No shapes or groups for energy to get better returns.

[Batavium]

StarMade is so complex. For new players it is a very steep hill to climb.

So let's do away with shapes or groups for energy modules and capacitors.

Let them be the same as shields and shield rechargers. Just throw in the blocks in your ship. It doesn't matter how or if they make contact or not. This will makes more complex ship shapes possible. And at the same time remove something that really has no purpose.

Shape or contact for energy is just an extra layer of complexity nothing else.

 

[NTIMESc]

I have to disagree. The complexity is my favorite thing, and I'm hoping they add more building rules. Without it, they might as well have you only build a decorative hull, then drag some number sliders up and down to add systems.

 

[NeonSturm]

StarMade is so complex. For new players it is a very steep hill to climb.

So let's do away with shapes or groups for energy modules and capacitors.

Many agree that the power-reactor design is too complex – and many disagree.

But this could change (I hope) when "free power" has alternatives (like solar pannels).​

Perhaps small drones could be allowed free placement (15m or shorter)
Small ships of about 31m or less would receive an increasing small penalty of 20% maximum.

And when you get to bigger ships, you have to read through the advanced manual.
​

Putting shields into every tiny hole is bad too, because it ruins the incentive to build interior space.

Just requiring 8x8x8 dimensions with no additional rules would encourage space big enough for interiors next to systems.​

 

[Daeridanii]

Currently the power system isn't 100% perfect, and I think a lot of work might go into it. Personally, I love that there are certain rules you have to follow to get the most efficient power layout - those rules are what make StarMade fun for me. Without them, you rely on using the most blocks per click rather than the most thought per click.

 

[Batavium]

If energy is free to place then you can make diagonal shaped ships or ships with wide open spaces. It would open up a whole new way to be creative on ship design. People that like to focus on looks will have more options. People that like to think smart to get the very best possible "that includes me" won't be effected. I am only talking about energy to be the same as shields nothing else.

I put thousands of hours into this game. I know how to get the best energy for my ship. But new players are often confused. I don't feel it to be such a great loss if shape is taken out here.

Feel free to disagree you guys have valid points i respect that. I just felt i needed to clarify my starter post a bit.

 

[Mork2]

What this tells me is new players aren't watching the tutorial videos or reading up about the game. There is no user manual yet since the game is still in alpha and subject to change. There is also in game bugs that crop up with game features.

I haven't seen the tutorial video on power systems. I assume it explains it properly. But if people can't be bothered to even view it then they need to look for click games where your hand fed the entire way. Any game that builds things usually requires a bit of research.

I've noticed with various games the people who want to learn about a game take the time to research. (former multiyear Eve-Online player) There are now quite a few space ship building games of various types now. A lot are early access. In each one that wasn't just add blocks in, it was worth researching how the power system works. For any ship/vehicle your power system is your most critical system.

Others will take the time to ask questions on the forums. From what I can see with this set of forums there are quite a few people that will help you with questions if asked. People will even have a look at a design and send you back a fixed one for your issue.

However you can't really help people that won't help themselves much.

In a way the knowledge on how to build good looking ships or good systems is what denotes a veteran player with this game.

 

[Madman198237]

Why remove it? Right now, an efficient power layout is something that affects the success of your ship. It's not that hard to understand---straight, one-block lines are better, and the longer the line the more powerful. Advanced level: Every block should increase the block-dimension of the reactor setup.

 

[NeonSturm]

The only problem but a big one I see with power is that it gets more efficient the more spiky your xyz is.
Until you reach a critical mass upon which you just copy+paste docked reactor designs developed once.

On small ships, it encourages min-maxing over interior.
On big ships it's non-existent.

This makes it a bad system. (my opinion!)

 

[Madman198237]

It doesn't, though---it gets more efficient when you lay it out properly. It works in any ship, provided you put some effort in. It doesn't encourage min-maxing over interior, because any ship worth having interior in will either be dedicated RP (Doesn't need much power) or large enough to fit power lines around interior.

 

[Pacific_Jim]

Power is one of the easiest systems to work around interior though, since you proportionally need less of it compared to other systems.

 

[NeonSturm]

New Power is one of the easiest systems to work around interior though, since you proportionally need less of it compared to other systems.

Partially.
As soon as you slope around interior rooms, some blocks may not contribute to the expanding of the boundary-box size.

 

[Lukwan]

I could not disagree more.

Building games are inherently creative and attract a better class of gamer because they are challenging. If a little learning curve is enough to turn someone off SM then the filter is working. Sheeple who are satisfied with games that hold your hand down well trodden path are not likely to bring anything to the table when they try SM. Games-for-idiots makes more idiots.

Starmade is exactly the game I came here for. If I tried a Shooter and decided it was too difficult I would not request that the game be changed to suit me...I would put it aside and play something that appeals to my skills and preferences.

If SM does not appeal to you because it is hard......well that's it then, it is not your cup of tea. Simple.

 

[NeonSturm]

Starmade is exactly the game I came here for. If I tried a Shooter and decided it was too difficult I would not request that the game be changed to suit me...I would put it aside and play something that appeals to my skills and preferences.

There are many shooters out there.

If SM does not appeal to you because it is hard......well that's it then, it is not your cup of tea. Simple.

Do you know a SM-like game with no step learning curve which works on Linux?

SE, very different, Windows
UU, cancelled
SoA, not finished, Windows
MC, no space-ships. Just non-moving blocks.
Voxelfarm, not like SM

You can't compare it to a shooter!​

 

[PLIX]

for new players they dont have to worry about those but for the older players they can use it to make their ships better

 

[Mork2]

This game is fairly customisable.

If enough people want to or just one person wants to they can run a server and increase the base power of each reactor module or change the softcap.

I'm aware that there is 1 or more servers that do something similar with warheads with increased damage.

 

[Atas-Pelangi]

If the problem is the learning curve (and i admit i had problems to start with) then the answer is in tutorial videos, they where just updated a few weeks ago and as far as i know there working on more.
for the record id like to see more useful data in there item-description/shop tool-tip in-game as well and for other items.

off topic
id also like to see alternative power types one day. with pros and cons, maybe a NUKE that gives off radiation if you don't ad shielding or cooling blocks or some thing a bit smaller with a higher output but risk of explosion or damage.. i know there doing some thing about solar. and i em wondering if it gets better the closer you get to the star. but il lave that for its own suggestion.