I understand this would potentially be a controversial topic of conversation but I feel that as far as things currently are, there needs to be some minor adjustments to gameplay for the sake of other people who don’t necessarily play an Engineering role.
So we all know that some jobs are more important than others. The most important role I can think of is definitely the Engineer; For without them the station would not have power, atmosphere, or be able to repair itself when meteors inevitably strike the station. However, I feel that it is an extremely technical role that not a lot of people, especially those who are in the assistant category, are able to adequately perform. It’s an extremely technical job that almost feels like you have to have a college degree to do.
So I guess what I’m trying to suggest is that all stations should have a much more simple initial start up power generation economy. The AME generator should already be completed, installed and fueled. I also feel that the guidebook for the engineering job should be much more streamlined and specific in what to do. I myself have tried to be an engineering technician or an atmos technician and I find that many engineers on station are far too busy to teach a newbie what they need to know.
Also, as unfortunate as it may be, unless there are competent engineers on the station, everyone else cannot effectively play the game. I also feel that, if possible, that if the AME fuel becomes low, that there should be an automatic signal sent to logistics to order some more.
One thing I know nobody ever does in engi until i started pointing it out on Grasshopper, and then later Discord, is that the Pacman generators exist, and should be used to hold the station over in conjunction with the AME.
A majority of stations have a Superpacman and a Pacman mapped somewhere on them, so if something happens to the AME, or some other primary power generator, the crew should have at minimum 15 minutes of reserve power, which worse comes to worse, means an evac with the lights on.
That’s good to know. I can only imagine the initial stress of playing as an Engineer and the insane infodump that goes along with it. That’s why I specifically stay away from that role. My main concern is that the game relies very heavily on a competent Engineering Dept. to do their job; without it the station will invariably fail. Either the process of powering and providing Atmos for the station needs to be streamlined or there needs to be some general aid given especially to newer Engineers.
I hate having to say it, but unless you have a fully staffed engineering department it IS hard to teach technical assistants who have no experience in the department. I have recommended TAs look at the Liltenhead video in the past, as it’s far more concise to get the basics down enough to go off on your own and start learning. When you’re short staffed, good luck teaching, as the rush to get things running often leads into immediately needing to do repairs and it never ends. Some TAs can learn well in those situations, some can’t, it depends on their grasp of mechanics. I don’t think engineering is a complicated or hard department fundamentally speaking though. It’s just hard to teach due to the responsibilities it carries. But if you know the basics, you can always have a more senior engi or CE check it over before committing (Like singulo or tesla), or if it’s not as pressing, they can do it if you fail (Like emagged doors). Atmos I find is much less difficult to teach, but atmos tech mains tend to be the quiet sort and not inclined to teach. But fundamentally their responsibilities are much faster to set up and easier to show. By the time you’re an atmo you understand the basic engineering concepts it’s built on.
Ultimately I think engineering is a department that benefits from having some prior game knowledge (Not a lot, but not your first shift either) and having a willingness to just go out and try to learn by doing with it. Anyone can set up solars. Anyone can figure out how to set up a singulo mostly safely just by watching. The AME is dead simple to operate at a safe level, as are generators at a basic level.
As for the AME sending a signal if it runs low, it doesn’t mean much. It isn’t hard for CE or an engi to ask cargo for more fuel, and if cargo doesn’t they would have never responded to an automated signal anyway. Besides, managing resources is a major job of engineering, no reason to take it away.
I don’t mind the current difficulty of setting up and maintaining most power sources. Tho some round-start TEG layouts give me a headache.
That said, I do agree that it’s too difficult to find free time to teach or screw around. I think two things would help alleviate that. 1. Cut down on the god dang meteors. Even on my most efficient days, meteors come in faster than I can repair their damage. 2. Give SMESes more capacity. We need more time to interact with one another before getting power going. Having the AME running at roundstart may be a good alternative too. (Not just prebuilt. Running.)
TEG running would be fine, though I don’t think it would change much. The killer is stations like Train where fuel is extremely limited or in high use while your sustainable power generation needs more time to be built leading to that desperate scramble to get it up (and sometimes that means cutting corners to do so, especially if you’re short staffed)