Improved Engine Couplings - too expensive

[OllyG]

I'm playing 'FreeOrion-6535-Test-Win32-Setup'

'Improved Engine Couplings' cost me 67.1PP and 3 turns, when 'Extra Fuel Tank' is 1.67PP and 1 turn. (I have 68 ships)

Getting a ship to go a bit faster or a bit further are about as good as each other and both use internal slots. They should have similar costs.

[Hihoo]

Right. And shipyards should cost no less than some big battleships and monsters shouldn't be allowed to roam freely a decent universe. And RP and PP shouldn't travel faster than light thank you

[Geoff the Medio]

'Improved Engine Couplings' cost me 67.1PP and 3 turns, when 'Extra Fuel Tank' is 1.67PP and 1 turn.
...
They should have similar costs.

~1 PP does seem oddly inexpensive for a similar-tier part.

[OllyG]

'Improved Engine Couplings' cost me 67.1PP and 3 turns, when 'Extra Fuel Tank' is 1.67PP and 1 turn.
...
They should have similar costs.

~1 PP does seem oddly inexpensive for a similar-tier part.

I'm not worried about the fuel tank costing 1, but the speed boost costing so much. Anything which isn't doing or absorbing damage isn't going to make it on a ship if it is expensive (except stuff that gets you more planets) The speed and range bonus parts are nice to have but they need to quite cheap.

Internal slots aren't as useful as external slots, since guns and armour need external slots and shields are non stacking (on the internal slots). I research the fuel and speed techs just for something to put in the additional internal slots on some hulls. I don't want to waste them!

And RP and PP shouldn't travel faster than light thank you.

Unless you have Improved Engine Couplings!

[yandonman]

How does halving the current cost of I.E. Couplings sound? (~34 PP). I.E. Couplings are one tier less than defensive grid (shd=4), so half seems about right. (independent of shield cost discussion)

With fuel tanks, it seems that something needs to be added to make them more valuable. 99% of the game, one's ships are in supply connected space, so fuel is almost a non-factor. (except for perhaps low planet density universes. disclaimer: I haven't played with that setting)

[Geoff the Medio]

99% of the game, one's ships are in supply connected space, so fuel is almost a non-factor.

I hope / plan to add stuff to motivate exploration outside of the supply-connected areas. Specials that give bonuses to research, perhaps, which only work for the first empire to reach them. Some sort of galactic terrain might also help, with regions of systems that lack planets or stars, or other means to prevent colonization semi-permanently (as opposed to monsters that move and are eventually disposed of).

[MatGB]

With fuel tanks, it seems that something needs to be added to make them more valuable. 99% of the game, one's ships are in supply connected space, so fuel is almost a non-factor. (except for perhaps low planet density universes. disclaimer: I haven't played with that setting)

I'm currently playing low starlane/low planet, and it was horrible for a bit. But after I'd conquered enough other planets, building an elevator on my homeworld and setting it to logistics completely removed the problem for me. which does strike me as OTT, current homeworld supply is 40...

But yeah, I never, ever, use them, never had, I just extend supply range as needed, even building outposts on occasions just to give explorers a refueling depot.

I can recall the excessive costs of the engine speed boosters being discussed before and there was a general agreement that there were a lot of issues with part costings and similar and that would be reviewed at some point.

Maybe something the non-devs/experienced coders amongst us could do? I know I can hack the parts.txt file at need, maybe a few of us could agree amended costs and playtest a bit to see what we think?

[yandonman]

Line 508 in <freeOrion SDK dir>\default\ship_parts.txt : search for 'name = "FU_IMPROVED_ENGINE_COUPLINGS"'

Code: Select all

Part
    name = "FU_IMPROVED_ENGINE_COUPLINGS"
    description = "FU_IMPROVED_ENGINE_COUPLINGS_DESC"
    class = General
    mountableSlotTypes = Internal
    buildcost = 40 * [[FLEET_UPKEEP_MULTIPLICATOR]]
    buildtime = 3
    location = OwnedBy TheEmpire Source.Owner
    effectsgroups =
        EffectsGroup
            scope = Source
            activation = Source
            effects = SetStarlaneSpeed Value + 10
    icon = "icons/ship_parts/engine-1.png"

Change:

Code: Select all

    buildcost = 40 * [[FLEET_UPKEEP_MULTIPLICATOR]]

to

Code: Select all

    buildcost = 20 * [[FLEET_UPKEEP_MULTIPLICATOR]]

Then use the TortoiseSVN's Create Patch... to create a submitable patch.

[Geoff the Medio]

For changing a single character, it's not really necessary to submit a patch...

Main thing I'd want first is some apparent consensus on what the costs of things should be, preferably among a group including a few posters who have been around a few months at least, or already have a few accepted patches. (Not that new contributors aren't welcome, but I'd like some review of suggestions by people who know a bit about the current state of the game and development...)

[Vezzra]

99% of the game, one's ships are in supply connected space, so fuel is almost a non-factor. (except for perhaps low planet density universes. disclaimer: I haven't played with that setting)

I have, and with that setting fuel actually does matter more, especially in early game. Later, when you get more of the techs extending supply range, that changes of course.

[Hihoo]

99% of the game, one's ships are in supply connected space, so fuel is almost a non-factor.

Depends on your settings. With large universes, high monsters and playing Etty (low industry, good stealth) with stealthed scouts or colony-ships fuel can be quite important. AND its much cheaper than shields (in case of just one internal)
To me the SPEED-bonus - given decent ships - is almost a non-factor