Yes, that sounds reasonable, I agree to a big degree. Just limiting solar panels is not a good idea, but I still think that energy productions must not be trivilialized by free energy.ssilk wrote:You didn't say how you want to limit the solar panels, but I think it is the important question. I point to this, cause I don't think, that there should be ever any limit on any item or entity to craft or to built with the reason like "you are not able to built/produce more than X solar panels". The only limitations could be only "natural", like there are not enough resources (rare ores needed for example). That's not only for solar panels, anything should have no limit. Cause once you go and limit the game in a way, which has no game-physical reason, you might want to limit other stuff. That's the begin of the end; cause in the end the game will be not logical anymore, it's just a set of rules. Like so many other games.
I keep also at my opinion, that a simple change like including the angle of rotation around the sun, solar eclipses, a rotation around a gas gigant etc. brings in so much variety in solar power income, that the right way to produce energy will be only a healthy mix of all types of power generation
What if solar panels degenerate depending on produced energy? I think this is also a possibility. My point is, that the player should be encouraged to think about resource consumption and if solar panels degernate(which then are reproduced and delivered by drones) the player has the choice between FUEL and ORE.
Also this might make the consideration over MODULES more interesting, because then energy is also a "limited" resource.
I think it would do the game well to provide the player with time-independent choice for his playstyle.That's what's needed: every type of energy has its usage case for the right time.
If you play your save file 50h you will probably end up with 5h played with steam energy and 45+h with solar+batteries. Unfortunatly mechanics like the solar panels make a game shallow, because they provide a "perfect solution" to a certain problem.
I know, many player dont think about things like these and they just start a game with maxed resources, but I am more the "survivalist" player and for this playstyle I need scarcity and unobvious choices
After the next bigger patch I will probably start a new game without solar panels, but I prefer CONSTRAINS given by the game, because its the game you want to beat as a player
The current situation is like an ARPG without a hardcore mode, where you have to delete your character after the first death in the softcore mode...
It strikes me as weird, that so many people do not understand the "concept of competition versus the game"(in general in all game forums) but rather completly rely on the "sandbox aspect" where every step is pretty much purposeless and you just build and build without serious limitations.
For me a game is most fun if you have different viable playstyles and you have to figure out which playstyle is best for a certain situation. But for this idea you NEED real CHOICE and also the possibility to lose a game
PS.: The more I thought about the solar module degeneration, the more I like it^^ I also did some math and I think its reasonable if each solar module provides ~600-1200 MJ before it breaks. (which is over 2,5-5h of functionality)
This would solve the "issue" with the unlimited energy. (at least for me its an issue)
But thinking ahead, my proposed solar module change would actually nerf accumulators, because the lame strategy of 100% solar-accu might not be the best solution anymore, as accumulators have 50% efficiency. Actually this is nice, because then the player has 2 playstyles:
-100% solar and 100% accumulor which is clean, but not resource efficient (You lose energy by the 50% accu efficiency and will have a lot of degenerated solar panels you have to reproduce)
-You may use solar panels to save coal and pollution but instead of accumulators, you use a 100% steam backup(or mixed with accus). This is a more resource efficient solution because you wont waste energy because of the 50% accu efficiency therefore saving resources reproducing solar panels, but as a downside you produce more pollution.
I TOTALL like my idea of degenerating solar panels
Its a nice balancing between 2 different playstyles.
Any suggestions why my proposal could be bad?