Power generation

This is my idea for ways to generate power for pretty much everything you'll use. Such as manned/auto turrets, electrical lights, battery chargers, healing stations ect, ect.

Each generator/reactor would give off a radius of powered area. You can think of it like a Protoss pylon. Every thing within the radius would be powered.

The very lowest tier of generator would be small unarmored man portable generators, all the way up to static placed reactors.

R&D can increase the efficiency of fuel burned to energy generated, increase armor/HP of portable gens, and lead to completely newer, and higher tech generators/reactors that have larger power radius. The higher tech they are, the more prerequisite R&D in other fields may be necessary to build.

From lowest/highest tier.

1. Small portable generator:
Small in size and power radius, they are fragile and easy to destroy. They at most can power 1-2 things placed on each side of them. They generate power by burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas.

2. Basic portable generator:
The only real difference with this model is additional metals for basic armor protection from weapons fire of which makes it a bit larger. Burns the same fossil fuels.

3. Standard portable generator:
This is the largest man portable generator, and offers even better fuel efficiency and power radius and armored to withstand even small explosive devices. Large enough radius to power about 4 devices, 2 on each side.
Burns the same fossil fuels.

4. Tow-able generator:
An even larger generator, features better base fuel efficiency, power radius and armor protection. Too heavy to be carried, it must be transported by vehicle to location. This generator is capable of powering a small sized encampment. Burns the same fossil fuels.

5. Base generator:
This one is too large to be moved once built, but offers more possible upgrade possibilities. Well armored to withstand sustained weapons fire and small explosive devices. This generator is capable of powering a moderate sized base.

6. Hydrogen reactor:
Probably the safest method of powering a base, it uses the most commonly found element in the universe. Not as efficient as generators using fossil fuels, it requires refueling often. Not much of a problem on terrestrial worlds however as if you have water, you have hydrogen. An environmental note about these reactors is, as they burn off the hydrogen small amounts get exposed to oxygen in the air creating small amounts of water as exhaust.

7. Nuclear reactor:
One of the most notorious methods of power generation, nuclear power is actually as clean as hydrogen reactors.
Using instead uranium as fuel to create steam to turn large turbines generates large quantities of energy. One advantage is having an incredibly efficient fuel to power generation, requiring less refueling.
However, they require constant monitoring and adjustments made to prevent the all too feared meltdown of which they are notorious for. If such where to occur, the area would need decontamination, and the area below the reactor repaired as the meltdown literally melts everything under it. Obviously the reactor would be completely destroyed in such an event.

8. Anti-matter reactor:
Even more fuel efficient with vastly larger power radius then nuclear reactors, anti-matter reactors have all the more potential for disaster. Also needing technicians to monitor and adjust them. Requiring vast R&D in a number of categories, such as force fields, tractor beams, and super-electromagnets just for containment alone. Expensive to research and construction requiring exotic resources, and the potential to explode vaporizing an enormous landmass if left unmonitored, anti-matter reactors are capable of powering an equally vast surface base with underground bunkers and tunnels.

9. A.C.S. power generator (Artificial contained singularity):
The absolute pinnacle of power generation, requiring massive R&D, and strong metal alloys to house just the mechanical workings that contain such an astronomical wonder. This power generator can power the entirety of the planet it is built upon. Likewise if neglected, this beast of machinery can vaporize the entire said planet it is built upon. However the upside is you'll never have to worry about fuel anymore!

Besides an artificial singularity being the best, but most expensive source of power, what other ideas can you guys think of as low, med, high tier generators/reactors? Id like to hear what you come up with

 

Hm. Good idea. I would LOVE to see the reaction on people's faces when all of sudden a loud speaker says "YOU NEED TO CONSTRUCT ADDITIONAL GENERATORS".
Priceless.
Though, it might be interesting to see the tactical capability of generators.
For instance, say if an PvP arena map has a corridor which only lights are powered by a generator, now say someone took out that generator, the room would be without light, and if say it was a choke point it could give the tactical edge to the opponents that knocked it out because they would have, say, Night Vision goggles.
This would add a tactical edge to the ability to base offence.

 

Having aura generators that power equipment which are designed to accept the radiated energy is a good concept, but it should not be the only one
There are issues such as overlapping power fields which would overload the equipment, having no way to power dated equipment, and wasted energy. Which all happen to be acceptable cons to the system, while the pros are easy setup of bases and whatnot

However, generators that use alternating current cables to power wired equipment should be another concept
Of course, the first generator would only have capacity for a single cable, but bigger generators would have more cable slots while taking more fuel/etc. for each additional cable used
Inhabitants of the planet would also be unable to steal your wireless inter-- I mean wireless power
But if you're powering the entire planet with a reactor, I assume that would already be dealt with

 

You could include various types of green energy; I'm not sure if it will be in the game, but you could harness the wind as an energy source. You could have solar panels that only work during the day, requiring no fuel but you need a capacitor or a battery to power your base at night.

 

You have mentioned nuclear fission, why not fusion?

 

Straight after posting a suggestion i see this... Your generators could relate to my Eletrics suggestion..... nice idea!

 

I think it's a great idea. Mayhaps give players a multitude of options for power. I just would like it to stay an "option" and not be manditory.

 

Ah, well that kind of power generation wouldn't be powerful enough to power a base, or to keep gun turrets or other placeables running consistently. However i thought they could be used to provide energy for batteries you carry as a consumable to replenish your own energy bar. Think of that like mana potions.

 

You are aware that singularities are just areas of science we don't have much knowledge about? Requiring massive R&D to obtain them is rather ironic.
Also, you haven't included Dyson spheres, for when you want to power a whole solar system.

Also needs the liquid thorium reactor. Far cheaper and less dangerous for the same out put as a nuclear plant.

Massive problem with the hydrogen reactor, as conservation of energy dictates that you need the same amount of energy to split the water into the hydrogen and oxygen, which you then burn to create electricity? No Dwarf architecture here, so you can't make a perpetual motion machine.

Likewise, same problem with the antimatter as with the hydrogen reactor. Where are you getting this antimatter from? It's a good storage for energy, but you can't violate conservation of energy...

 

That's a good point.
Also , I agree with people above - green energy and fusion are a must

 

Well, i go with the excuse, its a game, im no scientist, as a lot of the people who are going to be playing this. There are loads of games out there that have super incredible power sources and its never explained HOW they work, they just do. Now if a star system level of game play is added at launch, or ever, the Dyson sphere idea would be a nice addition. Honestly never heard of a liquid thorium reactor, but sounds awesomely techy. And im all for more cool techy things like that to be added.

Starbound isn't going to be about ultra realism. However, upgrades and such can account for bothering to use Hydrogen or anti-matter without expending the exact same amount of energy in order to use them. I wasn't bothering with absolute realism, because the game itself isn't going to. It's suppose to be fun, so don't worry about the technical details too much.

 

Im agreeing with the posts that agree with green energy. I love the idea of having solar or wind powered generators. Maybe even just have them separate from generators so that they could be attached to batteries so they can be charged. The pros and cons with this is that, while solar panels or windmills might be difficult to construct, and they provide very small amounts of energy. As long as the light/wind source is available its pretty much free energy. It wouldnt be enough to fill up say.. higher end batteries with massive amounts of storage, but it could be used to fill smaller man portable devices. Maybe even just have the batteries attached to the solar panels or windmills so that it can power and store energy for small devices or outposts.

Another random idea is that each battery or generator have a tiny little visible meter that shows how much energy is stored/running through it.

 

Thats basically the use i had in mind about windmills/solar panels NuclearPickleno.

 

Let's not forget good old geo-thermal power. Using lava as a heat source and a lake as a heat sink xP could generate a decent chunk of electricity I think. not realistic buuuut.. tis a game after all and I wonder if there will be water flow to make water wheels.. or possibly even a dam generator. I do like the simpler green energy (windmills/solar panels) to charge up things like flashlight and weapon batteries.

 

I think building a huge-ass dam would be awesome, but I don't think it would work properly. You would need a mixture of Minecraft and Terraria's water; you'd have a source block but also "normal" water like in Terraria. Otherwise, you'd have to hope that you find a significant body of water at the top of a hill, and even that would run out eventually.

And if you have endless sources, to ensure that you don't get an infinite amount of "flowing" water, you'd have to program in evaporation (which could be a pain in the ass to do)

 

Yea Geo-thermal power is a good one for powering a base, as im sure there will be very hostile planets with loads of free flowing magma. Dams... maybe, it would depend on how water is ultimately going to work.

 

How about hooking a Light Virorb to a machine of some sort and get power like that. More Virorbs = more power!