Pilot Archive

Often when I use Engine Overload 4, all components become disabled. I can't even normalize the engine, because the droid interface is also disabled. All I can do is land & launch, to get it working again. Is there any other way, I can fix this???

BTW, how essential are Overload 4 programs? Or are overload 3 sufficient enough?

Read my sig on droid programs.

As to fixing your problem, just run a pilot special, like Emergency Thrust or Pump Reactor, anything that overcharges your system. When the program is done it will reset your system.

That, or deed your ship.

Most people run level 3's, but make sure you're running the big 5 droid programs, including the essential Reactor Overload before you run EO.

Each component you overload draws more power. Higher the overload, the more power it draws. L4 overloads do decay damage to your components, and draw crazy amounts of power.

Your reactor isn't producing enough to keep up with your overloaded components.

Options:

1. Buy a bigger reactor


2. Run Reactor Overload first


3. Don't run overloads

@idolatry:
I know what an overload is and what I can do against. I just wanted to know, what to do, when it still happens. Make sense?

@Attacca,Kryxal:
Thanks for the competent answer
I always run RO before any other overload, but sometimes when I hit EO, it still happens. I think, I'll go back to EO3 now...

I only use reactor overload 4, the rest of my commands are all 3 barring cap to shield shunt.

4's just cause too much damage to be worth it IMHO.

Engine Overload 4 increases engine reactor drain by 10x. Make sure you have a big enough reactor and run reactor overload 4 first. RO4 gives you 90% more reactor energy.

Here's an example of how to calculate the proper reactor size.

Total drain in management window: 10000 (it says 10000/0 if you unload the reactor)
Engine drain: 2000

Components drain = total drain - engine drain = 8000
Engine drain with EO4 = 20000

Total energy required = 28000

Reactor energy required = 28000/1.9 = 14736

So, for the example, you need 14.7k energy. A high quality Mark III reactor puts out 14.5k energy. I would try to adjust the loadout to bring the need to below 14.5k because a Mark IV reactor is very heavy. If that is not possible, there are several options for Mark IV reactors available to a shipwright.

This does not take into account weapons or capacitor overload. If you run WO3, because it is bugged, you will have no problem. As far as I can tell, capacitor overload does not increase cap drain either, there is really no downside to it at all.

In reality, I think cap overload should increase drain on the same scale as weapons and engine overload. That would totally change space and make it harder. Now, it is trivial to run EO3, WO3, CO3, RO3. If WO3 AND CO3 increased weapons and capacitor drains by 333%, you would need much bigger reactors to run them. But this is a bit off-topic.

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Thrakkar wrote:

I always run RO before any other overload, but sometimes when I hit EO, it still happens. I think, I'll go back to EO3 now...

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Yeah, this could be the problem easily, attacca. But yesterday I just ran the tier 3 programs and I must say, I didn't run in any major troubles with them. They're quite sufficient for my needs, can't think of a situation, where I would need tier 4 proggies. So I thought to stick with 'em.

Man, I wish I had found this thread about 5 minutes earlier. Just failed Tier 3 Mission 4 SS due to this problem, but not due to EO4 or anything.

It was interesting. Got myself disabled, and got into this loop. Gonna have to put this lesson in the vault...

see the reason you're getting disabled is because you've used the overloads a lot in the past and it corrodes away at the component's hitpoint's that you're using. now you're trying to overload a component that has like 53 hitpoint's left and it gets disabled. here's what i do. i sit outside a landing station (one that has full repairing capabilities. i do all my overloads beforehand and repair at the station. i don't get disabled and can do whatever i want. then when i'm don fighing or whatever i run emergency thrust and everything resets without disabling me.

Yes, that is a good plan.

I realized why it happened to me last night (twice, but the second time I knew how to fix it).

I use function keys (naturally) for these, and EO3 is right next to CTSS4. If I miss, I double-up on EO3, and bingo. Disabled.

I'd move the key, but three squads in, I'm not sure I'd remember the change.

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Isamu-alva wrote:
I only use reactor overload 4, the rest of my commands are all 3 barring cap to shield shunt.

4's just cause too much damage to be worth it IMHO.

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