Retrofit Rant

Slick · #1 February 13th, 2005, 02:10 PM

Not a real rant, but I just wanted to mention that it is frustrating to me that the retrofit cost plan doesn't make sense. The way it stands, you can upgrade a very old component to the latest tech much cheaper than a newer component due to the older component costing less. There are many examples of this but one that bothers me is that Spaceyard component. Upgrading a Spaceyard I to Spaceyard III is cheaper than upgrading a Spaceyard II to a Spaceyard III. It would seem that this should be the other way around, but since the Spaceyard I costs less than the Spaceyard II, it is cheaper to remove.

Ok, I feel better now.

Caduceus · #2 February 13th, 2005, 02:16 PM

So following that logic, you keep mothballed fleets to save minerals with a mass upgrade once you get PDC 5?

Hrm.

/me wanders away to ponder this

geoschmo · #3 February 13th, 2005, 03:06 PM

I don't see why retrofitting an earlier component would be more expensive then retrofitting an older component. However, I agree it also doesn't really make sense that retrofitting a newer component should more expensive either. I guess what you are suggesting would be the removal cost be some sort of flat rate, or perhaps based on tonnage instead of a percentage of the cost of the component being removed?

Suicide Junkie · #4 February 13th, 2005, 03:12 PM

I would suggest making it somewhat negative, since you're effectively scrapping the old component.

Slick · #5 February 13th, 2005, 03:42 PM

Ok, reality does not apply to a game such as SEIV, but let's not debate that. I would think that an upgrade is not a complete trashing of the old component and a complete installation of the new component. The closer the 2 components are to each other, the less would need to be changed. Thus, there would be more work to upgrade a more obsolete design and its cost should reflect that.

This gets into some sticky points. What about components that get cheaper as they get more advanced? What then?

That's my $0.02

Zereth · #6 February 13th, 2005, 06:33 PM

I never thought it made much sense that you pay extra for the component you're putting in, _and_ pay part of the cost of the component you're taking _out_. Shouldn't you get something _Back_ from the old component, if anything? If nothing else, you could break it down for scrap or something. As well as the fact that you apparently compeltely remove your old DUC III to put in a DUC IV.

Fyron · #7 February 14th, 2005, 03:59 AM

Quote:

Given that these are the only 2 moddable lines (not counting cost of the components) that affect this aspect of retrofitting and that the other retrofit mechanics are hard-coded, this can't be adequately addressed in SEIV unless there is another patch to the exe. But it can be brought up here for SEV.

It can, after a fashion. Make the cost to remove -10. Now, removing a more expensive (hence higher level) component will give you back more resources than removing a cheaper component, so it will cost less to upgrade DUC IV to V than it would DUC I to V.

There are only a few components that get cheaper with more tech levels in stock SE4 (I can only think of engines), so they would be the exception for more obselete components being more expensive to upgrade from than less obselete components.

Atrocities · #8 February 14th, 2005, 05:08 AM

Retrofitting is heavily over rated. Don't be fooled, it is not as practical as you might think. Sure retrofitting a ship is cool, even using the retro series designs is neat, but making it actually work in your favor is a real PITA. Good luck and enjoy.

Fyron · #9 February 14th, 2005, 05:56 AM

Retrofitting ships is a necessity... you can keep your DUC armed ships without sensors or ECM, I'll retrofit mine to the latest tech.

Atrocities · #10 February 14th, 2005, 06:08 AM

I never have time to retrofit anything in a PBW game. By the time the ships are retrofitted, the game is over, or the design is so obsolete that the ship is worthless.