AirCS

AirCS Logo

AirCS Central Station in 2023

Air Central Station, commonly known as AirCS is a major transportation network on the server. It was formerly owned by Aren. In 2020, the AirCS Foundation was established with Victor and The Pixel Polygon as its owners.

History

AirCS Central Station in bnbVanilla

bits & Bytes Vanilla

Shortly after the server's launch, Aren built Central Station outside the limits of Whale City. AirCS was then connected to various settlements around the world, including Whale City, Legal District, Victor's Interesting City, and NCO. However, when Aren became inactive on the server, it was slowly taken over by the community. Various community members would help the AirCS to expand to more destinations.

Platforms

Platform 1:

NCO

Platform 2:

BnBBnB

Platform 3:

theStation

Platform 4:

Birch Lodges

Platform 5:

Birch Boat Town

Platform 6:

Legal District

Platform 10:

The Alee Isle

AirCS Central Station bnbmc2

Inside AirCS Central Station in bnbmc2

bits & Bytes Vanilla 2

During bits & Bytes Vanilla 2, The Pixel Polygon revived the AirCS brand in response to the privatization of transit. He hoped that this would encourage the use and construction of public, community-based rail. The building process was documented in the Project: Aren series, named after Aren, the original creator of AirCS. AirCS wasn't as popular during this time due to other transit systems already having been established on the server. As well, challenges were faced bringing the system to other settlements. Only 3 platforms were made during this time.

Platforms

Platform 1:

Sunflower City

Platform 3:

Contemporary Valley

Platform 11:

Inkytown

Contributors

Though no lines were constructed by other community members for AirCS, other members contributed with materials.

• TechLion (Donated rails)
• Inkydink (Donated rails)
• Right Angle (Making a pathway to central station from Right Valley)
• TotalTowerTech (Improving the tracks between Inkytown and central station by adding birch planks and a glass enclosure. He also donated materials for support the development of AirCS)
• Victor and Royce (Undirectly promoting AirCS)

bits & Bytes Minecraft 1.1

When bits & Bytes Minecraft 1.1 was revived, AirCS became very popular with the community and more stations appeared. During this time, the design philosophy changed such that more less stations would connect back to Central Station, and more would connect to other stations along the network.

bits & Bytes Minecraft 5/Q

There were plans for AirCS coming to bnbmc5/Q but there were little progress to it. As well, Project: Aren Season 2 was planned for these worlds, however, each attempt to revive the series was shelved due to the lack of progress before each of the respective servers shut down. Just before the shutdown of bits & Bytes Minecraft Q, the AirCS Foundation established itself to manage the operation of the AirCS network.

bits & Bytes Minecraft 1.2

After the AirCS race, AirCS continued to grow. However, as more countries started appearing and becoming more spread out from each other, lines also continued to grow longer in both distance and travel time. The AirCS Foundation decided to look for other alternatives to rail as it was not feasible for very long distance travel. While running down a SQTR Bullet Boat line with a speed multiplier of 255, The Pixel Polygon decided it could be "a fun system", and used a long tube with a speed effect as the basis for AirCS 255. Its first line was constructed between Whale City to Midcity.

When it was announced that the server would update to Minecraft 1.16, research was conducted on how to create another fast transit system as a more "organic" competitor to the SQTR Bullet Boat. The AirCS Aqua system was created out of this research. Its first line was constructed between Palinode and Lion Land. This line had a mandate from The Pixel Polygon to build it without applying the necessary effects using command blocks, and with items that may be attained in survival. The entire system was built relying on dolphins present in a minecart, and boots with the maximum Soul Speed and Depth Strider enchantments available naturally. However, further lines would apply Dolphin's Grace using a command block.

Transit Systems

AirCS Rail

AirCS Rail is the original rail system provided by AirCS. It utilizes rail lines connected between two stations, and a two-block high downward incline as a launchpad.

AirCS 255

The AirCS 255 system operates based on a command block that gives players a speed effect with a 255 multiplier, the maximum allowable effect multiplier in the game. When players receive this effect, they must run down a long tube until they reach their destination.

AirCS Aqua

AirCS Aqua is a water-based transportation system designed during bits & Bytes Vanilla 1.2. It is based upon three effects:

• Dolphin’s Grace
• Soul Speed III
• Depth Strider III

The physical tube consists of a 1x1 hole that riders would swim through with a Soul Soil floor. The rider attains their maximum speed while touching the floor with all effects applied at once. However, if the player consumes a speed potion before riding, they may receive an additional speed boost.

Discontinued Transit Systems

orbis. Q

orbis. Q was a hyperloop system based on a design by Taiwanese YouTuber FlashTeens. It differed from this design in that it skipped multiple blocks at a time, rather than moving players through the line one block at a time. However, this system proved to be glitchy, with reports that riders were being teleported out of the line. Its only line was built between Whale City and VIC. When the server was updated to Minecraft 1.16, the command blocks used to operate the line broke due to changes in the way Minecraft addressed relative coordinates. The orbis. Q system was thus discontinued. In 2022, negotiations between the AirCS Foundation and Country Warp took place to revive this system as AirCS Q and build a new line, however, such a line was never built.