info about the maximum power output of a device

[Abgematzt]

Hello, im the new one

This post describe a simple thing i wish. A info about the maximum power output of a decive.
You have a lot of indicators in your power info tab, but an indicator about what are the maximum of power you currently can produce ... example ... the count of all steam machines.. solar panels... batteries... etc.
I insert a picture, they tell more than thousand words i think.


You see at the right side at the picture (the tab with german "Produktion") i build 20 steam machines and 78 solar panels. The Info about the maximum power output they can produce are assembled from me. This info would be nice if that a part of the game, because you see at the top the currently power consuming, but you must count self how much power produce all your energy systems.

Thx a lot

[Abgematzt]

btw: If somebody know that exist a mod about this suggestion.. plz tell me

[Neotix]

This indicators can be tricky for new players and it's disscusion on forum about it
To clarify how it works:
Consumption show if all machines get full power. If bar is all green then its good If bar is filled in 50% that menat that machines get 50% of their optimal need and are working with 50% efficiency. The lower the bar is, then worse the situation in the factory.

Production show capability of all power sources. On your screen that bar is filled about 20% and it's mean that steam engines and solar powers are load on 20% and have 80% reserve.

Third bar is Acc capacity. When accumulators are charged, they work like power source.

When Consumption and Production bars are not on 100% it means that factory need more power then power sources can provide and power sources are not working with 100% efficiency (water in team engines don't have 100*C or some engines don't have water).

[Khaylain]

I think he means that the second one should show a number for the maximum power generation currently as well. That's how I understood it at least. And I find that idea a smart one.

[Abgematzt]

Yep @ Khaylain, that i mean.
In the early hours of the game you need every watt that your power machines generate; you see at the picture the "max power" behind the steam machines and solar panels. That isnt ingame, i assembled it into the screenshot. This count how much power my generators maximum produce (seperate per system and the summery of all) you must count self. Ok, 20 x 510 KW isnt an obstacle in math. But 768 Solar Panels with 34 steam machines.. sorry, need a calculator.

The top indicator where Neolix describe is the consuming of power. But there isnt a info about the max power your machines can produce.

[Neotix]

Max power depend on efficiency. Steam engine have max power 510kW but it's when water have 100*C. When it have 50*C then efficiency is [50/(100-14)] = 58% -> 296kW and it's max power in that moment. You can also have 100 steam engines and half of then without water.
Solar panels also have efficiency indicator and it's changing during day/night cycle.
Basically max power output can change, oscillate and it can be hard to track that changes on values.

To be honest we don't really need that max production value. When you see 3,8MW production and it's filled in 20% that's mean your power source can provide ~15MW more.
When i'm playing I don't even look at values. (Maybe I just got used to it.)

[Khaylain]

Well, it should be pretty straight forward to add the number for the max on the production bar. I don't see how that would decrease any value. There is already a number there in the calculations ingame, it's just making that number visible to the player. You're apparently a more visual person in that regard, but I know very many are more technical in personality, and would greatly appreciate the added clarity that the explicit number would provide. For now the only way to find out is to have accumulators so that your energy production reached the max and look at how high the numbers are when it plateaus.

I think it's a good addition to the game. If many don't like it it could always be an option in the settings.

[Abgematzt]

Many times i must take the calculator to help myself about the "power plant" planing. I see the consumption and research how much solar panels and akku i need. It would be faster if i see, how much power can produce my devices by the maximum (highest position of the sun for the best "sun harvest" oder 100 degrees water temp etc etc). As example, i build many times too much solar plants (the classic with 8 akku inside and 6x6 solar panels outside) because i dont know how much can they produce. If i know that - because an indicator tells me that info - ok, i can spend my resources for another projects

Best example are at the picture at the start of this thread. The consumption are 3,8 MW. But my power devices generates - after i calculate them myself - much more. The steam machines produce 10.2 MW alone.. without the solar panels. This info are doesn't show ingame.

sorry for my bad english sometimes.. hope, everybody understood what i mean

[Koub]

Over one full ingame day, a solar power can be considered as providing 42 kw on average. This can help if you want to dimension your solar field.

[Abgematzt]

@Koub: there exist no average on solar panels; thats statistics only. At night they produce nothing. Thats not helpful if you use laser towers to defense your base and the sun goes down
But it was helpful if i see what are the maximum output of my panels are. As Example they can generate 30 MW and the consumption of the day at average are 15 MW, at this point i know i have a perfect mix to load up my akkus and can spend the rest to my production.

Nevermind.. bttr: I would be nice if i see a screen of maximum at the power list .

PS: The calculate how much akku i need to keep the towers alive i count self, too

[Koub]

I tell you : a solar panel produces 60 kW during full daylight, 0 during night, and something in between. If you measure the energy produced over the whole day, it is equal to what would produce a device outputting permanently 42 kW. However, as you said, production is not constant, so you need some way to produce and store excess power during day, so that you're not short during night.