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Post by mikeck on Oct 27, 2016 22:54:42 GMT
I just finished the Ceres mission and the designer is open to me. I took a look and .....uh....well I feel like a moron. How do I even start learning this stuff? I have no idea how different shaped mirrors or sizes of things or percentage of stuff affects anything. I tried to just build but I have no idea why things aren't working or not working.
I don't think there is a guide outside of the developer board, but is there a process I should follow? I've seen forum members say things about how you should "learn how lasers work and then build it b/c the tech is accurate". Fair enough but is that the only way? I have to study physics, chemistry, particle physics etc?
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Post by ross128 on Oct 27, 2016 23:11:09 GMT
There are three things I generally do when I'm puzzling over a design.
1: Look at stock modules that are similar to what I want, and use duplicates of them as a starting point.
2: Pick sliders at random, slide them up and down to see what they do.
3: Look at other people's designs on the forum to see what they did.
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Post by jonen on Oct 27, 2016 23:11:53 GMT
I just finished the Ceres mission and the designer is open to me. I took a look and .....uh....well I feel like a moron. How do I even start learning this stuff? I have no idea how different shaped mirrors or sizes of things or percentage of stuff affects anything. I tried to just build but I have no idea why things aren't working or not working. I don't think there is a guide outside of the developer board, but is there a process I should follow? I've seen forum members say things about how you should "learn how lasers work and then build it b/c the tech is accurate". Fair enough but is that the only way? I have to study physics, chemistry, particle physics etc? Duplicate stock designs, fiddle with the various options and see what happens, you'll figure it out as you go. Look around the forums when people post their own designs, see what they've done and steal let yourself be inspired. |
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Post by the_Demongod on Oct 28, 2016 1:03:35 GMT
Start with simpler things like conventional rocket engines and cannons. Nuclear warheads aren't terrible either. Unfortunately, things that involve controlled nuclear fission (thermoelectric fission reactors, nuclear thermal rockets) are a whole order of magnitude more complex, and anything involving linear accelerators/motors (coilguns, railguns, magnetoplasmadynamic thrusters) aren't much better. I haven't even looked at lasers yet...
Also, drones and missiles are much easier to build and quite fun, so I'd recommend starting there.
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Post by dragonkid11 on Oct 28, 2016 1:05:09 GMT
Same as everyone else, duplicate working design, and start touching EVERYTHING until it chucks out the number you want.
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Post by jonen on Oct 28, 2016 12:38:21 GMT
Start with simpler things like conventional rocket engines and cannons. Nuclear warheads aren't terrible either. Unfortunately, things that involve controlled nuclear fission (thermoelectric fission reactors, nuclear thermal rockets) are a whole order of magnitude more complex, and anything involving linear accelerators/motors (coilguns, railguns, magnetoplasmadynamic thrusters) aren't much better. I haven't even looked at lasers yet... Also, drones and missiles are much easier to build and quite fun, so I'd recommend starting there. Laser is not difficult, da-ze. (Well, okay, memes aside, it's probably easier to make a laser that works than a coilgun that works, but probably harder to make a laser that's actually effective.) |
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Post by n2maniac on Oct 30, 2016 9:28:48 GMT
Start with simpler things like conventional rocket engines and cannons. Nuclear warheads aren't terrible either. Unfortunately, things that involve controlled nuclear fission (thermoelectric fission reactors, nuclear thermal rockets) are a whole order of magnitude more complex, and anything involving linear accelerators/motors (coilguns, railguns, magnetoplasmadynamic thrusters) aren't much better. I haven't even looked at lasers yet... Also, drones and missiles are much easier to build and quite fun, so I'd recommend starting there. Laser is not difficult, da-ze. (Well, okay, memes aside, it's probably easier to make a laser that works than a coilgun that works, but probably harder to make a laser that's actually effective.) Effective laser: take a stock one, increase the exit aperature (2x aperature => 2x range or 4x damage), hope it does not make your craft turn into swiss cheese after stray fire breaks it off. |
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Post by jonen on Oct 30, 2016 9:54:50 GMT
Effective laser: take a stock one, increase the exit aperature (2x aperature => 2x range or 4x damage), hope it does not make your craft turn into swiss cheese after stray fire breaks it off. Also, the only reason to ever give a laser less than 250 km range is to shorten engagement times for ships intended to be kinetic brawlers. |
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Post by Durandal on Oct 31, 2016 18:22:57 GMT
Effective laser: take a stock one, increase the exit aperature (2x aperature => 2x range or 4x damage), hope it does not make your craft turn into swiss cheese after stray fire breaks it off. Also, the only reason to ever give a laser less than 250 km range is to shorten engagement times for ships intended to be kinetic brawlers. After finally taking a swing at 1+ GW reactor and "superlasers" I'm on board with this too. |
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