| Experimental | Is it me or does the Cyclops drain energy like it has a leak?

VahnkiljoyVahnkiljoy Texas Join Date: 2015-01-11 Member: 200765Members
Even when it is sitting there doing nothing and I go out in the moth to gather things for a few minutes and come back I've lost 3% for it doing nothing. I think the idle power consumption is a bit too high, if I'm not researching fragments,charging the moth, or moving around I don't see why it needs to drain as fast as it does, it seems like I'm spending all my time making power cells.

Also I timed it out, 1% is burned every 6 or so seconds when moving, that's kind of crazy with how time consuming making power cells is.

Comments

  • conscioussoulconscioussoul Canada Join Date: 2015-05-17 Member: 204607Members, Subnautica Playtester
    it's been noted several times, it's not just you. The power module from Aurora is supposed to cut that in half at least... still it's quite crazy. Hopefully they will re-balance it, perhaps we could have a hydro generator to restore some of its power back?
  • bigredmuvilabigredmuvila australia Join Date: 2015-05-18 Member: 204621Members
    yea way to much consumtion i recon, plus the upgrade unit i got from aurora wasn't an upgrade at all it glitched so i had to spawn it instead but it doesnt cut the usage down
  • NoTargetNoTarget Canada Join Date: 2015-05-04 Member: 204171Members
    Did you dock the moth back with the cyclops? Because that drains power to recharge it, I didn't think it drained any power when idle.
  • Simking124Simking124 Canada Join Date: 2015-05-16 Member: 204542Members
    Actually the consumption seems right to me, you have to remember that we are using old school acid and copper based batteries to power this monster. I think what it needs is some kind of fuel source or maybe a sustainable energy source like deployable solar panels.
  • SilveressaSilveressa USA Join Date: 2015-03-18 Member: 202279Members
    Depending on the efficiency of the replicator, you could also break down sea water into oxygen and hydrogen which then could be burned as a cheap fuel source for the ship. (Granted this violates the laws of physics being able to burn the components for more energy than it would take to create the fuel, but eh, it is a game after all.)

    Alternatively letting us build some kind of surface solar generator platform, (or underwater tidal generator) to recharge the ships batteries when docked would be handy as well. (or use the generator platform to crack water into hydrogen & oxygen for the ship to quickly refuel from.)
  • conscioussoulconscioussoul Canada Join Date: 2015-05-17 Member: 204607Members, Subnautica Playtester
    Agreed with the above. We need an improved battery with at least 2x to 3x power, and a way to recharge the cyclops without replacing batteries continuously.
  • SalmonJEDlSalmonJEDl Finland Join Date: 2015-05-14 Member: 204465Members
    @conscioussoul
    Lithium-ion battery is coming to the game, Maybe it'll solve some problems?
  • FluffersFluffers United States Join Date: 2015-05-22 Member: 204749Members
    SalmonJEDl wrote: »
    @conscioussoul
    Lithium-ion battery is coming to the game, Maybe it'll solve some problems?

    Surely a lithium battery will be a more efficient power source
  • mpcarolinmpcarolin United States Join Date: 2015-01-07 Member: 200674Members
    Why not solar panels that protrude from the top when you near the surface? It could initiate a slow recharge -- like the rate of oxygen replenishment in the seamoth -- but would function much like regular diving, only on the scale of a cyclops.
  • tyler111762tyler111762 Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada Join Date: 2015-05-17 Member: 204558Members
    it's been noted several times, it's not just you. The power module from Aurora is supposed to cut that in half at least... still it's quite crazy. Hopefully they will re-balance it, perhaps we could have a hydro generator to restore some of its power back?

    a hydro turbine would actually drain more energy then it would produce while moving, like trying to blow your own sails. now if the turbines activated when you left the ship, swinging out of the sides like a sort of landing gear style. that would be cool.
  • Simking124Simking124 Canada Join Date: 2015-05-16 Member: 204542Members
    Like a tidal generator ya? Excellent idea. Anything that can regenerate the sub is welcome news. I'm plain sick of looking for copper for batteries!
  • ArmoramaArmorama Clovis, CA Join Date: 2015-03-26 Member: 202606Members
    Lol... love how some of you are trying to uphold the science logistics with this. This is a space fairing culture that can make replicators. Do you really think they would use batteries to begin with? Fusion mini-reactors would be their thing.
  • conscioussoulconscioussoul Canada Join Date: 2015-05-17 Member: 204607Members, Subnautica Playtester
    Armorama wrote: »
    Lol... love how some of you are trying to uphold the science logistics with this. This is a space fairing culture that can make replicators. Do you really think they would use batteries to begin with? Fusion mini-reactors would be their thing.

    Yeah but perhaps it's not evident to create a fusion mini reactor out of a few acid mushrooms and a scrap of metal.
    You meant fabricator, not replicator... right?
  • sharvysharvy North Carolina Join Date: 2015-04-28 Member: 203902Members
    I like the solar panel idea except what if it's dark and you run out of power and are stuck in a cave. I guess you'll have to wait till day.
  • conscioussoulconscioussoul Canada Join Date: 2015-05-17 Member: 204607Members, Subnautica Playtester
    a hydro turbine would actually drain more energy then it would produce while moving, like trying to blow your own sails. now if the turbines activated when you left the ship, swinging out of the sides like a sort of landing gear style. that would be cool.

    Of course, as per the laws of thermodynamics you can't produce more energy than you spend that way. But that doesn't mean you can't reduce the power drain.
    Say you have one big turbine motor at the back, providing propulsion. This one is the main culprit of your power drain.
    Say now you have two additional hydro generator on your sub, like you said, on the sides of the sub. These would not be connected to a motor, instead they would turn because of the speed of the current as your sub moves fast in the water; with magnets and rotor your get power generation. Not as much as the power drained by the motor, but maybe enough to bring back some power and drain the sub slower? The added bonus is when your sub is stationary and there is some water current, it could generate electricity also.
  • TerraBladeTerraBlade Join Date: 2015-05-25 Member: 204886Members
    edited May 2015
    Why not just have the generator in the seabase recharge batteries/cells? I mean, it would then make the seabase all the more important to get going (which in theory you should have BEFORE the Cyclops) while then making the limit to the range of the Cyclops/Seamoth your stockpile of charged cells.

    I think for all the resources and time that goes into making power cells they should be rechargeable. I wouldn't mind the other things like solar cells and such to improve range or as further rewards for exploring. But right out of the gate, cells should be able to be recharged even if it takes something like an in-game day to do it.
  • conscioussoulconscioussoul Canada Join Date: 2015-05-17 Member: 204607Members, Subnautica Playtester
    TerraBlade wrote: »
    Why not just have the generator in the seabase recharge batteries/cells?
    Yeah, well the problem is that the generator in the seabase right now is made... of power cells.
    (although you can just deconstruct it and reconstruct it right now to get power again when it's drained, but I imagine that will eventually be fixed).

    If you could build your base on a strong current, or on a lava pit spewing fire, and use these as power generation, NOW that would be fantastic to recharge your powercells.

    The other issue is that if you have to recharge your cyclops powercell too often it becomes very tedious.
    Right now without the power upgrade module, it's kinda crazy. You go one round trip to aurora and back, and all your energy is pretty much gone. That's SIX powercell to craft! (or to recharge)

  • SalmonJEDlSalmonJEDl Finland Join Date: 2015-05-14 Member: 204465Members
    a hydro turbine would actually drain more energy then it would produce while moving, like trying to blow your own sails. now if the turbines activated when you left the ship, swinging out of the sides like a sort of landing gear style. that would be cool.

    Of course, as per the laws of thermodynamics you can't produce more energy than you spend that way. But that doesn't mean you can't reduce the power drain.
    Say you have one big turbine motor at the back, providing propulsion. This one is the main culprit of your power drain.
    Say now you have two additional hydro generator on your sub, like you said, on the sides of the sub. These would not be connected to a motor, instead they would turn because of the speed of the current as your sub moves fast in the water; with magnets and rotor your get power generation. Not as much as the power drained by the motor, but maybe enough to bring back some power and drain the sub slower? The added bonus is when your sub is stationary and there is some water current, it could generate electricity also.

    That wouldn't work. Those turbines would generate electricity from the whole subs movement. And what causes the sub to move? Yeah, the motor. So basically you would use some power of the motor to recharge battery with a loss. Result: slightly slower sub with lower energy efficiency.
    Now, it could recharge stuff if the sub would use other methods to get propulsion (fuels?). Like cars recharge batteries while driving, since they run on gas (they don't use the energy for movement). Another example: a bike with dynamo. You can generate power for a lamp by pedaling, but cycling becames little bit harder.
  • TerraBladeTerraBlade Join Date: 2015-05-25 Member: 204886Members
    TerraBlade wrote: »
    Why not just have the generator in the seabase recharge batteries/cells?
    Yeah, well the problem is that the generator in the seabase right now is made... of power cells.
    (although you can just deconstruct it and reconstruct it right now to get power again when it's drained, but I imagine that will eventually be fixed).

    If you could build your base on a strong current, or on a lava pit spewing fire, and use these as power generation, NOW that would be fantastic to recharge your powercells.

    The other issue is that if you have to recharge your cyclops powercell too often it becomes very tedious.
    Right now without the power upgrade module, it's kinda crazy. You go one round trip to aurora and back, and all your energy is pretty much gone. That's SIX powercell to craft! (or to recharge)

    Well devs could just make the power-plant give free power and then have the rate/number of cells recharge be rewards for exploring or researching. It could be you only get one to two slots to start off and it takes a day to charge them with maybe a fully researched/upgraded power station giving you eight cells in maybe five minutes (I have no idea how long a 'day' is since I never paid much attention to it). Or like you said having alternative sources might have other benefits such as faster recharge times.

    Point is, there would still be plenty of room to reward players for recharging cells, and there is no reason not to have a stockpile even with the ability to recharge. In total I probably would shoot for 16 cells even on top of the ones you would need for other gear. BUT, even that many will really put a strain on quartz on top of all the other uses you use it for (2 quartz per silicone * 16 cells = 32 quartz); especially when you take into account dying, other equipment, and vehicle construction.

  • EVJZEVJZ Join Date: 2020-03-16 Member: 258798Members
    The problem with the Cyclops is it’s completely bugged notice if you make a brand new cyclops with just 6 regular power cells not even ion power cells it will last probably an hour or so but the more you switch out the power cells the less efficient it gets now instead of normal power cells lasting me an hour now 6 ION power cells which are 4x more powerful than the regular literally lasts me 3 minutes lol it’s a joke subnautica is just way underfunded and way underdeveloped the gameplay of the game now with the insane amount of bugs it should be an ALPHA beta not even beta let alone fully released and at this point it’s been over a year since they updated it so sadly I think they just gave up on the game which is really sad because the potential for this game is just insane but unfortunately the devs just aren’t into the game anymore.
  • 0x6A72320x6A7232 US Join Date: 2016-10-06 Member: 222906Members
    EVJZ wrote: »
    The problem with the Cyclops is it’s completely bugged notice if you make a brand new cyclops with just 6 regular power cells not even ion power cells it will last probably an hour or so but the more you switch out the power cells the less efficient it gets now instead of normal power cells lasting me an hour now 6 ION power cells which are 4x more powerful than the regular literally lasts me 3 minutes lol it’s a joke subnautica is just way underfunded and way underdeveloped the gameplay of the game now with the insane amount of bugs it should be an ALPHA beta not even beta let alone fully released and at this point it’s been over a year since they updated it so sadly I think they just gave up on the game which is really sad because the potential for this game is just insane but unfortunately the devs just aren’t into the game anymore.

    What? Try leaving Silent Running off, for starters, that burns energy and if you're not moving shutting the engine off has the same effect so you might as well do that instead. Also why necro a 5 year old thread?? Cyclops was waaaaaaay into Early Access in 2015.
  • SilveressaSilveressa USA Join Date: 2015-03-18 Member: 202279Members
    edited March 2020
    0x6A7232 wrote: »
    Also why necro a 5 year old thread?? Cyclops was waaaaaaay into Early Access in 2015.

    2 possibilities:

    1) They live in a third world country and are playing some bootleg disk they bought from a street vendor and have no idea the full version is even out yet.

    2) They haven't played it since early access and just assume the problems are still there for whatever reason. :s
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