I do wrecks in multiple runs on each entrance and I still often found 135s not enough. Even with a spare 90s I once or twice almost drowned. I know I could optimise this but on the larger wrecks I still think 135s would be very tight.
One thing I never have tried in wrecks is the Dive Reel. I used to use it when I dove down to the Jelly Shroom Cave early game to scan frags and grab some materials. I had 225s or 255s of oxygen and the Dive Reel really helped to find my way back. I'd anchor in a cave roof, then swim out to a nearby Brain Coral to recharge all oxygen. Then I'd go down and explore. And when time to go back up, move sideways until the Reel line is vertical and there's the shaft back up and I'd Seaglide back to the Brain Coral.
In the caves, the Dive Reel line would clips through walls. I found a way to use it despite that. That same behaviour in a wreck would render it useless. But to finally be sure, I decided to test the Dive Reel in a small wreck.
It appears that the Dive Reel could help to avoid getting lost in wrecks. It appears as you move through a wreck, the Dive Reel line anchors on some points throughout, like the entrance, some floors, and some access points like cut doors. This makes the line useful to backtrack to the entrance you used.
After going in and back once, the line is now back and forth throughout the wreck, but you can pick up the anchor point and reset it for another use.
About the UHC tank: first i used it in Experimental and then in Stable only in the paperdoll UI. But now i had the same conclusion like you and replaced the UHC tank with a LHC tank. The extra 20 seconds is not worth the 3x3 size, especially on swaping the tanks.
About the oxygen tank changes in VOTD: now i am familiar with it and i like the changes. But the two missing features we suggested about indicator and swapping are strongly needed!
About the Dive Reel: useless, because extremely buggy. I never used it again. Instead i try to remember to some special points in a wreck and if i must go back to my Seamoth or Cyclops i "play back" this points in my brain. A good memory training because you will "die" if you can't remember. ^^
About the UHC tank: first i used it in Experimental and then in Stable only in the paperdoll UI. But now i had the same conclusion like you and replaced the UHC tank with a LHC tank. The extra 20 seconds is not worth the 3x3 size, especially on swaping the tanks.
I currently use just 1 UHC Tank in the paperdoll as the 20s is a tiny improvement on dives and swimouts and the extra size doesn't matter and my swimming speed is set by the Seaglide with Swim Charge Fins. And with the 1 UHC Tank in the paperdoll, I can still swim fast enough with a tool deployed to recharge it a bit. But when I next get back to checking wrecks, if they're beyond 155s safely, it'll be back to 2 or 3 LHC Tanks.
About the oxygen tank changes in VOTD: now i am familiar with it and i like the changes. But the two missing features we suggested about indicator and swapping are strongly needed!
That year-old topic resurrected ("Those who whine about not having enough Oxygen...") was informative about the similar issue with the 30s tanks and the devs deciding to remove the need for swapping by drawing on oxygen from tanks in the inventory. But having to swap every 30s is a lot more tedious than every 90s. So I don't see the oxygen and tank system changing before release. Though I really would like to see those 2 features.
About the Dive Reel: useless, because extremely buggy. I never used it again. Instead i try to remember to some special points in a wreck and if i must go back to my Seamoth or Cyclops i "play back" this points in my brain. A good memory training because you will "die" if you can't remember. ^^
That's a shame, but I thought it might be awkward to use. May still give it a try on my next large wreck exploration.
I found one thing, not really useful at the moment, but interesting: if you drop down a oxygen tank from your inventory to the seabed, you can see exactly what we want: you can see how much oxygen is in this oxygen tank via mouse-hover. So, this feature is allready implemented, but simply not complete. ^^
And in the latest Experimental build (50029), I've noticed that Tanks in inventory get recharged with oxygen without having to shuffle them through the paperdoll slot. Good-good!
EDIT: Okay, this isn't reliable. I just did a quick swim into a wreck and by habit checked my tanks. They didn't recharge while in inventory.
The prior case I checked may have been recharged tanks from the paperdoll put away in a Wall Locker that kept their oxygen. I'm not sure.
But keep checking all tanks before swimout.
Can someone check this in the latest Stable build?
Completely dislike the new change to the O2 tanks. It amounts to meaningless busy work when the tanks are still there in your inventory. We're in some futuristic space age time but they can't connect some O2 tanks together in an easy or intuitive way, you serious?
I already thought oxygen lasted stupid short amounts of time, hunger and thirst happened way too fast, and things took too much damage before the round of recent updates. I can honestly say I am rapidly losing any interest in playing the game they are apparently making. It is not the quirky, beautiful exploration game I fell in love with. They seemed determined to make it more realistic, more intense, and less fun with every update.
I agree completely, I enjoyed the earlier version of the game, now I see myself not even wanting to play it anymore. It's simply not as fun as it used to be. They're putting in things that actively try to make exploration inconvenient in a game that is all about exploration and wonder.
If you could swap tanks without needing the empty slots to do it, I might not mind. As it is, the system doesn't work well. If the idea was to save inventory space, that fails utterly if you're trying to explore wrecks. My personal answer is to use the OXYGEN console code when exploring the big wrecks, as I hate trying to run around as fast as possible and probably miss things. I like looking around in wrecks. That gets around the problem nicely for me, and the game should be about fun. I don't use it outside of wrecks. Personally, I'd really prefer stacking tanks as before, but it's not such a big deal when you're just hunting resources outside the Seamoth.
O2 Tank Oxygen Speed Made With Components Size CPI
No tank 45s 5.7m/s - - - -
Standard +30s -0.4m/s Fabricator 1xGlass, 2xTitanium 2x3 5.0
High Capacity +90s -0.4m/s Fabricator 1xStandard O2 Tank, 2xGlass, 4xTitanium, 1xSilver 2x3 15.0
Lightweight High Capacity +90s -0.1m/s Mod Station 1xHigh Capacity O2 Tank, 1xPlasteel Ingot 2x3 15.0
Ultra High Capacity +110s -0.6m/s Mod Station 1xHigh Capacity O2 Tank, 4xLithium 3x3 12.2
CPI = Capacity Per Inventory-slot.
...
The UHC/UC (+110 = total 155) doesn't add much use with being only +20 to the HC or LW/LHC/LWHC (+90 = total 135). That's about 10% more capacity in total with about 10% loss of speed if I compare the UC vs. LW as endgame tanks. The difference isn't much, except that for evading predators it might already be too much, while only giving back 10% more air. If it had been 30% difference: -2m/s speed drag, but 180 secs air total, than the different usage would have the advantage to actually have tanks for different situations. The UC would be ideal for very slow cave or wreck diving, where you can get lost in a maze, but no fast predators to chase you, while the LW would be ideal for open waters where you want to escape fast, but never get lost much.
To the aspect of wreck diving time:
If you do multiple expeditions to unlock and map your wreck or cave maze first, then usually you have plenty of time left, though the pressure of having not enough air avoids any sightseeing and forces you to rush through the "places of beauty". So 135s with a LW tank is enough for operational purpose. A 180s UC tank would surely allow a slow and awesome exploration and probably no need for another tank or whole set of tanks.
About wreck dangers:
The biggest or only wreck danger up to now is simply running out of air, forcing you to rush unenjoyingly through a wreck. The other dangers would be traps (electrick shocks or moving debris) and predators locked into the wreck maze or behind sealed chambers. The predator candidates would be biters, bleeders and mesmers. Right now there is a bay inside the game filled with mesmers - pretty nasty. But most other wreck bays and sealed chambers are just empty. But the more dangers are inside the wreck, the more air you would need and the tanks would have to get bigger. That would mean shifting the danger from pure air exhaustion danger to a more shock event based danger with predators and traps, but giving the diver more air time in general.
Example:
I go to the koosh radioactive wreck and dive through the shaft maze to the bay. Takes leaves me around 30-50 secs left depending on how fast I am. But then I could get hypnotized by the mezmers there and loose all the time left, getting in panic and not finding the exit in time.
Now imagine you had a big air tank and plenty of time when suddenly entering a bay with lots of mesmers ... Yes, isn't that better? Or do you rather want to speed rush through predator empty wrecks with not enough air?
So my suggestion:
A big UHC tank with 240 secs total air and a giant speed loss through tank drag. Perfect to explore wrecks that are now full of dangers. While the other LW tank only has 135 secs total air with excellent speed to avoid predators in the open sea.
I was so excited for this feature since I started playing when this was a thing so I got used to it but then they changed it. But didn't they said having the highest one would be like having 3 tanks? Before I would have 165 secs with one tank in the paper doll and one passive, now I have 155 secs with the highest tank... Thats less than 2 tanks so what happened to 3 tanks? IMO the best thing the can do is either increase the oxygen of the highest tank cause whats the point of upgrading for 20 secs? or leave the current numbers but add passive back and let people decide what they want to do.
@zetachron, the only reason I use one UHC Tank is I always swim with the Seaglide and I just want to have a bit more oxygen. If 155s ain't enough to do so safely, it's back to 2 or 3 LHC Tanks and leave 6 space free to swap.
I really hope the UHC Tank gets an improvement before release.
I just want to chime in on my thought about O2 tanks in Voice of the Deep.
I was really excited to hear that they were going to have an 'Ultra' tank. I excitedly looked for it, found the mod station and crafted it. In my head, this was going to be the end of me panicking for air. I'd have some awesome, outrageous O2 amount, like... 300!
Then I equipped the Ultra tank and it was... 20 more than the previous tank. Sad face.
Would like a tank that bumped you up to 300, but don't worry Subnautica / Unknown Worlds. I still love you.
[ Mouse-hover over dropped tanks shows oxygen capacity ]
Wow! Mouse-hover outside the PDA can do a lot, like tell you what blueprint is in a Databox before you open it.
Also you can mouse-over a Solar Panel at your seabase; not only does it say how much power is stored in it currently (XXX/250) but it shows how strong the sunlight currently is (XX%). That kind of info for Solar Panels and Airtanks should be visible without having to pinpoint the mouse on it.
Perhaps they could use the Alternate Function (F) key bind when there is no tool present to display holographic pop-up (translucent text like the Lifepod ping) that hovers just above the model. This way you can see relevent info you want to know, but don't need always need it. Plus it helps if you're at a distance away, or at an angle - that would reduce having to be up on the unit in question just for that info.
Here's an example to what I mean: in StarCraft 2 units and structures you control take damage and have individual HP bars. You have to hover over each unit to see their health; OR you hold down Shift to show every unit and structure HP bars simultaneously. This is how I imagine this could work for Subnautica: the info is there, the display is there... we just need a better way to relay it.
Comments
One thing I never have tried in wrecks is the Dive Reel. I used to use it when I dove down to the Jelly Shroom Cave early game to scan frags and grab some materials. I had 225s or 255s of oxygen and the Dive Reel really helped to find my way back. I'd anchor in a cave roof, then swim out to a nearby Brain Coral to recharge all oxygen. Then I'd go down and explore. And when time to go back up, move sideways until the Reel line is vertical and there's the shaft back up and I'd Seaglide back to the Brain Coral.
In the caves, the Dive Reel line would clips through walls. I found a way to use it despite that. That same behaviour in a wreck would render it useless. But to finally be sure, I decided to test the Dive Reel in a small wreck.
It appears that the Dive Reel could help to avoid getting lost in wrecks. It appears as you move through a wreck, the Dive Reel line anchors on some points throughout, like the entrance, some floors, and some access points like cut doors. This makes the line useful to backtrack to the entrance you used.
After going in and back once, the line is now back and forth throughout the wreck, but you can pick up the anchor point and reset it for another use.
About the UHC tank: first i used it in Experimental and then in Stable only in the paperdoll UI. But now i had the same conclusion like you and replaced the UHC tank with a LHC tank. The extra 20 seconds is not worth the 3x3 size, especially on swaping the tanks.
About the oxygen tank changes in VOTD: now i am familiar with it and i like the changes. But the two missing features we suggested about indicator and swapping are strongly needed!
About the Dive Reel: useless, because extremely buggy. I never used it again. Instead i try to remember to some special points in a wreck and if i must go back to my Seamoth or Cyclops i "play back" this points in my brain. A good memory training because you will "die" if you can't remember. ^^
That year-old topic resurrected ("Those who whine about not having enough Oxygen...") was informative about the similar issue with the 30s tanks and the devs deciding to remove the need for swapping by drawing on oxygen from tanks in the inventory. But having to swap every 30s is a lot more tedious than every 90s. So I don't see the oxygen and tank system changing before release. Though I really would like to see those 2 features.
That's a shame, but I thought it might be awkward to use. May still give it a try on my next large wreck exploration.
EDIT: Okay, this isn't reliable. I just did a quick swim into a wreck and by habit checked my tanks. They didn't recharge while in inventory.
The prior case I checked may have been recharged tanks from the paperdoll put away in a Wall Locker that kept their oxygen. I'm not sure.
But keep checking all tanks before swimout.
Can someone check this in the latest Stable build?
I agree completely, I enjoyed the earlier version of the game, now I see myself not even wanting to play it anymore. It's simply not as fun as it used to be. They're putting in things that actively try to make exploration inconvenient in a game that is all about exploration and wonder.
The UHC/UC (+110 = total 155) doesn't add much use with being only +20 to the HC or LW/LHC/LWHC (+90 = total 135). That's about 10% more capacity in total with about 10% loss of speed if I compare the UC vs. LW as endgame tanks. The difference isn't much, except that for evading predators it might already be too much, while only giving back 10% more air. If it had been 30% difference: -2m/s speed drag, but 180 secs air total, than the different usage would have the advantage to actually have tanks for different situations. The UC would be ideal for very slow cave or wreck diving, where you can get lost in a maze, but no fast predators to chase you, while the LW would be ideal for open waters where you want to escape fast, but never get lost much.
To the aspect of wreck diving time:
If you do multiple expeditions to unlock and map your wreck or cave maze first, then usually you have plenty of time left, though the pressure of having not enough air avoids any sightseeing and forces you to rush through the "places of beauty". So 135s with a LW tank is enough for operational purpose. A 180s UC tank would surely allow a slow and awesome exploration and probably no need for another tank or whole set of tanks.
About wreck dangers:
The biggest or only wreck danger up to now is simply running out of air, forcing you to rush unenjoyingly through a wreck. The other dangers would be traps (electrick shocks or moving debris) and predators locked into the wreck maze or behind sealed chambers. The predator candidates would be biters, bleeders and mesmers. Right now there is a bay inside the game filled with mesmers - pretty nasty. But most other wreck bays and sealed chambers are just empty. But the more dangers are inside the wreck, the more air you would need and the tanks would have to get bigger. That would mean shifting the danger from pure air exhaustion danger to a more shock event based danger with predators and traps, but giving the diver more air time in general.
Example:
I go to the koosh radioactive wreck and dive through the shaft maze to the bay. Takes leaves me around 30-50 secs left depending on how fast I am. But then I could get hypnotized by the mezmers there and loose all the time left, getting in panic and not finding the exit in time.
Now imagine you had a big air tank and plenty of time when suddenly entering a bay with lots of mesmers ... Yes, isn't that better? Or do you rather want to speed rush through predator empty wrecks with not enough air?
So my suggestion:
A big UHC tank with 240 secs total air and a giant speed loss through tank drag. Perfect to explore wrecks that are now full of dangers. While the other LW tank only has 135 secs total air with excellent speed to avoid predators in the open sea.
I really hope the UHC Tank gets an improvement before release.
I was really excited to hear that they were going to have an 'Ultra' tank. I excitedly looked for it, found the mod station and crafted it. In my head, this was going to be the end of me panicking for air. I'd have some awesome, outrageous O2 amount, like... 300!
Then I equipped the Ultra tank and it was... 20 more than the previous tank. Sad face.
Would like a tank that bumped you up to 300, but don't worry Subnautica / Unknown Worlds. I still love you.
Also you can mouse-over a Solar Panel at your seabase; not only does it say how much power is stored in it currently (XXX/250) but it shows how strong the sunlight currently is (XX%). That kind of info for Solar Panels and Airtanks should be visible without having to pinpoint the mouse on it.
Perhaps they could use the Alternate Function (F) key bind when there is no tool present to display holographic pop-up (translucent text like the Lifepod ping) that hovers just above the model. This way you can see relevent info you want to know, but don't need always need it. Plus it helps if you're at a distance away, or at an angle - that would reduce having to be up on the unit in question just for that info.
Here's an example to what I mean: in StarCraft 2 units and structures you control take damage and have individual HP bars. You have to hover over each unit to see their health; OR you hold down Shift to show every unit and structure HP bars simultaneously. This is how I imagine this could work for Subnautica: the info is there, the display is there... we just need a better way to relay it.