Supply I component is too ineffective.

[LGM]

Two Engines (20KTs) store twice as much supply as one Supply I component (20KTs). The Supply components should be twice as effective as they are today or engines should store less than they do today. The way the standard components work today, it only makes sense to add Supply components after you have maximized the number of Engines. It would be nice to see more trade off in early ship design with longer range versus faster speed.

I know it is rather easy to modify these things, but I tend to play all my games with the standard components. I would suggest any modders that have not tweaked the supply comp/engine comps do so.

[PvK]

Yep. See Proportions mod, for example.

However, I think there is an abstract rationale that can be applied to make sense of the basic set. That is, engines can be thought of as _producing_ energy as they burn fuel. As such, they are a power source. Or, the engines can be seen to reduce the ship class' ability to include other components by 10kT, but in actuality they themselves are still larger than the supply storage units - it's just that increasing engines doesn't reduce the size class' potential as much. Also, there is the game balance rationale that extending operating range should be somewhat expensive. All told though, I agree with you, hence my mod.

PvK

[Skulky]

Actually for all you people that are Organics minded the supply component is useful when engines are too expensive for those one turn ships. If an engine costs 160 and a supply component is cheaper (like half or less) then it is better because you can make the ship in one turn instead of two (much much better)

sorry im kind aoutof it

[Suicide Junkie]

Another point:
Adding engines does NOT increase your ship's range, it just makes you burn fuel faster, and get there quicker.
No matter how many engines you add, your ships will have a maximum range of 50 squares, at which point you're outta fuel.
Solar panel and supply bays do increase your range.

That said, I quartered the size of supply bays for P&N in order to make them useful.

[LGM]

quote:

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Originally posted by Skulky:
Actually for all you people that are Organics minded the supply component is useful when engines are too expensive for those one turn ships. If an engine costs 160 and a supply component is cheaper (like half or less) then it is better because you can make the ship in one turn instead of two (much much better)

sorry im kind aoutof it

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Are you taking about a Mod? In the standard game, Cargo I and Ion Engine I both cost 200 Metal and both store 500 units of supply? However, Ion Engine takes 10KT of space and Cargo I takes 20KT.

[LGM]

quote:

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Originally posted by Suicide Junkie:
Another point:
Adding engines does NOT increase your ship's range, it just makes you burn fuel faster, and get there quicker.
No matter how many engines you add, your ships will have a maximum range of 50 squares, at which point you're outta fuel.
Solar panel and supply bays do increase your range.

That said, I quartered the size of supply bays for P&N in order to make them useful.

---

True, but speed is usually of the essense, especially in the early land rush stage of the game. The difference in range between a colonizer with one Supply Bay and 5 Engines and one with 2 Supply Bays and 3 Engines is something like 60 squares versus 83 squares. The different in range just is not worth it. 60% speed for 140% range.

Quartering the size of Supply Bays in the Mod seems like a good pricing point. Then the issue is pay more for the ship with the two Supply Bays or leave them off. Did you leave the metal cost alone?

[ 22 March 2002: Message edited by: LGM ]