Treadmill
DrownedOut
Habitat Join Date: 2016-05-26 Member: 217559Members
Habitat Join Date: 2016-05-26 Member: 217559Members
I was somewhat sarcastic when I brought up a treadmill-powered quartz machine a few threads ago, but the general idea hasn't left me and I think it could be an interesting new source of energy.
I think a fair recipe would be something like two titanium and a copper wire. Simple materials to get.
If some explanation is needed for treadmill technology being present, it could be that they're part of the Aurora's recreative facilities as part of a walking simulation to help the crew deal with the long stay abord the ship.
- The pure cynism when you'd find the blueprint, especially if it's a one-scan instead of a two-scan like solar panels to increase the odds you obtain it first. You want energy, newbie? Start walking.
- First impression aside, I can think of many situations a treadmill would be useful to me. Especially early game or setting up a new base, I tend to have energy shortages limit my progress speed. There are times I don't have material or fuel or room for the bioreactor and nuclear reactor, when there's no hot spot nearby, and when the depth or night limit the use of solar panels. But I still got me and instead of doing the extra fetch work (when all I need is a little to, say, get titanium out of scrap metal) or wait around for more energy, why not have something that allows manpower to be turned into base energy for a little extra? This might also be some help in the matter of on/off energy situations. Ideally it would be programmed that "no energy" and "energy restored" messages cannot rapidly succeed each other, but as is having a treadmill would give players the possibility to shift the balance in favor of the little energy needed to end those messages.
- If the design is about the look of an everyday treadmill, I'd love to have one among my bedroom furniture. So in the matter of looking into more interactivity with furniture, this could be an interesting addition.
I think a fair recipe would be something like two titanium and a copper wire. Simple materials to get.
If some explanation is needed for treadmill technology being present, it could be that they're part of the Aurora's recreative facilities as part of a walking simulation to help the crew deal with the long stay abord the ship.
Comments
Sorry
Like, I'm currently working on a base in the Grand Reef, which is quite a journey and not the most accommodating place to take the Cyclops. I take my basic equipment with me, a lot of titanium, some glass for a hatch and single hallway, some lithium to be safe from hull breaches, a beacon, a large bottle of water, and material for a fabricator. Solar panels don't work there, thermal plants (+power transmitter(s)) require special materials, and so do the nuclear reactor and bioreactor + fuel + an issue of space.
With a treadmill as proposed, I would've only have needed to mind to bring along copper wire because titanium is a basic building material. I would've been able to provide the base with a little power to ensure oxygen and light, which aside from being pleasant would've also made me slightly less Seamoth dependent during the building process. I would've also been able to to cook local fish, quartz from the Sparse Reef and scrap metal from the Kelp Forest and returned to the base I'm working on without having to go all the way back to my main base. I don't assume treadmill walking would be a super exciting part of gameplay, but it would give me a choice.
A bioreactor needs 4 Titanium and 1 Lubricant that is not what I would call "special materials" and you can find fuel for it in any biome which has flora and or fauna to harvest/catch. Getting fuel for your bioreactor is more easy then getting food because the reactor can use almost anything that is bio-material. Another merit of the bioreactor is, that you do not have to "use" it as a player to get energy. Just put fuel in it and let it work till you have to refill it again.
If you need some guidance for setting up a second base/oupost take a look at Scubamatt's guide. It may not fit your needs 100% but It may give you some hints.
But you have to let go of the idea that a base in a region where not all basic resources can be found would not require you to travel alot. You will always need to visit biomes with lot's of scrap metal to cover your Titanium needs and creepvine forests for silver.
I don't want to bash your idea here but in my mind the bioreactor suits your energy needs far more then a treadmill would. The space should not really be the problem. Building a bioreactor in your first multi-purpose-room is a no brainer.
I have two interpretations of what you mean with "be in line with solar panels and bioreactor". If it's about emulating reality, I suspect the nuclear reactor underperforms compared to those two from a rl pov. If it's about gameplay balance, I think that's already covered by the fact you'd have to personally generate the energy. You can't walk away and you can only have one active at a time because there's only one you. That cannot compete with solar panels and bioreactor, but still have traits that make it useful in some scenarios. Relatedly, I cannot agree that walking on a treadmill should be more costly that walking on land. That's like saying the charge fins should come with a hunger drain.
Considering the charge fins charge at a little under 1ep/2s, I think a treadmill could be about 1ep/5s, which is roughly the equivalent of a solar panel at 45m. It'd take 25 or 50 seconds of just walking to use the fabricator once, which seems fair. Mind that I'm far more looking at this suggestion as a piece of furniture with use than an equal to the other energy installations.
I call the lubricant "special material" because it is not common as a base component. Titanium and glass are, accompanied by quartz, computer chips, and lithium. It's not something I'd bring along unless I have a specific purpose in mind. Lead, for instance, also qualifies as a "special material" in this context, as do the fuel or the seed/sample (+ fertilizer in the future) needed for a mini-farm. I don't like using up the flora in the environment and I don't feed bioreactors fauna. One [copper wire] is easier. Then there's also the matter of being required to build a mp room, which I sometimes don't want to. Some of my bases only need to be a moon pool, fabricator, beacon, and observatory, give or take some connecting hallways/platforms or even less than all that. I'm not always looking for a fully functional base, just a quick stop point. It keeps base building fresh to change up the formula.
Hi.
Yes I meant it from a game-balance standpoint. And I don't think that the charge fins fall in line with a treadmill. The charge fins use the water flow you generate through your normal movement to create power instead of more speed like the Ultra glide fins that is a difference.
To seriously generate energy with a treadmill you would have to run on it not just walk. It would need to have a certain breaking momentum which you have to work against to generate power. A normal treadmill uses up power to make it run. So in your case you would have to use body power aka calories to move that device with enough force to generate electrical power. If you ever rode a cardio training indoor bike you know what I am talking about. You can see on their displays how much watts you produce and you'd really have to push yourself if you want to produce serious energy. That is why I see a higher food and water consumption when you use a treadmill for energy production as a requirement.
From a pure furniture point of view I agree with you. Why not have a treadmill or similar device. They must have had something like that onboard the Aurora to keep the crew healthy and in shape. But from the powering a whole base with it pov it really should have you burn through your food and water faster no matter how advanced the technology may be.
A base that big (Moonpool, Observatory, Fabricator, +/- hallways and so on) should have a dedicated power source imo. Down to about 150m a set of solar panels still gives you enough power to run a base. Deeper then 200m you often find heat sources nearby for a few thermal reactors if you don't want to build a MP-room for a bioreactor.
Again as a furniture I find your idea fine...as a power generation tool it has to have the above mentioned downsides imo.