As the thread title says, I want to understand the differences between the two. Both SEEM to offer better thrust and improved top speed, but I can't work out which gives better top speed overall ... and why! The parameters don't seem clear (not to me anyway!) in the description as to EXACTLY what effect they have! Which is better for Exploration, and which for combat? The engineer 'blurb' suggests BOTH are good for exploration, but then there's other comments and parameters that vary that I can't quite get my head around as to exactly what effect they have. Anyone care to spell it out in plain english? Please?
Ships Thrusters - Clean vs Dirty drives, not clear what the differences are?
- Thread starter Skyfire
- Start date
Engineers - Clean Drives vs Dirty Drives - Explain the difference please?
I have tried a bit of both (only to G2 so far) and both seem to improve boost speed, and have some effect on mass and power usage. Can anyone explain the actual benefits of each type, as I can't seem to find a definitive answer in straightforward language .... and a single paragraph type of...
I've just realised that was your post too!
✌Look, I've less than 150 hours in game but from what I understand:
Clean:
much more energy consumption
more agility
more speed
less heat
Dirty:
more energy consumption
much more agility
much more speed
more heat
So both improve thruster performance in terms of speed (movement rates in all three cartesian directions) and agility (movement rate in all three rotational directions). dirty improves more than clean.
Clean consumes more power than dirty but produces less heat.
Use dirty for max speed and when you don't have heat problems. Use clean when you are worried about heat and have more power to spare.
That's how I understand with my limited experience.
EDIT: Well, the link provided above seems to explain all I wrote
Clean:
much more energy consumption
more agility
more speed
less heat
Dirty:
more energy consumption
much more agility
much more speed
more heat
So both improve thruster performance in terms of speed (movement rates in all three cartesian directions) and agility (movement rate in all three rotational directions). dirty improves more than clean.
Clean consumes more power than dirty but produces less heat.
Use dirty for max speed and when you don't have heat problems. Use clean when you are worried about heat and have more power to spare.
That's how I understand with my limited experience.
EDIT: Well, the link provided above seems to explain all I wrote
Last edited:
Um ... Ah! I had completely forgotten about that post ... and it didn't come up when I tried searching the subject!Engineers - Clean Drives vs Dirty Drives - Explain the difference please?
I have tried a bit of both (only to G2 so far) and both seem to improve boost speed, and have some effect on mass and power usage. Can anyone explain the actual benefits of each type, as I can't seem to find a definitive answer in straightforward language .... and a single paragraph type of...forums.frontier.co.uk
I've just realised that was your post too!
There are significant changes to the thrusters optimal mass, e.g. 6A - stock 1440, 6A dirty + drag drives 1260 and clean + drive distributors 1426, in some edge cases like a Viper 3 using enhanced thrusters dirty + drive distributors give better speed than drag drives.
It's hard to measure but I think clean + drive distributors also causes less drift.
It's hard to measure but I think clean + drive distributors also causes less drift.
Higher optimal mass is only an advantage if it leaves you with a higher final multiplier. Sometimes drive distributors will be better than drag drives for certain small vessels, but clean is never better than dirty of the same grade for speed or maneuverability.
The only ultimately advantageous attribute of clean drives is the reduced thermal load, which only applies when the thrusters are actively accelerating the ship. It's most noticeable while maneuvering in gravity wells.
The only ultimately advantageous attribute of clean drives is the reduced thermal load, which only applies when the thrusters are actively accelerating the ship. It's most noticeable while maneuvering in gravity wells.