Bombs with shaped (focused) explosion

[heptagonrus]

Currently bombs are awesome, both in mechanics and special effects graphics.

Could we please have more usage for them.

E.g. making shafts, vertical or horizontal. Something like shaped charges.
E.g. if we place a bomb and a special focusing block near it, it will destroy a long shaft in direction opposite of the block. 
Or if craft bomb in a special way - then one of it sides will show which direction explosion will go.

So making vertical shafts when prospecting might be easier or more fun. 

[Tyron]

Sounds really neat 

[Elwood]

I like these ideas.  Reading the modding apis and examples this could probably be achieved by the bomb detecting surrounding blocks and combinations of bombs. for example if you have 3-4 bombs in a row it blasts a 9x5 channel.   Not sure if the API can delete the other bombs instead of triggering them. depends on which logic happens first.  Could also add a clay seal block crafted with clay and linen to help direct the shape charge away from the cap.  miners have to seal the gaps.   you light the clay cap instead of the bomb. it would detect the bombs in a row,  Dont know if modding could help with that.  

Could also use bombs to quarry whole blocks for decoration.  if bombs are placed in a row with gaps between then some of the surrounding blocks are dropped as solid blocks.  Not realistic but sort of matches the pickaxe pattern for getting solid blocks to drop.

 

[redram]

Down the road, there could be a steam powered drill.  You drill holes in a block, apply dynamite, blast out large areas of stone.  Gives a nice tech level tie-in.

[RainnMannx]

Could fashion metal plates to direct the charge, maybe attaching them to the side of the bomb? If on one side it does a 180, and if on two sides by each other does 90.

Also maybe make a metal box, sit it down and point the opening in the direction you want to go, and put the bomb inside it, or if going down, place the bomb then put the box on top.