So, I'm feeling the urge to build again and try out the "new" survival mode. Haven't played since 8.something. I have alot of builds to upgrade/renew, so are there any base stats and limits I need to consider (or aim for) and new equipment, because I completely forgot and I never played with mass/volume restrictions. I'm sticking with vanilla. Maybe someone has a list of equipment you need to include in builds? Any major changes?
One thing that was introduced was physics modelling around thrust & CG .. this impacts the need for RCS devices. Since these use lots of CPU, placing thrusters to minimize or eliminate the need for an RCS can reduce the cost of a build. Check out the difference in Yaw between these two designs. In the second I replace the single thruster that's centered on CG with a carbon fiber boom with a thruster on each end. Used the N menu to show CG ... Think "why does a fireworks pinwheel spin?" for what's going on. Knowing where the CG of the vessel is and positioning thrusters to take advantage of that to maximize control lets you limit the need for RCSs. Also, consider the placement of cargo containers and the controller for cargo controllers (you'll love those!) ... adding cargo to a container can shift your CG which impacts weight and balance of your ship.
Ohh i completely forgot about RCS, but seem to remember some changes were done to them when I last played. Thanks for the tip. I have seen solar panels on CVs. Is that a vanilla thing? Is there still a 12 solar panel limit on bases? Also seen "shield modules" of different sizes. That must be kinda new.
Solar on CVs and shield modules are from the Reforged Eden scenario. They do not exist in vanilla. The vanilla solar panel limit for bases is 15.
So I'm doing my usual solo survival playthrough and have been remaking my builds as needed. The crucial starter HV with drills seems to have been made obsolete. Seems much better to just have a regular hv with storage and just do drone drilling, or am I missing something?