So, i know that with how unstable the engine is in the hands of a rookie engineer it is good to have some leeway power wise. I assume this is why we still have solar panels.
The problem with them is, if you set them up properly they can power the station fully with no engine at all! Is this intentional or an oversight, or some kind of placeholder while we cultivate competent engineers?
Don't get me wrong, i like solars for extra / supplemental energy generation, but i find kinda boring as far as an all in one power source is concerned.
Outright no, it's bad enough that the engine is NEVER SET UP EVER, nerfing the only alternative that actually can't power the whole station is not good.
Seriously solars even on their best settings leave big places like Medbay powerless.
I find that if solars are set up properly, you don't get brownouts at all. I don't think solar output should be reduced, but perhaps instead of everything being automated you should need to set the panel facing and rotation speed/direction manually (and thus actually have a reason to use the solar console). I understand this used to be the case and proved too difficult to bother with, but perhaps this is a good time to reintroduce it since we're moving away easy singularity mentality.
Perhaps instead of reducing the output and making power go out, make certain machines work less effectively when there's only solar power. Some kind of build in power saving mode or something.
Instead of nerfing solars, there should be a few more things that can use large amounts of power, similar to telescience's two way portals. That way, the station can still have basic functions with solars for low-pop rounds; but the engine is necessary of you want to do anything fancy.
Weavel Wrote:Seriously solars even on their best settings leave big places like Medbay powerless.
If you just bypass the SMES by rewiring the solars control rooms they produce stupid amounts of energy actually, like way way more than we can use. I very often end up setting them up if the station runs out of power and within seconds of me setting up the third set of solars the station has lights again, and soon full power.
I am all for other things that have high energy draw as an alternative, just nerfing solars seems fast and easy, and easy to reverse if we do have more power intense systems in the future.
My point is, as it currently stands, anyone with access or hacking equipment can set up insane levels of power for the station in 5 min tops, faster if they have a space suit. With no chance of error to boot.
The solars don't generate "insane" amounts of electricity. Each array has a maximum output of about 120.000 W, but because the station seems to be orbiting a star, only one or two will have a decent output at a particular point in time. Bypassing the solar SMES units will sometimes confuse the control computers (they still work fine, though), that's why you are getting implausible numbers. Most of the time, their combined output is not that much higher than total demand - telescience permaportals or a power sink will lead to brownouts immediately.
Quote:Seriously solars even on their best settings leave big places like Medbay powerless.
Have to disagree with that one as well. I frequently have to rely on the solars as the AI or a cyborg, and it's entirely possible to keep the lights and equipment on for the duration of a typical shift without a SMES bypass. Well, at least with a bit of practice and under normal conditions.
Oops, forget to add: In my opinion, it's good that the solars can provide the basics. It's rare for the engine to be set up and even rarer that it actually generates a presentable amount of juice. Don't know about you, but I don't want to sit around in the dark for 6 out of 10 rounds.
Goonhub
