Elevators and power cuts (newbie fell into trap)

[AirToob]

OK, so my lights and turrets are controlled by switches on the bottom floor. Forgot to turn them off after an attack, until power suddenly went out.

Small problem: elevators don't work in power cuts (naturally enough) so survivors on upper floors can't reach the power switches...

Back to autosave...

Just sayin'

[Bjørn]

A nice reminder why there are backup stairs in real life

In the game the elevators are a nice way to save room by not having stairs, though, so not really comparable. Maybe an idea to put elevators on a separate circuit?

Thanks for the heads up anyway!

[Glemt]

Ursprungligen skrivet av AirToob:

OK, so my lights and turrets are controlled by switches on the bottom floor. Forgot to turn them off after an attack, until power suddenly went out.

Small problem: elevators don't work in power cuts (naturally enough) so survivors on upper floors can't reach the power switches...

Back to autosave...

Just sayin'

Or remove one tile so characters can climb down?

[AirToob]

Ursprungligen skrivet av Bjørn:

A nice reminder why there are backup stairs in real life :lunar2019grinningpig:

In the game the elevators are a nice way to save room by not having stairs, though, so not really comparable. Maybe an idea to put elevators on a separate circuit?

Thanks for the heads up anyway!

Yeah, the real life comparison is very apt

Interesting idea... a separate circuit with its own battery...

BTW one of the minor improvements in the free update that I liked was the ability to extend the number of circuits

[Zep Tepi]

All you need is an open balcony and they will ladder up.

[AirToob]

Well, my idea about a separate power circuit for the elevators doesn't work. Circuits can switch different things on an off, but power supply is universal to all circuits. No way of having a separate power system connected to a device.

Ursprungligen skrivet av Zep Tepi:

All you need is an open balcony and they will ladder up.

Tried this, thanks. Surprisingly hard to recreate the "trap" situation, so won't know if it works for quite a while!

[bmnoble981]

I just make a point to build a ladder in addition to an Elevator when making multi story buildings.

[AirToob]

Ursprungligen skrivet av bmnoble981:

I just make a point to build a ladder in addition to an Elevator when making multi story buildings.

It might be too late with my current construction - I missed learning about ladders, just reran the tutorial, not there... best place to learn about them?

[bmnoble981]

Ursprungligen skrivet av AirToob:

Ursprungligen skrivet av bmnoble981:

I just make a point to build a ladder in addition to an Elevator when making multi story buildings.

It might be too late with my current construction - I missed learning about ladders, just reran the tutorial, not there... best place to learn about them?

Far as I know they are unlocked by default, in the housing build section, they work exactly the same as elevators, creating a shaft through the floors of the building, just slower for your people to use and no power required.

[AirToob]

Thanks bmnoble981!

[AirToob]

OK, I had an initial problem constructing a ladder from the ground floor, but I *could* construct a ladder starting on the next floor up, next to the elevator shaft up and going up to the top floor.

I am trying to put the ladder immediately to the left of the elevator, against the wall.

Where I am trying to place it on the ground floor, the elevator would be to its right, the wall is clear, the floor to the left of the ladder's position is clear, and the tiles in front of the ladder are clear. In fact there is nothing around the ladder's intended position except the elevator.

But on the ground floor, attempts to place the ladder meet with "obstructed".

All this happened with the ladder *flat against the wall*, which worked except on the ground floor. Then I started again with the ladder at *right angles* to the wall, but still next to the wall, and it worked on all floors.

Not really a problem since I fixed it, but I would be interested to know what I was doing wrong the first time?

And a supplementary curiosity: survivor now climbed from the ground floor to the top floor (three ladder sections) using the ladder, to go to bed, not the elevator which is much quicker... but don't think this happened often since.

[AirToob]

Since batteries retain their charge after being switched off, I now also have a "reserve" battery for when I might lose power due to forgetfulness in switching off things after an attack (FWIW).

[flashflash]

Ursprungligen skrivet av AirToob:

OK, so my lights and turrets are controlled by switches on the bottom floor. Forgot to turn them off after an attack, until power suddenly went out.

Small problem: elevators don't work in power cuts (naturally enough) so survivors on upper floors can't reach the power switches...

Back to autosave...

Just sayin'

Unless you enjoy micromanaging, you should not use switches to control your defensive weapons (turrets, etc). Rather use motion sensors on the same circuit as (and near) your turrets. That way, whenever an aggressive insect comes in range of the motion sensor, your turrets near it are activated. And as soon as they are gone, the turrets will deactivate. No manual intervention required. You can have several motion sensors on the same circuit to cover all the Turrets/Cannons in a particular area. E.g., use one circuit for Machine Gun Turrets in your kill channel and, perhaps another in the centre of you base controlling Flak Cannon Turrets for those flying critters that fly right into your base.

I'm in year 19 of a playthrough and do not have one manual switch in my base. (Trying to get all the breakthroughs.) My automation:
- 5 Motions Sensors that control all defensive weapons and Force Field barriers.
- 1 Day/Night Sensor that turns all lights off during the day, and Electric Cook Stoves off during the night.
- 1 Thermostat that keeps temperature inside at 5°C, turns heating on and off as required (1 EL. Heater per room.) Permanently open Vents that connect all indoors.

Al of the above can be achieved with manual switches, but my Survivors have better things to do than that? And I'll also forget these things on. I had most of this set up by ~year 5. Lots of Expeditions/Scavenging/Salvaging. Also grow/harvest Silicon and Energy Crystals. Then you build as many Solar Panels/Wind Turbines/Batteries as you need. I have no generators (too much fuel usage). Only one (switched off) backup Power Cell Generator for emergencies - have never used it.