Fuel Stop: One Idea For Extending Cyclops Utility
scubamatt
Georgia, USA Join Date: 2016-05-22 Member: 217295Members
Georgia, USA Join Date: 2016-05-22 Member: 217295Members
So the Cyclops is essentially a huge mobile base (mine has well over a thousand storage space in it, plus full food/water/fabrication capability). The issue is that it runs on six Power Cells, providing a limit of 1200 Energy before it runs out of fuel and Bad Things start to happen. Using any of the onboard fabricators drains energy, and driving it around drains it too (happily, just parking someplace doesn't appear to use any energy).
You can build spare Power Cells, and then carry them with you to swap out as you run low on fuel. I do this myself, but sooner or later you have to recharge each and every one of those, back at your home base. (Yes, I know about the current exploit where rechargers on the Cyclops actually create a net gain of power when recharging, but I expect that bug to be dealt with in the next update.)
You can also decide to build a refueling station somewhere, in a place that's central to your Cyclops travels. I call it a Fuel Stop (as in truck driving lingo). A place to completely refuel the Cyclops in one shot, plus grab a bite to eat. It takes a pretty hefty investment in materials (especially quartz) plus a couple of small eggs (like the little green ones from a Rabbitray) but the convenience has been worth the effort.
Here's what you do:
Pick a spot where you can get plenty of sun for solar cells.
Build the MP Room
Add a Hatch on one of the four cardinal sides (NSEW). I never put a hatch on the diagonals, in case I want to Reinforce them later.
Make a nice neat line of Solar Panels across the roof of the MP Room. I put ten (10) of them up there, in line with my hatch, for a net 500 power storage. This is important for later.
Assuming its daylight, the base should power up and have air now.
Go inside and build a Bioreactor, oriented to face the hatch.
I brought two Small Eggs (Rabbitray Eggs are easiest to get) to kick start the reactor. That will generate exactly 100 units of power and leave the reactor fuel chamber empty (which is also important for later).
Build a bench to one side of the entrance, in front of one of the diagonal corner walls.
Add three planter pots, two on one side of the entrance, one on the other by the bench. Plant a Lantern Fruit in the planter by the bench, then plant 4 Marblemelon seeds in each of the other two pots.
Almost done, now put three Power Cell Chargers against one wall (I put mine on the other side of the bench from the entrance), and arrange them so they don't clip into each other when they are open and loaded.
It will take a few minutes for the power reserves to reach 600/600, but thats OK, you need a little bit for the plants to mature.
Once the marblemelons are full grown, slash two with your knife to get 8 seeds (to replant), then pick the other 6 up into your inventory. Replant the seeds in the empty planters, then stuff four of the fruit into the bioreactor, which fires it up. Eat the other two yourself as a reward for all your hard work. Since the power reserves are already at 600/600, and nothing is draining it yet, the four Marblemelons will sit in the fuel tank forever, waiting for a drain on the reactor (they represent a potential 440 more energy). this is why you wanted the eggs fist, so they could be consumed, making the 100 reserve for the reactor before you topped it off with the fruit.
You now have a Fuel Stop that holds a full set of Power Cells for a Cyclops, plus some food/water for yourself (the Lantern Fruit tree will cover all your needs as soon as its full grown and bearing fruit).
When its time to refuel your Cyclops, swap out the dead power cells in the engine room for your backup set that you carry onboard. This makes sure the sub stays fully powered up and safe while you head over to the Fuel Stop to swap in the dead cells for fresh ones. Inside the Fuel Stop, check the reactor and add marblemelons if there is room for any (unless you have used the fuel stop before, the reactor should be fully fueled and ready to go). Remember to replant the marblemelons if you harvest any.
Swap out the cells in the chargers for your dead ones. Now you have a fresh set of backup cells to take back to the Cyclops, and the dead ones in the Fuel Stop will begin recharging immediately. It is best to swap out the cells in the daytime (the earlier the better), so the solar panels will keep topping off the energy reserve as the rechargers drain it. The reactor provides a slow trickle of backup energy that keeps the rechargers from completely draining the base power and causing it to flood, even during the evenings. Remember to eat the lantern fruit to top off your own food/water reserves. If you need to pass time until daylight (for any reason) remember that sitting on the bench will pause your food/water consumption but let time pass in game normally.
Here's how mine looks inside:
and outside:
You can build spare Power Cells, and then carry them with you to swap out as you run low on fuel. I do this myself, but sooner or later you have to recharge each and every one of those, back at your home base. (Yes, I know about the current exploit where rechargers on the Cyclops actually create a net gain of power when recharging, but I expect that bug to be dealt with in the next update.)
You can also decide to build a refueling station somewhere, in a place that's central to your Cyclops travels. I call it a Fuel Stop (as in truck driving lingo). A place to completely refuel the Cyclops in one shot, plus grab a bite to eat. It takes a pretty hefty investment in materials (especially quartz) plus a couple of small eggs (like the little green ones from a Rabbitray) but the convenience has been worth the effort.
Here's what you do:
Pick a spot where you can get plenty of sun for solar cells.
Build the MP Room
Add a Hatch on one of the four cardinal sides (NSEW). I never put a hatch on the diagonals, in case I want to Reinforce them later.
Make a nice neat line of Solar Panels across the roof of the MP Room. I put ten (10) of them up there, in line with my hatch, for a net 500 power storage. This is important for later.
Assuming its daylight, the base should power up and have air now.
Go inside and build a Bioreactor, oriented to face the hatch.
I brought two Small Eggs (Rabbitray Eggs are easiest to get) to kick start the reactor. That will generate exactly 100 units of power and leave the reactor fuel chamber empty (which is also important for later).
Build a bench to one side of the entrance, in front of one of the diagonal corner walls.
Add three planter pots, two on one side of the entrance, one on the other by the bench. Plant a Lantern Fruit in the planter by the bench, then plant 4 Marblemelon seeds in each of the other two pots.
Almost done, now put three Power Cell Chargers against one wall (I put mine on the other side of the bench from the entrance), and arrange them so they don't clip into each other when they are open and loaded.
It will take a few minutes for the power reserves to reach 600/600, but thats OK, you need a little bit for the plants to mature.
Once the marblemelons are full grown, slash two with your knife to get 8 seeds (to replant), then pick the other 6 up into your inventory. Replant the seeds in the empty planters, then stuff four of the fruit into the bioreactor, which fires it up. Eat the other two yourself as a reward for all your hard work. Since the power reserves are already at 600/600, and nothing is draining it yet, the four Marblemelons will sit in the fuel tank forever, waiting for a drain on the reactor (they represent a potential 440 more energy). this is why you wanted the eggs fist, so they could be consumed, making the 100 reserve for the reactor before you topped it off with the fruit.
You now have a Fuel Stop that holds a full set of Power Cells for a Cyclops, plus some food/water for yourself (the Lantern Fruit tree will cover all your needs as soon as its full grown and bearing fruit).
When its time to refuel your Cyclops, swap out the dead power cells in the engine room for your backup set that you carry onboard. This makes sure the sub stays fully powered up and safe while you head over to the Fuel Stop to swap in the dead cells for fresh ones. Inside the Fuel Stop, check the reactor and add marblemelons if there is room for any (unless you have used the fuel stop before, the reactor should be fully fueled and ready to go). Remember to replant the marblemelons if you harvest any.
Swap out the cells in the chargers for your dead ones. Now you have a fresh set of backup cells to take back to the Cyclops, and the dead ones in the Fuel Stop will begin recharging immediately. It is best to swap out the cells in the daytime (the earlier the better), so the solar panels will keep topping off the energy reserve as the rechargers drain it. The reactor provides a slow trickle of backup energy that keeps the rechargers from completely draining the base power and causing it to flood, even during the evenings. Remember to eat the lantern fruit to top off your own food/water reserves. If you need to pass time until daylight (for any reason) remember that sitting on the bench will pause your food/water consumption but let time pass in game normally.
Here's how mine looks inside:
and outside:
Comments
As I said in the post, I'm aware of the exploit and I expect them to fix it in the next major update.
Even if you just build it in the general area away from your main base, it is a fast way to replace all the power cells at once, and probably a shorter trip than driving the whole Cyclops back to home base. You could use the Seamoth to visit the Fuel Stop and return to the Cyclops even. I put mine at the far north end of the Safe Shallows, where my main base is at the extreme southern end.
My bad. I didn't bother reading the wall o' text, since the basic idea seemed pretty straightforward - build remote recharge station.
Another option would be to carry the station with you - put enough mats for an MP room, bioreactor, hatch and chargers on board the clops, and when you need a charge, you can deploy them, charge the cells and tear it all down. That way you can drive all over the Lost River without needing to worry about finding your way back to the station.
J