Getting the most out of block extensions
Have everything in a faction as interconnected by using block extensions. If you have a good plan of what you are making, it will save you time.
Below is how you might want to map out an extension hierachy. The example has 3 types of hull, each containing squares and triangles, both of which have 4 scales, plus some non-hull components. Every branch represents an extends
field. This is how I manage my mods.
Original Hull Square
├── Scale 2
├── Scale 3
├── Scale 4
│
├── Hull Triangle
│ ├── Scale 2
│ ├── Scale 3
│ └── Scale 4
│
│
├── Differently Colored Hull Square
│ ├── Scale 2
│ ├── Scale 3
│ ├── Scale 4
│ └── Differently Colored Hull Triangle
│ ├── Scale 2
│ ├── Scale 3
│ └── Scale 4
│
│
├── Armored Hull Square
│ ├── Scale 2
│ ├── Scale 3
│ ├── Scale 4
│ └── Armored Hull Triangle
│ ├── Scale 2
│ ├── Scale 3
│ └── Scale 4
│
│
├── Command
│
├── Generator Scale 1
│ ├── Generator Scale 2
│ ├── Generator Scale 3
│ └── Generator Scale 4
│
├── Gun Scale 1
│ ├── Gun Scale 2
│ └── Gun Scale 3
│
└── Different Type of Gun Scale 1
├── Different Type of Gun Scale 2
└── Different Type of Gun Scale 3
I like making the most of block extension but I keep different components seperate to not sacrifice my ability to create and edit stuff.
For example, I like seperating different guns in the extends tree. This makes them easier to work with as they do not depend on each other for features.