StarMade v0.200.332 - Reactor System Enhancement and Fixes

[Valiant70]

In the absence of official news threads, here is an unofficial one! Check out the official news here: StarMade News - StarMade v0.200.332 - Reactor System Enhancement and Fixes

An effort was made to solve the "needle meta" by changing the stabilizer distance mechanics. Placing stabilizers on different sides of the reactor reduces the distance required for maximum efficiency. This means there are more viable choices for ship layouts. Now if Schema could just do something to make those beams less annoying...

Anyway we got a few bug fixes too, and a feature that lets you highlight a specific block type in your ship. That should come in handy.

 

[Temeter]

IMO that was the logical solution. The issue behind the stick meta was that Power 2.0 only rewarded extension into a single dimension, so adding the ability to go for multiple dimensions only makes sense.

And since, if you have three reactors, it's not too much of a penalty to say place a ships wings at 50% efficiency, you can build nearly any shape you want.

 

[Dire Venom]

Im glad this was done, it at least makes the system useable.
I would certiantly like to see further work done on the power streams as well, with a less lose/win switch built in (lose all power if stream gets hit).

The first ship to hit their opponents streams a couple of times wins the engagement imo. Seems waaay too binary and not engaging or fun during combat.

Maybe reduces max power output, applys debuffs etc could be the way to go.

 

[Temeter]

Maybe reduces max power output, applys debuffs etc could be the way to go.

Yep. The damage should be gradual, and you gotta be careful not to disadvantage long sticks with 1 capacitator against stars/boxes with multiple capacitators.

I imagine the devs are thinking/working on something like that, though. The current power management and it's priorities are just too interesting of a system as to not make it an element in combat.

 

[JinM]

An interesting sidenote: Did you guys notice, that Metal Mesh and Metal Grills now have slabs? When did that happen?

 

[YamiHikari]

An interesting sidenote: Did you guys notice, that Metal Mesh and Metal Grills now have slabs? When did that happen?

You're right. They do (just checked). I'd say that's an extra plus. Slabs for those blocks will definitely be useful.

 

[Crimson-Artist]

the update says that it made turret aim now focus fire but I tried it out and it doesn't work.

 

[YamiHikari]

the update says that it made turret aim now focus fire but I tried it out and it doesn't work.

Have you mentioned that in the support section? I'm sure the mods would be happy to help you figure out what's wrong. And if it's not something you're doing and there really is an issue with the mechanic, create a bug report.

 

[Valiant70]

the update says that it made turret aim now focus fire but I tried it out and it doesn't work.

Here. Bug report that dude. Phabricator

 

[NuclearFun]

I have a problem with how secondary reactors and stabilizers work - wanted to put a smaller secondary reactor in between the main reactor and the stabilizers. While the block count of reactors does not affect main reactor stabilization the distance between every reactor and stabilizers seems to be factored in - stabilizers loose efficiency -> main reactor looses stabilization. Smaller reactor behind the main one? - no problem at all.

I think this should be different.

 

[YamiHikari]

I have a problem with how secondary reactors and stabilizers work - wanted to put a smaller secondary reactor in between the main reactor and the stabilizers. While the block count of reactors does not affect main reactor stabilization the distance between every reactor and stabilizers seems to be factored in - stabilizers loose efficiency -> main reactor looses stabilization. Smaller reactor behind the main one? - no problem at all.

I think this should be different.

Can you provide some screenshots of that? It sounds strange and could be a bug.

 

[Tydeth]

So I went and tested a refit under power 2.0...

Default jump range, with no +Jump Range chambers, is 3 sectors.

... Right, then. Looks like everything that is meant to go long range will need one of these:

That, or Carriers will now be more of a thing.

 

[NuclearFun]

Can you provide some screenshots of that? It sounds strange and could be a bug.

Spoiler: Pics

Before: 100%+25%

After: 62.2%

 

[NTIMESc]

The first ship to hit their opponents streams a couple of times wins the engagement imo.

This could be an opportunity to make use of the stabilization buffer, allowing the stabilizer stream to "absorb" hits until the buffer is depleted.

 

[Valiant70]

This could be an opportunity to make use of the stabilization buffer, allowing the stabilizer stream to "absorb" hits until the buffer is depleted.

I think hitting a stabilizer stream should just transfer the damage to the stabilizer it's connected to and start breaking some of the blocks.

 

[Az14el]

select target mode turrets still firing way off target, but at correct barrel alignment as of .334
schema pls halp

 

[dwwojcik]

So I went and tested a refit under power 2.0...

Default jump range, with no +Jump Range chambers, is 3 sectors.

... Right, then. Looks like everything that is meant to go long range will need one of these:

That, or Carriers will now be more of a thing.

The intention is that long range ships will have dedicated travel reactors, and regular ships will either be part of completely autonomous NPC/AI piloted fleets that don't care about tediously making dozens of jumps, or they'll use a network of jump gates the Trade Guild and others build. Like the one the art stream people have been working on for the past... however long.

That being said, even with a fully maxxed out jump drive, the range is way too short for my taste. I personally won't be playing without buffing that in the configs.

 

[Cluwne]

or they'll use a network of jump gates the Trade Guild and others build.

You do realize that in order to use the gates someone has to build them first? And building them involves putting up with mind-numbing tedium of hauling your metal aft across galaxy.
HOWEVER, if this fancy new free-target mode for gates lets you pick sectors as destination, you could use this mode to quickly reach the destination and build a gate there. That would reduce the build time for the gate networks by quite a lot. Maybe someone will actually bother to build said gate network then.
So in theory, an easy-to-deploy gate network could offset shit FTL drives, in practice, however, people tend to get mighty mad whenever they inadvertently end up stranded in the middle of nowhere with no means to reach home turf swiftly, short of committing sudoku.

 

[aceface]

So I went and tested a refit under power 2.0...

Default jump range, with no +Jump Range chambers, is 3 sectors.

... Right, then. Looks like everything that is meant to go long range will need one of these:

That, or Carriers will now be more of a thing.

yeah, a ship that does not specialize in jumping is sucking more than it used to pre chain drives. Probably the most viable alternative for combat ship, having to dock to something specifically for jumping.

 

[Dire Venom]

yeah, a ship that does not specialize in jumping is sucking more than it used to pre chain drives. Probably the most viable alternative for combat ship, having to dock to something specifically for jumping.

From what I can see you can reconfigure your reactor on the fly, thus switch to full jump chambers, then config it for combat before the final jump.