Just an idea I had for a new module. This post is a bit long, hopefully you will forgive me. I have made more than a few builds where some of the internal compartments were not the proper size for some of the modules I was fitting (i.e. modules with restricted sizes such as discovery scanners, limpets, interdictors, etc...) and I was left with some unused space in my ship. This doesn't really make any sense to me, considering that free space is at a premium in ships. It would make sense if we could divide the compartment into 2 or more smaller compartments to use this extra space.
First off, I don't want to have compartment dividers work purely on actual compartment volume, as this would create some serious game balance issues. Each class of module is twice the size of the same module of a class lower. For example a class 6 shield generator is the size and mass of two class 5 shield generators put together. This means that if I were to put a class 5 limpet controller in a size 6 compartment, there would be enough room left over in that compartment to put a second class 5 limpet controller in it (or a comparable module, like a 32T cargo rack full of limpets). Taken to the extreme, this would mean that a size 8 slot contains enough space to fit 128 class 1 limpet controllers, which would be hilariously impractical, and, if they were all used at the same time, could probably cause some serious framerate issues and/or crash the game.
Instead, I propose that compartment dividers divide the compartment into smaller compartments with the sum of the compartment sizes equalling that of the original compartment. For example, a size 6 compartment could be divided into 2 slots in 3 ways: 5+1, 4+2, or 3+3. I feel that this would allow for more options with outfitting without being completely broken. This would be especially noticeable on smaller ships or ships with fewer compartments, and should offer more choice to players on whether they want to use a bigger ship for a task or if they want to use a smaller ship that can do the same thing, with some limitations.
In order to divide a compartment, players would need to fit a compartment divider to an optional internal slot. Dividers should not be compatible with military or commerce slots. Once a divider has been fitted, they can then fit modules into the slots of the divider (similar to SRVs and SLFs). The number of the divided compartments would be determined by the grade of divider, with C having 2 slots, B having 3 slots and A having the maximum 4 slots.
By now, some of you might be asking, "What prevents a player from stacking multiple modules of the same type into divided compartments to massively improve effectiveness?" The answer to this is that it would not be in their best interest to do so. Most module types improve exponentially with class or are limited to one per ship. No pilot in their right mind would divide a class 6 compartment into a pair of class 3 cargo racks. The only exceptions to this are HRPs, MRPs, and limpet controllers.
For HRPs and MRPs, higher classes of modules are inferior IN ALL RESPECTS to a collection of lower class modules. Fortunately, putting a divider between a pair of MRPs or HRPs makes absolutely no sense, so it would make sense if MRPs and HRPs were restricted from divided compartments.
For limpet controllers, it is a bit more complicated. Each class of limpet controller has a higher limpet count, a longer range and a lower power draw per limpet. However, having 5 class 1 controllers will give you more limpets than a single class 5 controller. A solution to this would be to reduce the total class of the divided slots by one for each additional slot after the first 2. This would mean that you could divide a size 6 into 5+1, 4+2, 3+3 as well as 2+2+1, 3+1+1, and 1+1+1+1. So, if you wanted to put limpet controllers into a class 6 slot, you could use a 5+1, 3+3, 3+1+1, or 1+1+1+1. While using a 1+1+1+1 is cheaper than a 5+1, it would use ~25% more power, have less range, and may have less limpets depending on the type of controller. If anything, a 3+3 would be the best option, as it would draw the least amount of energy, be reasonably cheap, and still have a decent range.
This is just an idea I had, everything here is just a suggestion. It seems like a few people might have similar ideas, but I haven't read their posts and don't know how or on what scale they want to see them implemented. Any feedback/suggestions are welcome!
Edit: I looked at a few other suggestions for things like this. Doesn't look like this will be happening soon. I'm still interested to hear what people think though!
Edit 2: Going by what people are saying, it looks like some people think that this would apply to ALL types of slots. This is not what I had in mind, as this would be even harder to balance and/or be completely useless. Dividers would be for optional modules only.
First off, I don't want to have compartment dividers work purely on actual compartment volume, as this would create some serious game balance issues. Each class of module is twice the size of the same module of a class lower. For example a class 6 shield generator is the size and mass of two class 5 shield generators put together. This means that if I were to put a class 5 limpet controller in a size 6 compartment, there would be enough room left over in that compartment to put a second class 5 limpet controller in it (or a comparable module, like a 32T cargo rack full of limpets). Taken to the extreme, this would mean that a size 8 slot contains enough space to fit 128 class 1 limpet controllers, which would be hilariously impractical, and, if they were all used at the same time, could probably cause some serious framerate issues and/or crash the game.
Instead, I propose that compartment dividers divide the compartment into smaller compartments with the sum of the compartment sizes equalling that of the original compartment. For example, a size 6 compartment could be divided into 2 slots in 3 ways: 5+1, 4+2, or 3+3. I feel that this would allow for more options with outfitting without being completely broken. This would be especially noticeable on smaller ships or ships with fewer compartments, and should offer more choice to players on whether they want to use a bigger ship for a task or if they want to use a smaller ship that can do the same thing, with some limitations.
In order to divide a compartment, players would need to fit a compartment divider to an optional internal slot. Dividers should not be compatible with military or commerce slots. Once a divider has been fitted, they can then fit modules into the slots of the divider (similar to SRVs and SLFs). The number of the divided compartments would be determined by the grade of divider, with C having 2 slots, B having 3 slots and A having the maximum 4 slots.
By now, some of you might be asking, "What prevents a player from stacking multiple modules of the same type into divided compartments to massively improve effectiveness?" The answer to this is that it would not be in their best interest to do so. Most module types improve exponentially with class or are limited to one per ship. No pilot in their right mind would divide a class 6 compartment into a pair of class 3 cargo racks. The only exceptions to this are HRPs, MRPs, and limpet controllers.
For HRPs and MRPs, higher classes of modules are inferior IN ALL RESPECTS to a collection of lower class modules. Fortunately, putting a divider between a pair of MRPs or HRPs makes absolutely no sense, so it would make sense if MRPs and HRPs were restricted from divided compartments.
For limpet controllers, it is a bit more complicated. Each class of limpet controller has a higher limpet count, a longer range and a lower power draw per limpet. However, having 5 class 1 controllers will give you more limpets than a single class 5 controller. A solution to this would be to reduce the total class of the divided slots by one for each additional slot after the first 2. This would mean that you could divide a size 6 into 5+1, 4+2, 3+3 as well as 2+2+1, 3+1+1, and 1+1+1+1. So, if you wanted to put limpet controllers into a class 6 slot, you could use a 5+1, 3+3, 3+1+1, or 1+1+1+1. While using a 1+1+1+1 is cheaper than a 5+1, it would use ~25% more power, have less range, and may have less limpets depending on the type of controller. If anything, a 3+3 would be the best option, as it would draw the least amount of energy, be reasonably cheap, and still have a decent range.
This is just an idea I had, everything here is just a suggestion. It seems like a few people might have similar ideas, but I haven't read their posts and don't know how or on what scale they want to see them implemented. Any feedback/suggestions are welcome!
Edit: I looked at a few other suggestions for things like this. Doesn't look like this will be happening soon. I'm still interested to hear what people think though!
Edit 2: Going by what people are saying, it looks like some people think that this would apply to ALL types of slots. This is not what I had in mind, as this would be even harder to balance and/or be completely useless. Dividers would be for optional modules only.
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