Best use for demo charges?

[CuriousCat]

Aside from using them to bust up level 2 cut points on the odd ship and in the endgame mission, I don't find much use for them. I've started to get more comfortable using the splitsaw feature of the cutter but don't feel going around placing charges makes my runs any faster. Are they just a 'nice to have' tool, or do you use them regularly?

[Icolino]

Just "nice to have"... besides the cut points where you need the demo-charges, I do only use to cut something if it some big piece that got stuck on the processor's entrance, very rare to happen, but when I does, its nice to throw one strategic demo-charge and cut some corner so the chunk can enter

[nathnathn]

i think it would of been better if we could dial their explosion size instead of just permanently upgrading them to a smaller size. half the time if the radius isent to big its too small because of the upgrades to be useful.

[DarkXuin]

I accidently set off a reactor meltdown and was able to cut a hole in the hull and get it out in time thanks to demo charges. I don't use them often but they come in handy in a pinch when you need to do something unconventional.

Edit: I realized this was misleading. The hull plate itself was already off, the demo charge allowed me to remove the rib that was blocking the reactor.

[Extra Big Swimjim with Cheese]

Hopefully that's part of the game that will see revision. If you could upgrade them to cut through hulls that would allow for some creative salvaging... But I think the devs think that would be too overpowered. Right now they're just somewhat underwhelming.

[Mishka_NBG]

Originally posted by Extra Big Meatball with Cheese:

Hopefully that's part of the game that will see revision. If you could upgrade them to cut through hulls that would allow for some creative salvaging... But I think the devs think that would be too overpowered. Right now they're just somewhat underwhelming.

They actually were able to cut the hull prior leaving Early Access

[Zourin]

if you can use them to cut a hole in the aft end of a pressurized javelin with no working regulator, i'm all for it. I blew up (reactor and all) the entire aft doing a hull-cut ED by popping the aft hull zone. 'more area' my ass, you want a slow decompression.

[dreamrider]

You don't need demo for grade 2 cut points.
Just for grade 3.

[Rekal]

Originally posted by Zourin:

if you can use them to cut a hole in the aft end of a pressurized javelin with no working regulator, i'm all for it. I blew up (reactor and all) the entire aft doing a hull-cut ED by popping the aft hull zone. 'more area' my ass, you want a slow decompression.

Best way to depressurize the aft hull zone of a javelin is to pop the thruster cap cut points from a good range with the stinger. The thruster comes shooting out with the cap, but nothing actually breaks. As long as you're far enough you won't get knocked around either.

[maelxp]

Originally posted by dreamrider:

You don't need demo for grade 2 cut points.
Just for grade 3.

and how do you cut grade 2?? because neither stinger nor splitsaw can touch them...

[joe_momma]

Originally posted by nathnathn:

i think it would of been better if we could dial their explosion size instead of just permanently upgrading them to a smaller size. half the time if the radius isent to big its too small because of the upgrades to be useful.

This would be really nice. Right now it's like back in Early Access where you could upgrade the splitsaw to cut nanocarbon. Nobody ever touched that upgrade because there was no way to turn it off, and randomly slicing strips of nanocarbon every time you used the splitsaw got really annoying really fast.

[maelxp]

Originally posted by joe_momma:

Originally posted by nathnathn:

i think it would of been better if we could dial their explosion size instead of just permanently upgrading them to a smaller size. half the time if the radius isent to big its too small because of the upgrades to be useful.

This would be really nice. Right now it's like back in Early Access where you could upgrade the splitsaw to cut nanocarbon. Nobody ever touched that upgrade because there was no way to turn it off, and randomly slicing strips of nanocarbon every time you used the splitsaw got really annoying really fast.

I think you misunderstand the explosion size upgrade. The cut of the size remains the same no matter the upgrade status. The only thing that changes is the size of the collateral damage around the charge.
Example: If you place the un-upgraded charge on a cut point of an amplifier with antenna (the long pointy things on the side of the javelin rear ending), you will destroy the amplifier because the explosion radius is to big. It will still cut the cut point, but the amplifier is trash.
If you place an upgraded charge at the same place, it will cut the same amount, but the amplifier will remain undamaged.

[Kyle]

Originally posted by maelxp:

Originally posted by dreamrider:

You don't need demo for grade 2 cut points.
Just for grade 3.

and how do you cut grade 2?? because neither stinger nor splitsaw can touch them...

The deal is there are multiple terms being used that are similar. A Grade 2 cut point is usually just Cut Level 1 from my experience. The difference is that your Stinger might not be able to destroy it without upgrading the total heat capacity first. It allows you to "melt through more dense objects." Your splitsaw should be able to cut them though.

Then there's the actual "Cut Level" in the blue boxes that determines whether a tool can destroy something at all, or not. A laser cutter will have an impact on anything that is Cut Level 1, Demo Charges can get Cut Level 3, and you can't cut above that.

If you share a screenshot of what you're trying to cut, it would be easy to figure out exactly what type it is and what's going on.

Also, the upgrades for Demo Charges don't reduce the cut size at all, just the extra destruction it causes. You want all of them, you'll be less likely to blow up stuff nearby.

The TL;DR is pay attention to the colored boxes next to "CUT LVL," that's what determines if you can destroy it or not. Laser Tool will get anything with one box. You might need upgrades for Stinger Heat to destroy it though, some things have more durability.

[maelxp]

Originally posted by Kyle:

Originally posted by maelxp:

and how do you cut grade 2?? because neither stinger nor splitsaw can touch them...

The deal is there are multiple terms being used that are similar. A Grade 2 cut point is usually just Cut Level 1 from my experience. The difference is that your Stinger won't be able to destroy it without upgrading the total heat capacity first. It allows you to "melt through more dense objects." Your splitsaw should be able to cut them though.

Then there's the actual "Cut Level" in the blue boxes that determines whether a tool can destroy something at all, or not. A laser cutter will have an impact on anything that is Cut Level 1, Demo Charges can get Cut Level 3, and you can't cut above that.

Ok, I have no idea, where the term "grade" comes from then... it certainly isn't a term used in the game AFAIK. The game only uses "cut level", which works as you described (1 for tools, 2 and 3 for charges, 4 and more is uncuttable).

Originally posted by Kyle:

If you share a screenshot of what you're trying to cut, it would be easy to figure out exactly what type it is and what's going on.

I wasn't actually trying to cut something, I was just confused by dreamriders statement.

Originally posted by Kyle:

Also, the upgrades for Demo Charges don't reduce the cut size at all, just the extra destruction it causes. You want all of them, you'll be less likely to blow up stuff nearby.

Exactly what I wrote in my earlier comment...

[Kyle]

Originally posted by maelxp:

[...]

Grade 3 Cut Point, Cut Level 2. Needs Demo Charges.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2823268837

Grade 2 Cut Point, Cut Level 1. Splitsaw should cut.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2823268909

Grade 1 Cut Point, Cut Level 1. Should be easy to cut.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2823268955

It's the name of the object, but the cut levels don't match. It creates confusion. I'm willing to bet they used to match, but things changed when they made the splitsaw level 1 only, since the level 2 upgrade was messy.

[maelxp]

Ok, that explains it... I never actually read the name after "cut". I only checked the level, as it is obvious, what a cut point is and what not. I mean, the name is just a name. It is literally just a text without any meaning to the game. It could say "Cut Point - if you cut this, you get 1 billion credits" - it wouldn't change anything. You certainly wouldn't get any credits...