[Suggestion] Coal power. Steam engines as a Mid tier power source.

[Crimson-Artist]

I was thinking about what we can use coal for other than just smelting and the answer was right in front of me. Coal powered engines!

Right now in the tech progression we go from renewable energies right to hydrogen reactors. This is quite the jump and until we start manufacturing our own hydrogen from water this means that we will be on an extremely limited amount of fuel. Since we have an abundance of coal lying around why not use it to power lower tier reactors that we can put on vehicles.

Steam engines would be the first power source that we craft that is intended to be used on hovercrafts and maybe ships. It would have lower energy output but last much longer. The actual steam engine block will be scaleable but not stretchable. This is to limit how much power you can get from it. If players want more power they will need to place multiple steam engines rather than just stretch out one. More steam engines means they will need to spend more coal, making them impractical for high energy usage builds.

To make them useful into the late game perhaps the steam engines also work with the conveyor system so players can auto fill them with coal. I can even envision people building mining vessels that can power themselves by filtering mined coal into their steam engines.

[surajnairpv]

I like the idea too with using the coal as a basic power source during the beginning of the game but would the steam engine be enough for a hover craft? it's a lot of power requirement to lift up a vehicle and move around. Looks like a unique idea though, if wheels are introduced then steam engine will work.

But I do agree with your suggestion as well to use coal at more places

[Crimson-Artist]

I like the idea too with using the coal as a basic power source during the beginning of the game but would the steam engine be enough for a hover craft? it's a lot of power requirement to lift up a vehicle and move around. Looks like a unique idea though, if wheels are introduced then steam engine will work.

But I do agree with your suggestion as well to use coal at more places

tsuna a while ago said that he did want to add wheels so that might be a possibility. it doesnt necessarily have to be a steam engine. it could be some kind of combustion engine that only takes coal as its power source, it just so happens that "steam" engines get the point across.