Right now, it seems like fabricators always use a constant amount of energy, even if a metal-stall means that they are contributing less mass they they would at max capability. This is different from FA, where engineers and factories used less energy during a mass-stall. Question is, which approach do you think is better? It seems that the current PA approach is more micromanagement intensive, since it forces you to go around cancelling things whenever you stall metal, or else you waste energy. Given that the designers want the focus to be on the macro-level, it seems like the cancel-uncancel work this mechanic encourages runs counter to their design goals - indicating that the Supcom/FA approach would be better suited. Agree? Am I missing anything?
I remember them spelling it out to be this way. I think the other way makes sense, unless it was meant to reward economy management (don't use too many fabbers without metal and keep adding to them), or to teach better play. Last time this thread came up, i said it is really poor technique to metal stall. That isn't my argument because i don't see it as necessary anyway, besides you could never over simplify this economy game for a larger newbie player base. Honestly energy stall shouldn't even slow down metal, because a newbie is already at a disadvantage. Besides, both make sense in the way that it should come auto for the mexes and fabbers not to intentionally be inefficient
They're different implementations with identical outcomes. Instead of having everything stop and start in the TA model (which I think was how SUPCOM worked it too), you have a reduction in efficiency. This leads to exactly the same thing: building slows down in direct correlation to overspend. If you reduced energy usage during stalls then you'd need to change to the start-stop model to ensure there was an economic hit (otherwise why avoid stalls?) and so you've just changed the entire model for no gameplay purpose. I will say though that I think the start-stop model is far more intuitive. It's easier to see the stall happening as nanolathes cut out and back in again, as I see my energy bar drain and fill and outgoings suddenly start fluctuating. I think the efficiency method is far more opaque to most players, and it also makes it far harder to scout out the impact of your economic raiding.
Not sure if we're understanding each other: if I'm understanding you right, a the start-stop model you're proposing would have the same effect as reducing energy usage during metal stalls - since no energy would be consumed when your econ briefly halts. Basically, I'm saying that if a fabber is contributing metal at 50% its max rate, it should also be consuming energy at 50% its max rate, since the alternative involves a bunch of tedious build-cancelling micro to avoid energy loss.
Which long verse says what i said. On one hand, it's not newbies friendly to have a stall completely waste a resource and cause a crippling against another player who if not stalling is still doing better and doesn't need another snowball mechanic. While the argument to that, is that it encourages poor game play and doesn't reward someone who is doing something better. The new thing i heard from this is how nanolathe doesn't appear to show stall. I could swear it does slow down the animation based on how servere the stall. Then again, what would be more obvious is if the animation was exaggerated as clear as night is from day. Make the lathe sputter or trickle.
Precisely, I've heard the animation changes but who the hell can see that, or is even around long enough to notice? The animation should be based on efficiency where 50% usage means nanobots are fired only every other tick.
Earlier in the Alpha, YourLocalMadSci had a really fantastic little UI mod that indicated how efficiently your eco was running and which resource was limiting it. Unfortunately there has been nothing to offer a similar functionality for a while now, but I absolutely adored that mod, and I'm hoping that something similar makes it into the UI mod that we're going to be working on.
Hmm. I seem to recall it was broken by something at some point. Well, that's going to make things easier I just realised that my post was only tangentially related to the OP - I had meant to add that this mod will help to make the current economy system a bit easier to understand.
