What to call "Tech Points"

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    Idk, it's kind of like a unit of measurement. This would be like if we could configure the units of distance used to be whatever we wanted. Aside from all the 'muricans switching everything to miles (then feet and yards) you'd also have oddballs like me. " Yeah, if you transfer all your aetheric warp flux plasma into the overdrive chamber, you can go 2.706e+6 furlongs a fortnight!"
     
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    Idk, it's kind of like a unit of measurement. This would be like if we could configure the units of distance used to be whatever we wanted. Aside from all the 'muricans switching everything to miles (then feet and yards) you'd also have oddballs like me. " Yeah, if you transfer all your aetheric warp flux plasma into the overdrive chamber, you can go 2.706e+6 furlongs a fortnight!"
    See, now... I think this is awesome.
     
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    Ok, admittedly that would be fun to do lol.

    Anyway, "tech points" aren't a physical thing thing like star treks "drive plasma" or...whatever aetheric flux is. Sorry, I don't steampunk lol.

    Tech points work. Its a good descriptor of what it is. I mean, any name we come up with would have to do the same thing.

    Active specialization slots
    Spooled system enhancers
    Chamber lockout bypasses

    Stuff like that. Tech points work just as well.
     

    alterintel

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    Every time you guys say aetheric flux, I see arthritic fluid. LOL
    [doublepost=1499709046,1499708992][/doublepost]What about specialization points?
     

    sayerulz

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    SD: (sekrit dokumints)

    DP: (dakka points)

    MEMES: (Metastability-enhancing-molecule-energizing-systems.)
     
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    Tau Plasma, MacGuffin vapor, Headlight fluid, Secret Sauce, Unami, Unobtanium, Rum, Go go juice, Helium3, Narrativium, and ... "That purple stuff"

    Um, actually... I may have something simple here that actually kinda works. "Coolant" Whether it's computers, engines or machinery, everything generates waste heat. The capacity to dissipate that heat can be a realistic limiting factor. Vacuum is a GREAT insulator. Never mind your energy economy, How much thermal load from systems can you take before they slag themselves and cook your crew?
     
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    I've been doing some thinking, and I've come to the conclusion that the problem with calling it "tech points" isn't with the "tech" part, but with the "points" part. Points is terminology that may imply that they can be used actively in one way or another, while this system takes a more passive approach, drawing from the "tech points" as a consequence of what you're doing elsewhere. Moreover, "points" implies that a unit is of some use, as in practice points are often spent one at a time.

    It's hard to find a name for the entire thing. There is no perfect word to describe a concept like this. It's not a fuel, because it's not consumed. It's not a capacity, because it can be spent. It's not a supply, because it's finite. It's a resource that's distributed and then kept in place. For such a thing, the word "charge" may be a good fit; power is consumed, but charge to a powered item remains. A similar word that comes to mind is "budget", but I don't think it fits quite as nicely.
    "Tech Charge" doesn't quite sound right, though. While it is used to power tech, it's the chambers themselves that hold the power. Therefore, I propose to call it the "Chamber Charge".

    I've taken a look at the other new names for mechanics as well, seeing as Chamber is a word I don't readily associate with the proposed concept.
    For starters, the word invokes a concept of hollowness, which doesn't seem to be the case. Instead it's more of a unit that lends an effect to the ship or station. It could be a sort of machine, but with the abstract nature of the feature's description, I think we should keep the name suitably abstract as well. "Tech Unit" (or perhaps "Tech Module") will do fine, in my opinion.

    However, this does require a new look at the name "Chamber Charge", since it's not called a chamber anymore. I'm not sure "Unit Charge" is a good name either; "charge" is a more specific term than "unit" is. However, I think if chambers have the word "tech" in their name, the word "Tech Charge" is a better fit than it previously was. It gives two related terms a common word, and with the now renamed chambers, it's better implied that the chambers themselves are the tech.

    We could also call it "Module Charge" if we call the chambers "Tech Modules" (in a similar vein to existing weapons modules and effect modules), but we can't simply call tech points "Module Charge", since it only applies to Tech Modules. We'll either end up with the more unwieldy name "Tech Module Charge" or simply "Tech Charge".



    TL;DR

    Call it "Chamber Charge" if we stick with the name for chambers.
    However, I think it's better to call chambers, "Tech Units" or "Tech Modules" and tech points, "Tech Charge" or perhaps "Tech Module Charge"
     
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    nightrune

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    To give some fun background. We called the whole system during design, the "Engineering skill tree"
     

    Saba

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    +Rep for Anti Matter as we use AMCs on our ships.
    +Rep for Quantum Current as that actually would be a bit more realistic (name wise and science wise :3)

    Quantum literally means
    "a discrete quantity of energy proportional in magnitude to the frequency of the radiation it represents." -Dictionary
    "In physics, a quantum is the minimum amount of any physical entity involved in an interaction." -Wikipedia

    This is essentially what is happening with this system, therefore why not name it exactly what it is?
    My only problem with Quantum Current is that in Quantum Mechanics, the word quantum literally means tiny (subatomic) so...tiny current?
    Quantum anything really and I'm cool with it

    Quantum Something.
     
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    Valiant70

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    To give some fun background. We called the whole system during design, the "Engineering skill tree"
    It's kind of funny tbh. It makes sense because of the specialization mechanics, but sounds totally goofy when you consider that it's actually parts of a ship and not a skill tree.

    Quantum Something.
    Not a bad idea. I really think they should be called channels, so perhaps "Quantum Channels."

    Quantum: Occuring in discrete quantities (points)
    Channels: Every core has a fixed number to use.

    The term sounds good, fits the game mechanics, and leaves the sic-fi open to player interpretation.
     

    Valiant70

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    Come to think of it, we can just call them Reactor Channels. It's generic enough, and fits what they are pretty well.
    Isn't the channel limit tied to the ship as a whole rather than the reactor grouping?
     

    Ithirahad

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    Isn't the channel limit tied to the ship as a whole rather than the reactor grouping?
    Only one reactor per ship, so effectively those are one and the same. If not, Core Channels or Core Bandwidth as I suggested before.
     

    sayerulz

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    Only one reactor per ship, so effectively those are one and the same. If not, Core Channels or Core Bandwidth as I suggested before.
    A ship can have more than one reactor, but only one can be active and producing power at a time.