SEV question - new design tech levels?

[PvK]

Sorry if this has been answered elsewhere, but if anyone knows, I'd be curious:

* Is there any way to create a new ship design with anything but the latest tech levels? I don't see an option to do that (except by copying an earlier design and only using components from a design when the tech level was lower).

PvK

[Captain Kwok]

No, there is no direct way to add older versions of components at this time. I'm not sure exactly how I feel about it though myself if I'm ok with it or not.

[Renegade 13]

I think it's a foolish limitation. There's many times I like to use lower tech levels, for example, shields. In SEIV, when I'm researching phased shields, but only have the first 2 or 3 levels, I still put Shields 5 on my ships rather than Phased Shields 2. Sometimes it's a necessary thing.

[Captain Kwok]

Those items are separate already. Phased-Shields are not in the same "family" as regular Shields.

And Engines have also been separated, which IMO is the most usual use of older components, so that's why I probably don't care all that much.

[StarShadow]

Speaking of the engines, is this intended or a bug? In SEIV you had to use all quantum engines in order to get the movement bonus, but in SEV you can use (almost) all ion, and stick on one quantum and still get the bonus..

[Captain Kwok]

I'd call that a bug.

[Fyron]

Since construction points spill over to the next project now, there is much less purpose for using older components for build cost optimization.

[StarShadow]

On ships after the 1st..that 1st ship however will (potentially) take longer to complete.

[Fyron]

Only if you start from an empty queue. Whatever points are remaining after the previous item will spill over to that first ship.

[StarShadow]

True..but then again, my queues spend more time empty than full, so it's a valid problem for me..