I want to start out by saying I'm really enjoying the game even in Alpha. I really think the RCS units are far to CPU intensive and need to be re-balanced. Designing a ship should be about trade-offs. I should able to build a CV that works and can haul 200KT of cargo at any CPU tier. At T1 it might be a flying brick that can made no better than 20m/s in space and have horrible fuel consumption and have crew members on the outer hull with assault rifles for defense. But it should still get that specific job done within the limits of what engines and fuel can be placed in the hull. As it stands how, I can add almost 6 thrusters to the hull for the CPU cost of a single RCS. The reduced CPU cost of an RCS should be offset by a substantial increase in the power cost as right now, my T3 Class 5 CV maxes out at only 60% of a single T1 generator with 125KT total mass and a whole slew of thrusters and weapon turrets. The ultimate cost of more mass should primarily come down to more energy (i.e fuel) required. As currently done, RCSs are so expensive that there is no trade-off. I can't realistically remove enough of any other components to gain any more RCS power after a certain point. Even though you can add tons of container space, thrusters, generators and even fuel, cargo capacity will always be hard limited by what the number of RCSs the CPU can run. Even if you have to bump up the CPU cost to everything else, I think it should be balanced to where you can build a pure cargo hauler with massive capacity though it might be nothing but containers, engines and fuel tanks. I realize this is just a game and often realism has to take back seat to the limitations of game performance and and what is fun to play. But, in the real world, "RCS" stands for Reaction Control System and while it does contain a gyro and can change the attitude of a space ship, it's primary purpose is to fire thrusters to change the attitude. The gyroscope should only be to balance out changes in the weight distribution or for finer control. The RCS should working with the ships thrusters to control attitude and not be doing it all by itself. Even a Control Moment Gyroscope (what your RCS behaves like) can't control ship attitude alone and does need reaction thrusters to help it out.
This guy in the linked thread is talking about the same thing I'm talking about. What I'm saying is that because the RCS is so much more expensive CPU-wise, it takes away options. The CPU cost of an RCS should be more in line with other items. Perhaps close to the cost of a medium thruster. https://empyriononline.com/threads/...hats-scalable-balanced-and-specialised.92175/
It appears Alpha 12 addressed my concerns as the effects of more than one or two RCSs is negligable compared to additional thrusters. Good job DEVs!
The point is that the developers actually want the RCS out of the game, they don't make sense anymore because they're too CPU intensive, and that's what Eleon wanted in favor of their new flight model. The RCS only make sense in a small construct.
I've hated how much the devs have changed RCS throughout the game, so many builds have been devastated by major adjustments to RCS it's frustrating. I like that it's possible to offset thruster placement with RCS as a mechanic but the currently ineffective level of change makes them useless.
