What exactly is an energy park?

[CEO Aaron]

There are other reasons to favor the more compact, higher yield layout that Lethe suggests. A smaller park is easier to defend, and you need build fewer crawlers to harvest all the energy, and of course, there are fewer squares to raise to 3000+ feet above sea level.

[Uchuu-kun[SM42]]

Hmm. A 6x6 grid, 4 (base) for echelons and SCs, and +1 for SCs adjacent to EMs?

Why not:

OOXXOO - 5 6 4 4 6 5 = 30
OXOOXO - 6 4 6 6 4 6 = 32
XOOOOX - 4 6 5 5 6 4 = 30
XOOOOX - 4 6 5 5 6 4 = 30
OXOOXO - 6 4 6 6 4 6 = 32
OOXXOO - 5 6 4 4 6 5 = 30
182 energy, and 6 fewer echelon mirrors [12]. And it's all nice and symmetrical, too...

I could look for a better one, but I have stuff to do.

[Uchuu-kun[SM42]]

Okay, here's the most efficient layout I can come up with right now:

OXOOXO - 24 + 6
XOOOOX - 24 + 7
OOXOOO - 24 + 8
OOOXOO - 24 + 8
XOOOOX - 24 + 7
OXOOXO - 24 + 6

Not symmetrical, alas. But 186 energy return, and only 10[!] echelon mirrors.

[Uchuu-kun[SM42]]

Hmm. The ideal 5x5 energy park [AFAI can plan] is this:

XOOOX - 20 + 6
OXOXO - 20 + 6
OOOOO - 20 + 10
OXOXO - 20 + 6
XOOOX - 20 + 6
134 energy total. The 6x6 park is more efficient, though:

5x5: 134 / 25 = 5 9/25 energy / square; 8/17 echelon:SC [appx. 1:2]
6x6: 186 / 36 = 5 5/6 energy / square; 5/26 echelon:SC [appx. 1:5]

[BustaMike]

Do echelon mirrors improve solar panels that are diagonal to them? I was under the impression that they didn't.

[Uchuu-kun[SM42]]

Well, I just assumed so. Based on Lazerus's energy park evaluation, it would seem so.

[Mongoose]

Originally posted by BustaMike
Do echelon mirrors improve solar panels that are diagonal to them? I was under the impression that they didn't.

Yes, they certainly do.

[Uchuu-kun[SM42]]

Insommnia prompted the following:

First number is total +, second is + "per mirror";
first diagram is max energy, second is 'cheapest' [fewest echelon mirrors]
2x2 park:
XO  XO
OX  OO
4,2 3,3

3x3:
OOO   OOO
XOX   OXO
OOO   OOO
12,4  8,8

4x4:
OOXO  OOOO
XOOO  OXOO
OOOX  OOXO
OXOX  OOOO
20,5  14,7

5x5:
OOOXO   OOOOO
OXOOX   OXOXO
OOOOO   OOOOO
XOOXO   OXOXO
OXOOO   OOOOO
32,5.3  30,7.5

6x6:
OXOOOO  OOOOOO
XOOXOO  OOOXOO
OOOOXO  OXOOOO
OXOOOO  OOOOXO
OOXOOX  OXOOOO
OOOOXO  OOOOOO
44,5.5* 32,8

*when tiled, this jumps to 56,7:

      X  
 +------+
 |OXOOOO|  = 6 4 6 6 6 6 
 |XOOXOO|X = 4 6 6 4 6 6
 |OOOOXO|  = 6 6 6 6 4 6
 |OXOOOO|  = 6 4 6 6 6 6
X|OOXOOX|  = 6 6 4 6 6 4
 |OOOOXO|  = 6 6 6 6 4 6 
 +------+    -----------
   X      Ttl 200 energy

[Frankychan]

thanks. I tried making one and was half successful. I'm still trying to figure out the location for the base in relation to the energy park. I tried one where the base was located in the center of the park, and another where two were on opposite sides of the park.

How do I maximize the total amount of energy to minerals?

[Uchuu-kun[SM42]]

You use supply crawlers, instead of worring about base radii. But if you want to use a base, try

 OOO
OXOXO
OOBOO
OXOXO
 OOO

The best minerals:energy ratio? Uh... do improvements cost minerals to build? I didn't think they did... It's more a 'time' than a 'minerals' thing. The second 5x5 grid is pretty tight, though. And I like my 6x6er; I'm going to have to try it out in my next game...

[Lazerus]

Solar flares when you've got an energy park are such a cool thing
I still prefer my 3 or 4 boreholes per base and just having a swarm of bases though, usually nets more.

This can't be the most efficient


X
+------+
|OXOOOO| = 6 4 6 6 6 6
|XOOXOO|X = 4 6 6 4 6 6
|OOOOXO| = 6 6 6 6 4 6
|OXOOOO| = 6 4 6 6 6 6
X|OOXOOX| = 6 6 4 6 6 4
|OOOOXO| = 6 6 6 6 4 6
+------+ -----------
X Ttl 200 energy

for a start all you need to do is :


X
+------+
|OOOOOO| = 6 6 6 6 6 6
|XXOXOO|X = 4 4 6 4 6 6
|OOOOXO| = 7 7 7 6 4 6
|OXOOOO| = 6 4 6 6 6 6
X|OOXOOX| = 6 6 4 6 6 4
|OOOOXO| = 6 6 6 6 4 6
+------+ -----------
X Ttl 203 energy

and thats just at a glance. Can some maths whiz work out a nice formula or pattern for the ultimate park ?

[Uchuu-kun[SM42]]

Umm. Could you put that in [code] tags, please? It's making my brain hurt trying to figure it out.

Heywait. There's no limit? I was working under the assumption that there was a max of 6... dammit. I'll have to start over.

[BigRich]

How about this:

xoooxo 33
xoxoxo 34
ooxooo 38
xoooxo 36
xoxoxo 34
ooxooo 33

Grand total 208 energy with 12 echelon mirrors in 6x6 park.

Assuming a max height park and correct arithmetic of course

Rich

[Frankychan]

Thanks....whoops, I don't know why I added that last line in my previous post...I think I was a little too tired at that time.

Props! I'll give it a try with the supply crawlers.

[Frankychan]

Originally posted by Lazerus
Solar flares when you've got an energy park are such a cool thing
I still prefer my 3 or 4 boreholes per base and just having a swarm of bases though, usually nets more.

This can't be the most efficient

Damn, this can't be good for the environment? How's the eco-damage? And how do you fend off all the mind worm attacks? When I make 1 borehole Planet gets all nuts and swarms my a**.