What to call "Tech Points"

[Ryuusei]

Hmm....let's see...

Lithium Particles (LP)
Ionized Plasma (IP)
Omicron Particles (OP)

That's about all I got right now.

 

[KiraSerra]

Energy.

 

[Crusade]

Skoompoints
Harambes
Beps
RPM (spool-up time)
TFLOPs
RAM

 

[alterintel]

I still like Bandwidth the best.

 

[Markus_McCloud]

Here's some generic ideas:

• Core Points
• Sub-System Points
• Schema Points

 

[sayerulz]

I like that. Yes, it needs to have something to do with schemadyne or Dr. plex, those old heroes of starmade that launched the space age.

 

[kiddan]

Plex Particle Concentration?

 

[MacThule]

Tech Points is as good as any of these other various suggestions and very accurately describes what they do.

As Ithirahad points out they clearly aren't a form of power. They are the same for each ship. As currently presented it seems like they represent a quick & easy abstraction of any various "advanced technologies" that have been allocated to boosting specific capabilities in a given ship. So... why not Tech Points?

It allows incorporation of tech lore on the RP side but completely glosses over the messy details, and it opens the door for the option of later implementation of technology and research features to easily be integrated should that move make sense at some point in the future. I know many oppose tech and suspect that is where the vehement opposition to the term "tech points" is rooted, but I believe that it's good to keep options open. It seems too much of a coincidence and feels like that is what the name hints at, especially when a "Tech Tree" is explicitly stated as what the Tech Points power. Why use "plasma," "ether," or "core points" to power our Tech Tree?

I can't see a substantial problem with Tech Points, though I don't feel it's worth fighting either way. The name certainly doesn't impact gameplay.

 

[Zekester81]

Chambered Reactor Auxiliary Points (CRAP) You can never have too much crap

Auxiliary Units (AU)

Plex Units (PU) ...if you happened to have 239 of them shit gets real

Power Resource Units (PRU)

Enhancement Units (EU)

PU-36 Explosive Space Modulator Units

 

[Ithirahad]

I still like Bandwidth the best.

Actually, that's perfect. Let's just go with that. Control Bandwidth.

 

[Exozen]

Tech points? Why not Auxiliary Power

aux·il·ia·ry
ôɡˈzilyərē,ôɡˈzil(ə)rē/
adjective

1. 1.
   providing supplementary or additional help and support.
   "auxiliary airport staff"

 

[Ithirahad]

Tech points? Why not Auxiliary Power

aux·il·ia·ry
ôɡˈzilyərē,ôɡˈzil(ə)rē/
adjective

1. 1.
   providing supplementary or additional help and support.
   "auxiliary airport staff"

But it's not power :|

It's the amount of stuff that can be controlled at once. Has nothing to do with power really. Auxiliary power is extra power added to your power grid, which can really only be provided by support ships with power supply beams.

 

[Exozen]

But it's not power :|

It's the amount of stuff that can be controlled at once. Has nothing to do with power really. Auxiliary power is extra power added to your power grid, which can really only be provided by support ships with power supply beams.

ah... hmm... well then...

 

[Calhoun]

scrubpoints

 

[Exozen]

Is it really NOT power?

Let's review after rewatching the video:

We have our Reactors, and Chambers.
Chambers themselves are dedicated to enhancing a trait, while [Tech Points] flow from the reactor to the chamber. While also providing power to the ship.
Without [Tech Points] flowing from the reactor, the chamber cannot provide it's trait enhancement.

And the reactor is always providing additional or dedicated power for these chambers, up to five. Regardless of whether or not you have the chambers.

So:
Auxiliary as in providing supplementary or additional power [to the Chamber]
Supplementary as in "completing or enhancing something."


Aside, Power Capacitors and Power Auxiliary blocks are likely going to go away, so why does it matter?

 

[GaeasSon]

If we can't really agree on what it is, maybe we can name it for what it does. It flows.
Call it Flux, or Flux Points or Flux Units if you want a snarky abbreviation.

 

[alterintel]

If we can't really agree on what it is, maybe we can name it for what it does. It flows.
Call it Flux, or Flux Points or Flux Units if you want a snarky abbreviation.

It's cute that you think that we might be able to agree on something.

 

[Brokengauge]

You know, at first I disliked "tech points" but after reading what everyone has come up with, I think it's already the best one lol.

We'll just rename it later. Eventually someone will think of something that will be perfect. It will cause the end of all things as we know it! Fire and brimstone coming down from the skies! Rivers and seas boiling! Forty years of darkness! Earthquakes, volcanoes! The dead rising from the grave! Human sacrifice! Dogs and cats living together! Mass hysteria!

 

[Igfig]

I think computer processing power is the most intuitive and resonant way to think of how tech points work, for all that tech points come from a reactor instead of a CPU. People are already pretty familiar with the idea of "if my computer's doing a lot of work on this one task, it'll have less for other tasks".

The main issue with "bandwidth" as a name, however, is that most people think of that as having to do with their internet connection, not their computer's internals. Therefore, I think that CPU, or maybe PC (for Processing Cycles) would be the best option.

 

[GaeasSon]

I'm going to fall back on one of my generic answers for everything... If we can't reach consensus, make it server configurable. Trekkies can have warp plasma. Steam-punkers can have Aetheric flux. Choose your favorite technobabble.