Optimal set-up for the Cyclops

[Shelt]

How do you guys/gals have your Cyclops set up for upgrades? Other items?

I have one engine efficiency upgrade that I found free during this play through, but haven't fabricated anything else yet.

I can't remember which items stack, if any, on the cyclops. Other vehicles, like the Prawn, I know you can stack compartment upgrades, for example, to hold more cargo.

I would also like to know your strategy for keeping the power cells charged on longer missions. This seems to be the Achilles' heel of using the vehicle at all.

It's been a long while since I bothered with the Cyclops, but thought I'd try a play through where it's my mobile command center instead of building a giant base like I normally do.

Feel free to post screenshots of your bases or the inside of your Cyclops (what I'm really interested in). Cheers!

[Weaver]

As to keeping charged, power everything off when you aren't actively on the move, lights included. There is no reason to have anything on when you aren't on the move. Of course silent running should only be used when there are big baddies on your radar and shields should only be on during an actual attack. Aside from that, there is a thermal power upgrade you can get so you park near heat vents and you recharge. Also, you can always plop down micro bases that consist of some sort of power generation and a power cell charger in strategic locations with some spare power cells if you are finding you are still having issues. I always had a couple mini bases like that spread out in case I managed to do something amazingly stupid with power cells, batteries, food plant, and medical.

[Qwesar]

Upgrades:
Engine Effeciency
Thermal Reactor
Sonar
Fire Suppression
Shield
Diving Depth

Interior Design:
3 first aid fabricators in bridge or by exit, they don't draw power and I like lots of free bandages for long dangerous missions

4 plant pots with bulbo (takes care of all food and water) 2 in bridge 2 in hallway by exit

2 fabricators and 2 trashcans, one in bridge and one by exit

Room behind bridge is storage warehouse. I turn big glass cases side ways so that I can tightly pack like 16 of them in there. Looks like a computer server room.

1 radio in bridge
1 battery charger by exit
1 glass case behind exit hatch for tools and bottle water

I think that's everything.

[s0laris]

I dont really use the bottom compartments other than for temporary storage, the room isnt too generous. Instead, i fill the sides of the top level usually with:
-Around 15 glass lockers
-Rest if i have room for as many small lockers as possible
-One fabricator
-One radio
-One medkit station
-One battery charger
-One mod station

For supplies, i usually save up all the Nutrient blocks and store a lot of live fish, have a lot of salt and coral stored for water (or if i played for long enough i already have tons of water from the purification system). Always have a full set of spare cells for energy and at least 2 cell chargers in my main base with enough resources to contruct a small base with one cell charger on the ship itself. Double set of decoys depending on how much silver i can spare.

For upgrades:
-Decoy
-Sonar
-Shield
-Efficiency
-Depth
-Fire suppression

I couldnt find a good use for the thermal module because by the time i could properly use it, Ion cells are available and those last for very long.

I usually use the Cyclops on the very last part of the playthrough, i just get the stuff i cannot down there (lubricant, rubber etc) and mine everything i find on the way so by the time i get to the ILZ, i got enough resources for a medium base if i so wish, but if i do not, i still can make it to the ******************* in my prawn to get the ion battery/cell blueprints then proceed to the **************.

[BlackTemplar]

On bridge. Captains chair fabricator small batt charger and radio. with a locker. Middle room bed on one side and 4 lockers. x3 plants on other and 4 lockers. In rear. x2 more plants. walls lined with lockers. adv fabricator in front of torp loader. Down below. Across from the built in lockers i build two levels of lockers from ladder to rear door. Thermal upgrade. Depth upgrade. engine efficiency. Repair bay. sensor upgrade. Fire system.

This set up has served me very well in survival and hardcore. I carry only the prawn and have a seamoth at every tiny base for fast exploration.

[Cougarific]

^Someone copied my setup - I'm honored. *bows*

[Tevirik]

Last game, I couldn’t find the powercell charger until late in the game. So for long missions, I made 3 more power cells and charged them in the seamoth or the prawn in the moonpool when coming back home. But then again, I almost never use the silent running nor the shield.

[Shelt]

Originally posted by Tevirik:

Last game, I couldn’t find the powercell charger until late in the game. So for long missions, I made 3 more power cells and charged them in the seamoth or the prawn in the moonpool when coming back home. But then again, I almost never use the silent running nor the shield.

The shield is a huge power drain. I fabricated six spare power cells as backups, and may make six more to store in a locker on the ship.

I've decided to not use an indoor growbed in the sub. For food, I made 4 pot plants on the floor and four on the wall and filled them with marblemelons. The water content you get out of the melons is even higher than the food, so you don't need to store huge amounts of water on boad. You do have to remember to slash two of the full grown plants to get the seeds to re-plant, though.

I'm driving around right now looking for the repair bay upgrade. I think it's the last one I need.

[PrimeSonic]

I usually start with this and then see where I go from there.

https://www.nexusmods.com/subnautica/mods/101