Of all the 'simple' techs that I've heard people having issues with, Gearbox Design has to be the foremost. Most guides are written from the perspective of a player who's already figured them out; this one will probably be no different. Still, it has to be done, so here we go!
0 - Table of Contents
- 1. What is a gearbox?
- 1a. What is a gearbox, really?
- 1b. What do these numbers mean?
- 1c. What does this notation signify, and why?
- 1d. What do ratio notations signify?
- 1e. What do all these terms mean?
- 2. Gearbox Layout
- 2a. What is a gearbox table?
- 2b. What are the various sizes of gears?
- 2c. What gears link to other gears?
- 2d. How do you get the numbers needed? (Top Shafts)
- 3. Building a Gearbox
- 3a. How do I put a gearbox together?
- 3b. How do I change ratios from one number to the next?
- 3c. How do I 'merge' ratios?
- 3d. My First Gearbox
- 4. Advanced Techniques
- 4a. What are spacers, and what are they for?
- 4b. What are some of the useful overlaps that I can use?
- 4c. How do I return to a more standard layout once I have a ratio?
- 5. More Complex Boxes
- 5a. Troubleshooting: What do I do when gears overlap?
- 5b. Troubleshooting: What do I do when a gearbox jams?
- 5c. Elegance in Gearbox Design