Quality module 1 could use a buff

[fencingsquirrel]

tl;dr Think this module could get a full 60% buff from 1% to 1.6%, both for balance and to make modest quality early game gear viable.

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Judging from past patches, it seems like initial module balance is taken seriously, with productivity module 1 undergoing multiple changes to make it more useable. Compared to the other three initial modules, the first quality module is very lackluster.

Efficiency module 1: Nobody can deny the effectiveness of this on any game where biters are a threat.

Speed module 1: Generally a lot more useful in peaceful runs or after nuclear, but even before then it can be used if, say, you just don't want to build 20 engine assemblers.

Prod module 1: obviously useful in the rocket silo and immediately gives you an 8% boost to research practically free, as well as seeing use in a few other high end products.

Which leaves the lowly quality module 1. Where do you put this thing when you get it? Probably not in miners, efficiency modules are much better there. Not in electric smelters, those don't even exist at green science. So probably just assemblers. Which means it starts off being used for end products only. Things like modules, pumpjacks, miners, equipment. But in assemblers, you'll need to make, for example, like 50 rocket launchers before you'll get a single, lowly, uncommon rocket launcher. That's a lot of work to get 3 range. It gets slightly better when you use quality quality 1s, but those also take like 50 modules thrown away to make. And when you make quality modules, those end up getting a very low shelf life. Because when you want to upgrade to the next higher module, you can't even re-use them without going into the full quality mess of using other quality ingredients.

Anyways, I also just think it's a bit more fun if these suckers were more viable. You could start pimping out your biter stomping gear from the start of the game without going down some giant factory duplicating rabbithole for not much gain.

[Kyralessa]

Probably not in miners, efficiency modules are much better there.

Why? There are three slots, so you can put in 3 quality module 1s and get 3% higher quality ore.

The base ingredients for a rocket launcher are just iron and copper.

So sticking quality in your iron and copper miners will get you all the ingredients you need for a quality rocket launcher...at the expense of needing to peel off the quality ore or plates at some point.

Sure, if your focus is on reducing attacks through pollution reduction, then efficiency modules are better. But choosing modules is always about trade-offs.

[fencingsquirrel]

Well for miners specifically their pollution is ginormous, but it gets even worse with the -15% speed they'd get with quality 1s. Not quite as bad as the absurd prod1s in a miner, but I would imagine this would be useful only on no biter worlds.

And sure it's always about trade-offs: At 1.6%, the proposed rebalance, I wouldn't use them in miners probably, but others would. But I'd be more inclined to give them a bit more use at least in some way. Right now I don't even bother researching them until space science.

Edit: Hmm, I can see where you're coming from after thinking it over a bit. Once you have established a defensive perimeter with oil tech weapons putting quality in miners temporarily for a select few things can be beneficial. But it still feels very iffy at 1-1.3%. It sounds like nitpicking, but lower levels in quality dramatically make the module worse, because it's not a flat benefit so much as it's trade-off vs efficiency 1s, you know? This is why quality module 2s aren't that bad in miners, since it's still comparing with eff1s

Anyways, I can see your reasoning, but my gut reaction is I believe a buff here is still worth it for fun sake.