Systems 2.0

[lupoCani]

Balance and tech point consumption will be based on configs.

After thoroughly reading the original post, and the clarification, I must request additional clarification.

Firstly, of course consumption values will be configurable. What I'm asking is, what sort of algorithm are we looking at here? Constant values per chamber? Or, per chamber type?

Secondly, will chamber size matter in any way beyond meeting the minimum size requirement for the reactor, and increasing RHP?

Thirdly, what kind of buffs would they provide? Some kind of percentage increase? Would this be constant per chamber? Would there be any other factors?

Fourthly, in the trailer, the ship has a shield-boosting chamber that is disconnected when auxiliary power is switched on. Hypothetically, what would motivate such a design? The auxiliary reactor will have just as many TP as the main one, so if the shield chamber could be powered before, it could be powered by the auxiliary reactor. Would the other chambers be buffed by the disconnect of the shield chamber, or something?

Fifthly, what would be the difference between linking a chamber to another chamber, versus linking it directly to the reactor? I had though it would be a matter of in what order they shut down when the reactor starts failing, but according to your infographics, a "child" chamber can fail after its parent chamber.

 

[Spoolooni]

Could someone break down to me how it would affect larger ships.

 

[MrFURB]

Could someone break down to me how it would affect larger ships.

Larger ships will likely have more obvious reactor placements. They will need more power, which means bigger reactors, which means stabilizers are farther away, which means more space between the stabilizers and reactors for more system blocks, which needs more power...

Large ships should remain somewhat balanced as they are, if a bit easier to armor up since your primary goal is keeping your reactor running and your enemy's is going to be destroying it. All the other systems turn into tools to accomplish that.

Buuuuut all that is just a 2-minute guess. We will have to wait to see it in action to be able to know anything for certain though.

 

[Star-Boy]

The concern is you can't start with a shell and work inward?

Can't we? That's how I and many others prefer to build.

 

[TheWurm]

Can't we? That's how I and many others prefer to build.

It'll probably take some getting used to, but this system seems pretty forgiving. Remember, the minimum radius for stabilizers is only for maximum effectiveness, it sounds like they'll still have some effect if you put them a little closer, and of course they don't seem to be necessary for your reactor to function, just to get it to peak effectiveness. In fact, unless I'm reading this completely wrong, you ought to be able to slap your system blocks anywhere you want and have a ship that'll fly, at least up to some medium size. Of course, then you'll want a better power system, which means stabilizers at the right distance (which is, I'll remind you, an area including anywhere except a circle around the active reactor). And then, in the next build, you might decide to mess around with chambers to get the specializations (I'll keep using that word til it sticks, just wait) you want. And then...

If you really want an optimized ship, you'll still need to plan it out beforehand, but if you want a functional ship, yeah, you'll be slapping systems around like always. The big difference (it seems) is that we'll be rid of that awful stage of 'flying through the ship looking for the last empty space' that we all ended our builds with. Should go a little faster and be easier to tweak, because we'll have some space to breath between systems.

All of this, of course, may turn out to be wildly inaccurate when the test build comes out (assuming they go with this proposal, which I'm hoping for.) Maybe the stabilizers will be necessary for a ship to function even at miniscule size. Maybe the specialization chambers (and spec points, it's so simple, why overthink it, come on guys, I swear...) will be so overpowered that it will make it necessary to use them on any ship you build. But I don't think so.

 

[Bladeriker]

Given the current nature of Power systems in SM, with lines going every where and having to min/max dimensions up to soft cap, I see this purposed change as a breath of fresh air. It will require many builders to complete gut and refit many of their classic and note worthy ships, but this can be good for both the builders and the players, as it would allow for new details and systems to get added.

I build a "Reactor Room" on many of my larger ships for RP purposes. With this change there would now be something to put in there, it would also fix the broken power chain issue that comes from having a line of power blocks destroyed.

The issues with having to build the systems and then the hull seems moot, as many right now build the hull and then add the systems, I for one do not see how having to place certain blocks in certain places is any different than the current power system. It is addressed in post that the idea of heat areas is not going to be added, and that the stabilizers are going to be all that is needed for peak efficiency, so I can have my weapon secondary right next to my Reactor and suffer no penalty.

 

[Lucidess]

Call me old fashioned but I'm not gonna be using it for my server, because power generation has never been a problem in any ships I have designed, no matter how obscure or "limited" it seems. Also it's gonna take months of gutting ships to make them "realistic" with "reactor rooms". The reason why half the people i see not be able to use power reactors is because the description is never read, or understood, there's no example shown to us when we are building it. It would just take some simple ghosting to show what would make it more efficient, or highlight blocks that make the power chain inefficient. There just wasn't enough support for the power mechanic implemented and now it's being thrown in the trash.

PvP ships are gonna look the same eventually, because there will always be an efficient shape no matter how Schine changes anything, any mechanics, any numbers, it doesn't matter. There will be a ruthless, uncreative side to Starmade.

If you want Heat to be an amazing mechanic for me, than make it separate from power, but make it something that can affect power, systems, shields; only if heat exceeds a certain level. Make it a simple byproduct of combat, not some "simple" complicated reactor system.

Sorry Schine, I love Starmade as it is right now.

 

[Nickizzy]

finding the most expensive ore components, selling them and buying the blocks I need form any shop

Really? I can get about a million credits for any given ore type, then I need to transition to station building to progress much farther. Or go shop hunting.

I have to re read the P2 section blog. Be back eventually

 

[Daro_Khan]

Call me old fashioned but I'm not gonna be using it for my server, because power generation has never been a problem in any ships I have designed, no matter how obscure or "limited" it seems. Also it's gonna take months of gutting ships to make them "realistic" with "reactor rooms". The reason why half the people i see not be able to use power reactors is because the description is never read, or understood, there's no example shown to us when we are building it. It would just take some simple ghosting to show what would make it more efficient, or highlight blocks that make the power chain inefficient. There just wasn't enough support for the power mechanic implemented and now it's being thrown in the trash.

PvP ships are gonna look the same eventually, because there will always be an efficient shape no matter how Schine changes anything, any mechanics, any numbers, it doesn't matter. There will be a ruthless, uncreative side to Starmade.

If you want Heat to be an amazing mechanic for me, than make it separate from power, but make it something that can affect power, systems, shields; only if heat exceeds a certain level. Make it a simple byproduct of combat, not some "simple" complicated reactor system.

Sorry Schine, I love Starmade as it is right now.

huh....heat is not a thing anymore dude who lives under a rock

 

[Daro_Khan]

Could someone break down to me how it would affect larger ships.

It wont. if anything smaller ships become more powerful. All ships get character.

All ships get better. More options for creativity open up

:D