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Author Topic: Power Relays  (Read 6619 times)

Offline White Claw

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Power Relays
« on: October 24, 2006, 07:31:26 PM »
A mixed method of preventing early game rushes and base spread. I though a power relay station would be interesting.

Rather than allowing a tokamak to be built on one side of the map and power structures located on the other side, they could have a limited area affect. It could be decided if regular structures could also radiate power.

What I'm really thinking is if you make it so units have batteries and use power (similar to OP1). The batteries are rechargable (the unit doesn't just die), but only recharge if it is within range of a power relay. Outside of the relay's range, it draws on battery power. (Limiting it's range.) The units range could later be extended by researching mobile power plants or something.

Not really sure if this is a "power" or "unit" feature. I guess a little bit of both. Mostly just justification as to one reason to need a power relay... But then again, it might just be adding unnecessary complications...
« Last Edit: October 24, 2006, 07:33:15 PM by White Claw »
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Offline Betaray

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Power Relays
« Reply #1 on: October 24, 2006, 07:39:16 PM »
the concept is sound and I like it, but I just don't see how it would fit with the storyline

in op2 they already had cool fusion reactors in all their vecs and in some buildings that could provide power for years on end, why would the degrade back to batteries and fuel cells?
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Offline White Claw

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« Reply #2 on: October 24, 2006, 07:53:04 PM »
This is true. I suppose I was mostly disappointed with the "all buildings receive power through magical microwaves" idea. But you're right, it doesn't make sense for the vechs.
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Offline Chandler

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« Reply #3 on: October 24, 2006, 09:13:08 PM »
He's got a point there... how do they get the power from the toks to the base?

Is it through Microwaves/lasers that beam it to the CC and then the CC distributes it through tubes?
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Offline james239

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« Reply #4 on: October 24, 2006, 10:35:48 PM »
I recall some sort of mentioning of it being sent through microwave. While it is possible to get energy through microwave radiation, I believe the structure recieving the energy would have to be in the direct line of sight of the power source, because microwave radiation is just a different wavelength of light, it wouldn't be able to penetrate a solid object. A tokamak powering a structure from across the map is kinda illogical.
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Offline Betaray

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« Reply #5 on: October 24, 2006, 10:53:32 PM »
this is also a game where a single lynx can shoot out an infinite amount of rpg's

total realism is not the name of the game, especially if it compromises game play
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Offline Freeza-CII

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Power Relays
« Reply #6 on: October 25, 2006, 12:07:33 AM »
Magic is just fine with me. I dont think we need to do this limited ranges effect that alot of other games do.  ONE reason it can cause alot of cluter around the power buildings and most people know that isnt always possible to do.  

Star Craft is one did this with the  Protoss Crystals i didnt like it much caused alot of buildings to become centalized and any building in that influence ring would be fair game if the crystal was killed.

So if the tokamak was kill and the buildings lost the influence area of that tokamak there far game instead of acting like a real power grid and take power from lesser buildings.
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Offline Leviathan

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« Reply #7 on: October 25, 2006, 08:50:43 AM »
I like the idea of a area of effect.
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Offline White Claw

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« Reply #8 on: October 25, 2006, 10:31:21 AM »
For the buildings, I was less concerned direct area affect as with the Psi emitters via SC. (I agree about the "clustering" effect.)

For our considerations, the power could also be relayed via the buildings (some or all?). So taking out one Tok doesn't disable every building in it's influence (eliminate "cluster" effect). Each building acting as a relay would allow a base to spread out (but only so much via Warcraft I). A power relay could be used to extend an area of influence beyond your base to power outer defenses or vechs. (Though I think the idea of vechs is out anyhow.)

Another method of building power distribution would be to force power generation facilities to connect to the base tube system. This would eliminate arguments against making every building a "transmitter" but still have the same effect.

And yes, all of the buildings receive power via microwaves. It is this technology that is used to create the Microwave Lynx.

From Plymouth Mission 3 Brief
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Our scientists believe with more research they can modify existing microwave power transmission technologies to provide us with some protection against Eden’s weaponry.

From the Focused Microwave Projection Teaser
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Inter-colonial relations remain poor, making it prudent to develop some kind of defen-sive capability.  Our most promising research path lies in a refinement of the Microwave technology we use for transmitting power from our Tokamaks to the rest of the colony.

Laser weaponry is created from factory laser systems.

Microwave transmission would be a health hazard. But then again, the colonists are also subject to cosimic radiation. Of course, I don't think I'd want a high powered microwave beam pointed at my head all the time...  :P

"Unlimited RPG/Sticky foam" - also a good point
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Offline Freeza-CII

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« Reply #9 on: October 25, 2006, 12:59:03 PM »
They are using beam they arent just blasting the microwaves out omni directional or in a cone shaped ray.  They are sent in a straight line beam.  The Lynx Microwave tech is this tech only revamped to turn the energy into a destructive coheariant beam.  They wouldnt be using a tech like that for so long if it was dangerous to the colony.  

If you use to much power and go over the limit and have to build a new tokamak to compensate.  Then buildings like your agridomes nuresery university hospital would get that nice red blinking light.] while the other building keep going.  If you lose a tokamak some of your buildings will stay up the bigger buildings usually.
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Offline Savant 231-A

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« Reply #10 on: October 25, 2006, 01:11:35 PM »
ahh come on people, if you like magic, good.
I like with no magic. It should use underground tubing system (the same tube) to connect with all buildings. so we'l get an + on realism.


 
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Offline White Claw

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« Reply #11 on: October 25, 2006, 07:17:32 PM »
Directed radiation (all EM radiation for that matter) always creates side lobe energy. It doesn't matter how focused radiation is, it still scatters. Even a laser has some spread to it, but it acts differently because it isn't an EM type of radiation.

Really my whole point about this thread was to affect the vechs. Mostly in the some way similar to OP1 (but not exactly the same), but the point against that was already made. (revisit?)

The power relays or building transmission was just a way to accomplish the vech support. However, it still might be interesting to limit how far away from the colony a power structure could be built (via tubes, relay, or area effect?).

(And a power relay would still transmit in the same manner as already exists.)
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Offline Freeza-CII

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« Reply #12 on: October 25, 2006, 11:58:58 PM »
So what your saying is if i put the tokamak on the other side of the map i need how ever many numbers of relays to power the base?  

And what is this about Vecs and them being effected by the power?  the vecs have there own fusion reactors and would stay running till they break down or blows up.  the vecs themselves dont need batteries or a relay from the power source.

I think this idea doesnt look at the power source that eden can use the GEOCON.  The fumaroles arent always near the base so any one that is eden would have to build a s*** load of relays?

A range for tokamaks isnt a bad idea.  but i dont know who would build there power plant so far away from there base lol that is just a very very bad idea makes that power plant very easy to blow up.
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Offline White Claw

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« Reply #13 on: October 26, 2006, 10:48:20 PM »
Yes (reading earlier posts) the power relays for vechs doesn't work out because of the cold fusion.

The s*** load of relays would depend on how far you wanted them to transmit.

If building a tok far from your base is a bad idea, then what about building a GEOCON far away from your base? Same issues...

Anyhow, I think this idea/thread is dead since in my first post...

Quote
What I'm really thinking is if you make it so units have batteries and use power (similar to OP1). The batteries are rechargable (the unit doesn't just die), but only recharge if it is within range of a power relay. Outside of the relay's range, it draws on battery power. (Limiting it's range.) The units range could later be extended by researching mobile power plants or something.

Was supposed to be more of a unit limiter with side affects to the main base.
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Offline BlackBox

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Power Relays
« Reply #14 on: October 27, 2006, 02:15:53 PM »
Speaking of the microwave transmission, if you want to justify it with realism, what about this:

Perhaps the power plant transmits a straight beam to the nearest structure hooked into the tube system. At that point it is converted back into electricity (kinda the reverse of a magnetron in a microwave).

From there it is just sent around through ordinary copper cable.

The other thing, would be to use a satellite (they obviously have satellites up there, witness the telemetry satellite that allowed Axen and Emma to talk to each other in the beginning of the novella, even though no spaceport supposedly existed). Who's to say they can't just beam it to all the buildings (put collectors on top of the buildings) from the power station up to a satellite back down again.

Or perhaps just bury cables. Anyway, none of it is really important because no game is perfectly realistic (if it was perfectly realistic the turrets would have to be reloaded, the rail gun / thors hammer would damage itself and the weapon would have to be repaired every once in a while).
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Offline White Claw

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« Reply #15 on: October 27, 2006, 04:13:39 PM »
I'm done with this thread. It wasn't supposed to be about the buildings but about the units.

Unless someone has another idea using power relays, I think this thread is finished.
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Offline Betaray

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« Reply #16 on: October 27, 2006, 04:14:16 PM »
closed
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I am the nincompoop, I eat atomic bombs for breakfest, fusion bombs for lunch, and anti-matter bombs for dinner

I just hope they don't explode
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