[Ven's] "Heavy" Suggestion about SM, issues and solution.

[Venuska1117]

Hello everyone who are interesting in this topic (hello engineers main)

This suggestion touch topic about Early round SM explosions, as we know, there are many people who don't know how SM work or how to set it up, there is guide but its not clear enough for new people to comprehend, on top of that there was discussion on discord about SM early game exploding... and someone send very interesting picture...

So.. i tough..
hey!
why we don't make it like this? (with some adjustements)

General:
- SM would be contained inside structure and filled with gasses like its now (you will just don't see it)
- You will have panel/console with will show how much gass (and with type), radiation and how much power it generate, with addional stuff like emergency N2 injections (needs pipes connected to it with all stuff like fuel and coolant)
- If you want to power it up, you need link up special rod with you need shoot with laser, it will power generator igniter and start up generator.

Critical overload:
- When SM get to critical mass it will enable alarms and special animation of moving cells will play (like in this chernobyl trailers).

SM Explosion:
- When SM explode it will always create small radius of explosion but in exchange it will emit very strong radiation (range same like normal SM explosion, just only for radiation).
- When SM explode and spread radiation it will also create "radioactive dust" around SM, with will be stuck if you try walk/lay or do anything in this dust, it can be picked up by beakers (making beaker radioactive), dust itself its gray and don't glow.


Counter Measures:
- When talking on discord, someone sugested to use "Diphenhydramine" for cleaning radiation from objects, water is okay, but it only removes "radioactive dust" not "irradiated" issue (like people, not objects).

- Diphenhydramine will be used in something similar to janitor water tank sprayer, but renamed and changed color to look like its used for decontamination, you spray it on radiated tiles and on dust to decontaminate them, and you leave "foam" tile (i believe there is texture of like white foamed like tile)
- New ERT called... "Decontamination ERT" (someone can make better name for this), this ERT specializes in decontaminating effects of SM explosion, they would be in "Anti-Hazard HardSuit" with equipped "Decontamination" gear to deal with radiation.



If you ask me why all of this for, i will say: it make it kinda fool-proof, and calling ERT to repair it... it take too long to repair it, lets be honest, when is fucked up, better just make thermal engine as ERT than repair SM chamber, and bring some "fun" to play as new ERT, just decontaminate stuff.

P.S. if someone want, they can change chemical for decontamination, if they think Diphenhydramine is bad option.

Edited May 25, 2023 by Venuska1117

[Silverplate]

Hi Ven! 

Thanks for the suggestions, as someone working on expanding engineering content, I love hearing other people perspectives! First, to a address your concerns:

Supermatters delaminating early: I know many of us who have hundreds of hours messing with the nacho feel like its child's play to setup. Due to engineering content being in a bit of a limbo right now with the upcoming power rework and a few other things I'm cooking behind the curtain, a total rewrite isn't in the cards just yet, but it is something I plan on doing in the near future.

Second, in regards to that image you have attached, that is a screenshot of an RBMK fission reactor, an engine that Burzah and I are currently working towards implementing for future use (it will NOT be available to players right away upon merge). 

Finally, In my personal opinion, the supermatter is in a very good place as both an engine, and the main source of content for engineering. Most of what you are suggestion would be included in a radiation rework (something I am very open too) and the RBMK reactor that is currently in the works. I will be sure to post a design document of everything I'd like to add in the future to keep you and the community at large in the loop!

Thanks again,

Silver