X1 Power Generators are better?

[Sovkel]

I'm finally getting on this game after leaving it to collect dust in my V Library. Made the Upgrade from a E-Generator to a X1 and converting all my Energium into Rods. Yet I am finding myself burning through my Rods faster then my Generator. And no it isn't because I add a bunch of power consumers. The demand is constant. The only change that I have noticed is that my X1 is being utilized at a high % when I am using any of my Industry(Recycler), even though when I was using my E-Generator it stayed at a low/mid %.
Someone, Please, Explain!

[Xanthiras]

Note that a single energium converts into two rods, so just comparing the rate of items consumed is not quite correct. If you still have an older save you can go to the power view and check the typical consumption numbers you had then and what you have now. You can also look at the blue number on top of the generator in that view for a while to see how much power it was normally generating then and now. For example even if you didn't add more industry objects, simply having more crew can lead to their higher use.

[thinkinTom]

As your ship gets bigger and the more machinery you have, the more energy is required to run all that, so it may well be your using up some rods more quickly, but there is little difference (IMO) than the basic power reactor. Keep researching the higher tier reactors and soon, you will see a bigger difference on how many rods you use, also slows the process further if you have solar energy hooked up to backup power storage units, etc.

[Sovkel]

Okay I will look at solar energy and backup power storage. That said, I still don't understand why an upgrade generator is worst then my old one.

Let me explain it like this; we have 2 ship with exactly the same layout and crew, the only difference is their power generator source. They also have the same tasks that consume energy; ore processing, hyper fuel refinement, and recycling.
Both ships have the equivalent of 5 energium ore. (Ship A has 5 energium and Ship B has 10 Energy Rods)
Over the course of time the recycling, ore processing, and 5 hyper fuel has been refined. Ship A end up spending 3 of its energium, while Ship B uses up 9 Rods.

This is the problem I am having that makes no sense. Energy Rod Generators do consume a tiny bit more resource to create energy but also give more energy that it should be better then the Energium. Yet here the mechanics are showing me the complete opposite.

E-G needs 0.002 Energium to create 100 Energy
X-1 needs 0.0029 Energy Rod to create 150 Energy

Looking at this one could say 0.001 resource is needed to create 50 energy so the E-G and X-1 are equal in energy production. But it is also noted that 1 Energium is used to create 2 Energy Rods. I'm not saying the consumption rate is changing but the amount of resources needed should out last the old Generation. But it is not.

If their is something I'm missing or not understand please point it out. Last thing I want is a snake bite of an answer for a problem that doesn't exist.

[Mirsin]

Time for someone to do some maths. . .

[happyscrub]

Originally posted by Mirsin:

Time for someone to do some maths. . .

[I blame Earthshaker]

Originally posted by Beltneck:

Thats where solar power is handy, if you can basically just run all your life support off that, then its only the industry, cannons, and shields that really need a generator. Even your engines can run off solar power, but they do charge slower if they aren't getting a big supply. Thats where the backup batteries come in, they keep the supply consistent

I'll admit that I haven't had a lot of time to play with the new(est) power system yet (mostly in case it gets changed again), but once a player has a "decent" amount of solar energy production, they have the option to just turn off their generator! I put "decent" in quotes since this is a variable amount (both literally and due to player preference).

[Xanthiras]

Originally posted by happyscrub:

Originally posted by Mirsin:

Time for someone to do some maths. . .

The math is in order and says X1 is better. Now since it's the first iteration of the new power system, it's in theory possible that in some cases it doesn't actually work the way it's supposed to. So if someone has a lot of time on their hands they can test the actual performance of Energium vs X1 in various ship setups. I won't hold my breath that someone will actively test it, but might make sense to keep an eye for this when you upgrade in regular play. Personally I didn't see any, but I wasn't paying attention to this.

[ioanniskass]

Playing always the Small Hope scenario, I rush to research X1, because the one Recycler I have (and a water recycler but I don't think it is that demanding) drains energium like hell and always look to buy or mine. Once I research it, all my energy problems are gone. I can see a huge difference in terms of rods needed compared to energium. They are also cheap and easy to buy until I can produce my own.

[Supajohnson]

Raw energium generators should be the least efficient but X1s aren't much better. They generate more power per input than the raw energium generators (150 vs 100), but because of the processing costs of making a rod from raws you don't see much improvement in an X1 vs a raw generator. That plus the slight increase in input cost (0.002 raw > 100 vs 0.0029 rod > 150) make X1s a really underwhelming upgrade.

X3s turn 0.0029 rod > 300 though and are always the best choice when you have the space.

[Sushi_Rocks]

The rod generators are more efficient for each level.

The X1 generator is basically doubling efficiency, because...

1 Energium -> Transformation in Energy refinery -> 2 Energy rods

This process becomes even more efficient the more solar panels you add.

The X1, X2 and X3 generators become more efficient over time.

The X1 generates 100 power from 0,0029 rods
The X2 generates 150 power from 0,0029 rods
The X4 generates 300 power from 0,0029 rods

Each generation needs a little bit more hull space though. That is not a problem once you switch to the X1 Hyperdrives though.

[I blame Earthshaker]

Originally posted by Sushi_Rocks:

The X1 generator is basically doubling efficiency, because...

1 Energium -> Transformation in Energy refinery -> 2 Energy rods

You are forgetting to account for the energy cost of refining the rods from crystals, but this should still be more efficient than crystals. If not, that's a bug.

[Sushi_Rocks]

Originally posted by I blame Earthshaker:

Originally posted by Sushi_Rocks:

The X1 generator is basically doubling efficiency, because...

1 Energium -> Transformation in Energy refinery -> 2 Energy rods

You are forgetting to account for the energy cost of refining the rods from crystals, but this should still be more efficient than crystals. If not, that's a bug.

Haven't forgot.

It's still cheaper and I mentioned that "the process becomes even more efficient the more solar panels you add".

...meaning that the energy cost for producing the energy rods can basically be free with solar panels.

So I mentioned it indirectly.

[I blame Earthshaker]

Originally posted by Sushi_Rocks:

So I mentioned it indirectly.

A lie of omission is still a lie. But whatever, prolly gonna get a 4th electrical system iteration from this one thread anyways...

[Sushi_Rocks]

Originally posted by I blame Earthshaker:

Originally posted by Sushi_Rocks:

So I mentioned it indirectly.

A lie of omission is still a lie. But whatever, prolly gonna get a 4th electrical system iteration from this one thread anyways...

That's bs.

Don't think so. The 1st iteration apparently was too hard for some people.
This one works, although some optimizations may need to be done.
I feel like the game can gain a lot more quality through more storytelling, quests, combat improvements etc.
Now that the electrical system doesn't seem to be such a big headache anymore, it may give the devs more time to finally focus on those parts. I've already discovered several improvements story- and questwise.

[I blame Earthshaker]

Originally posted by Sushi_Rocks:

Now that the electrical system doesn't seem to be such a big headache anymore, it may give the devs more time to finally focus on those parts. I've already discovered several improvements story- and questwise.

True, peeps have now moved onto complaining about the interplay between maintenance and ship temp...