Electricity system review (for developers)

[Wulfgrum666]

I share my thoughts on the game's electricity system with the hope that maybe the developers will see it and take some or all of it into account. I know some players will agree and others won't.

The electricity system is very poorly planned, it is poorly planned, why; How is it possible that the connection lines cannot be simplified into 1? When connections are made, currently, 30% or more of the free zone is dedicated to those lines, that's not real, it's not optimal, it's not technical and it's not nice.
In real life, since the time of the Soviet Union, several power lines have obviously been joined into one, and this is a very short-lived example, since this was already being done even before.
The system that handles electricity in the game is really frustrating and not pleasant at all.
The best they can do is that as the player progresses in the construction and development of his republic, the lines can be simplified, that is, the connection towers into one.
The voltage system in general is fine, it could be better, for example, how is it possible that it is limited only to substations, which are limited by more voltage, power and number of buildings? That shouldn't exactly be the case, it's not real and it's frustrating gameplay and not enjoyable at all.

It's a great game with a lot of potential for players to have fun with, but I hope the developers will see and discuss my take on the electricity system.

[Stele]

I don't understand a thing. How power lines cannot be simplified into one if they can. Place any passive node with several HV connections and pull single line out of it.
Voltage also is calculated in any node. Drops below normal if power consumption is higher than supply.
Limiting factors are 19 nodes in serial connection. 18MW in any node. Lack of support for loops. And they come from simplification. If you'd fully simulate power grid, it won't be done in several fps for anything complex. Only 18MW limit is hard to understand, as it's easiest to fall into naturally and increasing it wouldn't add any calculations. Well would incentivise players to create more compex, slower to solve, grids. :P

[Xenomorph Kitty]

Originally posted by Wulfgrum666:

but I hope the developers will see and discuss my take on the electricity system.

They wont, you're not that important, and neither is your ranting opinion that calls everything the devs have done with electricity awful.

[Silent_Shadow]

I think the system is well implemented as it offers a lot of options for controlling the distribution, while at the same time is not too processor intensive. The problem is that it is poorly explained, which leads to a lot of frustration for players who experience strange behaviors messing up their power supply (you could probably say this for many mechanics in this game).

For example, it is possible to prioritize power sources, create backup power supplies, and the simulation is sophisticated enough that all the power sources fill a different niche instead of just being for flavor, but the average player won't know any of that

I don't really understand your problems with the current system (pun intended) OP.

• You can combine multiple lines into a single line of larger capacity.
  
• I'm not sure what you mean by "free zone."
  
• Almost all buildings use electricity and have a voltage rating, not just the distribution buildings, and there are three different levels of voltage.
  
• Keep in mind that this is a game, so some aspects of IRL infrastructure will be abstracted.

Originally posted by Stele:

Limiting factors are 19 nodes in serial connection. 18MW in any node. Lack of support for loops. And they come from simplification. If you'd fully simulate power grid, it won't be done in several fps for anything complex. Only 18MW limit is hard to understand, as it's easiest to fall into naturally and increasing it wouldn't add any calculations.

There are many more limits to the system than that, especially when you start combining power sources, and none of them are explained by the game's manual or tutorials. It is an opaque system for new players to learn for sure.

[Duke Flapjack]

I mean, low-voltage is already abstracted. About my only real complaint is it is difficult to calculate power requirements before building. It'd be nice if substations reported *potential* power draw and not just actual.

[Stele]

Same for all substation type buildings. Power is easiest to supplement out of them.

[MG83]

Originally posted by Wulfgrum666:

The electricity system is very poorly planned, it is poorly planned, why; How is it possible that the connection lines cannot be simplified into 1? When connections are made, currently, 30% or more of the free zone is dedicated to those lines, that's not real, it's not optimal, it's not technical and it's not nice..

Are you electrical engineer ?
I am and i find it pretty realistic. Actually more realistic than many other games. Its pretty nice technical and optimal.
MW connections are END-TO-END you never cross them . To cross them you need a connection point with insulators. The one in the game is very basic one which i would say 50 to 80 year old version remember you live in 2022 and game starts 1960 or so. At part there were no SF6 Gas therefore you had to use big connection gaps to cut or switch MV or HV. Therefore its realistic.

Originally posted by Wulfgrum666:

In real life, since the time of the Soviet Union, several power lines have obviously been joined into one, and this is a very short-lived example, since this was already being done even before.

Switch yards do that in real life. And i have a screen shot which i build one in game. And yes it takes huge place thats how it is in real also.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1990914448

here is a view from chernobyl NPP transformer substation and HV lines "switch yard"
https://www.alamy.com/chernobyl-ukraine-nov-28-2016-chernobyl-nuclear-power-plant-transformer-substation-and-high-voltage-power-lines-image385192585.html

Originally posted by Wulfgrum666:

The voltage system in general is fine, it could be better, for example, how is it possible that it is limited only to substations, which are limited by more voltage, power and number of buildings? That shouldn't exactly be the case, it's not real and it's frustrating gameplay and not enjoyable at all.

In here i do not understand what you are pointing Please clarify again. What i assume is that you think the building draws constant power.
Actually in game its not. a house hold draws power depending on the number of occupiants. A production line draws power depending on the number of workers in it. Which can be considered realistic in terms of "mean theorem". it can be assumed that when thereis more worker the plant works more which thinks in linear but in reality its not.

In electricity things are limited by voltage and power. Excessive demand power causes voltage drop voltage drop causes increase in amperage that causes circuit breakers to blow.(in real resetting circuit breakers takes aprox half day in game its instant <3 ) In game there is voltage drop concept. in game there is power concept. in game there is circuit breaker concept. It is better that no amperage concept because it would be ridiculous that to bother non electrical engineer players to with current calculations.

Summary : if you were complaining electrical system takes too much place i would agree before the underground patch. Not now. You can simply take your lines to underground. (yes it costs alot. actually alot more than the game comperatively in real life)

[MG83]

Note : if you are struggling how to plan your electricity i can send you my save game which has over 70k pop and fully self sufficient which is fed by only single twin NPP. you can check the examples there and use for your self . My save is pre water.

[MG83]

Originally posted by Duke Flapjack:

I mean, low-voltage is already abstracted. About my only real complaint is it is difficult to calculate power requirements before building. It'd be nice if substations reported *potential* power draw and not just actual.

its not abstracted . its dumbed down :D instead of drawing lines and calculating voltage drop and setting cable diameters to every electric consumption , substation covers area :P

and thats actually better for playability.

[MG83]

Originally posted by Stele:

Lack of support for loops. And they come from simplification If you'd fully simulate power grid, it won't be done in several fps for anything complex.

Check my screenshot. i did that in past(interconnective grid) and worked fine over many years without any single blackout.

[MrKrabs]

Originally posted by MG83:

Originally posted by Stele:

Lack of support for loops. And they come from simplification If you'd fully simulate power grid, it won't be done in several fps for anything complex.

Check my screenshot. i did that in past(interconnective grid) and worked fine over many years without any single blackout.

Looks like you`ve put a lot of effort in the layout of your elektrics.
However I have issues to recognise what is what.
If you could make some kind of drawing that might help me and maybe others to understand better what you have built.

Thank you.

Kind regards.

[melkij]

Originally posted by MrKrabs:

Originally posted by MG83:

Check my screenshot. i did that in past(interconnective grid) and worked fine over many years without any single blackout.

Looks like you`ve put a lot of effort in the layout of your elektrics.
However I have issues to recognise what is what.
If you could make some kind of drawing that might help me and maybe others to understand better what you have built.

Yep, don't get it right away. I asked earlier here: https://steamcommunity.com/app/784150/discussions/0/3145179175823319497/?tscn=1620910698#c5836080604430989779

[MG83]

Originally posted by MrKrabs:

Originally posted by MG83:

Check my screenshot. i did that in past(interconnective grid) and worked fine over many years without any single blackout.

Looks like you`ve put a lot of effort in the layout of your elektrics.
However I have issues to recognise what is what.
If you could make some kind of drawing that might help me and maybe others to understand better what you have built.

Thank you.

Kind regards.

sure .

in front of the power plants there are two switchyards.
in frist there are 12 (6 up 6 down) power transformer. Each power transformer(PT) at up connected to each power transformer at bottom via 2.2MV lines . And each CPP (coal power plant total 6 CPP) connected to each switch yard.

then each PT at switch yard connected to PT at city or consumption end. then consumption PT connected to substations to suppy power to city or factories.

well with so many connections i am still able to feed the power without any issues that means people must be creating some huge mess to get their nodes to 19 block. Since even with a complicated setup as this i am not :>

Power in my system flows like this :
power plant >HVline>PT>MVline>PT>HVline>PT>MVline>substation>consumer

[MrKrabs]

Thank you guys.

[MG83]

Originally posted by MrKrabs:

Thank you guys.

yw :>

[Mudkest]

Originally posted by Duke Flapjack:

I mean, low-voltage is already abstracted. About my only real complaint is it is difficult to calculate power requirements before building. It'd be nice if substations reported *potential* power draw and not just actual.

they do?
"total wattage of all connected buildings"
"estimated consumption of all connected buildings"