mass is the only sensible criteria to use for comparison - that unifies various aspects of the amount and 'efficiency' of actual blocks placed in the game. This is fundamental. > it is how 'mass'/blocks are implemented in a build that drives the entire game forward.
'Power-Energy' has always been functional outcome of block-choice in Starmade - this is a better/more fun/more engaging system than, for example, 'levels' of reactor/ship or solutions such a CPU-cycle (or whatever it is) in another block-building-fight-game (although i expect there are advantages in terms of Development and Profit for that game by having 'cpu levels').
The fact that we don't need to fill the entire hull with systems means that now the only limiting factor on systems is power. Everything starts with that.
Power, as the most fundamental implementation of mass for the player structures a lot about a final ship (if one builds systems first without a very specific hull in mind for example). 2.0 works quite well with per-existing hulls ( eg increases in one factor are balanced by decrease on others etc).
I rather like the different problem created by
'Goldilocks' power-systems (ie
just right for the size/job), and so working with ideas where
'excessive'/'oversized' power is a more marked hindrance.
But the shape-meta it creates has a very strong pull in a rather predictable direction, and despite '
Goldilocks-fun' massed heaps of reactors/stabilizers at either end of the ship is just so very very unappealing
Overall (leaving aside chambers and some other changes) I just don't think the reactor-stabilizer system is great step forward as it currently stands.
I can build for rp, and still aim for the maximum power now.
IDK about all this RP/PP/EVP?/PRV/VpR.....i don't think there is a huge division for a lot of people who have played game over the years . Power is fundamental - everybody needs it - its just 'some-amount' harder (and therefore maybe more rewarding) to put in xx rooms, xx med-bays, a swimming pool, and cup holders for all the crew.
Ships that deviate from a theoretical '100%-focused-system' towards ones with much lower % of focused-systems will always under-perform in a direct comparison.
Where we not able to build 'RP' ships in 1.0 ?
That was not possible with the old power.
What is an RP ship ?
My top sci-fi author is Ian M Banks (RIP). I kinda like his 'logical' view of theoretical technologies, and super-imbalanced existential relationships (like a cosmic coral reef...). But lets consider the range of ships:
Yes there are huge titans packed with crew, med bays and cup-holders - these are not a combat ships per se., and the massive fleet in the Algerbraist (with a massive hulking titan-capital-fortress-flagship) is in the end vaporized in seconds
And that was not even by the Culture ships...
The feared Culture war-ships and contact-vessels (excluding the vast General Systems Vehicles) are generally small > and extremely dense.
The density is a a key factor in their power source.
This ships are part of AI fleets, with virtually no internal space for Humans. They are are extremely deadly, specifically designed to use vastly-overwhelming force (not necessarily numbers) in extremely precise and tactically advantageous ways.
What else can a space AI do, eh?
In combat, these ships (and others) are using further sub-sets of drones - down to the legendary Knife-Missiles, each one having many magnitudes of destructive potential beyond crusader-ships-with-cup-holders...
...
Anyway
the point is that interior less AI ships - or similar - are very much 'RP' (imo) - things like colony ships, asteroid-civilizations, and foolish-crusades, huge titans designed for many crew (who all need tea-security), don't often come out-well as combat ships -
nor should they.
Titans and smaller crewed-ships (including Culture GSVs and Contact vessels ) are however key elements in plot and 'faction-dynamics' - that is something maybe above basic considerations of power-generation and mass-per-mass 'power-rating' levels.
(or put another way, There is still a need to securely house containers of hot beverage...
at least for any Human with self-respect and no stains on space-suit)