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[Sundog]

Fuel Siphoning



Old Versions
Change Log

Compatible with all known mods.
Integrated with Version Checker.
Can be added to existing games.
Can be removed from games in which it was already used.


Instead of stockpiling enough fuel for an entire expedition, Fuel Siphoning gives you the option to refuel along the way.
It converts supplies to fuel based on the base cost of each.
It works in any nebula, but it works best at nebulae in nebula type systems.



How does this mod improve the game?
By making hyperspace travel more dynamic and eventful.
Typically, fueling up for an expedition is a binary interaction; either you bring enough fuel and make it back to civilization, or you don't, and get stranded.
This mod makes it more interesting both to plan for expeditions, and to improvise when your plans go wrong.

Frequent Questions

How exactly is the conversion ratio (fuel per unit of supplies) calculated?

base-supply-value / base-fuel-value = fuel-per-supply
This works even if the base value of fuel or supplies has been modified.
In nebula type systems, fuel can be siphoned at 100% efficiency (e.g. 4 fuel per supply if fuel costs 25 and supplies cost 100)
At nebulae in non-nebula systems, fuel can be siphoned at 75% efficeincy (3 fuel per supply)

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What options does this mod provide?

You can edit FUEL_SIPHONING_OPTIONS.ini to change a few things relevant to the mod, including conversion ratios, the price and efficiency of fuel, and the sensor profile penalty while siphoning fuel.

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Why don't I see the "Siphon Fuel" ability after adding the mod?

If you added Fuel Siphoning to an existing game, it won't be assigned to your toolbar yet.
You may need to assign it manually by right-clicking the ability toolbar.

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About

Thanks
Alex and the rest of the Fractal Softworks team, for this excellent game and it's outstanding modding API.
LazyWizard, for making this mod much easier to test using Console Commands.
kazi, for the guide on setting up Intelij IDE

Permissions
All assets from this project may be used without obtaining explicit permission as long as...
No laws are broken and Fractal Softworks' terms of service are not violated
The original authors of any code or assets used are credited
Nothing taken from this mod is used for nefarious purposes
If you would like to use something in a way that doesn't meet these criteria, please ask me about it first.

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[xenoargh]

Cool idea!

[Sundog]

Thanks! I'm working on something else to make exploration more eventful as well 

[Alex]

Just wanted to say, I really like this idea. Being able to just use red giants for this is such a nice touch - you can see which stars are usable on the map, and it's an interesting consideration for plotting a course. Good stuff!

[Harmful Mechanic]

Yeah, this is fantastic, I'm going to start a long run this afternoon to test it out.

[Mr. Nobody]

Don't you need those fancy thingamajigs on Syndria to make fuel out of stars though?

[Harmful Mechanic]

Who cares? It's a useful, interesting game mechanic, make up whatever reasoning you want for it.

https://www.centauri-dreams.org/2007/11/08/collecting-natural-antimatter/

[Sundog]

Just wanted to say, I really like this idea. Being able to just use red giants for this is such a nice touch - you can see which stars are usable on the map, and it's an interesting consideration for plotting a course. Good stuff!

Thanks! At first I had it set up for gas giants, but quickly discovered how annoying that was.

Yeah, this is fantastic, I'm going to start a long run this afternoon to test it out.

Glad to hear it! Please let me know if there's anything you think I can improve 

Don't you need those fancy thingamajigs on Syndria to make fuel out of stars though?

Yes, Synchrotron Cores are required to efficiently convert volatiles into fuel using the fuel production industry, but that process doesn't involve stars. Volatiles may be mined and imported/exported, so I think it's a safe assumption that the raw material for fuel production comes from planets. I like to think of fuel siphoning as a less efficient way to produce fuel. In fact, the conversion ratio of supplies to fuel is meant to ensure that buying fuel (at least on the black market) is almost always cheaper than siphoning.

[AxleMC131]

This is a neat-looking idea! I like how you've done it through a campaign ability.

I wonder if it would be possible to make this only work (or only work effectively) if you have a particular kind of ship? Might result in a "Gameplay > Realism" argument, but I like the idea of having to have a particular "siphoning rig" ship in order to make best use of the ability. You could have a custom hullmod like Salvage Gantry, or tie it to an existing one like Surveying Equipment. Or for quicker player accessibility it could be a modular hullmod you can strap to tankers like the Dram and Phaeton.

In other thoughts, you might be interested in popping into the Starsector Unofficial Discord if you haven't already, and taking a look at the WIP "Vast Expanse" mod - it's primary purpose is to increase the size of the sector, but it also implements a (slightly different) way to acquire fuel directly from stars. You might like to talk to the creator and create some kind of situational synergy between the mods - ie. having both fuel generation options be viable to a player (if they're using both mods) without one being objectively better in all situations.

[Sundog]

Might result in a "Gameplay > Realism" argument

That's pretty much what it boils down to. I like the idea of ships specialized for fuel siphoning, and it would certainly be more realistic, but I didn't want to mess with vanilla fleet building more than necessary. However, some vanilla mechanics lend themselves naturally to modifying how siphoning works. Solar Shielding cuts down on CR damage while siphoning, for example. Also, siphoning speed is proportional to the fleet's fuel capacity, so having tankers with auxiliary fuel tanks can help you limit CR damage.

That's a good idea about Vast Expanse. I'll ask around about it on Discord. Any idea who the primary author for it is?

[Sundog]

Fuel Siphoning 1.0.1 (Beta)

A compatibility patch for Unknown Skies
Fuel siphoning ability now recognizes Red Giants as a fuel source when Unknown Skies is installed.

Sorry about that!

[Sundog]

Has anyone had any issues with this? I'm thinking of asking to have it moved to Mods.

[Sundog]

Fuel Siphoning 1.0.2 (Beta)

Updated forum link in version file
Added changelog

[Schwartz]

Very cool. I'm hoping Alex steals this. More science-y stuff with gameplay use is always nice. As are ways to manipulate the main two logistic products.

[Sundog]

I'm hoping Alex steals this.

Me too! 

More science-y stuff with gameplay use is always nice. As are ways to manipulate the main two logistic products.

I love everything about supplies. The combat/CR/supplies dynamic makes Starsector a better survival game than anything that actually calls itself a survival game. A big reason I decided this mod was worth making was to increase the depth of the two "survival" resources.