What exactly do the solar panels do??

[BAEdelgard]

I had the KP-6 Array equipped on my ship, but didn't notice any difference on anything. What exactly does it's 1.1 solar collection do?

[SolarDawning]

It increases the amount of power generated the closer you are to the system's star(s), in the same way that ramscoop efficiency is based on distance to the star.
Note that the power amount seen when you equip the solar panel is the -minimum- it can give.

[Ker]

i hate to be that guy, but im going to be that guy.

It's literally exactly what it sounds like. A solar energy collector. It takes power from the star, applies it to your energy, the same way a power reactor does.

Solar panels are just kinda weak compared to other forms of energy collection.

[Avior]

From the wiki[github.com]:

solar collection: the amount of energy that this outfit provides when your ship is 1250 pixels from the system center. As you come closer, and you will harvest up to twice as much power [sic]; farther away, and the energy generation slowly tapers off to 1/5 of this value.

I disagree with what SolarDawning says. Assuming that this wiki page is correct, the KP-6 Array generates 66 energy per second (the game runs at a rate of 60 frames per second, so 1.1 * 60) at a distance of 1250 units away from the center of the system, 132 energy per second when you're sitting right at the center, and 13.2 energy per second at an infinite distance from the center.

[BAEdelgard]

Ok, yeah that makes sense, I just wasn't seeing any difference so I wanted to check :P Thanks!

[Ker]

np we got you. If you have any more questions please feel free to ask.

I was just being up front in order to avoid a deep, mechanical debate on exactly what they do in the code. Because Avior does that and i knew he was on.

[Avior]

For the lulz.
https://github.com/endless-sky/endless-sky/blob/master/source/Ship.cpp#L727

[SolarDawning]

Interesting, I was mistaken about the value being the minimum.
Whelp. They're even worse than I thought they were. >.<

[Madison]

Unless you're going to be like kiko and go for the MAXIMUM EFFICIENCY STAR BARGES WITH 9999999 CARGO SPACE AND .000001 TURNING AND SPEED, just use generators that produce heat.

[Ker]

love you too, alkallid.

[Avior]

osht notified me of Kiko's post.