Fuel could make stations more necessary, by using the preexisting factories, which stations have chambers to improve the efficiency of, the fuel would just be an item that you craft with a certain recipe and store in the preexisting storage cargo system.
This way, you can have different types of reactor blocks that require more expensive fuel;
- Basic Reactor Block - doesn't require fuel, but is the least efficient mass-to-e/sec ratio.
This will be the same block we already use, so it wouldn't break any existing ships, and people who don't like fuel would still have an option. Also for stations mass wouldn't be an issue, so these would be perfect. And when you're completely stuck without fuel and you need to go mining to make more, you'll need this emergency backup power source to do it.)
The fuel-based reactor blocks would generate much higher levels of power for less blocks and have lower mass than the basic reactor block:
- Hydrogen Reactor Block - requires hydrogen fuel, this first level fuel would be crafted with ice/water/minerals, which would make it the least expensive, but is the least efficient in terms of mass, fuel consumption, and power output.
- Nuclear Reactor Block - requires nuclear fuel, could be crafted in a standard factory with more valuable resources
- Anti-Matter Reactor Block - requires anti-matter fuel, etc.
You would need a different reactor controller computer for each reactor type, that you can link the reactor blocks to, and also link storage to, just like a factory with enhancers and storage. The reactor controller would consume 1 fuel item and fill a fuel buffer internally to 100%.
Depending on the efficiency of the reactor you're using, you would consume more/less fuel buffer per e/sec per second, when the fuel buffer is depleted, it would consume another fuel item to refill it. You would want an auxiliary basic reactor just in case you run out of fuel.
- Hydrogen reactor : 0.166666667 fuel buffer % per 1 e/sec // this would deplete your full fuel buffer in 600 seconds, 10 minutes, higher e/sec would deplete it faster, but you scale everything together with this. Possibly should be even smaller per e/sec.
- Nuclear reactor : 0.027777778 fuel buffer % per 1 e/sec // this would last for 1 hour.
- Anti-Matter reactor : 0.001157407 fuel buffer % per 1 e/sec // this would last for 24 hours.
These fuels would drive trade and resources would become more important, ships could be lighter and stronger with less blocks but also not for free.
What say you
EDIT: the fuel based reactor blocks should possibly have no mass, the fuel items themselves need lower and lower mass for the higher tiers as well, or it would negate the whole purpose.
