From a coding standpoint, it would be easier to create a power reserve module for the base that would just increase the stored power capacity of the reactor in that same room (bioreactor, nuclear reactor, etc.)
Considering how overpowered renewables are at just keeping a base running it would make sense from a game balance perspective.
Now once that module exists, there could be a way to allow you to throw in a 100% power cell which would drain it completely in order to dump it into the energy reserve.
Having the same module function both ways is just a coding nightmare since the cells are removable.
From a coding standpoint, it would be easier to create a power reserve module for the base that would just increase the stored power capacity of the reactor in that same room (bioreactor, nuclear reactor, etc.)
Since all the base power is effectively "pooled", among connected structures, it doesn't seem unreasonable as a stand-alone device. I'm not sure I grok the requirement that it be coupled with a generator/room, per se. It could simply be a device, not unlike the charger, which yields the summary contents of its two (x) cells until 0. In short, it'd give you an extra "200" max power, and tick down to 0. The method which currently "searches for and removes power" would have to be translated, inside this device, to decrement the counter of its batteries, and by extension, the method which currently "gets the total amount of power" would poll this device for its power and receive a translated/converted quantity of power, based on what's in the cells. (Could these be ion cells? Make that "1000"). That is making two very broad assumptions as to how the SN devs handle base-power, but generally if I were to do it, it would look something like this.
Furthermore, physically removing a cell would drop the max down to "100", et al, which would either require some base-change-power-update notification, or is already handled by existing methods/events in real-time.
I'm putting the numbers in quotes because I'm intending to illustrate a secondary point:
The issue as I see it is more to do with the lack of 1:1 conversion rates among base power/cells in general. Even now, it's a little sketchy what you can do with a Power Cell Charger in a Cyclops.
What is 1 unit of base power, converted to 1 unit of "Power Cell"? Conventionally, my assumption is these power quantities are equal; if that's the case, they'd need to fix the power cell charger in a cyclops to be 1:1, which would render it functionally obsolete from a gameplay perspective. (For example: If you pour power into the cell charger from the cells in your cyclops at a 1:1 ratio, you've very creatively, and slowly, removed a 100% power cell, without any real accomplishment).
However, my point is since this hard-line ratio is already skewed/inconsistent, it would introduce a positive feedback loop in power generation, unless it was measurably lossy (equivalent to the Cyclops's "gainy" power cell charger, specifically). The preference (mine at least) would be that it generally be a 1:1 conversion rate across the board, which would, as stated previously, make the power cell charger inside a cyclops functionally impotent at worst, and without which it would be a glaring exploit at best.
I think the OP is onto something good here. It's even based on an existing nautical technology principle - it's how diesel subs work, after all, but their batteries aren't removable. (Well, they are, but you don't want to.) Early in the game, it's altogether likely that you won't have adequate generating capacity to power a base through the night. Having a slack system like this would be a major boon, plus add to realism (backup power supplies are de rigueur for mission-critical systems).
Personally, I'd love to see this, but I'm worried that coding the power transmission routine (direction of flow, transfer rate) might be a problem. Unless there's a provision for it in the existing definitions, it might be prohibitively difficult.
1. How do you put a power cell charger in the modification station? It's not an item.
2. If it's an upgrade, how would you put it into your charger?
I guess unlock the advanced power cell station blueprint and craft one of those after deconstructing the regular charger. This allows normal, cheaper chargers to be built as well.
Comments
The Power Cells obviously handle enough voltage and wattage to power something like a Cyclops for a VERY long time.
Considering how overpowered renewables are at just keeping a base running it would make sense from a game balance perspective.
Now once that module exists, there could be a way to allow you to throw in a 100% power cell which would drain it completely in order to dump it into the energy reserve.
Having the same module function both ways is just a coding nightmare since the cells are removable.
Since all the base power is effectively "pooled", among connected structures, it doesn't seem unreasonable as a stand-alone device. I'm not sure I grok the requirement that it be coupled with a generator/room, per se. It could simply be a device, not unlike the charger, which yields the summary contents of its two (x) cells until 0. In short, it'd give you an extra "200" max power, and tick down to 0. The method which currently "searches for and removes power" would have to be translated, inside this device, to decrement the counter of its batteries, and by extension, the method which currently "gets the total amount of power" would poll this device for its power and receive a translated/converted quantity of power, based on what's in the cells. (Could these be ion cells? Make that "1000"). That is making two very broad assumptions as to how the SN devs handle base-power, but generally if I were to do it, it would look something like this.
Furthermore, physically removing a cell would drop the max down to "100", et al, which would either require some base-change-power-update notification, or is already handled by existing methods/events in real-time.
I'm putting the numbers in quotes because I'm intending to illustrate a secondary point:
The issue as I see it is more to do with the lack of 1:1 conversion rates among base power/cells in general. Even now, it's a little sketchy what you can do with a Power Cell Charger in a Cyclops.
What is 1 unit of base power, converted to 1 unit of "Power Cell"? Conventionally, my assumption is these power quantities are equal; if that's the case, they'd need to fix the power cell charger in a cyclops to be 1:1, which would render it functionally obsolete from a gameplay perspective. (For example: If you pour power into the cell charger from the cells in your cyclops at a 1:1 ratio, you've very creatively, and slowly, removed a 100% power cell, without any real accomplishment).
However, my point is since this hard-line ratio is already skewed/inconsistent, it would introduce a positive feedback loop in power generation, unless it was measurably lossy (equivalent to the Cyclops's "gainy" power cell charger, specifically). The preference (mine at least) would be that it generally be a 1:1 conversion rate across the board, which would, as stated previously, make the power cell charger inside a cyclops functionally impotent at worst, and without which it would be a glaring exploit at best.
2. If it's an upgrade, how would you put it into your charger?
Personally, I'd love to see this, but I'm worried that coding the power transmission routine (direction of flow, transfer rate) might be a problem. Unless there's a provision for it in the existing definitions, it might be prohibitively difficult.
I guess unlock the advanced power cell station blueprint and craft one of those after deconstructing the regular charger. This allows normal, cheaper chargers to be built as well.