My Power Suggestions
Sojo
Florida, USA Join Date: 2015-09-20 Member: 208061Members
Florida, USA Join Date: 2015-09-20 Member: 208061Members
I know some of the following has been suggested by others before, but I don't think all of them have been or in this detail, so here are my suggestions to improve and flesh out the power mechanic:
1) Rechargeable batteries and power cells. Specifics: later on in the game, we should be able to craft Rechargeable Batteries (RBs) and Power Cells (RPCs) using lithium (it isn't used for much at all currently and would make perfect sense) and a higher tier ore, like silver or gold. So maybe, 2 lithium + 1 silver for the RB (compared to 2 acid mushrooms + 1 copper for the battery) and 2 RBs + 1 silicone rubber for the RPCs (compared to 2 batteries + 1 silicone rubber for the power cell). Perhaps to keep scaling things up, the RPCs should use something fancier than silicone rubber. They could also have a more creative name than just adding 'rechargeable' to the normal ones' names, like lithium-ion battery, etc.
The items in our inventory would need to display their % charge when moused over of course and interacting with one currently plugged in (say in a Cyclops, but why would one ever use RBs there?), should remove said RPC leaving an empty socket so you can see it doesn't have one at a glance. Both of these rechargeables could last forever or they could have a recharge limit for balance purposes.
Finally, we would need a way to actually recharge both of these new items. Enter the Recharging Station, a console we can build where ever fabricators can go. It could either have an interface like a locker where we placed items to be recharged (simpler way) or it would look kinda like the power cell ports of the cyclops where we could pop multiple items in at once to charge off a base's power (cooler way). If we went with the latter option, there could be a separate station for RBs and RPCs since we would be able to see them plugged in and charging away. With the locker option we would have to open it and mouse over them to see if they were fully charged but with the latter option we could just glance at the recharging station and see by the indicator lights how much of a charge each had (red, none to speak of; yellow, charging; green, fully charged).
Addendum: we would need to be able to remove batteries from devices, like the welder, so we can replace them with RBs or simply go ahead and start recharging them, rather than waiting until the batteries are completely dead, as we currently do.
2) The Cyclops should be able to be updated to use solar, biofuel, or nuclear power. Specifics: For the solar, a Seamoth-like insertable upgrade would work (though I think all of those upgrades should make a visible change to both subs, such as solar panels appearing on the hulls in a sleek form-fitting manner -- like armor plating, but solar panels instead of armor). However, I don't think such a thing would make sense for the other two power sources. Instead it would be awesome if we crafted an addon console in the engine room that looked appropriate to accept biofuel or nuclear fuel. If necessary for game balance this could still take up one of the valuable upgrades slots, but I just don't think it would look right if we put creepvine into the socket for a power cell or the upgrade console.
Addendum: So many others have already suggested various times how useful it would be if the Cyclops could dock, in some way, with a base so it could recharge its power cells off base power (and I of course agree), but I think more options are usually for the better, especially when they are immersive.
3) Crafting recipes and fuel for power generators. Specifics: I'm sure it's not final, but a solar panel should require 1 glass, not 2 quartz (that just doesn't make any sense) and nuclear reactors should require more uranium, say 2-3 (since it is raw and unprocessed, there is so much of it, and the reactor provides so much power) and shouldn't require any water from the PC, let alone illogical disinfected water. It should come with an internal water pump and desalinizer for its water needs so the PC only has to add the uranium.
4) Pumping water out of your base should require and consume base power. This would really shine once our bases start getting attacked. I hope the animals will be attracted to your power generators. We will be encouraged to build them in reasonable places for function and defense. I know they are already working on base lights only working while it has power, this is in the same vein.
5) Wind, hydro, and bigger solar. Specifics: The previous suggestions almost feel needed to me, while these would just be cool to have one day down the line, specifically if there are ever winds and ocean currents. For the solar I'm simply referring to a solar solar array that could be built at once for convenience and the cool factor: for the same amount of resources we should be able to build a solar panel array, say, four times the size. It can be annoying building 6-8 of them one by one and such an array could have a cool model. This would be a late game thing, that perhaps required a fragment or even a special ingredient. Just a thought.
I hope the content makes up for the length. It would have been many times longer had I not decided to break my suggestions up by type
.
1) Rechargeable batteries and power cells. Specifics: later on in the game, we should be able to craft Rechargeable Batteries (RBs) and Power Cells (RPCs) using lithium (it isn't used for much at all currently and would make perfect sense) and a higher tier ore, like silver or gold. So maybe, 2 lithium + 1 silver for the RB (compared to 2 acid mushrooms + 1 copper for the battery) and 2 RBs + 1 silicone rubber for the RPCs (compared to 2 batteries + 1 silicone rubber for the power cell). Perhaps to keep scaling things up, the RPCs should use something fancier than silicone rubber. They could also have a more creative name than just adding 'rechargeable' to the normal ones' names, like lithium-ion battery, etc.
The items in our inventory would need to display their % charge when moused over of course and interacting with one currently plugged in (say in a Cyclops, but why would one ever use RBs there?), should remove said RPC leaving an empty socket so you can see it doesn't have one at a glance. Both of these rechargeables could last forever or they could have a recharge limit for balance purposes.
Finally, we would need a way to actually recharge both of these new items. Enter the Recharging Station, a console we can build where ever fabricators can go. It could either have an interface like a locker where we placed items to be recharged (simpler way) or it would look kinda like the power cell ports of the cyclops where we could pop multiple items in at once to charge off a base's power (cooler way). If we went with the latter option, there could be a separate station for RBs and RPCs since we would be able to see them plugged in and charging away. With the locker option we would have to open it and mouse over them to see if they were fully charged but with the latter option we could just glance at the recharging station and see by the indicator lights how much of a charge each had (red, none to speak of; yellow, charging; green, fully charged).
Addendum: we would need to be able to remove batteries from devices, like the welder, so we can replace them with RBs or simply go ahead and start recharging them, rather than waiting until the batteries are completely dead, as we currently do.
2) The Cyclops should be able to be updated to use solar, biofuel, or nuclear power. Specifics: For the solar, a Seamoth-like insertable upgrade would work (though I think all of those upgrades should make a visible change to both subs, such as solar panels appearing on the hulls in a sleek form-fitting manner -- like armor plating, but solar panels instead of armor). However, I don't think such a thing would make sense for the other two power sources. Instead it would be awesome if we crafted an addon console in the engine room that looked appropriate to accept biofuel or nuclear fuel. If necessary for game balance this could still take up one of the valuable upgrades slots, but I just don't think it would look right if we put creepvine into the socket for a power cell or the upgrade console.
Addendum: So many others have already suggested various times how useful it would be if the Cyclops could dock, in some way, with a base so it could recharge its power cells off base power (and I of course agree), but I think more options are usually for the better, especially when they are immersive.
3) Crafting recipes and fuel for power generators. Specifics: I'm sure it's not final, but a solar panel should require 1 glass, not 2 quartz (that just doesn't make any sense) and nuclear reactors should require more uranium, say 2-3 (since it is raw and unprocessed, there is so much of it, and the reactor provides so much power) and shouldn't require any water from the PC, let alone illogical disinfected water. It should come with an internal water pump and desalinizer for its water needs so the PC only has to add the uranium.
4) Pumping water out of your base should require and consume base power. This would really shine once our bases start getting attacked. I hope the animals will be attracted to your power generators. We will be encouraged to build them in reasonable places for function and defense. I know they are already working on base lights only working while it has power, this is in the same vein.
5) Wind, hydro, and bigger solar. Specifics: The previous suggestions almost feel needed to me, while these would just be cool to have one day down the line, specifically if there are ever winds and ocean currents. For the solar I'm simply referring to a solar solar array that could be built at once for convenience and the cool factor: for the same amount of resources we should be able to build a solar panel array, say, four times the size. It can be annoying building 6-8 of them one by one and such an array could have a cool model. This would be a late game thing, that perhaps required a fragment or even a special ingredient. Just a thought.
I hope the content makes up for the length. It would have been many times longer had I not decided to break my suggestions up by type
.
Comments
Maybe make the wall charger require gold or lithium to build, and in order to make an item rechargable, it needs to be upgraded with lithium batteries.
Trade-off being upgrade is taken in lieu of a "performance" upgrade, and it removes the "reload" mechanic, as upgraded battery is permanent.
(RECIPE)3x Li-Ion Power Cells+3x Plasteel Ingots+1x Polyaniline+3x Copper Foil
(Polyaniline)1x Sulfur+ Hydrochloric Acid
Li-ion batteries should be:
1 battery, 1 lithium, 1 coil > fabricator > Li-ion battery (is removable/reusable/rechargeable and has 50% more power)
Li-ion power cells should be:
2 Li-ion batteries, 1 coil, 2 silicone > fabricator > Li-ion power cell (is removable/reusable/rechargeable and has 50% more power)
Li-ion charging post (mountable in both Cyclops and base)
2 titanium, 2 silicone, 1 wiring kit
Li-ion power cell charging post (mountable inside base only)
3 titanium, 3 silicone, 1 wiring kit
Yeah, that would be the locker-like charging station option I mentioned. I'ld personally prefer to be able to see the batteries and power cells added to the station's model when they are charging and see right on them colored lights indicating their charge status. I don't think the locker option would allow for that. You have to interact with it and mouse over the items inside to see their status.
Good on you, I forgot to suggest mats for the charging station
I second this idea. Plus, as part of the base power system, it could act as a 'battery backup' for the base in a low power situations (run lights, pumps, etc.)
Sojo, I would agree with that assumption also. Solar, thermal, bio, nuclear. These should not affect stored power, just rate of charge. I'm inclined to think a light-duty battery unit can be built that stores 25 power, just to get a base started, or giving each piece of tech, like fabricators and whatnot, some small store of, say, 5 power each, and leaving it to charge rate to make this bearable.