Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Jilladilla]

I'd say complete the Itshana process *first*, and work on crystals *later*. Right now, until we finish that process, anything and everything we make is effectively wasted potential, since the crystals will get so much better and more efficient in like two turns anyway.

Didn't Draignean say that Itshana Crystals benefit much less from the generic crystal buffs that finishing the Project grants?... Found it:

Though Itshana Select crystals don't benefit as much from the improvement process (no double dipping), they already incorporate that. The Improvement basically just gives you a small bonus even if you don't pay for the select crystals.

Albeit you do raise a point, but at the same time I was suggesting a potential alternative way of making our transports work, one that would let us grab 3 transports and not leave us with only 2 crystal to play with. Of course, I do agree with staving off actually constructing anything just yet, save that for turn 4.

(...I'm not actually suggesting any crystal work, we have Very Small and Small Core and Lift Crystals, and our transport is meant to carry a Small. I was suggesting shoving a Very Small Itshana Select Core and Lift Crystal into the transport. It probably wouldn't be able to carry as much as it could normally even with the boosted crystals... But Very Small crystals are easier on the crystal stockpile...)

[NUKE9.13]

Yeah, I think we need to settle for two transports. We can take the ore-rich middle Wrethian demi-spire, and the Unfinished. Then the turn after that we can take the left demi-spire, and depending on what Kasgyre does, either bring reinforcements to the Unfinished, or make a move on the Three Captains.

Actually, looking at the Unfinished's description- Massive open rooms and halls- I'm thinking maybe we want our crossbows to have a longer range. Perhaps one of the single-shot designs would be better.

[Madman198237]

Here's what I understand: The Itshana crystals are the prototype(s) that we can choose to produce from what is evidently a prototype FACTORY (Since our project is based around making a better factory/production setup for crystals). You can't take an Itshana crystal and say "Apply this buff" because it IS buffed.

At least, that's what my understanding of prototypes and game mechanics would lead me to believe. If I'm wrong, Draignean please come explain why this is different from the stated system, because I'm slightly confused.

No, giving a transport smaller crystals won't work, I'd guess. They'll be unable to hold up the ship (Especially as there is NO VS lift crystal, because the Dinghy uses only a VS core and three VS (I think) trim crystals).

Anyway, we'll see what Draig says, to check my understanding of what this project was intended to do and what it appears to be doing.

[NUKE9.13]

The Skyskiff is Very Small. I don't think we can use a VS core/lift in a transport, though. They're already as bare-bones as they're gonna get. A VS core/lift wouldn't be able to lift the thing.

The crystals we can spend ore for are Itshana Select crystals, which are 2x as effective as regular Itshana crystals, which are themselves... 1.2x as effective as normal crystals? I'm guessing that second number.

[Jilladilla]

No, giving a transport smaller crystals won't work, I'd guess. They'll be unable to hold up the ship (Especially as there is NO VS lift crystal, because the Dinghy uses only a VS core and three VS (I think) trim crystals).

Not going to comment on what exactly we can do with the Prototype Itshana process as I'm not quite sure what we can do with it either...
So I'll just comment on this, the Skyskiff (You know, our crappy starter gunboat) does use a VS lift crystal. It's trim crystals that we only have one size of. Go read the first page under the Tech Spoiler.

[Draignean]

The Skyskiff is Very Small. I don't think we can use a VS core/lift in a transport, though. They're already as bare-bones as they're gonna get. A VS core/lift wouldn't be able to lift the thing.

The crystals we can spend ore for are Itshana Select crystals, which are 2x as effective as regular Itshana crystals, which are themselves... 1.2x as effective as normal crystals? I'm guessing that second number.

I very clearly specified that the normal Itshana does not stack.
After you finish the project, your crystals improve by 15-25% from base.
Itshana select crystals are 175-200% of base.

Giving a transport a VS core or a VS lift would strain it to the utmost, and would be asking for disaster.  Both would be impossible.
Using Itshana crystals would reduce efficacy by a bit, but the transport could still function reasonably.

[NUKE9.13]

I very clearly specified that the normal Itshana does not stack.

Oh, okay. This is the source of my confusion:

The resulting crystals are very nearly flawless, and can withstand close to double the stresses of crystal of similar weight with Itshana refinement.

[Draignean]

I very clearly specified that the normal Itshana does not stack.

Oh, okay. This is the source of my confusion:

The resulting crystals are very nearly flawless, and can withstand close to double the stresses of crystal of similar weight with Itshana refinement.

Huh. Right, that's because that should be without, not with.

Small mistake, but rather critical.

[Nirur Torir]

I'd really like 3 transports, but we just can't do it (Edit: Or maybe we can now, great). We need the crystal process finished so we can start with them in the production line - Switching that out would be painful.

Questions: Assume we make a small revision to a production pattern, like with the new crystal process or swapping a few cannons out. If we have ships from that line stationed where the production line is, is there a refit option, boosting the line's production for a few turns?
Is it possible to make a new production pattern on a prototype tech, unusable until after the tech is ready?

[Draignean]

I'd really like 3 transports, but we just can't do it (Edit: Or maybe we can now, great). We need the crystal process finished so we can start with them in the production line - Switching that out would be painful.

Questions: Assume we make a small revision to a production pattern, like with the new crystal process or swapping a few cannons out. If we have ships from that line stationed where the production line is, is there a refit option, boosting the line's production for a few turns?
Is it possible to make a new production pattern on a prototype tech, unusable until after the tech is ready?

For simplicity's sake, no. You can replace the vessels at the line's normal production rate.

You can, however, absolutely make design/pattern/tactics decisions based off prototypes.

[Jilladilla]

Thanks Draignean! Great help.

So we can replace the Small Core Crystal with a VS Itshana Core Crystal on the transports, save 3 crystal but spend 3 more ore; we would probably lose some of its 6 cargo capacity however. So these 'budget' transports would be better off not being used to solo ferry troops into potentially contested spires...

Also Draignean, one last question from me:
Can we outfit the Marines from the Academy on a case by case basis normally? (As in, by paying for the gear and handing it to them (Like handing 3 squads crossbows, another 3 squads swords, and 3 squads swords and crossbows?), not by Revising the production pattern. Sorry if the phrasing is confusing.)

[Nirur Torir]

I think outfitting marines on a case-by-case basis is the expected method, since we have no marine cost, and thus can't buy them.

[Madman198237]

So, correct me if I am wrong, but it looks like the intended Itshana design is meant to apply to all crystal production/be a dedicated crystal production setup. NUKE, how did you envision it, and Draignean, how are you going to have this end up?

I seem to have a wrong impression about the refinement process and what it means to do a generic production improvement like that.

[Jilladilla]

So, correct me if I am wrong, but it looks like the intended Itshana design is meant to apply to all crystal production/be a dedicated crystal production setup. NUKE, how did you envision it, and Draignean, how are you going to have this end up?

I seem to have a wrong impression about the refinement process and what it means to do a generic production improvement like that.

Looking at the description, the aether resonance system thingy is going to be attached to all of our crystal vats: That is what gives us the universal boost

It just so happens that adding a specific set of rare and hard to process chemicals to the vat super-charges the effect of the aether resonance system thingy, which is why the good stuff needs ore.
Do remember that we rolled a Two on cost.

[milo christiansen]

We can probably do a revision at some point to reduce cost and repair some of the effect of that 2, but it's probably not worth it just yet. Something to keep in mind though...

Currently crossbow revision votes are split 2:2

Two for more power and removing the optional auto fire and already removable magazine, and two for boosting power and cocking speed but otherwise not messing with the basic design.

We should probably do something to make sure the GM doesn't have to flip a coin...