Best way to place power reactors after update?

[ResonKinetic]

What with the recent updates, I'm not longer sure of the best/most efficient method of generating power.

tell me how

 

[Mered4]

What with the recent updates, I'm not longer sure of the best/most efficient method of generating power.

tell me how

For large ships, just long lines a block wide.

For small ships. i'm not sure. I don't usually build ships small enough to need 5x5 reactor designs.

 

[Keptick]

I'm pretty sure that power generation hasn't been changed in the latest update. Just keep on doing what you used to do.

 

[Wtfasaurous]

I'm pretty sure that power generation hasn't been changed in the latest update. Just keep on doing what you used to do.

It is different.

 

[der_scheme]

It is different.

I am quite certain that it hasn't been touched in over a year.

On the topic of small ships: If you can't exceed a line length of 10, placing single generators is more efficient.

 

[Wtfasaurous]

On the topic of small ships: If you can't exceed a line length of 10, placing single generators is more efficient.

That is what I am referring to. Smaller groups of power generators weren't always penalized for being clustered.

 

[AtraUnam]

I am quite certain that it hasn't been touched in over a year.

On the topic of small ships: If you can't exceed a line length of 10, placing single generators is more efficient.

Last I checked the exact number was 8 not 10.

 

[ResonKinetic]

What about building pluses? Wouldn't that be more efficient in larger ships than long, straight lines?

 

[FunnyBunny14]

More effective yes, but on ships the turning speed reduction, because for some weird reason it is based on box dims (the longest x, y and z), so it isn't worth it. Also, for some reason bigger grouped pluses eventualy kose efficiency, because for some reason you also gain less per block from a certain point (at about 200 000 regen). On stations it is more efficient to group them in bigger pluses though, but it still takes up a lot of space.

 

[MrFURB]

Hey folks, here's the method to the madness behind how power generators work, plus the basic tips that I use to make just about any shape have good power flow.
The basic principle of power generation is box dimensions. Every group of generator blocks that is touching shares a block dimension made by adding the total length, width, and depth of the group. You will want that box dimension number to be as high as possible. It gives bonus regeneration to the group dependent on how high it is slowly growing exponentially.
Separate from this, box dimension bonuses will slowly scale down the closer your total (ship-wide, not group-wide) box dimension bonus regen gets to 1,000,000. At 1,000,000 box dimension bonuses will cease to exist.
Unrelated to this is the base 25 regen/s that all power regen blocks have. Due to adding this to the box dimension bonuses, it's usually safer to say that the box dimension bonuses stop at around 1,200,000 total power regen.

Taking these rules into account, the most block-efficient way to get the bonus 1,000,000 regen is to have a single large power generator group in which every block adds to the box dimension; shape doesn't matter. This suffers the major weakness of being a very frail way to power your vessels and won't always fit within normal design constraints.

My normal power generator fitting routine is to look at the shape of a vessel and pick out a 'spine' for it running along the biggest block dimensions of the ship, branching lines off into other dimensions at opportune locations. It doesn't necessarily need to be tip to tip, but it does need to get the majority of the ship's own box dimensions. It's always a good idea to have multiple 'spines' through your ship to allow a bit of defensive redundancy, and the extra 25 e/s/block doesn't hurt either.

And that's essentially it. There's other little tips here and there but other folks have already gotten most of them. It's quite simple from a designer's perspective, and power generation fits comfortably within 95% of ship designs with near-max efficiency. Hope this helps!

 

[ResonKinetic]

I don't think I understand. Can someone provide a simple diagram of what I should do for every ship?

 

[Jananton]

Hmm, I'm quite new to this game myself, so I've been puzzling with the integrities of power generation and describing it becomes quite complex fast. So for starters here's a simple diagram for a 5x5x5 cube generator I found while Googling and what seems to give the best results yet for its size.

Blue are the power generator blocks, the others you can fill in to your own desire, here brown are shield generators and yellow are shield blocks. This gives 9900 and something power. Quite good design using 69 power blocks, my own tries didn't get as far as this qua power generation and I couldn't get this many blocks in, 65 was the highest I got. ;-)

This is all good and well if your ship is small and under or about 15 blocks long. As soon as you have a length available of 20 or more making long not touching single lines of power generators is much more profitable. A straight line of 20 will give you about 20000 power, if I remember correctly. However, don't take my word for it, just drop in a core and start experimenting, that's the fastest way to get understanding of the principles involved.

And, oh yes, before I forget, welcome.

Greets,

Jan

 

[Rhyssia]

Power generation: Power Generation goes something like this....
If you take a line of generators 9 long, it can produce the same as a 2 Dimensional "Cross" with a length and width of 5. It will have the same "group size" You can also make "faux" diagonals, in the same fashion. Spoiler has a picture to illustrate.

Spoiler

Basically, a group is a series of blocks touching a neighbor along a flat block face. For each new block attached that doesn't share an up/down, left/right, or front/back axis, the generator can supply maximum power.
This next picture tries to illustrate axis sharing

Spoiler

Two groups presented on the left. By adding the green block you create one larger group. The pink blocks will produce LESS power, because they already share one axis with a red block. Where the red block on the lower left increases the up/down axis while the two pink to the right share the axis with the block above it, and to the left.

 

[NeonSturm]

Power generation: Power Generation goes something like this....
If you take a line of generators 9 long, it can produce the same as a 2 Dimensional "Cross" with a length and width of 5. It will have the same "group size" You can also make "faux" diagonals, in the same fashion. Spoiler has a picture to illustrate.

Spoiler

Basically, a group is a series of blocks touching a neighbor along a flat block face. For each new block attached that doesn't share an up/down, left/right, or front/back axis, the generator can supply maximum power.
This next picture tries to illustrate axis sharing

Spoiler

Two groups presented on the left. By adding the green block you create one larger group. The pink blocks will produce LESS power, because they already share one axis with a red block. Where the red block on the lower left increases the up/down axis while the two pink to the right share the axis with the block above it, and to the left.

You've got too many Pixels :D

 

[Rhyssia]

You've got too many Pixels :D

My bad v.v I've never gotten used to my new computer being able to go over 1024x800

 

[AntiMatter001]

after reading all this i think i still need the layman terms to be in layman terms :P

so @Rhyssia: what your saying is if i have 3 batteries in an L shape and have another 3 batteries in an upside down L shape (like the one in your spoiler) it'll make the most effective power?

 

[Rhyssia]

@AntiMatter001 Sorry, been super busy. Basically, as long as each "battery" group extends away from the center of the battery, without placing a block that already has a block in the same battery on the x/y/z axis.

Basically "Cube bad, line good" If you look at my first giant picture, the zig zag figure on the bottom right is basically an "L" shape but curved.

 

[Redfredrick]

Actually I think working with generator setups along with spine setup on the ship could cause the best results on small ships while the larger ones the generator setups could make nice detailed engineering areas

 

[Rhyssia]

@Redfredrick It really depends on how you want to look at it. a "Spinal" setup would produce quite a bit more power, but turns the "middle" of the ship into one big critical component. Considering that taking a chunk out of the "middle" will break quite a few "spinal lines" But the creation of smaller generators produce significantly less power. While avoiding the mid section issue.

 

[DrTarDIS]

http://starmadedock.net/threads/wha...onuses-for-power-regen.2094/page-3#post-30804

AndyP (tester) Gives the best explantion for power. Infinite "informative" ratings should be given