How to use Space Mirror Arrays?

[sneakyweazel]

I mean they cost lots of materials to construct, had to struggle with expanding as wasted all my glass while building 10+ arrays
And what did I get? Lousy 5,3 degrees of warmth. Seems bit under what I expected.

This is my second playthrough, in the first one did not bother even researching this tech, was I wrong in using resources now?

[back_buffer]

Space mirrors are very efficient. They have an initial cost, sure, but they require no upkeep. Every other method for raising the temperature decays over time.

The cost can feel like a lot in the early game but it's well spent.

[sneakyweazel]

humhumhum
Now that you mention it, decent amount of CO2 raises the temperature by ~60 degrees -if memory serves me right- so I don`t actually dare to build them any more because you can't decommission them. That's a big no-go for me.

Would argue that 10 greenhouse gas plants produce enough warmth to kickstart the raise of water levels in 10 years, and you can always turn them off. Besides, they burn modest amounts of chemicals.

I have seen some screenshots where the temperature is unnaturally high for vegetation and want to avoid that fate since in last/first playthrough had comfy ~22 degrees when finished terraforming

[back_buffer]

Yes, GHGs are very effective at raising the temp and don't effect the atmospheric composition that much which is very handy in the last stage.

For comparison, In my last playthrough I had all of the mirrors which contribute 10 degrees and also ended up in the low-mid 20s. I never had more than 3 GHG plants running and my GHG contribution was probably around 30-35 degrees.

At the end of the day, burning chemicals or glass is not that different. Personally I like that the mirrors are a permanent investment, and I think 10 GHG factories is more than I would want to micromanage, but you do you :)

[sneakyweazel]

Well, now I'm torn with the choice BUT
You say that there is a max amount of those arrays? And it translates to ~10 degrees difference? That sounds really reasonable.
More so since I'm not anymore in that early stages of rapid expansion with limited resources and have the infrastructure to back up some ~350 of glass expenses.

Alright then, I will fill those orbits with arrays! They are after all renewable source of warmth, ♥♥♥♥ solar wind and its depleting of atmo.
And build just few GHG emitters, just to boost the transition. Soon there will be (more) water flowing!

Thanks mate! :)

[mikeydsc]

Get to the research places first before you raise the water levels.

Once you build the mirrors, there is no controlling them. To me they should have been able to face away from the sun to turn them off.
If you ever decide to lower the water, it is impossible once those arrays are in space.