From f9bcd1a5c9022b59be6d2c9dd12b60ffca7cd25f Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Trevor Day Date: Wed, 17 Jan 2024 17:38:10 -0800 Subject: [PATCH] Add power design proposal (#123) --- src/SUMMARY.md | 1 + src/en/proposals/tday93-power-generation.md | 127 ++++++++++++++++++++ 2 files changed, 128 insertions(+) create mode 100644 src/en/proposals/tday93-power-generation.md diff --git a/src/SUMMARY.md b/src/SUMMARY.md index dc434a5a0..bcd36123b 100644 --- a/src/SUMMARY.md +++ b/src/SUMMARY.md @@ -138,6 +138,7 @@ Design Proposals - [Atmos Roadmap](en/proposals/notafet-atmos.md) - [Cleanup Crew](en/proposals/mirrorcult-repair-crew-gamemode.md) - [Exterminator](en/proposals/deltanedas-exterminator.md) +- [Power Generation Pattern](en/proposals/tday93-power-generation.md) - [Turf War](en/proposals/deltanedas-turf-war.md) Server Hosting diff --git a/src/en/proposals/tday93-power-generation.md b/src/en/proposals/tday93-power-generation.md new file mode 100644 index 000000000..70fdcd15d --- /dev/null +++ b/src/en/proposals/tday93-power-generation.md @@ -0,0 +1,127 @@ +# A Core Pattern for Power Generation + +| Designers | Implemented | GitHub Links | +|---|---|---| +| tday93 | :x: No | TBD | + +## Background + +Power generation is currently in an odd state. In order to power the station suffciently at round start, engineers need to do one of the following: + +1. Collect a number of draggable generators, move them in to place and power them. +2. Rush to cargo before the power goes out to order AME fuel. +3. Rush the power source that can sustain the full round - A Singularity, a Tesla, or the TEG. + +In most rounds engineers will choose option number three. If they are relatively new, and take longer than the current +short time window they have on the power the station started, the station is plunged into darkness and they are harassed +on the radio. If they are very experienced, but want to take the time to teach new players to set up the power source, +the station is plunged in to darkness and they are harassed on the radio. The only situation in which engineering is not +harassed on the radio is an experienced engineer quickly setting up the power source in silence. + +This is not fun for the experienced engineer, the technical assistant trying to learn, or the other players stuck in +darkness. + +This proposal will outline a generic pattern for power generation design which will seek to alleviate these issues, and +simultaneously present engineer players with a wider variety of options for mid-round and end-round play. + +## Overview + +The proposed pattern for power generation is as follows: + +1. Round start power stored in station batteries that without intervention rapidly deplete - on the order of minutes. +2. A stop-gap solution that can be set up and activated within those minutes, which will power the station for the next ten to + fifteen minutes, but which cannot power the station for the full round. +3. A main power source which can be set up within those ten to fifteen minutes, and which can power the station for the + rest of the round. + + + + + +Each phase of power generation scales in both complexity and power output. Stop-gap generation options are simple, +immediate, and weak. Main power generation is complex, takes longer to set up, and supplies a large amount of power. + +Additionally, every one of the existing power generation options available today can be made to fit this pattern with +only minor adjustments. + +## Round Start Power + +Round start power options are characterized by: + +1. Actively supplying power to the station at round start. +2. Supplying only enough power to last until Stop-Gap power can be activated. + +Currently this means SMESs, and there is little reason to change this phase of power generation at this time. + +In the future this could be more exotic power options with extremely limited fuel and diffcult to obtain fuel, or any +number of other possibilities. + +## Stop-Gap Power + +The core characteristics of stop-gap power generation options are that they are: + +1. Clear and easy to set up. +2. Immediately available to set up on round start. +3. Not enough to keep the station powered through the full round. + +As it stands the only power generation option which comes close to handling this phase are the portable generators. +However, as it stands maps would need to be tweaked to make it clear that use of the generators for this purpose is +intended, by for instance including an array of them ready to be anchored and fueled within engineering it self. + +This is also a role which could be handled by the Antimatter Engine. Spawning a mostly-depleted jar of AME fuel, and +removing the option for cargo to buy additional AME fuel would allow the AME to fulfill this role as-is. + +Finally, while solar power is not a good fit for primary power generation in this phase - its perpetual nature removing +and time pressure - it does stand as a useful option to extend the length of the stop-gap power phase - and can be +utilizied if engineering needs more time to set up main power. + +## Main Power + +Main power generation options as proposed are characterized by the following: + +1. They are complex to set up. +2. They take a good deal more time to set up than is available with Round Start power. +3. They can power the station indefinitely, or at least longer than a typical round. + +With tweaks to the existing maps, the TEG, the Telsa, and the Singularity could all act as Main Power generation +options. As it stands their setup has been drastically simplified, as they are currently serving as the next phase of +power after round start power runs out - with no clear stop-gap options existing. + +With the additon of clear stop-gap options, the setup process for each of these could be made more complex. Each map +could start with the components necessary for one or more of these main power options in storage - and require engineers +to set them up almost from scratch. + +The additional time before blackout supplied by the stop-gap power options would allow this complex setup process to be +completed without the station losing power. + +Furthermore, the addition of future main power generation options would no longer represent a direct burden on mappers. +Without the need for immediate, rapid setup, ordering these options from cargo becomes a viable option. Maps would only +need space to build these options - not have them mostly set up already. + + +## Beyond Main Power + +The core pattern of power generation outlined at the beginning of this proposal is enough on its own to bring engineering +and power genration to a more consistent and engaging place. This section will outline some ideas for moving beyond that +core, but should be treated as less important than the rest of this proposal. + +As it stands engineering is incentivized to produce enough power for the station to sustain itself, and there is little +incentive to go beyond that. + +Having methods to turn excess power into other resources or commodities would change this. Some of these options could +even be locked to specific methods of main power generation - adding to the considerations when choosing a main power +generation method. The following are a few examples of what could be possible: + +* Allow the AME to be deconstructed and rebuilt along with some of the radiation collectors to capture AME fuel - which + could be sold by cargo for a significant amount. +* Special rods could be installed beside the Tesla which would sink the power from those arcs, but which would allow + revival of rotted corpses. +* Science could research a machine which allows for the direct production of base resources - but which has insane power + requirements. +* An experimental convection oven which must be directly attached to the TEG, sapping some of its power but allowing the + creation of powerful baked goods. + +While secondary to the core proposal, I do believe that looking for incentives to generate more than just enough power +will be valuable to gameplay long term. + +