Power transmitters!!! They don't work how I think they work...

[Winking Wizard]

I thought I could build a power transmitter every 100m apart, say I want to transfer power from solar panels up on the floater island to my base at -300m sea level, I need one next to the panels, one at approximately -100m sea level straight down, and another one right next to my base.

Problem is the third one doesn't connect, I had one on the island, one imbedded inside one of the island's pillar (blue ray confirm connected), and a third one on some underwater mountain top. The distance between the second and the third one was no more than 5s swim, about 50m, yet the third one doesn't connect. Power 0/0 whatsoever.

Glitch???

SOLVED:
1) Don't put power generators on foundations. Dunno why just don't.
2) Power transmitters connect randomly, say you have your source, PT0 and PT1 but PT1 is also in the range of source they might connect this way: source->1->0 and screwed the connection afterward.

Cheers.

[ImHelping]

Transmitters are wonky as hell and have some wacky known limitations. Such as!

While they do have a long range to string eachother together, they have a very, VERY short range for connecting to power providers. For example, when I build a ring of thermal generators around the hole leading to a thermal vent, the transmitter won't reach the other side of the vent (dismantles and makes a less efficient blob of thermals on one side of the vent).

They will only transmit power to one "base". They will count a lone foundation as a base.

Now, while I haven't bothered attempting to use transmitters on floater island? (I thought about it, then remembered the first issue means a huge solar panel farm would be useless with most not connected)...

I would not be surprised if your transmitters were attempting to send power to one of the abandoned bases. Or some other wacky shenanigans. Or maybe it really hates vertical distances or something, and any number of issues that could be happening with these finicky as hell things.

Even though they will be farther away, if you can build thermals you would be much better off making transmitters from the thermals, just because you would be dealing with a more straightforward situation with less chances for the game to throw a tantrum on a buggy land mass with existing base structures on it.

[Winking Wizard]

Originally posted by ImHelping:

Even though they will be farther away, if you can build thermals you would be much better off making transmitters from the thermals, just because you would be dealing with a more straightforward situation with less chances for the game to throw a tantrum on a buggy land mass with existing base structures on it.

Errr, I was just trying to role playing there, we all know we'll never need much energy for anything, but the thought of having a solar panel farm AND thermals seems to make my underwater palace a bit more majestic. Oh well, I try for another half hour if not ♥♥♥♥ it.

[ImHelping]

Originally posted by Winking Wizard:

Originally posted by ImHelping:

Even though they will be farther away, if you can build thermals you would be much better off making transmitters from the thermals, just because you would be dealing with a more straightforward situation with less chances for the game to throw a tantrum on a buggy land mass with existing base structures on it.

Errr, I was just trying to role playing there, we all know we'll never need much energy for anything, but the thought of having a solar panel farm AND thermals seems to make my underwater palace a bit more majestic. Oh well, I try for another half hour if not ♥♥♥♥ it.

Good luck. I love the idea of a nice field of solar panels on floater island to transmit to a sea base. But the current mechanics are just too wonky for me to try.

Same thing is also what's killed my original project desires to essentially a set up a power grid where every base is assisting eachother.

Just like I won't be building any bases ON floater island, due to it's tendency to clip me through itself and dunk me in the ocean. These days I have a spare airtank and seaglide in my inventory at all times, even when on land or indoors- *glitches through Cyclops floor and can't control character until they hit the sea floor hundreds of meters below*

[bobidog]

I checked in my game this condition. Connect the solar panels on a floating island with my base at a depth of 350 m. The power transmitters work. It works well. No problems. Version 35468.
Are you sure do it right?

[dwarf_toss]

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=700257975

Did this not long ago, I find that swimming while holding a transmitter and waiting until I see a beam form to the source-facing transmitter helps a great deal in placing them.

This or geothermal are the only power schemes that aren't fiddly, so it's worth the initial setup.

[OX4]

I love power transmitters, distance glitches and all. I've set some up as pathways along the ocean floor so I can find my way to places. They're like laser highways.

[dwarf_toss]

Originally posted by OX4:

I love power transmitters, distance glitches and all. I've set some up as pathways along the ocean floor so I can find my way to places. They're like laser highways.

Absolutely. I'm fond of making "bubble guides" so I can align my Cyclops and just full throttle straight down and park next to a base without hitting anything. Both are decent visual beacons.

I'll rig some geothermal up to a lost river base as soon as I get bored.

[Syndicake ☠]

I can see the developers changing the auto-linking to manually connecting the pylons in the future because of issues like these.

[Winking Wizard]

Ok mysteries solved!
1) Don't put power generators on foundations. Dunno why just don't.
2) Power transmitters connect randomly, say you have your source, PT0 and PT1 but PT1 is also in the range of source they might connect this way: source->1->0 and screwed the connection afterward.

Cheers.