Should only have 1 logician per bounty, with 2 being an absolute max.

• Buttons/Plates remotely activating command blocks
• Command arrays with conditional elements
• Complex entity detection
• Scoreboard usage for variables with complex purposes: Logic systems (Scoreboards drive themselves and potentially gameplay)
• Complex uses of /execute
• Animation Controllers
• Player-interactive elements that don't use vanilla MC assets. Rare.

These lists are not set in stone and may gain new items, lose items, or have items moved to other tiers.

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Procedure information:

Why is this not working?

If a Mechanic cannot figure out a solution to a certain issue, follow this chain until issue is resolved:

1. Have other Mechanics attempt task.
2. Ask a Logician only when all Mechanics have failed to solve issue. If none are available, skip to 3 if the issue is critical to project. If not critical, skip to 4.
3. Consult office team on solutions.
4. Consider alternative implementations if no solution can be found.
5. Shelve the specific problem element.
6. If entire project requires on this element, shelve project. This can happen because of bedrock limitations, or because the project was out of scope for the bounty taker's abilities. These are lessons to be learned. Project can be taken down from the shelf if a solution is found later, or more capable people become available.

Unclaimed Lower Tier Bounties

Logicians and Mechanics can take a bounty that is a tier below their focus if they've been unclaimed for 2 days, or if a project lead gives it a critical status. Mechanics and Assistants cannot take a bounty above their focus, unless given permission.

Demotion

Logicians and Mechanics can be demoted down a tier if their output is consistently poorly made. Assistants can lose their status as well for similar reasons, and will not be allowed back into the command team. Flubs/mistake are a different thing, we have them all the time. This is for crap regularly being sent as done.

Promotion

• Assistant > Mechanic: If an assistant wishes to become a mechanic, they must attempt the competency test again, and display that they have a good working understanding of command mechanics. The goal is to impress while still meeting the requirements.
• Mechanic > Logician: Currently, this status is only granted to Mechanics by the Office as recognition of their abilities and talents. A test is being considered for Mechanic promotion, but this is currently hypothetical at time of writing.

Kitchen Clause

If the logicians/Mechanics feel that too many cooks are in the kitchen, they can leave the project with no consequence.

Helper Requests:

If you need assistance on your bounty task, consult with Molly, Dan, or Cody about adding someone to the project, or for creating a sub-bounty.

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Practice Standards:

• Per Microsoft requirements, command blocks cannot be seen by players. If the commands are to be used in an adventure map, hiding them behind walls is sufficient. If the map has default terrain destruction, the commands are to be put into command block rooms, or have the specific surfaces that hide them protected with deny blocks underneath them.
  • Command block rooms are preferred, but will require knowledge on how to remotely detect buttons/levers/plates being activated, or have a redstone block set in the command block room by another command block.
• When you are working on command blocks, make sure to make use of Hover Notes to label sections of command block clusters. This aids in debugging efforts if time is short or the original Mechanic/Logician becomes busy.
• Plagiarizing work from outside of LMT will result in immediate dismissal.
• Learn from each other. Do not be afraid to ask your fellow command block-heads for help, advice, or to talk shop.

This is creating and coding blocks to make game mechanics

Document on how to create command blocks Written by Cra-ZGuy.