Fusion Cores
Hello all! We wanted to take some time today to explain how Fusion Cores work within TerraTech Worlds, and our Design team has hashed out some of the details below!
What is a Fusion Core?
Fusion Core Resource
Fusion Cores are a limited resource that you gain to spend on specific Tech Blocks which will provide bonuses unavailable anywhere else in-game. These are not tied to the Tech itself but are instead part of the Tech Yard and powered structures. Changes to these structures or power availability will directly change the number of Cores available on the Tech.
Fusion Core Structures
The source of the Fusion Core resource is a specialised structure which will provide you with Fusion Cores to spend. This structure must be attached to a Claimed Tech Yard and only provides its Fusion Core to the owner of the Tech Yard. The total number of Cores available is the total number of Fusion Core structures that are attached to Claimed Tech Yards in the world.
- To generate a Fusion Core you must build a Fusion Core structure, attach it to a claimed Tech Yard via Tech Yard APs and power it with regular base generators.
- Fusion Cores structures require constant power as they are always generating a Fusion Core when on, even if that Fusion Core isn’t being used by you.
- Fusion Core structures that are disconnected from a Tech Yard by moving it, moving/removing another Tech Yard structure so that there is no longer a direct connection, or by the Tech Yard being packed away in a cargo are NOT available.
- Fusion Cores do not need to be directly connected to the Tech Yard, but must be part of a series of Tech Yard extensions, such as a Tech Yard Storage block or another Fusion Core, where at least one structure in the series is connected to the Tech Yard Attach Point on the side of the Tech Yard.
Fusion Blocks
How Fusion Cores are spent, Fusion Blocks scale existing Tech properties such as Reactor Capacity, adding additional Repair Charges, or new properties (explored in future updates) that are powerful enough to exist outside the existing Tech building blocks.
Active/Inactive Fusion Blocks
Fusion Blocks have two important states: Active and Inactive.
Active Fusion Blocks have been attached to a Tech and are providing the additional functionality the block provides. Active Fusion Blocks are lit up with that unique ‘Cherenkov glow’ these blocks have.
Inactive Fusion Blocks are attached to a Tech but do not have the available Fusion Cores to provide any additional functionality. Inactive Fusion Blocks have no glow!
Scaling Fusion Core Costs
Not all Fusion Blocks are equal. Some functionality such as increasing Reactor Capacity on the Tech, have a scaling cost. Powerful Fusion Blocks such as Fusion Reactors for example, have scaling costs. The Fusion Core cost of attaching a scaling Fusion Block to a Tech and gaining its benefit is variable and increases geometrically, limiting the number of active scaling Fusion blocks but providing a clear route to more Fusion Cores by constructing and powering additional Fusion Cores.
| Fusion Blocks Attached | Fusion Core Cost | Total Cores Required |
|---|---|---|
| First | 1 | 1 |
| Second | 2 | 3 |
| Third | 3 | 6 |
| Fourth | 4 | 10 |
| Fifth | 5 | 15 |
| Sixth | 6 | 21 |
| Seventh | 7 | 28 |
NOTE: Removing an active Fusion Block recalculates the total cost (so regardless of attach/detach ordering, having 4 reactors always costs 10 cores)
Flat Fusion Core Costs
Less powerful Fusion Blocks only require 1 (or more) Fusion Cores per block attached to the Tech, regardless of how many have been attached. These can be very useful but are more specialised in function, such as increasing the number of Repair Charges a Tech has. They also are handy to provide more functionality while expanding the number of available Fusion Cores to support an additional scaling Fusion block.
Fusion Blocks in 0.2 release:
- Small Fusion Reactor - this scaling cost Fusion Block increases the Reactor Capacity of a Tech by 50 for each active Reactor attached to the Tech.
- Fusion Repair Module - this flat cost Fusion Block increases the number of Repair Charges a Tech has by 1 per active Repair module. So adding one active Fusion Repair module would increase a Tech’s Repair charges from 3 to 4.
Dynamic Fusion Core Loss
When a Tech loses Fusion Cores it can affect the behaviour of Fusion Blocks. Active Fusion Blocks will not turn off BUT if an active Fusion Block is removed from the Tech, it will be inactive when reattached so be careful modifying your tech when in this state, as you could lose those Fusion block’s abilities until you get your Fusion Cores back. Also, Fusion Blocks that are destroyed while in this state will regenerate with a Repair Charge as normal but will come back inactive until the Fusion Core(s) are available again. It's best to head back home to fix your Fusion Cores as soon as possible!
Why?
In TerraTech Worlds, you’re currently locked in to some distinct limits regarding Tech Building, making you limited to choice of Cab and use of Cab Efficiency; we've done this in an effort to provide a link between Base building and Tech building options.
In terms of Base Power, linking Base Power to expanding your Tech options (especially the Reactor Limit) creates more of a drive to keep upgrading and expanding bases by providing a concrete benefit for doing so, in the form of bigger or tougher Techs. Incremental gains also provide a progression system that rewards your investment in base construction and provides meaningful choices in how these progression rewards are spent.
That's all for now: please leave any comments/questions about Fusion Cores below!