Suggestion: Customizable Generator Outputs (For SolarPower nerf for those who want it)

n1ght5talker · Nov 16th 2011

Suggestion
I came to this forum hoping to find a way to nerf solar panels, I found a few threads saying it should be nerfed and many more replies saying it shouldn't. So why not leave it up to the individual server owners? Just make all the generators output multiplied by a variable (one for each type) and get this from the ic2.ctf file. This way everyone gets what they want, the people who want it nerfed get what they want and people who don't get to keep their server the same.
The ic2.ctf file already allows you to customise the size of your nuclear explosion.

I would guess that the work involved in doing this would be relatively small, and the functionality may already be in the code

Example:
generatorMultiplierGenerator=1
generatorMultiplierWindpower=1

generatorMultiplierHydropower=1

generatorMultiplierGeothermal=1

generatorMultiplierNuclearReactor=1

My own Server Settings
This way for my server I'd have it set like this (and I know some people disagree with me, that's great; diversity in servers and players is what makes multiplayer interesting):

generatorMultiplierGenerator=1.1
generatorMultiplierSolarpower=0.25

generatorMultiplierWindpower=0.8

generatorMultiplierHydropower=1

generatorMultiplierGeothermal=1.1

generatorMultiplierNuclearReactor=2.5

Why I would choose these settings
Nuclear is a big risk, and a lot of fun, I want it to be a really valuable reward so lots of people do it. I see too many people using solar as a sole supply, they log off, get on the next day and there solar has charged every battery in the house, I know I can't stop that but at-least I can make people need 4 times the stations. Same problem with Wind and Hydro but I haven't got enough experience with it. The benefit of using the config file is you can update the multipliers if you ever feel something is too OP. Geothermal is also pretty cool looking (compared to solar, my personal opinion, I'd prefer to see big lava stations then fields of solar)

<- This Chainsaw will be used on all Grammar Nazi's

Hotbread · Nov 16th 2011

i, for one, would like that, if possibly, this idea wood bee... added too the game: because it is a gooder idea then nerfing solar panels.

Trifler · Nov 16th 2011

I think simply reducing the power production of solar panels won't accomplish anything, because then people will just build even more of them. That's why I suggested changing not the solar panels themselves, but rather the cables that connect to them. If the power loss was changed to floating point instead of integer and calculated per block rather than 1 EU per X blocks, then the size of a solar array would automatically be limited.

n1ght5talker · Nov 16th 2011

Quote from Trifler

I think simply reducing the power production of solar panels won't accomplish anything, because then people will just build even more of them. That's why I suggested changing not the solar panels themselves, but rather the cables that connect to them. If the power loss was changed to floating point instead of integer and calculated per block rather than 1 EU per X blocks, then the size of a solar array would automatically be limited.

I'll meet you half way and agree that reducing power production wont accomplish everything. Really its just a band-aid fix but it would have other uses like being able to make only solar power work on a PVP server so people can't hide bases too well (just a interesting idea one might want to try), so many options.

Ranakastrasz · Nov 16th 2011

I would certainly like this.

Sabriath · Nov 16th 2011

yes

that is all

Mensrea · Nov 16th 2011

Im glad someone had the good sense to recognize the middle ground in the "nerf solar" argument. I'm sure some will still be upset that they can't push their ideas on others, though.

HeadHunter67 · Nov 16th 2011

Quote from n1ght5talker

I'll meet you half way and agree that reducing power production wont accomplish everything.

All it will really accomplish is to push players to make more solars than before to get the same output. I'm not sure what that solves.

I guess we still have to identify what the real "problem" is, and if it's actually a problem or not. Most of the time, nerf calls boil down to "I don't like the way the other guy plays" but really, how does it affect you? You can do the same things, everyone's on a level playing field. So it's not an issue of haves and have-nots.

If the problem is that it discourages use of other methods of power generation, then those methods need to be examined for improvement. If it's a matter of server performance, nerfing solars cannot fix that issue unless you make them utterly useless.

So I'd be interested in knowing what, exactly, you do think reducing solar power production will accomplish.

Shadowclaimer · Nov 16th 2011

Configurable Outputs would be very nice.

HeadHunter67 · Nov 16th 2011

On that, I think we can all agree.

BrickedKeyboard · Nov 16th 2011

With MCP and 20 minutes of work you can adjust the outputs right there in the source code. I'll PM anyone the modified files I used if you ask me, and if you want a different nerf ratio than I choose (I just cut solar output in half) then I'll make it that way if you'd like.

On my server, solar out = 1/2, wind = 0.7, water is unchanged, and nuke = 5x more fuel life.

n1ght5talker · Nov 17th 2011

Quote from BrickedKeyboard

With MCP and 20 minutes of work you can adjust the outputs right there in the source code. I'll PM anyone the modified files I used if you ask me, and if you want a different nerf ratio than I choose (I just cut solar output in half) then I'll make it that way if you'd like.

On my server, solar out = 1/2, wind = 0.7, water is unchanged, and nuke = 5x more fuel life.

This sounds great, I've sent you a PM but I think your balance is kind of what I would use.

And to answer Trifler, I think you're focusing totally on the wrong point. I'm not going to argue about what should be done with power generation of whether there is a balance issue. I didn't even realise there even was an issue with solar panels and CPU. I just think the user (or server admin) should be able to set there own balance. So Trifler, please ignore everything I said about what I would do and just focus on the main part of the suggestion: Allowing the user (Server Admin) to balance power how THEY wish. Everything else is just what I would do with this new configuration ability.

Alblaka · Nov 17th 2011

Due to the ridicolous upcoming of complaints and flamewars caused by the whole solar-op-discussion (started by an entirely unknown Let's-Play-Maker) i will implement exactly this idea.

Gives everyone the ability to fix the issue for himself/his server in whatever way he likes.

MagusUnion · Nov 18th 2011

Quote from Alblaka

Due to the ridicolous upcoming of complaints and flamewars caused by the whole solar-op-discussion (started by an entirely unknown Let's-Play-Maker) i will implement exactly this idea.

Gives everyone the ability to fix the issue for himself/his server in whatever way he likes.

lol

Any fears that this option, while being the best option, will cause major divides in the IC community as far as which energy generation is the 'most proper' energy generation method to use?

(while granted, it is a silly point to argue due to the amount of choices that we have.. lol)

HeadHunter67 · Nov 18th 2011

Quote from MagusUnion

Any fears that this option, while being the best option, will cause major divides in the IC community as far as which energy generation is the 'most proper' energy generation method to use?

It will, among the group of people who feel that everyone should play the way they want you to... in other words, the ones that called for blanket nerfs and got this instead. But it won't concern me - I've never bothered to govern my entertainment by someone else's standard of applicability or propriety.

The irony is, those so-called "purists" would be viewed the same way by those who think that Vanilla Minecraft is the only "right" way to play.

MagusUnion · Nov 18th 2011

Quote from HeadHunter67

It will, among the group of people who feel that everyone should play the way they want you to... in other words, the ones that called for blanket nerfs and got this instead. But it won't concern me - I've never bothered to govern my entertainment by someone else's standard of applicability or propriety.

The irony is, those so-called "purists" would be viewed the same way by those who think that Vanilla Minecraft is the only "right" way to play.

Well... it's not as bad as BTW community in terms of purist... that's for sure...

But it's a damn shame that some people don't understand why the technology exists in the first place.. kinda wish ALba had coded in some pollution effect to go along with some of the machine usage... (smog, industrial acids, etc.)

HeadHunter67 · Nov 18th 2011

I don't think it would give most people pause. Steve is a one man strip-mine, leaving deforestation, terrain deformation and uncontrolled runoff in his wake. He's a walking ecocaust of animal cruelty and irreversible ecological change.

Then again, as the presumed Last Man In The World, he isn't exactly accountable to anyone, is he?

MagusUnion · Nov 18th 2011

Quote from HeadHunter67

I don't think it would give most people pause. Steve is a one man strip-mine, leaving deforestation, terrain deformation and uncontrolled runoff in his wake. He's a walking ecocaust of animal cruelty and irreversible ecological change.

Then again, as the presumed Last Man In The World, he isn't exactly accountable to anyone, is he?

Wow... with that kind of statement... I almost want to root for the creepers/zombies/skeletons for doing the MC world(s) a favor.. lol

And I do forget the fact you can just restart on a 'new world' if the pollution gets out of hand. Wonder where the restart button is on Earth...

HeadHunter67 · Nov 18th 2011

Someone made this sig about that:

MagusUnion · Nov 20th 2011

Oddly enough, he's about right... lol

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