Register Block Types

To add blocks to the framework, you just have to add them to the BlockManager - This happens by specifying a block object (has to extend cubes.Block, by overriding methods you can specify own behaviours). Each block needs at least one “skin”, which you have to pass in the constructor of the cubes.Block class). A “skin” contains all information to display the block - Texture-Index in the Atlas, Transparency and so on.

After initialising your object, you have to register it in the BlockManager:

BlockManager.register(myBlockObject);

Using own blocks should work at the moment, if you encounter problems you can test your code using the default blocks (e.g. CubesTestAssets.BLOCK_GRASS).

You can register them by calling CubesTestAssets.registerBlocks();.

Single Texture Block

Let’s say, you want to add a simple block, which uses the same texture on every face. The framework recognizes, when only one texture is specified and therefore uses this for each face:

//The stone texture is in the 10th column and 1st row in the texture atlas
Block blockStone = new Block(new BlockSkin(new BlockSkin_TextureLocation(9, 0), false));
BlockManager.register(blockStone);

Face-Dependant Textures Block

Now it’s time to get prettier blocks - The wood block as known in Minecraft has two textures: Top/Bottom (cross-section) and Left/Right/Front/Back (bark). A simple way to set the texture for each face is to just give 6 textures to the skin (in the right order :P):

Block blockWood = new Block(new BlockSkin[]{
    new BlockSkin(new BlockSkin_TextureLocation(4, 0), false),
    new BlockSkin(new BlockSkin_TextureLocation(4, 0), false),
    new BlockSkin(new BlockSkin_TextureLocation(3, 0), false),
    new BlockSkin(new BlockSkin_TextureLocation(3, 0), false),
    new BlockSkin(new BlockSkin_TextureLocation(3, 0), false),
    new BlockSkin(new BlockSkin_TextureLocation(3, 0), false)
});
BlockManager.register(blockWood);

Dynamic Textures Block

Last but not least: What if a block wants to change its texture according to its environment?

A nice example would be a grass block - If it’s on the surface, it contains a nice grass texture at the top face and a little earth-grass-transition at the sides. Otherwise, all 6 sides should display an earth texture. Special behaviours like this can be achieved by overwriting the getSkinIndex method:

Block blockGrass = new Block(new BlockSkin[]{
        //We specify the 3 skins we need:
        //Grass, Earth-Grass-Transition and Earth
        new BlockSkin(new BlockSkin_TextureLocation(0, 0), false),
        new BlockSkin(new BlockSkin_TextureLocation(1, 0), false),
        new BlockSkin(new BlockSkin_TextureLocation(2, 0), false)
    }){

    @Override
    //The number that's being returned specified the index
    //of the skin in the previous declared BlockSkin array
    protected int getSkinIndex(BlockChunkControl chunk, Vector3Int location, Block.Face face){
        if(chunk.isBlockOnSurface(location)){
            switch(face){
                case Top:
                    return 0;

                case Bottom:
                    return 2;
            }
            return 1;
        }
        return 2;
    }
};
BlockManager.register(blockGrass);