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Huh, this is like deja vu all over again...

Anyway, I know a bit more now than I did then. But I am still fundamentally confused as to the role Logistix power allocation plays in the utilization of the solar reactor.

GIVEN:

1. The solar reactor is a power source -- given your ship is oriented properly. Its power is added to the total power available to the ship (see p. 40 of UC manual).

2. The Logistix-Power allocation permits routing power to the solar reactor, in the values of 0 (off), 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.

OBSERVATION:

1. From messing around in the game, I have noticed that the solar reactor seems to generate power as per GIVEN #1 regardless of how you allocate power to it as per GIVEN #2.

MY QUESTION:

What's the point of allocating power to it if it does the same thing regardless? Did I miss something?

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So if I set it to 0 power the reactor will begin to shut down... and this make sense.. but what's the difference between allocating it 5 or 10 power units since the output showed in the logistix panel is the same?

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OK -- I've just finished experimenting for a half hour. I need help

I powered down everything on an LRT-10 (figuring its one of the three simplest vessels with Logistix power control). All you really need is a mere 10 power units to survive (main and aux life support). Then I shut down the main reactor (interesting observation: no main power = no computer systems).

I then experimented by orienting the ship differently while having the solar reactor set to various power levels.

All I discovered is that solar reactor power is throttled back first, followed by aux life support, followed by main life support when power levels dip too low.

Available power output in Logistix followed current power output in lock-step. The two values always matched.

Do I need to wait for a significant time period or something to notice the difference? As in waiting for batteries to charge or something? I executed orientation changes immediately on the heels of power allocation changes.

I'm feeling kind of dumb now. Hints appreciated.

/me finds and dusts off my old n00bie hat

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quote:


Originally posted by Joel Schultz:

OK -- I've just finished experimenting for a half hour. I need help

I powered down everything on an LRT-10 (figuring its one of the three simplest vessels with Logistix power control). All you really need is a mere 10 power units to survive (main and aux life support). Then I shut down the main reactor (interesting observation: no main power = no computer systems).

I then experimented by orienting the ship differently while having the solar reactor set to various power levels.

All I discovered is that solar reactor power is throttled back first, followed by aux life support, followed by main life support when power levels dip too low.

Available power output in Logistix followed current power output in lock-step. The two values always matched.

Do I need to wait for a significant time period or something to notice the difference? As in waiting for batteries to charge or something? I executed orientation changes immediately on the heels of power allocation changes.

I'm feeling kind of dumb now. Hints appreciated.

/me finds and dusts off my old n00bie hat


Yeah but no difference in output between the 5 or 10 power setting to the solar reactor.... so it seems that you could safely spare 5 power units in your power management....

I'm confused....... SC PLEASE HELP THESE POOR COMMANDERS.....

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So the first 5 power units redirected to the solar reactor are used to transform solar power into energy for the starship,and the further power you redirect to solar reactor are used to begin storing energy into a battery,right?

Then I suppose that you need more than just some minutes to charge the battery.Why dont we try to play for some hours with the power setting at 10, and then try to shutdown the main reactor and try to force the battery to feed some systems? If the battery could save lots of power units in a short period of time,it would be too good dont you think?

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But where the hell can I see the battery charge level? And most of all I've played for almost 1 hour of game time with the power settings to 10 without notice anything different from the previous hour with power setting 5..... so I'm sure I've missed something..... BUT WHAT!?!?!?

This will drive me nut.. ... more that I'm alredy are....

At least we seem to entertain the SC.... which is always a pleasure....

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LOL

This is one of the few games I have played, were part of the fun comes from trying to understand how all the things on the game works.As someone already sayed (sorry dont remember the name) its an easy game to play,difficult to master.

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LOL, you should start issuing diplomas and certificates for this sort of thing SC

At least start a pool on who's going to figure it out first!

BC University - Graduate degree in Solar Power Systems Allocation has been hereby awarded to ______________.

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Well, no luck tonight.

Parked cruiser with solar reactor power level @ 10, pointed solar panels at sun (power level 99). My hopes were that if this were time-related somehow, spending an hour away would charge up something or other.

Went on an hour-long cruise of the solar system with two flight engineers. BTW, impressive nebulae and planets. And I'm starting to figure out FPS controls a bit better (found zoom function I had forgotten on DIE).

Returned home, had to stop at sickbay because the food on Mars disagreed with me and one of the engineers; blowing cookies on the bridge detracts from the aura of command. Still, that Vacpak only took care of the bugs in the food. That'll be one mighty crap in the head tomorrow; I pity the engineer assigned to latrine duty.

Went back to bridge and shut down main reactor. According to Logistix, power output is now 99. Rotated ship away from sun. Power output 0. Not what I was hoping at all. I'm running out of ideas here. I've got to be missing something here. Maybe I didn't wait long enough?

DennyMala, count me in on the "this is driving me nuts" team. Do you suppose SC will have pity on us eventually?

Right now, this commander is dead tired. Signing off for now.

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I always assumed the solar panels were a back up if main power failed. Sort of like the solar sail mentioned in Star Trek IV. Allocate more power to them, the more you could draw.

I've never had the opportunity to test them out though. If I'm to the point where I've lost main power, I'm usually a goner a few seconds later anyway.

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quote:


Originally posted by Soul_Apparatus:

It seems to me that if you allocate more power to the solar reactor it creates a lag between the drop in power if you orient yourself away from the systems sun. It's still not very usefull though, execpt in highly specialized situations.


You sure that isn't just the way you turned your ship? The power drops I saw were pretty quick and always to zero after my ship traversed through 90 degrees (I think) of pitch or roll.

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I've never seen anything that leads me to believe any power is being stored anywhere, like this "battery" people are talking about.

My guess is this, though I haven't tested it:

Perhaps when you are getting a high power input from the solar panels, your systems are drawing off of that first, the nuke second, and therefore saving you radine crystals. Perhaps power allocation to the solar reactor affects that somehow.

You can of course force this situation by orienting your ship towards a light source and shutting down the main reactor. Not much use in a battle, but sometimes useful in idle situations. Sometimes if I need a long idle time to conduct repairs, I'll set her down near my mining drones on a planet where it's about 8AM local time and shut down the main reactor.

Still, I will say that allocating power TO the solar reactor seems to do nothing but eat 5-10 power units.

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