Lightning Damage - would people like an on/off option?..

[SuicideNeil]

As title, a great many people are enjoying the Weather effects added in an update several months ago, but one issue has people... 'less happy'.

Damage from Lightning strikes.

Lightning is supposed to be attracted to Decoy blocks and Antennas, but this is unreliable at best and doesn't solve the main problem, that we don't always want to deal with our creations being destroyed by lightning, but we don't want to turn off the Weather effects completely either.
Simple solution = add an on/off option in the world settings. Vote here: https://support.keenswh.com/spaceengineers/pc/topic/please-add-a-remove-lightning-damage-option

[Dan2D3D]

Hi SuicideNeil, well done on making the discussion

To be honest, it would be cool to have a on/off lightning to play with without risky Biomes and still have the other cool weather.

No damage on all Planets, so no hard Biomes at all.


__________
Edit

if some have other Weather values to add in

= Go for it and I will add this discussion to my monthly report

Values like :
1 - Lets say for now it's about 70% of medium and hard Biomes, so places where damages can be done on planets.
2 - 50% chance of getting hit by lightning when in medium Biome.
3 - 75% chance of getting hit by lightning when in hard Biome.
4 - 0% chance of getting hit by lightning when in easy Biome

[TheVipersFang]

Having no lightning damage and/or reduced lightning damage as an option would be nice. Having a NO FRIENDLY fire option would also be nice because between gatling turrets and lightning I end up with a lot of unnecessary collateral damage for no real practical reason during gameplay.

[Dan2D3D]

I will add :

Temp solution made by the author of the in-game Weather.

All can use a no damage Mod made by the same author, so that is a good possible solution since it's not in-game.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2143322540

[Sperber]

I'd never say no to having an option. But maybe it's also a good time to somehow categorize the options UI, because it becomes pretty cluttered.

[ShadedMJ]

How about this for a solution :
Lightning is more attracted by decoys but does not damage decoys.

If you don't want lightning damage, put up a decoy and don't have to worry about it.

If you want lightning damage, don't put up a decoy.

Personally, weather doesn't add anything for me so I don't enable it, and feel that decoys shouldn't attract lightning anyway.

[Sprocket66]

Or just use the no lightning damage mod.

[SuicideNeil]

Originally posted by Sprocket66:

Or just use the no lightning damage mod.

That is an option, obviously, however as I'm sure everyone is aware, mods often break, or they aren't enabled in any given on-line server. Hence having the option to turn off damage would be nice/useful for those that enjoy the weather effects but don't want their stuff destroyed should they happen to be visiting a 'hostile' biome.

[Lystent]

Originally posted by Dan2D3D:

I will add :

Temp solution made by the author of the in-game Weather.

All can use a no damage Mod made by the same author, so that is a good possible solution since it's not in-game.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2143322540

"Temp solution" does infer that there'll be change. I look forward to it.

[Dan2D3D]

@Lystent

I said "Temp" because the Kind Modder said so in the WS item description :

"Temporary solution to those that do not want to be struck by lightning."

He is the one sharing that Weather Mod with the SE Team so he surely know something I don't ;)

[Mojo]

For me I do not like the weather in its current state so I already have the on off option. ;)
But I have seen folk commenting like crazy about lightning so I guess that would be useful for those folks.

[Dan2D3D]

I like that Weather Mod a lot because it adds medium and hard Biomes for me to have new SE challenges but I understand members that only want the no damage weather.

Edit
Just build a staion where they want without any reason to move.

[Lystent]

Originally posted by Dan2D3D:

@Lystent

I said "Temp" because the Kind Modder said so in the WS item description :

"Temporary solution to those that do not want to be struck by lightning."

He is the one sharing that Weather Mod with the SE Team so he surely know something I don't ;)

I know, but it still is an indication that there is/was a change planned.

[SuicideNeil]

Originally posted by Dan2D3D:

Edit
Just build a staion where they want without any reason to move.

"Space Engineers is a sandbox game about engineering, construction, exploration and survival in space and on planets."

Kind of hard to explore if you're forced to stay in one ( safe ) place, don't you agree?

[Dan2D3D]

Yes I know and that is what I do, too, well even if I am a creative player first :)

Edit
With weather I have a reason to build a safe zone or underground stations at the hard Biomes.

[senftoast]

A on/off option would be nice, so we do not need to use the mod.
But, I think, the gameplay experience it would be nice to rework the damage system for the lightning. The fact that the lightnig hits like a missle, destroyes blocks and is pretty unpredictable is quite anoying for me. Since the all the buildings we build are made out of metal and grounded, they are in themself pretty good lightning rods. So, exploding armor blocks becaouse of the lightning puts me of quite a bit.
My suggestion would be, that the lightning draines the power stored in betteries, maybe 25% per hit. Also the player could suffer some damage, if he touches the grid, that is hit by the lightning.
I think this way, the lightning adds some more interesting survival aspects, instead of just destroying some random blocks every now and then.