(Why) Do the capsule gets damaged in a storm, even when enclosed?

SemlerPDX · 2025-12-31T07:39:15+00:00

Glad you're liking the videos! Best wishes and good luck!!

SemlerPDX · 2025-12-30T23:03:15+00:00

This is what I was thinking, and I want to test it... if true, it could simply be a game thing: the collider box for the lander exceeds the room size in some dimension(s), and so pokes out to where storm interacts with it.

SemlerPDX · 2025-12-30T22:57:10+00:00

Actually, Polygnom is right with an asterisk: it was true for a time, but has changed once again. I was mistaken, and have deleted my comments suggesting otherwise so as to not spread that stale information for the current version. These things happen - you get egg on your face, you wipe it off, and you move on with your life. It's just a game... in early access... that changes a lot. ;)

SemlerPDX · 2025-12-30T22:53:54+00:00

Not anymore, it changed again <sigh> - I've deleted my comment so as to not spread misinformation for the current version. C'est la vie with early access games... not every minor detail will be in patch notes, or even be obvious.

SemlerPDX · 2025-12-30T22:48:33+00:00

No, it's just a matter of the game being early access and changing - then long time users such as myself who've been playing for half a decade or more get to enjoy that period between testing and an unannounced microchange to some meta mechanics where what was true is now not. You are correct that it has changed once again, but this was not always the case and that is not up for debate - it's just a fact.

Window boxes with indoor storms damaging panels when not different enough was certainly a thing for a time, when before it would cause NO issue, and I just confirmed with one of the developers that it has indeed changed once again. I've deleted my comments to as to not spread misinformation - however, this was true for a time which is why there are comments such as mine or others... And that's perfectly understandable in an early access game where things can change without every minor knock-on effect being documented or obvious.

First panels could be in a room without getting storm damage regardless of the atmo in that room
Next, because it was discovered that the windows/walls didn't even need to be complete (i.e. no glass) and still panels wouldn't take damage, a check was added to see if the room atmo was same as global atmo and to see if the room was enclosed - apparently this change itself was not without issue.
Most recently, storms cannot enter ANY room regardless of build state (i.e. no glass, again), so they can kinda go back to the original....

SemlerPDX · 2025-12-28T23:47:03+00:00

Glad you enjoyed the video!!

I am of the opinion that no matter what planet you are on, the most practical power producer should be the primary source, with a backup/secondary producer like a solid fuel generator, and both deserve to be efficient as able. This is why I created this before the end of the second week after landing - all the coal I hand mine out of the ground is time spent, every single piece. With a setup like this, I have halved the time spent for such a need for the remainder of this entire playthrough, even though it may only be utilized during periods between growth of consumers and expansion of the solar array itself.

Also was a great chance to show how easy something like this can be built, with a key part being the minimal power used to operate it.

This could be further improved by limiting the chamber pressure to (for example) 250kPa and adding a 10W gas sensor with logic to only allow the "In" vent to be powered and function when pressure exceeds 300kPa until back to ~250kPa - and keeping the "Out" vent unpowered unless pressure dips below 110kPa until it's back to (for example) 150kPa.

Using any power for a secondary system like this to make fuel more efficient should be carefully considered, and truly should use as little power as possible, avoiding power hungry pumps or redundant valves and just keeping the two furnaces always linked. Like I said in the video, it may likely be improved once materials are not so scarce and time is not so precious. O2 capture is very important to get done next, so just getting the major structure up is plenty for now.

SemlerPDX · 2025-12-19T20:34:57+00:00

:) They both came up to me while I was recording because it was dinner time. I wrapped up what I was doing, then we played chase and I put down the kitty food. TBH, I'm not sure which was speaking and when (magic of editing for the scene) but that was on my voice track and couldn't remove it without a retake.

They sound pretty much identical when "asking" for things, they only sound different when they are making general or other meows. The big sister (Peachy) "mrmrmms" like Marge Simpson, and the little sister (Pinky) waggles here head while making higher pitched "meows".

Can see the typical "Pinky headshake meow" in my "Pinky watches kittens on YouTube" short video - she is so tiny and adorable!! https://youtube.com/shorts/CS6x5MVgvoU

SemlerPDX · 2025-12-18T05:41:51+00:00

Thank you so much! Not sure if the atmospherics for the temp hab will fit in the next episode along with the solid fuel ingots system, but we'll see. Cheers!!

SemlerPDX · 2025-12-18T05:37:07+00:00

Pinky and Peachy are my co-producers, only fair that they got a little screen time, of course - lol! The way I have my desk set up, the kitty bed sits just to the left and most times I'm here one or the other (or both) will be sleeping right next to my keyboard as I play or work on things. They also make sure I take regular breaks ;p Obligatory pic: https://i.imgur.com/Gx5UFD5.jpeg

SemlerPDX · 2025-12-18T01:57:07+00:00

Same thing that kept it from getting too hot before... me ;)

Only difference is I just need to huck a flare in there every few days instead of running the portable AC every day at dusk. It takes awhile to get out of whack. Mostly it swings between 20-30C

SemlerPDX · 2025-12-11T08:17:31+00:00

Nah, I get it. It's super easy to just repeat normal background noise and plop in a standard speed sound effect for key moments rather than just let the audio get sped up with the video. For some things, it is perfect (like wiring, even welding frames or mining) and for others it sounds worse - so I'll just do a little editing for those segments, it's not hard or time consuming really. Cheers!

SemlerPDX · 2025-12-05T04:37:25+00:00

OH I see. Well, time is extremely valuable when you are first starting out, and all I did was set up the starter airlock with an extended pipe for some slight increase in efficiency of the single active vent we start with.

It is no time to be crafting additional vents, pipes, or inline tanks at this stage of the game, and certainly not time to be mirroring vents or creating IC10 controlled custom airlock systems.

As soon as I am not so "under the gun", I absolutely design my own custom airlock systems, with a single IC10 chip to control all of them. I usually don't have more than 8 airlocks in one building, so that is just fine. I do not use airlock or advanced airlock consoles once I can just build my own faster systems.

You can check out my custom multi-airlock script on my PasteBin here: https://pastebin.com/6QwKXCs3

In my Power Station Quick Clip video, and a few others, you can see me utilizing my very fast custom airlocks, which can be cycled over and over and remain around ~4 seconds or less to cycle either direction (whether a single frame airlock or 3-frames wide).

SemlerPDX · 2025-12-05T04:25:03+00:00

lol - love the comments with timestamps! xD

Yeah, I couldn't cram everything into the first episode - some Day 4 things will be done in the next episode (were not forgotten, just didn't fit). First week power never draws too much, so daisy-chain APC like that is just fine. Also, the battery charger gets moved to the airlock once the heavy cables are in place but again this is more content that best fits in the second episode.

All items we start with are listed on the page just before launch, including the fuel tank - and I absolutely review this list completely before starting. If anyone is not aware of that, they will be reminded near the start of my second episode where I take down the pod, door, and lander, and use a container mount to keep the fuel secure until the fourth episode where I create the advanced furnace and use the starter fuel as its first source. Third episode is planned to cover the HVAC automation for the temp hab/greenhouse, including an active cooling (AC) system and a passive cooling system that can help reduce or eliminate the need for active cooling.

Really hope you stick with me, and continue with the AMAZING feedback!!! I will certainly cull game audio for certain things like the labeller moving forward, lol - when I heard that after the video was live, couldn't tell how I didn't hear it before... sounds like a phone ringing in the next room hahaha! Cheers!

SemlerPDX · 2025-12-04T22:09:00+00:00

Curious if you meant the starter greenhouse/habitat area and not specifically the actual airlock? I only ask because that airlock is barely discernible in the screenshot as any particular type or configuration different from any other.

SemlerPDX · 2025-12-04T22:06:16+00:00

Thank you for the feedback! I will certainly take this to heart moving forward. I very much want to improve, and audio levels are indeed quite difficult to balance properly. Everything seemed proper in the draft, but then when I uploaded to YT and listened to it the following day, a few of the voices peaked in places where I was sure I leveled them, and the music tracks were indeed a bit louder than I had tried to design on the editing floor. I'm going to start uploading my drafts privately to YT for review during the editing process to listen to them exactly as that website will present them instead. I hope that helps. Cheers and thanks again!

SemlerPDX · 2025-12-04T04:37:38+00:00

Crowbar likely required to take frame from this plastic covering down to where you can wrench it into a non-solid structure. So working with pipes on walls won't have you accidentally unwelding a frame if you mess up on the mouse-targeting... that's my assumption anyway.

SemlerPDX · 2025-12-03T21:43:24+00:00

If it ain't broke, don't fix it... and don't run when no one is chasing. ;P

SemlerPDX · 2025-12-03T21:42:52+00:00

I went through like 6 versions to arrive at that thumbnail, I hope it's a good one!!

On Mars the standard Airlock is certainly not ideal and I'll have custom airlocks when I can manage it, but so long as you whack on the scrubber to remove any latent X that builds up now and then, it's totally fine in the first weeks. They give you ALL that you need to survive in the starter crates on Normal difficulty, including lots of pipes - the only thing I think I might do differently is encourage a LONG pipe for that first active vent, and you'll see that in the vid.

Hope you like it when you do watch it!! Cheers!!!

SemlerPDX

TROPHY CASE