You cannot place parts outside your plot. The build area is about 51 by 51 blocks (127.5 by 127.5 studs) and 39 blocks tall (97.5 studs). Your own plot is outlined in blue. The white arrow on the ground is the build direction. Other players can be blacklisted from the plot. Blacklist stops ordinary entry and collision, with a PvP exception: cutter damage can still apply.
Conveyor belts between plots are described at a speed of 50 and are only a way to move between plots faster.
When to fold
Ships and large aircraft are the usual reason to fold. The current method uses angle locks, not a pile of loose motors.
- Block the creation out as large box frames first so each segment's size is obvious.
- Split the creation into segments that each fit in the plot.
- Attach two angle locks on the side of a segment, facing outward. The configuration indicator shows that direction.
- Spawn the build. The locks fold the segments into place without a keypress.
- If you want the hinges hidden, set the angle locks invisible or non-colliding after the fold is correct.
The older motor fold
Motor folding still exists. A motor hinge folds around its center, so neighboring modules are offset by one block or they try to occupy the same space. Motors can lock when they are not moving, which is why they were used on heavy ships. Motor 2 cannot lock and is a poor hinge for that load. Cameras were sometimes used as invisible connectors on those old hinges. Prefer angle locks unless you are repairing an old save that already uses the motor method.
Motor lock is not folding
Motor lock compresses parts into each other for detail the normal grid cannot make. It is so common that newer blocks have started to replace it. Compression is not a way to escape the 51-block width. If a locked motor is later powered and moved, the compression lets go. Angle lock is the separate trick for tilting a part without a live motor.
Spawn the folded build once in a quiet server before you add weapons or a second fold axis. A fold that clips the plot edge on the first spawn will not get better after you decorate it.