What exactly is the impact of shield pips?

[ziphnor]

Hi,

When i started playing elite i assumed that the shield pips acted in a similar manner to the old XWing/Tie fighter games, where it controlled the recharge rate of the shields. But then in those games, having less than 2 pips would slowly discharge your shield, 2 would maintain it at its current health and more would recharge it.

Obviously it doesn´t work like that in Elite (it never discharges by itself), so i am wondering exactly how it does work, because right now i only increase the shield pips *after* i have been hit, assuming that it only affected recharge rate. So, does anyone know if it affect shield strength, shield recharge rate or both?

 

[Hexcaliber]

Pips also affect shield durability and the increase is exponential, where you are in a tight spot you want four pips in shields so it is harder to break them.

 

[DeltaW7]

Shield strength only

 

[jabokai]

and the increase is exponential

They changed that didn't they? I believe it's linear now. 0 and 4 (or 8 if you're counting half pips) are the same as they were but the intermediate points are on a fixed line, no?

https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=92286&p=1487382&viewfull=1#post1487382

 

[EMarkM]

Shield strength only

Ah, interesting.

I was under the impression it helped recharge rate once they'd gone completely. Not from observation; I just assumed it.

So I've been merrily pumping mine to four when my shields have gone, hoping they'd come back more quickly.

Would Sys help with that, then, or does nothing affect the recharge rate?

 

[CmdrZaratan]

Ah, interesting.

I was under the impression it helped recharge rate once they'd gone completely. Not from observation; I just assumed it.

So I've been merrily pumping mine to four when my shields have gone, hoping they'd come back more quickly.

Would Sys help with that, then, or does nothing affect the recharge rate?

I believe Sys is used to recharge shields, and with no pips in shields they stop recharging once you run out of sys. So you need to ensure a pip in shields to make sure they come back online at least occasionally.

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They changed that didn't they? I believe it's linear now. 0 and 4 (or 8 if you're counting half pips) are the same as they were but the intermediate points are on a fixed line, no?

https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=92286&p=1487382&viewfull=1#post1487382

I saw a graph that suggested it was still a curve with 4 still considerably better than 3.

 

[Joe Spivey]

The power distributer thingy is the gadget that makes your shield regenerate faster.... yes, I'm like that when I have to take the car to the garage too.

 

[gary.brain]

Official Answer from the Manual.

6. Power Distributor:

This graphic represents the currently available amount of energy in your ship’s capacitors, and the ratio at which power is distributed to them
from the vessel’s power plant. This is represented by a number of “pips” underneath each bar. The more pips a bar has, the more quickly it is refilled.

There are three ‘capacitors’ within the power distribution system, and you can choose which sub-systems to prioritise:

SYS: This displays how much energy is available to recharge shields and power defensive modules. In addition, the more pips assigned, the more resistant shields are to attack.

ENG: This displays how much energy is available to initiate emergency thrust (boost). In addition, the more pips assigned, the more manoeuvrable and fast the ship becomes.

WEP: This displays how much energy is available to cool weapon systems.

source : http://hosting.zaonce.net/elite/website/assets/ELITE-DANGEROUS-MANUAL.pdf

 

[Weps]

Pips do affect the regeneration rate, in the sense that if your capacitor is empty, having more pips will divert more power "through" the capacitor and towards recharging the shields.

The capacitor acts as a buffer if you will. If you have energy in this buffer, the shields will recharge as fast as they can, consuming it. Putting pips into systems will help keep this buffer from draining and recharge it when it is empty. Shield recharge in turn works from the buffer.

 

[Dannyc]

Now Im confused as I only ever see SYS WEP and ENG.. Have I been doing it wrong all this time :{

 

[skydivertricky]

Ah, interesting.

I was under the impression it helped recharge rate once they'd gone completely. Not from observation; I just assumed it.

So I've been merrily pumping mine to four when my shields have gone, hoping they'd come back more quickly.

Would Sys help with that, then, or does nothing affect the recharge rate?

Yes it is required, but not directly.
When your shields recharge, they drain energy from the capacitor. When the capacitor is empty, the recharge rate goes to almost 0. 2 pips puts enough energy in the capacitor to maintain the recharge. So switch all pips to engines when shields are down to run away, and then quickly swap back to 4 pips sys when the cap is empty to recharge it.

 

[Joe Spivey]

Official Answer from the Manual.

6. Power Distributor:

This graphic represents the currently available amount of energy in your ship’s capacitors, and the ratio at which power is distributed to them
from the vessel’s power plant. This is represented by a number of “pips” underneath each bar. The more pips a bar has, the more quickly it is refilled.

There are three ‘capacitors’ within the power distribution system, and you can choose which sub-systems to prioritise:

SYS: This displays how much energy is available to recharge shields and power defensive modules. In addition, the more pips assigned, the more resistant shields are to attack.

ENG: This displays how much energy is available to initiate emergency thrust (boost). In addition, the more pips assigned, the more manoeuvrable and fast the ship becomes.

WEP: This displays how much energy is available to cool weapon systems.

source : http://hosting.zaonce.net/elite/website/assets/ELITE-DANGEROUS-MANUAL.pdf

That's the one! The better the power distributer, the faster your shields get their oomph back.

 

[EMarkM]

Excellent, thanks everyone. Looks like I have been using the right tactic after all. Just got thrown by the earlier "strength only" response.

 

[Dannyc]

Thank goodness for that.. from the posts I have been looking for some mysterious SHL bar

 

[ziphnor]

Official Answer from the Manual.
SYS: This displays how much energy is available to recharge shields and power defensive modules. In addition, the more pips assigned, the more resistant shields are to attack.

RTFM Never thought to look in there, as this game is usually so poorly documented.

Still, its not completely clear. How does the amount of energy available affect the recharge rate? Does it charge faster when more energy is available, or just charge at max rate as long as the bar isn´t empty (from other answers here i gather it is the latter?).

Would be nice to know how much it affects the shield strength though.