Internal Compartment Splitting Service

Fuel scoops are made of magnetic fields, so they actually weight less than paper.

Thanks for the link.
The magnetic field is the effect, but it depends on some specialized emitter. Also, the amassed fuel should be compressed and somehow safely injected into the fuel tank, again some hardware. Half a ton is reasonable.
 
don't screw with internal slots. allow crafting to improve/combine modules. for instance, craft together a surface scanner with an advanced discovery scanner, make it size 2, weigh 20-40% MORE than the sum of those two components, and draw 10-20% more power to run than the sum of those two components. now it fits in the size 2, costs more weight, costs more power, but doesn't waste the compartment.

you have use for crafting, had to purchase both components to begin with, it costs weight and power, and you have the benefit of both. or you could reduce power and weight and just waste the space.. it becomes a choice the player must make, balancing space with weight and power.
 
One of the most extreme example where such a service is in need is the Anaconda. Its compartment list ends in the sizes 4, 4, 4, 2. To equip both exploration scanners and a docking computer, one has to fill 2x class 4 compartments and 1x class 2, despite all 3 modules would physically fit into a single class 4 with lots of room to spare. By splitting up that lists into 4, 4, 3, 2, 1, 1, 1, 1 all three modules can be equipped with no wasted internal volume.

Actually the Anaconda is a good example of not needing it. If any ship has a metric ton of internals for exploration, it is the Conda. Unless you plan on packing your Conda full of multiple AFMU and multiple Cargo racks then it does not matter that two slots get wasted by the scanners.
 
Thanks for the link.
The magnetic field is the effect, but it depends on some specialized emitter. Also, the amassed fuel should be compressed and somehow safely injected into the fuel tank, again some hardware. Half a ton is reasonable.

True, but they are talking about putting it on very light probes in the ton range, so it can't be very big to implement.
 
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The OP suggestion is a bit silly because you could have a Cobra MkIII with 28 Class 1 Hull Re-enforcements.

Nathdixon92's suggestion is somewhat more reasonable.

Ultimately I don't think all this is needed, but what I think is needed is for some of these "utility modules" (i.e. discovery scanners, limpet controllers) to have options to combine them. These are the changes I'd make.

- Add a class 3 combined advanced discovery/detailed surface scanner for around 3,000,000 credits.
- Add a class 2 combined advanced discovery/detailed surface scanner for around 10,000,000 credits.
- Buff limpet controllers by making it so they can fire limpets equal to their class (so class 3 limpet controllers are now class 2, class 5 -> class 3, class 7 -> class 4).
- Add "generic limpet controller" that can fire any limpet, and can fire a number of limpets equal to it's class minus one (i.e. minimum class is two).

This would effectively free up a little bit of space in multirole ships without breaking the system. Currently a generic exploration/mining ship you need:

adv discovery scanner
detailed surface scanner
SRV
refinery
prospector limpet
collector limpet
fuel scoop
shield generator
cargo rack

That's nine compartments. My proposal would reduce it to seven. That's hardly unbalancing but it does at least make mining/exploration ships a little more viable.

Lets take the ASP Explorer under this system:

Class 6 cargo rack
Class 5 shield generator
Class 3 combined advanced discovery/detailed surface scanner
Class 3 generic limpet controller
Class 3 refinery
Class 2 srv
Class 2 fuel scoop

You've had to make some compromises here. The class 3 generic limpet controller can only control two limpets, which means one collector and one prospector (unless you finish mining and kill the prospector). The fuel scoop is poor. You'd have to either downgrade the shield or upgrade the combined scanner to a class 2 model to fit more space, but the former is dangerous and the latter expensive.

But at least my approach makes mining/exploration, two natural professions to put together, possible. Whereas currently it's only practical in an Anaconda, which I think is a bit silly.
 
Maybe would be enough if for example, size 6 could be split to 1x4 + 1x5. You lose always just one point of size in the progress.

The only time that I would like to split slots is when I am designing pirate ships.

Another option could be, that they just introduce more ships with plenty of internals & utility.
 
Easy implementation... splitter module that's basically the planetary vehicle hanger, size 5 would have 2 size 3 internals you could put in it.
 
What really bugs me is I need to dump the fuel scoop to have the docking computer!!!
At least make the docking computer a subscription service: it's reasonable to assume each station scans each ship near its landing pads and interior and close proximity zone. The station can broadcast personalized docking directions to landing ships, as a chargeable service (something like 10 credits per landing or egress).
That way, landing computer won't take an entire hold and also won't need additional hardware. It's fly by remote, with external sensors.
After 500 or so landings, it's not so funny any more doing the same maneuver over and over...
 
Easy implementation... splitter module that's basically the planetary vehicle hanger, size 5 would have 2 size 3 internals you could put in it.

I would suggest a module that comes in odd sizes, 3 5 and 7, which contained 2 slots that are half the size (rounded down). So a class 3 internal could fit two class 1s, a class 5 split to two class 2s etc. Make a limit of one splitter module per ship, same as only one shield generator or fuel scoop.
 
Ok, hadn't thought of the single use option, but I love it.

Can split a hold to get one extra slot, but downgrades one of the higher ones and only gives a lower class for the 2 you get.
 
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