Is there way to stop bots from turning on automatic reactor controls?

[Kairi ♡]

Reactor is controlled by circuit, so I want bots to load fuel, but not switch on that lever.

[jrgd]

Unfortunately, I don't think it is possible. In my best efforts in the campaigns I have done, I set the reactor to be ignored by all bots, and wire in additional circuitry that pulses an alarm when there is a change in fuel rods. Since it typically ends up being a random mashup of rods given the use of an external reactor controller, only one rod will go out at a time. This gives both a warning and ample time to go in and occasionally replace a rod.

[Buggy Boy]

I think the reactor inputs override the automatic setting anyway.

I have a similar system to jrgd - I have an alarm sound when the reactor fuel level drops below 5%, then I know I have a few minutes to go and change rods. When playing solo I never have a bot manning the reactor, they normally don't change rods fast enough anyway (there's always a brownout), I don't believe in burning batteries to augment / buffer the reactor (I prefer the direct power approach!), and with a bot the full power of the reactor can't be realised as they will only ever allow one rod at a time (which also increases the frequency of rod change-overs / brownouts, I usually run four rods at different % remaining, so I can change over some without a brownout). Call me old-fashioned or inefficient, but I like it this way, it feels more thematic to run power directly, if I wanted everything to be just peachy I'd play a Star Trek TNG game instead.

[FourGreenFields]

As a workaround: Using the context command (shift + middle mouse click) allows you to tell a bot to wait at a specific location (and return to it, if forced to move), as far as I know.

Use that to keep a bot in the reactor-room, and combine it with a low-fuel warning for your reactor (quite possibly using chat-linked wifi with increased range, to EVA-proof the system).

[FourGreenFields]

Originally posted by Buggy Boy:

When playing solo I never have a bot manning the reactor, they normally don't change rods fast enough anyway (there's always a brownout)

Do you ensure they have a rod inside their inventory? IIrc that prevented brownouts from bots doing the swapping for me (? at least during most swaps?).

[jrgd]

Originally posted by Buggy Boy:

I think the reactor inputs override the automatic setting anyway.

I have a similar system to jrgd - I have an alarm sound when the reactor fuel level drops below 5%, then I know I have a few minutes to go and change rods. When playing solo I never have a bot manning the reactor, they normally don't change rods fast enough anyway (there's always a brownout), I don't believe in burning batteries to augment / buffer the reactor (I prefer the direct power approach!), and with a bot the full power of the reactor can't be realised as they will only ever allow one rod at a time (which also increases the frequency of rod change-overs / brownouts, I usually run four rods at different % remaining, so I can change over some without a brownout). Call me old-fashioned or inefficient, but I like it this way, it feels more thematic to run power directly, if I wanted everything to be just peachy I'd play a Star Trek TNG game instead.

Using circuits, the reactor inputs work in tandem with the automatic controls. The automatic controls can and will fight the circuitry externally controlling the reactor.

[CW2 P. Larkins]

OP if you want to run an auto reactor, i advise you to just handle reactor stuff yourself. you can at least do the shift middle mouse button menu to tell all ai to just ignore it and not touch it, and it'll be your problem moving forward - but the AI won't mess with it in any way. that's how i've been doing it and it has been very rewarding thus far

[Buggy Boy]

Originally posted by FourGreenFields:

Originally posted by Buggy Boy:

When playing solo I never have a bot manning the reactor, they normally don't change rods fast enough anyway (there's always a brownout)

Do you ensure they have a rod inside their inventory? IIrc that prevented brownouts from bots doing the swapping for me (? at least during most swaps?).

As I don't have a bot manning the reactor I don't bother to manage the engineer's inventory to carry a rod, so no, never bothered with this. I know a bot can swap things like ammo crates almost instantly if there's one within their reach, so a cheaty thing to do would probably have a fuel rod storage cabinet within reach of the middle of the reactor (where the bot usually stands), and just make sure that has the rods you want the bot to use next.