At the rate that the cell chargers charge cells (say that 10 times real fast...) this is a pretty light issue overall. Ion power cells are supposed to charge at the same energy/sec rate of regular cells, which is about 1 energy every 3 seconds. Say you are charging two of them so 2 energy every 3 seconds, or 40 energy per minute. A single thermal plant will keep this up with max charge and about 10 energy/minute to spare. This is slightly more power drain than a water purifier if you're charging two cells at once.
Now if you are in a seamoth docking into a moonpool and it instantly drains the energy like normal that could certainly be problematic... a nearly depleted ion battery in a seamoth would take a base with a fully stocked nuclear reactor offline for about 3 minutes...
Also, there's something I never considered until @HiSaZUL brought it up; the crabsquid with EMP's in the Lost River, and the lava larva in the Lava Zone. They're issue enough just with vehicles, but does anyone know if those two can affect bases?
As far as I know, the lava larva are only attracted to vehicles. In my last game, I had maybe 3-4 Lava Larva I kept removing from my Cyclops parked next to my base but none attached to my base.
At the rate that the cell chargers charge cells (say that 10 times real fast...) this is a pretty light issue overall. Ion power cells are supposed to charge at the same energy/sec rate of regular cells, which is about 1 energy every 3 seconds. Say you are charging two of them so 2 energy every 3 seconds, or 40 energy per minute. A single thermal plant will keep this up with max charge and about 10 energy/minute to spare. This is slightly more power drain than a water purifier if you're charging two cells at once.
Now if you are in a seamoth docking into a moonpool and it instantly drains the energy like normal that could certainly be problematic... a nearly depleted ion battery in a seamoth would take a base with a fully stocked nuclear reactor offline for about 3 minutes...
Also, there's something I never considered until @HiSaZUL brought it up; the crabsquid with EMP's in the Lost River, and the lava larva in the Lava Zone. They're issue enough just with vehicles, but does anyone know if those two can affect bases?
At the moment, no (or at least not that I've ever seen myself or in LP videos). Given that there are no means to defend the immobile target that is a seabase, it seems unlikely it'll become a feature unless a defensive system is introduced to counter the new mechanic.
Good start, it was absurd adding 1 pair of charge stations made energy consumption hardly a concern.
how energy is distributed, generated, & consumed still needs some tweaking. screwed at night using solar, bioreactor is high maintenance, and nuclear requires frequent trips simply for uranium (good for a small outpost). only real option is to put several thermal generators around heat vents then interconnect them with power transmitters spanning across the ocean.
thermal to energy is OP if you link enough of them together, makes it almost impossible to run out of power even if you set up an entire room full of water purifiers. power is a nonissue with the exosuit adding thermal generator. sure i solved an energy crisis with trial and error with stated sources in that order, but still should be something make me concerned of even with that setup.
Sounds like you need to expand your solar system. Unless your base has a lot of power-hungry equipment (water purifiers are murder on power), you should be able to get through the night on just solar. If your seabase doesn't have a power capacity of about 700-800, add solar panels. If it does and you're still running out, you might need to cut back on how much power you're using.
Really, anything is OP if you build enough of them, even solar panels. But when you think about it, it's only fair; when you put in the time and invest the resources necessary to build a bunch of thermal plants, you should be able to reap the benefits. Build a batch of thermal plants, then light your seabase up like Vegas. If you have to be stranded, be stranded with style.
At the moment, no (or at least not that I've ever seen myself or in LP videos). Given that there are no means to defend the immobile target that is a seabase, it seems unlikely it'll become a feature unless a defensive system is introduced to counter the new mechanic.
Considering the devs have repeatedly noted they want to make defending the bases themselves against creature attacks a thing, it does indeed look set to become a feature. So we'll have that to deal with on top of everything else.
Sounds like you need to expand your solar system. Unless your base has a lot of power-hungry equipment (water purifiers are murder on power), you should be able to get through the night on just solar. If your seabase doesn't have a power capacity of about 700-800, add solar panels. If it does and you're still running out, you might need to cut back on how much power you're using.
Except that doesn't really do anything when you're in the deeper biomes, or are building a waypoint in the LR or ILZ like the gameplay thus far seems to be intent on forcing you to do. And strictly speaking, you'd need a lot of solar panels to get to 700-800 capacity - you'd be better off relying on thermal as the primary with the other three as secondary means to balance out. Especially if you're constantly making runs in the Seamoth/Prawn (and way more if they have Ion Cells), aren't near lifepod 5 for it's extra fabricator on a separate supply, or if you have water purifiers running 24/7.
Also, since (according to one of Mobius' latest vids) the devs plan to make every base piece passively consume power just for existing (lights, oxygen production, etc), it's going to get harder to balance and likely force one away from relying on any single means of power.
Really, anything is OP if you build enough of them, even solar panels. But when you think about it, it's only fair; when you put in the time and invest the resources necessary to build a bunch of thermal plants, you should be able to reap the benefits. Build a batch of thermal plants, then light your seabase up like Vegas. If you have to be stranded, be stranded with style.
Same as above though; the ease of this feels like it gets slashed once you make it to the endgame biomes, where you pretty much either have to build a waypoint down there by trucking all the resources down with you, since none of the base-essential ones (Titanium, Copper, Lithium, Quartz, Common Coral for electronics, Creepvine Seeds for Lubricant & Silicone) are native down there. The issue is that power management still isn't really balanced enough for this to feel even half as easily to do as just saying it does.
Crabsquids could disable bases since bones update. That was.... what? half a year ago? It as much as touches a base on any point and it nukes your entire power reserve. So yes they do and have been for a while. And again my grievance is the fact that something as lame as, I don't know, a galvanized metal GARBAGE CAN is emp proof... future base module, according to lore, designed for variety of hostile environments, on the other hand... has 0 emp shielding? wtf kind of a sad joke is that. Who designed them? Ubisoft?
Why is UW making everything so welfare? They want to curb down on infinite power generation, fine. But how exactly do you deal with that... knee jerk reaction aside, there has to be a logical path to follow. Dozens of bases... no... just no. Crabsquids are pretty damn common in deep waters. They even nerfed poor PRAWN because omigawd it's power supply lasted for more then 5 minutes. The whole debacle with glider that lasted for years where people spat on it and called it a useless pile of shit just... faded from memory? Hell there is still no Cyclops dock even. Just reminds me of Fallouts 4 settlements so much... oh lets toss it in because it's a cool thing, who cares if it is barely functional, robbed the world of actual life and left the map barren and devoid of settlements unless you use half baked mechanics to make some shacks that would collapse under a fart from a termite and then add in attacks... and that is all after thousands of bugs, glitches, collisions from hell etc.
Short version. Changed the wheels to tank threads because reasons!... but they are still attached to a bicycle.
@The08MetroidMan Considering their track record of failing horribly bad at balancing things or flat out ignoring things for long time... I'd be terrified of what that idea on everything using power will bring. Spotlights still eat more power then a city block(not really but 20 thermal power plants at 60 degrees can't power 6 spotlights... that is pathetic). No fucks has been given. Took years to get glider to be sort of useful... and that is only because ion batteries came back. Instead of 1.0 you will probably need to wait for 3.0 for things to make sense. Their initial results that involve numbers have so far been pretty poor.
I sort of agree with you, @HiSaZuL , but my concerns aren't quite as strong. Still concerned about somewhat piecemeal changes coming together to be right. Appears to be that way finally with the Cyclops and its damageability, but I'm still testing.
Took years to get glider to be sort of useful... and that is only because ion batteries came back.
I appreciate the reduction in charge consumption of the Seaglide. And even with just the initial Batteries, put on Swim Charge Fins and the Seaglider is now your underway recharger. And if you stick to the Lightweight High Capacity Tank in Experimental (90s and has the same drag as the current Lightweight tank), you can easily recharge other tools with a bit of swimming with them readied.
Maybe the rechargers now have a 1:1 ratio for the Cyclops, but still not for the bases. If you put 2 empty ion power cells in a recharger at a base, that should draw 2000 energy from that base while it recharges those power cells. Yet you are free to recharge them without base energy cost!
Otherwise resource management and energy costs for bases would drastically rise and this process would be ugly for a lot of players.
At the rate that the cell chargers charge cells (say that 10 times real fast...) this is a pretty light issue overall. Ion power cells are supposed to charge at the same energy/sec rate of regular cells, which is about 1 energy every 3 seconds. Say you are charging two of them so 2 energy every 3 seconds, or 40 energy per minute. A single thermal plant will keep this up with max charge and about 10 energy/minute to spare. This is slightly more power drain than a water purifier if you're charging two cells at once.
Now if you are in a seamoth docking into a moonpool and it instantly drains the energy like normal that could certainly be problematic... a nearly depleted ion battery in a seamoth would take a base with a fully stocked nuclear reactor offline for about 3 minutes...
But the overall power loss would be still 1000. Only thermal plant arrays or solar plant arrays don't need to care. But your reactor rods would deplete for sure.
I do like the idea of just being able to park up next to my base and my Cyclops will charge up, I also think an onboard reactor would also be useful, perhaps even multiple different usable reactors (thermal, solar, bio, nuclear)
But the overall power loss would be still 1000. Only thermal plant arrays or solar plant arrays don't need to care. But your reactor rods would deplete for sure.
Long awaiting change, now the "Perpetuum mobile" situation is gone. I has build 4 PCC on my pseudo docking tube and filled it with Power cells, so i can simply swap the depleted power cells after my journey. And my Ion Power cells i charge in the Moonpool with my Exosuit. And i have lot of Power cells and a few Ion power cells in a locker inside the cyclops. So i don't believe that i will get any energy problem. Only a question of planing and preparation.
There are lot of good changes in the next update, can't wait for it.
Long awaiting change, now the "Perpetuum mobile" situation is gone. I has build 4 PCC on my pseudo docking tube and filled it with Power cells, so i can simply swap the depleted power cells after my journey. And my Ion Power cells i charge in the Moonpool with my Exosuit. And i have lot of Power cells and a few Ion power cells in a locker inside the cyclops. So i don't believe that i will get any energy problem. Only a question of planing and preparation.
There are lot of good changes in the next update, can't wait for it.
The issue with that is how... well, honestly put, it feels like it keeps you from going anywhere major without the Ion Cells (which most bases don't have enough power to charge 2 at a time for if it's in a vehicle, let alone the needed six for the Cyclops plus the 1-2 needed for a vehicle ). And you're assuming everyone's going to be as well-off on power cells as you are - or even that they know what "planning and preparation" are needed (which, in this case, feels like being forced to build secondary bases deep below in the LR rather than it being player-choice to do so).
Simply put, I'm not as sure there was "a lot of good changes" made here - changes, certainly, but not necessarily that they were all good. Hell, the Cyclops had to be continually balanced well after the Silent Running update - it just feels like power distribution's not going to be so easy a thing to fix, here.
I think being forced to build secondary bases is a good thing. I think the default assumption should be that the player will likely need to build multiple bases to beat the game. Otherwise why even have power sources other than solar panels?
If you don't know what prep is needed, overprep and be ready to go back to make more. That goes for everything from exploring the ALZ to painting your house.
I don't know what this 'as well off' crap is. I wasn't handed those power cells on a silver platter by Posieden's reaper driven chariot! You need more? Get off yer lazy keister and get to making them. In my day we didn't even have the sea treaders kicking up a dozen copper every second, we had to actually find it in limestone alone! In raging seas while bombarded by crashfish 26 hours a day 9 days of the week!
While you're at it... git off mah lawn!
(im tired and getting a bit carried away, but seriously, if you don't know how much you need, bring 2-3x as much as your best guess, by the time you have the cyclops there is nothing about the power cell that is difficult to acquire.)
@The08MetroidMan
Well, this is my 4th SN game, and i played all 4 games from scratch until i have a comfortable base and until Ion tech level. And all 4 games (survival mode) i played a bit different. One example: my current, 4th game i am playing only with my main base, without any secondary base, because i set my focus to use the Cyclops as my secondary and mobile base, no need for another secondary solid base. So my gaming style was different in all my 4 games and that's the point: to play SN is a very personal experience and so my post was a very personal opinion. In this case i assumed nothing and i don't said that the changes will like all players. But I like the changes.
Good gameplay is for me (examples):
To have much as possible freedom. I don't like games which say to me constantly "You must do this, then this and then this.".
To have challenges. Hard, but not unfair. For me planning and preparation is part of the gameplay and i like it.
To have a believable world. Sure, this game is totally fictional und we have fictionally technology. But a charger which can "produce" more energy than it will need for charging is completely nonsens. With the new SN version we will have a charge ratio of 1:1. This is also not realistic but a lot more believable than the current ratio of 1:5.
The Cyclops is a midgame/endgame device. At this point it is no problem to build enough Power cells for the Cyclops. And i don't need Ion power cells or Ion battery, but i like it. The Ion tech give you simple one advantage: to have the same energy with much less inventory slots. Or to have more energy with the same inventory slots, whatever. There is no real need for the Ion tech, but it's simply fun to have it. Some time ago there was no Ion tech and so i simply had more Power cells. There are more than enough resources to build enough Power cells and enough chargers. In the ILZ and ALZ you have infinite energy if you use a exosuit with the thermal generator upgrade. There are lot of spots with 60 grad celsius or more to have a fast charging also for the Ion PCs.
And btw, nearly every update will force you to adapt your gameplay a bit. But for me this is also part of the SN-early-access-experience. Sure, there are changes in the past i don't like. As example i started with SN at a point where the "Power Generator" and the "Accumulator" was already removed and i would really like it to have them back. In the future i would like a docking port for the cyclops with a slow charging option. And a solar module like the one for the Seamoth. And a... well, yeah, we will see what will happen in the future. ^^
I dont know. I kind of hate this change a bit. Just because something is unrealistic doesn't mean its bad. It is a game after all. I do think it needed to be change but a 1:1 just made chargers on cyclops useless. Take 75% off but leave some on so that you can still recharge, at least batteries since those are needed so much.
At the same time I like the idea of needing to build multiple bases. I currently have one and have no reason for more. But other than explore the Lost River and Lava places I have nothing else to do, no reason to collect more resources. This change means I'll need at least two more bases at other ends of the map and Im looking forward to that.
I didn't look at the Cyclops drive speed energy changes so far. Interesting. Thanks.
Seems like at least the drive speed energy consumption should get an energy pass.
Although I still think that silent running should be an unlockable tech and need an extra module. Maybe a range of engine modules Mk1-3 to support different engines with different power consumptions and different speed and silence possibilites. With Mk3 the best.
Because silent running isn't really needed until you get to meet the "non-escapable" leviathans (right now only the Sea Dragon).
Oh shame... this really ruins my day as I used my cyclops as a mobile base.
Honestly guys, I think a lot of you long term players are asking for things that I think are detrimental to regular players.
I say this because a lot of you I am sure have played this game to death.. you know exactly how to play it, look at the maps and crave more of a challenge.
For regular players, we don't want to have to look at maps/forums to see where the best places are to build or where thermal vents are.. it is spoiler territory and ruins the adventure of the game.
Please stop applauding things that make the game harder or inconvenient for others. If you hate the energy chargers in the sub then don't use it.
Well, this is my 4th SN game, and i played all 4 games from scratch until i have a comfortable base and until Ion tech level. And all 4 games (survival mode) i played a bit different. One example: my current, 4th game i am playing only with my main base, without any secondary base, because i set my focus to use the Cyclops as my secondary and mobile base, no need for another secondary solid base. So my gaming style was different in all my 4 games and that's the point: to play SN is a very personal experience and so my post was a very personal opinion. In this case i assumed nothing and i don't said that the changes will like all players. But I like the changes.
See... no offense, but that right there kinda feels like you shot yourself in the foot in regards to your argument; "this is my 4th SN game, and i played all 4 games from scratch until i have a comfortable base and until Ion tech level." In other words, you already know where all the secrets are - you already know exactly what you need to do beforehand. For someone who's playing through this the first time, how is any of this going to be accessible to balance out the early-game need for reliable power?
I'm sorry, but I honestly feel that you are making a very big set of assumptions, because it seems your entire example literally hinges on the fact that you already have unlocked all the endgame-content from base upgrades to Ion Cells, completely ignoring the fact that anybody who doesn't have every single item already unlocked and built is going to be screwed over. Anyone first starting the game, or anyone who's not gotten to the same point you were when new changes were put in - how are they going to know they have literally no choice but to do things a spicific way, thereby destroying any ability to create their own personal experience? Likewise, I admit this might be an assumption on my own part, but it honestly feels like your liking the changes is more because you're looking at it from the perspective of a post-game vet rather than a casual player or newcomer.
To have much as possible freedom. I don't like games which say to me constantly "You must do this, then this and then this.".
To have challenges. Hard, but not unfair. For me planning and preparation is part of the gameplay and i like it.
To have a believable world. Sure, this game is totally fictional und we have fictionally technology. But a charger which can "produce" more energy than it will need for charging is completely nonsens. With the new SN version we will have a charge ratio of 1:1. This is also not realistic but a lot more believable than the current ratio of 1:5.
Again, I'm sorry if it sounds argumentative, but I really can't agree with that list myself.
If you cannot use the Cyclops for anything but endgame stuff, nor run it practically without being forced to build secondary bases everywhere, how is that not being all but implicitly told "you must do this, then this and then this" - because honestly speaking, it feels like the game is saying "you must get the shield upgrade, than build these secondary bases, than get these ion crystals, than always use only silent running in this area" ... and that you're saying this is okay.
But many people already feel that the game has crossed that line. Heck, @zetachron made several posts detailing how he feels the Sea Dragon alone crossed that line in how it hones in on the player with unparalleled accuracy if you're not in a silent-running Cyclops. That's a do-or-don't situation - where is the planning and preparation in that? Same with pretty much needing Ion Cells to get through the LR and ILZ without either (a) taking too much damage or (b) losing too much energy to make it back.
That part is kind of faltering too, in my opinion. @Rezca made rather detailed explanations for why things like the ILZ corridors existing tied into both gameplay (discovery and reward for exploring off the beaten path) and story (explaining how the Sea Dragons hunt Reaper Leviathans, since a lava-zone creature going through the freezing waters of the LR makes little sense). And yet, Cory Strader has basically been pushing to have them all closed off for the sake of forcing the player to visit the LR for story-purposes rather than that being optional/trusting the player to want to explore on their own - he even flat-out said "more options doesn't always = better." Furthermore, I feel compelled to point out that, last I knew, the net-gain on the Cyclops only happened after the Energy Efficiency Module was installed - now that module's gone, replaced with the Engine efficiency module. Simply put, it wasn't "completely nonsense" - it was better tech/more advanced capacitors. Plus, we're dealing with a universe where warpgates, 3D flash-printing and molecular manipulation of materials exist, so IDK if arguing realism is the way to go tech-wise, even without (again) the fact it had an explination in-game with the energy efficiency module (before it was axed).
To make a long story short... even by your own examples, it feels like the game's not matching the criteria you're setting for it.
The Cyclops is a midgame/endgame device. At this point it is no problem to build enough Power cells for the Cyclops. And i don't need Ion power cells or Ion battery, but i like it. The Ion tech give you simple one advantage: to have the same energy with much less inventory slots. Or to have more energy with the same inventory slots, whatever. There is no real need for the Ion tech, but it's simply fun to have it. Some time ago there was no Ion tech and so i simply had more Power cells. There are more than enough resources to build enough Power cells and enough chargers. In the ILZ and ALZ you have infinite energy if you use a exosuit with the thermal generator upgrade. There are lot of spots with 60 grad celsius or more to have a fast charging also for the Ion PCs.
But that feels contrasted by the sheer number of larger predators that exist throughout the game, as well as the depths you need to often go just for the surface areas. Seamoth can't even reach that deep and is the most fragile of them all, and the Prawn both is very slow-moving and lacks vertical movement until you get the Jump-Jet upgrades (for which you need ILZ materials to do). It literally feels like you need the Cyclops just to guarantee you're able to explore the Aurora safely, let alone anything beyond the shallows and plateaus.
Furthermore, I think you're making a mistake about the Power Cell issue - building them isn't necessarily the issue; maintaining them all is. Unless you have power chargers going 24/7 and have them spread out over a dozen different bases, you're not going to guarantee you'll have them ready on-hand for when you run out of juice - especially in the Lava Zones with the lava larva. Between the larva and the possible need for shields if the Sea Dragon attacks you, you're pretty much going to need the Ion Cells just to have any guarantee of not running out in a bad situation, let alone make it all the way back up to the surface.
At that point, it becomes a necessity to have - no matter how many resources you have to build cells and chargers with, it's all useless if you can't do anything with it on-hand. To use a morbid example, it's like having all the wood you need for a fire in the winter, but being surrounded by a pool of gasoline - the stuff's useless if you not only flat-out can't use it where you are but also have no way to get to any place it can be useful in. Infinite energy only applies to the Prawn, and since you need a moonpool to construct those upgrades, you'll have to go to the ILZ for the resources and truck it back to a base to build it - no matter how you slice it, you're not able to pick and choose how you want to do things anymore; you're basically forced to make multiple runs to accomplish something rather than having options on how or what to do or what you do or don't want to play it with.
And btw, nearly every update will force you to adapt your gameplay a bit. But for me this is also part of the SN-early-access-experience. Sure, there are changes in the past i don't like. As example i started with SN at a point where the "Power Generator" and the "Accumulator" was already removed and i would really like it to have them back. In the future i would like a docking port for the cyclops with a slow charging option. And a solar module like the one for the Seamoth. And a... well, yeah, we will see what will happen in the future. ^^
Again, I'm sorry if this feels like I'm being argumentative... but that feels like a strawman argument; that an update will force one to adapt their gameplay is academic, but limiting, restricting or even outright axing one's playstyle options and forcing them down a single linear one is another thing altogether. The issue was never whether or not the devs' changes would alter gameplay - it was about whether or not said changes potentially crossed the line into impeding player enjoyment of the game at any point. As it stands, IDK if you heard, but base pieces are going to be changed to draw power passively (lights, oxygen production, ect), so people will lose their net-gain from Solar Panels because there'll be a passive energy drain at night-time just for a base-piece existing - what happens if that kind of change gets put into vehicles as well (hell, it already seems to for the Seamoth, since it seemed to lose power even just while idling).
To make a long story short, I'm just not sure that the power balancing that's been done thus far is really as beneficial to the game's long-term as you think, let alone am confident the future balancing will be any easier to approach.
runned out twice of energy now... i also used power cell rechargers in the cyclops. all the time...
i dont like that. because when i go for an extended ride with the prawn or seamoth they empty the cyclops while docking. direct to zero. i cant stop that or say "dont charge"...
runned out twice of energy now... i also used power cell rechargers in the cyclops. all the time...
i dont like that. because when i go for an extended ride with the prawn or seamoth they empty the cyclops while docking. direct to zero. i cant stop that or say "dont charge"...
yeah i know. its not possible anymore. i came back from a year break of subnautica. before it was possible with infinite energy. i like that its gone but its hard and sometime i dont understand the energy flow. i leave the cyclops with 35% power. when i'm comming back its on 0%... i turned off everything...
the modules consume to much energy. when i try to flee from a reaper i need up to 30-40% of the energy. this makes no sense to me... and like i posted before. when i dock the prawn or seamoth the got "priority" to charge... doesnt matter if the cyclops runs dry from that...
I've not gotten a game to the Cyclops in a while. But for power management on the current Cyclops, you need to carry spare Powercells. And set up recharging stations at bases, likely with multiple Powercell Chargers.
I've not gotten a game to the Cyclops in a while. But for power management on the current Cyclops, you need to carry spare Powercells. And set up recharging stations at bases, likely with multiple Powercell Chargers.
i have 6 cell rechargers in my base... its not enough. yo need up to 20 cells to use the cyclops for a longer farming run... all the mods of the cyclops drain that much engery when used...
i have 6 cell rechargers in my base... its not enough. yo need up to 20 cells to use the cyclops for a longer farming run... all the mods of the cyclops drain that much engery when used...
Whoa.
In the last game I got far enough, I had set up about 6 or 8 chargers, but before I could use the Cyclops, I stopped playing Subnautica for a while.
That's over 3 sets of Powercells for the Cyclops on one run. That's crazy. No way would that be a useful exploration vessel. This should be changed.
Are you guys not using the power efficiency module, or using Silent Running all the time / leaving the shields up? It just doesn't make sense. You aughtta be fine with 1-3 chargers as long as you always keep them filled.
then can we finally put a reactor in the sub instead of running it on AAA batteries?
its worthless the way it is, might as well be stationary. the other gripe about the sub is you cant charge it in place put up a power transfer and it wont charge the sub at a base. you spend all of your time shuttling batteries around. cyclops is pretty much the most useless vehicle i could imagine saddling a survivor with. cant go anywhere because everything attacks it i have seen snails that where faster and it runs on AAA batteries that you have to remove to recharge. best use, its a a space to put stuff and thats it.
Comments
As far as I know, the lava larva are only attracted to vehicles. In my last game, I had maybe 3-4 Lava Larva I kept removing from my Cyclops parked next to my base but none attached to my base.
At the moment, no (or at least not that I've ever seen myself or in LP videos). Given that there are no means to defend the immobile target that is a seabase, it seems unlikely it'll become a feature unless a defensive system is introduced to counter the new mechanic.
Sounds like you need to expand your solar system. Unless your base has a lot of power-hungry equipment (water purifiers are murder on power), you should be able to get through the night on just solar. If your seabase doesn't have a power capacity of about 700-800, add solar panels.
Really, anything is OP if you build enough of them, even solar panels.
Considering the devs have repeatedly noted they want to make defending the bases themselves against creature attacks a thing, it does indeed look set to become a feature. So we'll have that to deal with on top of everything else.
Except that doesn't really do anything when you're in the deeper biomes, or are building a waypoint in the LR or ILZ like the gameplay thus far seems to be intent on forcing you to do. And strictly speaking, you'd need a lot of solar panels to get to 700-800 capacity - you'd be better off relying on thermal as the primary with the other three as secondary means to balance out. Especially if you're constantly making runs in the Seamoth/Prawn (and way more if they have Ion Cells), aren't near lifepod 5 for it's extra fabricator on a separate supply, or if you have water purifiers running 24/7.
Also, since (according to one of Mobius' latest vids) the devs plan to make every base piece passively consume power just for existing (lights, oxygen production, etc), it's going to get harder to balance and likely force one away from relying on any single means of power.
Same as above though; the ease of this feels like it gets slashed once you make it to the endgame biomes, where you pretty much either have to build a waypoint down there by trucking all the resources down with you, since none of the base-essential ones (Titanium, Copper, Lithium, Quartz, Common Coral for electronics, Creepvine Seeds for Lubricant & Silicone) are native down there. The issue is that power management still isn't really balanced enough for this to feel even half as easily to do as just saying it does.
Why is UW making everything so welfare? They want to curb down on infinite power generation, fine. But how exactly do you deal with that... knee jerk reaction aside, there has to be a logical path to follow. Dozens of bases... no... just no. Crabsquids are pretty damn common in deep waters. They even nerfed poor PRAWN because omigawd it's power supply lasted for more then 5 minutes. The whole debacle with glider that lasted for years where people spat on it and called it a useless pile of shit just... faded from memory? Hell there is still no Cyclops dock even. Just reminds me of Fallouts 4 settlements so much... oh lets toss it in because it's a cool thing, who cares if it is barely functional, robbed the world of actual life and left the map barren and devoid of settlements unless you use half baked mechanics to make some shacks that would collapse under a fart from a termite and then add in attacks... and that is all after thousands of bugs, glitches, collisions from hell etc.
Short version. Changed the wheels to tank threads because reasons!... but they are still attached to a bicycle.
@The08MetroidMan Considering their track record of failing horribly bad at balancing things or flat out ignoring things for long time... I'd be terrified of what that idea on everything using power will bring. Spotlights still eat more power then a city block(not really but 20 thermal power plants at 60 degrees can't power 6 spotlights... that is pathetic). No fucks has been given. Took years to get glider to be sort of useful... and that is only because ion batteries came back. Instead of 1.0 you will probably need to wait for 3.0 for things to make sense. Their initial results that involve numbers have so far been pretty poor.
I appreciate the reduction in charge consumption of the Seaglide. And even with just the initial Batteries, put on Swim Charge Fins and the Seaglider is now your underway recharger. And if you stick to the Lightweight High Capacity Tank in Experimental (90s and has the same drag as the current Lightweight tank), you can easily recharge other tools with a bit of swimming with them readied.
But the overall power loss would be still 1000. Only thermal plant arrays or solar plant arrays don't need to care. But your reactor rods would deplete for sure.
There are lot of good changes in the next update, can't wait for it.
The issue with that is how... well, honestly put, it feels like it keeps you from going anywhere major without the Ion Cells (which most bases don't have enough power to charge 2 at a time for if it's in a vehicle, let alone the needed six for the Cyclops plus the 1-2 needed for a vehicle ). And you're assuming everyone's going to be as well-off on power cells as you are - or even that they know what "planning and preparation" are needed (which, in this case, feels like being forced to build secondary bases deep below in the LR rather than it being player-choice to do so).
Simply put, I'm not as sure there was "a lot of good changes" made here - changes, certainly, but not necessarily that they were all good. Hell, the Cyclops had to be continually balanced well after the Silent Running update - it just feels like power distribution's not going to be so easy a thing to fix, here.
I don't know what this 'as well off' crap is. I wasn't handed those power cells on a silver platter by Posieden's reaper driven chariot! You need more? Get off yer lazy keister and get to making them. In my day we didn't even have the sea treaders kicking up a dozen copper every second, we had to actually find it in limestone alone! In raging seas while bombarded by crashfish 26 hours a day 9 days of the week!
While you're at it... git off mah lawn!
(im tired and getting a bit carried away, but seriously, if you don't know how much you need, bring 2-3x as much as your best guess, by the time you have the cyclops there is nothing about the power cell that is difficult to acquire.)
Well, this is my 4th SN game, and i played all 4 games from scratch until i have a comfortable base and until Ion tech level. And all 4 games (survival mode) i played a bit different. One example: my current, 4th game i am playing only with my main base, without any secondary base, because i set my focus to use the Cyclops as my secondary and mobile base, no need for another secondary solid base. So my gaming style was different in all my 4 games and that's the point: to play SN is a very personal experience and so my post was a very personal opinion. In this case i assumed nothing and i don't said that the changes will like all players. But I like the changes.
Good gameplay is for me (examples):
The Cyclops is a midgame/endgame device. At this point it is no problem to build enough Power cells for the Cyclops. And i don't need Ion power cells or Ion battery, but i like it.
And btw, nearly every update will force you to adapt your gameplay a bit. But for me this is also part of the SN-early-access-experience. Sure, there are changes in the past i don't like. As example i started with SN at a point where the "Power Generator" and the "Accumulator" was already removed and i would really like it to have them back. In the future i would like a docking port for the cyclops with a slow charging option. And a solar module like the one for the Seamoth. And a... well, yeah, we will see what will happen in the future. ^^
https://www.reddit.com/r/subnautica/comments/6erlja/test_results_of_cyclops_energy_consumption/
Interesting. I like this kind of observations. ^^ But, i think he mean 1200/1200. Or have the Power cells now 250 energy? 1500/1500 is the hull value.
At the same time I like the idea of needing to build multiple bases. I currently have one and have no reason for more. But other than explore the Lost River and Lava places I have nothing else to do, no reason to collect more resources. This change means I'll need at least two more bases at other ends of the map and Im looking forward to that.
I didn't look at the Cyclops drive speed energy changes so far. Interesting. Thanks.
Seems like at least the drive speed energy consumption should get an energy pass.
Although I still think that silent running should be an unlockable tech and need an extra module. Maybe a range of engine modules Mk1-3 to support different engines with different power consumptions and different speed and silence possibilites. With Mk3 the best.
Because silent running isn't really needed until you get to meet the "non-escapable" leviathans (right now only the Sea Dragon).
Honestly guys, I think a lot of you long term players are asking for things that I think are detrimental to regular players.
I say this because a lot of you I am sure have played this game to death.. you know exactly how to play it, look at the maps and crave more of a challenge.
For regular players, we don't want to have to look at maps/forums to see where the best places are to build or where thermal vents are.. it is spoiler territory and ruins the adventure of the game.
Please stop applauding things that make the game harder or inconvenient for others. If you hate the energy chargers in the sub then don't use it.
See... no offense, but that right there kinda feels like you shot yourself in the foot in regards to your argument; "this is my 4th SN game, and i played all 4 games from scratch until i have a comfortable base and until Ion tech level." In other words, you already know where all the secrets are - you already know exactly what you need to do beforehand. For someone who's playing through this the first time, how is any of this going to be accessible to balance out the early-game need for reliable power?
I'm sorry, but I honestly feel that you are making a very big set of assumptions, because it seems your entire example literally hinges on the fact that you already have unlocked all the endgame-content from base upgrades to Ion Cells, completely ignoring the fact that anybody who doesn't have every single item already unlocked and built is going to be screwed over. Anyone first starting the game, or anyone who's not gotten to the same point you were when new changes were put in - how are they going to know they have literally no choice but to do things a spicific way, thereby destroying any ability to create their own personal experience? Likewise, I admit this might be an assumption on my own part, but it honestly feels like your liking the changes is more because you're looking at it from the perspective of a post-game vet rather than a casual player or newcomer.
Again, I'm sorry if it sounds argumentative, but I really can't agree with that list myself.
To make a long story short... even by your own examples, it feels like the game's not matching the criteria you're setting for it.
But that feels contrasted by the sheer number of larger predators that exist throughout the game, as well as the depths you need to often go just for the surface areas. Seamoth can't even reach that deep and is the most fragile of them all, and the Prawn both is very slow-moving and lacks vertical movement until you get the Jump-Jet upgrades (for which you need ILZ materials to do). It literally feels like you need the Cyclops just to guarantee you're able to explore the Aurora safely, let alone anything beyond the shallows and plateaus.
Furthermore, I think you're making a mistake about the Power Cell issue - building them isn't necessarily the issue; maintaining them all is. Unless you have power chargers going 24/7 and have them spread out over a dozen different bases, you're not going to guarantee you'll have them ready on-hand for when you run out of juice - especially in the Lava Zones with the lava larva. Between the larva and the possible need for shields if the Sea Dragon attacks you, you're pretty much going to need the Ion Cells just to have any guarantee of not running out in a bad situation, let alone make it all the way back up to the surface.
At that point, it becomes a necessity to have - no matter how many resources you have to build cells and chargers with, it's all useless if you can't do anything with it on-hand. To use a morbid example, it's like having all the wood you need for a fire in the winter, but being surrounded by a pool of gasoline - the stuff's useless if you not only flat-out can't use it where you are but also have no way to get to any place it can be useful in. Infinite energy only applies to the Prawn, and since you need a moonpool to construct those upgrades, you'll have to go to the ILZ for the resources and truck it back to a base to build it - no matter how you slice it, you're not able to pick and choose how you want to do things anymore; you're basically forced to make multiple runs to accomplish something rather than having options on how or what to do or what you do or don't want to play it with.
Again, I'm sorry if this feels like I'm being argumentative... but that feels like a strawman argument; that an update will force one to adapt their gameplay is academic, but limiting, restricting or even outright axing one's playstyle options and forcing them down a single linear one is another thing altogether. The issue was never whether or not the devs' changes would alter gameplay - it was about whether or not said changes potentially crossed the line into impeding player enjoyment of the game at any point. As it stands, IDK if you heard, but base pieces are going to be changed to draw power passively (lights, oxygen production, ect), so people will lose their net-gain from Solar Panels because there'll be a passive energy drain at night-time just for a base-piece existing - what happens if that kind of change gets put into vehicles as well (hell, it already seems to for the Seamoth, since it seemed to lose power even just while idling).
To make a long story short, I'm just not sure that the power balancing that's been done thus far is really as beneficial to the game's long-term as you think, let alone am confident the future balancing will be any easier to approach.
i dont like that. because when i go for an extended ride with the prawn or seamoth they empty the cyclops while docking. direct to zero. i cant stop that or say "dont charge"...
Power cell charger in Cyclops?
LOL
Read the title of the thread...
the modules consume to much energy. when i try to flee from a reaper i need up to 30-40% of the energy. this makes no sense to me... and like i posted before. when i dock the prawn or seamoth the got "priority" to charge... doesnt matter if the cyclops runs dry from that...
no this is not possible. you can access the mods and the locker. not the power cells
i have 6 cell rechargers in my base... its not enough. yo need up to 20 cells to use the cyclops for a longer farming run... all the mods of the cyclops drain that much engery when used...
in stealth mode you can see the numbers count down in the energy... im not able to pass lost river on stealth
In the last game I got far enough, I had set up about 6 or 8 chargers, but before I could use the Cyclops, I stopped playing Subnautica for a while.
That's over 3 sets of Powercells for the Cyclops on one run. That's crazy. No way would that be a useful exploration vessel. This should be changed.
its worthless the way it is, might as well be stationary. the other gripe about the sub is you cant charge it in place put up a power transfer and it wont charge the sub at a base. you spend all of your time shuttling batteries around. cyclops is pretty much the most useless vehicle i could imagine saddling a survivor with. cant go anywhere because everything attacks it i have seen snails that where faster and it runs on AAA batteries that you have to remove to recharge. best use, its a a space to put stuff and thats it.