Singularity Engine - Rework discussion
Created by: Inorien
because I posted it in the wrong repo, again
Brief
In its current form, the singularity engine is "babby's first engine", and the average Engineer clocks in with little engine knowledge more than that of the singularity engine. As a result, singuloose poses a risk, the output doesn't match demand half the time and it ruins everyone's day when the station runs out of power halfway through the round. There is a disappointing number of Engineers who don't know how to atmos (at all), taking SME off the table, and most TEG setups, so the go-to engine a lot of the time is singularity, supported by AME. Here, I'd like to discuss potential changes to the singularity engine to make it a more useful engine, as well as adding potential to teach Engineers core skills.
Criticism of current form
A number of changes would be made to keep balance and not scare away newbie Engineers. The wiki contains a great guide on setting up the singularity, but the whole process involves pointless wiring of the particle accelerator (skill not really applied anywhere else), establishing the containment field (sort of useful, teaches you not to stand in front of the emitters or to touch the containment field), and filling plasma tanks from the canisters, teaching you not to leave the cap off the plasma canister lest you fuck Engineering forever, the last two being probably the only remotely useful transferable skills from the whole task. Upkeep of the singularity engine is minimal - there is no fuel to refill beyond the plasma tanks, which apparently run out after a while (never seen this) and perhaps checking up on the singularity every so often to make sure it's not ready to escape.
The reality of these cases are: -Rounds tend not to go on long enough to ever warrant refilling of the plasma tanks, if the round does carry on this long then some other engine must be carrying the load because of singularity's poop output. -If the singularity reaches dangerous size, there really isn't much that can be done except shutting down the PA quickly, and the chances of this being spotted and rectified in time are incredibly low.
Expanding on the first point: The AME requires constant refilling of antimatter cans, and monitoring extends as far as making sure the fuel is topped up. Setup is limited to not being retarded with the multitool, and setting the input level right. This engine suffers a similar lack of transferable skills. The TEG, depending on setup, requires occasional venting and refilling of plasma/oxygen, with setup requiring an understanding of piping enough to appreciate the mechanics at work. More advanced setups need a proportional understanding of atmos, and so forces the Engineer to learn how to atmos in order to get it running. The SME, depending on setup, needs the most atmos knowledge of all commonly used engines, and a properly executed setup should require no refills beyond plasma tanks, if these can actually run out. The setup itself requires understanding of the cooling loop and handling of byproducts, again, transferable atmos skills. Solars: shitty engine no one uses any more, teaches basic wiring and that's about it. R-UST: not used commonly enough, goes beyond the scope of this issue.
Aim
The aim is to add more transferable skills to singularity setup and bring it more in line with the other engines, as opposed to being the shitty beginner engine that kills the station half the time. This could take the form of having to lay wire to the containment field, have plasma tanks run out quicker, or introducing some fail-safe to make it not eat the station every time it escapes confinement, to address the second point. The tradeoff would be removing useless parts of setup, like the PA wrench-wire-screwdriver deal. There would also be some room for expansion - like wings on Engineering to place additional radiation-collectors, some tile that 'repels' the singularity in order to direct it away from the station should it get loose, or some capacity to reinforce the containment field to a point that it could contain a stage 5 for some time, or some alert system if the singularity is reaching a dangerous size.
I probably could have laid this out a little better, but this is really intended as a discussion thread. Yea or Nay to singulo rework?