Solar Panel

[TheKingOfSpace]

Idea: Solar Panel blocks.
Gives a very large amount of power regeneration that scales down (to a minimum) the further away (in sectors) from the system's star (center) you are. - so if you're near a star, you get a lovely little energy regen boost, if you're far away, you only get a little.

'Near', in this case could be ~5 sectors away from the star, you wouldn't need to go inside it's damage radius or something.

The blocks would provide less storage than regular generators, but would be cheaper, provide more energy (if somewhere near a star), and would ignore the normal power block's regen cap.
Would probably not get the XYZ bonus that normal power blocks do; to encourage people to actually shape them into panels.


Example uses:

• Planet-crackers and other mining ships, which are likely to be using lots of power near stars, can supplement their normal, onboard regen with solar power
• Factory stations and other player bases built near stars can use solar power as a space-efficent way of powering big factories and/or turret clusters
• Power your energy-hungry Warp Gates and Warp/Hyper Drives on the cheap
• Praising of the sun
• Extra power for those massive ships of yours
• RP/Decorative - Maybe you just want to pretend your ship is the Destiny from Stargate and dive into the sun with max armor boost, or you just want solar panels on your ship because you're in space

 

[NeonSturm]

I pretend that this suggestion is old.

Still +1 though

 

[starhaiden]

this has been suggested a lot of times in thread I don't know if there was a thread for this before but most likely there was.
Solar panels would make more people go into solar systems. How will the compare to the current power blocks. Power generated by solar panels should be able to be stored in power storage blocks to make things easier for everyone including the game.

 

[FunnyBunny14]

Why are solar panels necessary? The only reason space engineers and some minecraft mods have them is because you otherwise need fuel. Power reactors don't need fuel, and therefor this isn't necessary.

I disagree with your idea.
However, if, and I mean IF, power reactors start using fuel, which I highly doubt, will I agree that solar panels are necessary. But it they don't, so I still disagree.

 

[WaffulMann]

Why are solar panels necessary? The only reason space engineers and some minecraft mods have them is because you otherwise need fuel. Power reactors don't need fuel, and therefor this isn't necessary.

I disagree with your idea.
However, if, and I mean IF, power reactors start using fuel, which I highly doubt, will I agree that solar panels are necessary. But it they don't, so I still disagree.

Because more diversity is always better.
Have you never wanted to build the ISS or any minmatar ship.
Solar panels is a yes-why-the-f*-is-this-not-in-the-game-yet. But it has already been suggested to death.

 

[TheKingOfSpace]

Why are solar panels necessary? The only reason space engineers and some minecraft mods have them is because you otherwise need fuel. Power reactors don't need fuel, and therefor this isn't necessary.

I disagree with your idea.
However, if, and I mean IF, power reactors start using fuel, which I highly doubt, will I agree that solar panels are necessary. But it they don't, so I still disagree.

Why does it have to be necessary to be added?

 

[FunnyBunny14]

Because why would players actually use them? Power reactors are a lot more reliable (they work everywhere) and they are a lot easier to get, and who wants to face. Unless solar power is a lot more efficient (which I highly doubt, as it would break the game mechanics) or if it ignored the soft cap (which would make overpowered ships a lot easier to build, so I doubt that too), there would literally be no reason to put them on your ship.

 

[Lenier]

If you really can think of no reason whatsoever to make any changes to the current energy/power system, then you should be making these posts here: http://starmadedock.net/threads/more-types-of-engines-and-energy-generators.2542/
Good luck!

This is old, but I don't mind a reboot. I agree, we need solar panels! +1

 

[jayman38]

It would be a good utility block for decoration that actually does something. I imagine a large array of them would look neat! (I am looking for a smooth, slick, shiny black surface in my current in-ship hallway design. Suggestions welcome.)

 

[TheKingOfSpace]

Because why would players actually use them? Power reactors are a lot more reliable (they work everywhere) and they are a lot easier to get, and who wants to face. Unless solar power is a lot more efficient (which I highly doubt, as it would break the game mechanics) or if it ignored the soft cap (which would make overpowered ships a lot easier to build, so I doubt that too), there would literally be no reason to put them on your ship.

The idea is they'd be a supplement to the regular power blocks, if you're within like, 3-5 sectors of the star, it'd be more efficient than regular generators, a few more sectors, it'd be equal, and toward system edges you'd have only a little power leaking in.
I'd imagine they'd ignore the soft cap (and have their own, separate cap) but not get the grouping bonus that regular gens do.


Maybe even change up the mechanic entirely - the Panels could produce some sort of 'Solar fuel' which could be stored then be converted into a temporary boost to power, thrust, shielding, weapons, etc - as needed.

Even if you don't find them useful, lots of players would find them decorative.

 

[FunnyBunny14]

Hmm, if they add a new sort if special game mechanic that players can or need to consider, I'm all for it.

Edit: As long as fuel doesn't get added, we really don't need more power generators.

 

[NeonSturm]

I wish players could set something like :

blockBehaviourConfig .

. fuel .
. . minID = x
. . maxID = x
. . wasteIDOffset = -1 or -10 ((ID gets subtracted by this value after being used to get ID of waste product))
. . powerPerFuelUnit = x or {x, x, x, x} ((for first IDs, last number is used for fuel types with higher ID than specified))
. generators .
. . minID = x
. . maxID = x
. . [0] .
. . . requires = 0 nothing + 1 solar + 2 fuel + 4 ...
. . . minFuelID = x
. . . maxFuelID = x
. . . customWasteIDOffset = 0 or +# ((used for fuel-regenerators like plant-farms, ...))
. . . diminisiingReturns
. . . . warmUpTime = 0 ms
. . . . cycleTime = 1000 ms
. . . . blockPreMult = 1.0
. . . . blockPow = 1.0
. . . . blockAfterMult = 1.0
. . . . efficiency <= 1.0
. . [1] ...​

That would be fast to handle for the game and satisfy everybody.

It would not require a lot of new code, just the decision to use the most efficient generator first (efficiency * fuelTypePriority which you can set per fuelType)