The Electrical Skill

[Aelipse]

I am not sure what plans the devs have for the electrical skill other than making walkie-talkies for the multiplayer and constructing some contraptions like timers or remote controls for explosive devices (I haven't really seen anyone use those, since the materials required are either rare or have other, more practical uses), but the electrical skill as of now seems a bit useless to me in the singleplayer.

 

Here are some ideas that could, in my opinion, make the higher tiers of the skill more attractive:

 

1) Charging up car batteries with generators. The generator produces AC, the car battery uses and produces DC, but a skilled electrician should be able to craft (or find) and use a rectifier.

 

2) Car batteries can be used to power some devices. A light bulb doesn't really care if it's fed AC or DC, and at the right voltage a car battery should be able to power those beautiful pink light bulbs we all love. This should require a low tier electrical skill since it only involves basic knowledge of electricity.

 

3) Electric fence. Nothing too powerful. A simple fence made of wire on two poles powered either by a car battery or a generator could harm anyone trying to climb over it. While it could potentially be used for cheesing (making hordes of zombies climb over it back and forth until they're dead), I don't think it's any worse than setting a fireplace next to a car with a siren on. 

 

4) Electric devices triggered by motion, timer or remotely. Again, a rather high tier ability. The game already has got timers, motion sensors and remote controllers, but only for bombs. Why not have your lamps triggered by motion as a form of warning? Or turning on that radio at your neighbour's house remotely as a distraction? A savvy electrician should be able to make that happen.

[trombonaught]

4 hours ago, Aelipse said:

I am not sure what plans the devs have for the electrical skill other than making walkie-talkies for the multiplayer and constructing some contraptions like timers or remote controls for explosive devices (I haven't really seen anyone use those, since the materials required are either rare or have other, more practical uses), but the electrical skill as of now seems a bit useless to me in the singleplayer.

 

Here are some ideas that could, in my opinion, make the higher tiers of the skill more attractive:

 

1) Charging up car batteries with generators. The generator produces AC, the car battery uses and produces DC, but a skilled electrician should be able to craft (or find) and use a rectifier.

 

2) Car batteries can be used to power some devices. A light bulb doesn't really care if it's fed AC or DC, and at the right voltage a car battery should be able to power those beautiful pink light bulbs we all love. This should require a low tier electrical skill since it only involves basic knowledge of electricity.

 

3) Electric fence. Nothing too powerful. A simple fence made of wire on two poles powered either by a car battery or a generator could harm anyone trying to climb over it. While it could potentially be used for cheesing (making hordes of zombies climb over it back and forth until they're dead), I don't think it's any worse than setting a fireplace next to a car with a siren on. 

 

4) Electric devices triggered by motion, timer or remotely. Again, a rather high tier ability. The game already has got timers, motion sensors and remote controllers, but only for bombs. Why not have your lamps triggered by motion as a form of warning? Or turning on that radio at your neighbour's house remotely as a distraction? A savvy electrician should be able to make that happen.

Extra energy from car batteries!!! I love it. This would make electrical a heck of a lot more useful to those who miss the modern world.

[TrailerParkThor]

Yes to all these ideas! Devs definitely have more plans to fill out most skill trees with features and progression, they are most likely waiting until B44 or 45. We know these builds will be focused on NPCs, Base Management, and Factions, but overhauls of systems like Carpentry and Electrical probably align with improving those new things too. I just hope we get a few other things:

 

- The ability to uninstall sirens and horns and build an Alarm Pole that can be hooked up to a generator to allow it to be some kind of emergency siren.

- Different sources of power. Windmills, Water Wheels, Biodiesel/Gasohol to fuel gens, and Coal Generators. These could all have pros and cons but there should be alternatives to Gas Generators. Using spare car batteries is a good idea too. Most of these should be late game as to provide progression to power supply.

- Having to lay wiring (1 Electric Wire per tile) to hook up Gens to different machines. Would provide small Electrical skill gain

- Some powerful systems locked behind high level Electrical so you actually have a reason to move past Level 3. Two I could think of off the top of my head: Advanced Communication and Computers. Advanced communication could cover anything from a Morse Code Telegraph system you set up between bases, to a Telephone system you hook up to connect different locations so you don't need HAM Radios. Computers could open up an endless source of new systems. Programming skill, information databases, some kind of local E-Mail system, production automation, advanced computation, etc. Not to mention they could function as an infinite Journal. (Hydrocraft PCs do it amazing)

 

6 hours ago, Aelipse said:

3) Electric fence. Nothing too powerful. A simple fence made of wire on two poles powered either by a car battery or a generator could harm anyone trying to climb over it. While it could potentially be used for cheesing (making hordes of zombies climb over it back and forth until they're dead), I don't think it's any worse than setting a fireplace next to a car with a siren on.

 

Maybe zombies would be unaffected by electrocution? It makes sense and would prevent this exploit. Electric fences could be an upgrade to Barbed Fences that protect from humans and animals as well as zeds.

[Geras]

Wind turbines and car battery power banks as an alternative/supplement to generators (ie. generator autostart if batteries are low) One can dream.

[BentNose]

16 hours ago, TrailerParkThor said:

- Some powerful systems locked behind high level Electrical so you actually have a reason to move past Level 3. Two I could think of off the top of my head: Advanced Communication and Computers. Advanced communication could cover anything from a Morse Code Telegraph system you set up between bases, to a Telephone system you hook up to connect different locations so you don't need HAM Radios.

In my mind setting up a constant broadcast radio antennae would be the first step into the late game when you start attracting npc survivors on purpose. Build it and they will come. Most of them will even be friendly.

[TrailerParkThor]

1 hour ago, BentNose said:

In my mind setting up a constant broadcast radio antennae would be the first step into the late game when you start attracting npc survivors on purpose. Build it and they will come. Most of them will even be friendly.

 

Wow that sounds like an awesome moment. Some hope in the bleak apocalypse. Of course, you will attract raiders and enemy factions as well so it's appropriately bittersweet for PZ. This would also allow us to have control over whether or not we want to be a solo survivor/group or a big faction/settlement while maintaining immersion and locking it in late game. I'm already laughing thinking about setting up a radio station in MP and broadcasting some dumb meme on repeat