Suggestion : Substation upgrade
Posted: Sun Jan 20, 2019 11:18 pm
It seems to me that power distribution system lacks deapth compared to other aspects of the game. Electric poles is something that I should do but not something I shoud think about. And in this context substations are a huge waste of potential.
As I've seen and experienced, substations are not common things to use. Every time I try to use it, I find it easier and more convinient to replace it with usually 4, maximum 8 medium poles. Price is negligible. The only justified cases are solar and accumulator fields, maybe some other aesthetic setups.
And here are my suggestions for the moment, minors first:
- Any machine connected to at least 1 substation requires 10% less power (upgradable up to 30%, or repeatable), does not stack. This bonus stacks with modules and also can't break 20% threashold.
- Increasing substation's coverage area might be repeatable tech.
More complex suggestion:
To limit the power that machines could get through each type of poles. This limit does not stack (so you can't just place multiple poles). Machines that could not get enough power through nearby poles are operating slowly as if there was a power shortage. And it should be marked with a specific alert.
For example:
Small pole - 100KW. Enough for basic inserters, assembler, drills, labs, pumpjacks (shouldn't they consume more?).
Medium pole - 300KW. Enough for all inserters, assemblers, furnaces, plants, radar.
Big pole - 500KW. Enough for refinery, beacon, centrifuge.
Substation - 500KW + 500KW for each substation in its range. Could supply laser turrets, roboports, rocket silo and machines heavily boosted with modules.
Numbers and boost mechanic are completely draft, such system will require to rebalance power consumptions. Maybe surge devices (laser turret, roboport) will require some other device to operate. But you get the idea.
Increasing substation power limit could be repeatable tech.
As I've seen and experienced, substations are not common things to use. Every time I try to use it, I find it easier and more convinient to replace it with usually 4, maximum 8 medium poles. Price is negligible. The only justified cases are solar and accumulator fields, maybe some other aesthetic setups.
And here are my suggestions for the moment, minors first:
- Any machine connected to at least 1 substation requires 10% less power (upgradable up to 30%, or repeatable), does not stack. This bonus stacks with modules and also can't break 20% threashold.
- Increasing substation's coverage area might be repeatable tech.
More complex suggestion:
To limit the power that machines could get through each type of poles. This limit does not stack (so you can't just place multiple poles). Machines that could not get enough power through nearby poles are operating slowly as if there was a power shortage. And it should be marked with a specific alert.
For example:
Small pole - 100KW. Enough for basic inserters, assembler, drills, labs, pumpjacks (shouldn't they consume more?).
Medium pole - 300KW. Enough for all inserters, assemblers, furnaces, plants, radar.
Big pole - 500KW. Enough for refinery, beacon, centrifuge.
Substation - 500KW + 500KW for each substation in its range. Could supply laser turrets, roboports, rocket silo and machines heavily boosted with modules.
Numbers and boost mechanic are completely draft, such system will require to rebalance power consumptions. Maybe surge devices (laser turret, roboport) will require some other device to operate. But you get the idea.
Increasing substation power limit could be repeatable tech.