Switch

Switch is an interactive part in Scrap Mechanic.

Overview
Unlimited toggling on demand.

The Switch activates whatever it’s connected to, making it indispensable when you want to turn things on and off with a single push. It can activate an engine, a thruster, the controller and more.

Usage
Press E to toggle the activation state of the switch.

When connected to a Driver's Seat, Seat, or Toilet, the switch can be toggled with the corresponding number key while sitting in the seat.

Save/Load Behavior
One would think that if you made a creation with a switch, toggled it on, exited the game and re-loaded that it would stay in the condition it was in when you left. But actually, it doesn't work like that. What actually happens is that it returns to the state it was in when it was last "edited", where "edited" is any time you remove it from the lift, add or remove a connection with the connection tool, or paint it. This load/reload effect also applies when chunks of the world are reloaded. (This happens when you move far away from a creation; far enough away that you can see the spot where your creation should be, but the creation is not visible.)

For example, if you simply wire up a switch to a piston (and do nothing else), the saved state of the switch is off. That's because it was off when you last edited it - when you wired it to the light. If you turn it on, wait for the piston to extend, exit the game, and then come back in to the game, you'll come back to see your piston retracting to match the state of the switch.

If you turn the switch on, paint it (causing the current state, on, to become the saved state), then turn it off, exit, and come back, you'll see your switch is on and the piston is extending.

Putting a creation on the lift will cause all switches on the creation to be turned off - but while it's on the lift, you can turn the switch back on again. If you do that, then "On" becomes its saved state because, like we said above, taking a creation off the lift counts as editing it.

Similar rules apply to Logic Gates, although the effects on them are usually more ephemeral.

Beta

 * 0.4.6
 * Changed Craftbot recipe to require only one Circuit Board (formerly 2).

Alpha

 * ???
 * Added Switch.