multiplexing incubators

[avc15]

Simple build here, talked about frequently, though I haven't seen anyone actually break it down.

The goal: by enabling and disabling your incubators, the rancher comes by and does the lullaby animation. The incubator shuts off but your eggs still incubate rapidly because of the lullaby buff. No matter how many incubators you have, you only use a tiny bit more power than needed to power just 1.

Some people put theirs on a clock timer to start up at dawn and run through once per day. I let mine cycle constantly because there's a downside to having them on a strict 24 hour cycle. Your rancher will only lullaby his eggs when the buff is worn off - if each incubator is only "on" at a specific time each day, do the math - you'll miss about 1 in every 3 days. ("best" case is if it runs a bit longer than a cycle each time around, or, multiple times through each cycle)

So mine constantly cycles down the line.

Buffers & filters are all set to 50 seconds / 2 in-game hours.

 

The switch on the left is a "seed" -> you have to supply an input pulse to start the process. Set game speed to 1x and just quickly flick that left switch on then off.

The switch on the right is a "block" -> if you turn it off, the thing will stop after it finishes running through. This part is necessary because sometimes state machines become unstable - need a way to reset them.

Here's the result. However many incubators you want for the power cost of one. I'm okay with gradual progression, and I actually want my rancher tending to critters, so I've stopped at 3 for now.

PSA: for anyone who didn't know, this is the only way to skill up ranching, that is, tending incubators. Always train your ranchers to 20. A level 20 rancher gets almost twice as much work done compared to a  level 5 rancher (+1 bonus +4 from skills).

Exploit? Not an exploit? You choose.

[beowulf2010]

Interesting. I've been using a different version (not mine but can't remember who's off the top of my head) but this is simpler and more resistant to breaking due to lack of/delayed delivery of eggs. 

Downside is the occasional missed turn and constant power consumption of one of the incubators. Granted, neither is all that bad. 

The system I've been using waits for an incubator to be lullabied before turning on the next one via motion sensors before triggering a longer timer that restarts the cycle. I wonder if the same effect could be created with a weight plate and filter gate... 

I like it! 

[avc15]

Feel free to share your motion-driven design, if you like. This idea doesn't belong to me.

[SkunkMaster]

 

Wouldn't this be better ? 3 buffer gates set to 200secs, lullaby only lasts 1 cycle, no matter the husbandry skill.. 

 

And yes i know the power switch is not needed, it was the first iteration of mine

[beowulf2010]

Just now, avc15 said:

Feel free to share your motion-driven design, if you like. This idea doesn't belong to me.

I'll link the original post when I get home. The design I use was blatantly stolen from someone else. 

[avc15]

6 minutes ago, SkunkMaster said:

Wouldn't this be better ? 3 buffer gates set to 200secs, lullaby only lasts 1 cycle, no matter the husbandry skill.. 

There's a problem with having them on a rigid 24-hour cycle. Every couple of days, your rancher will miss a chance to sing to the egg.

Just watch it in action every day. The clock slips because it takes time for your rancher to register the errand, run over, and sing to the egg. The next day, you have 30 seconds less, and the next day, lullaby doesn't wear off until your incubator already shut down. (you lost a day)

Yes, tradeoffs. I actually spend 240 watts on incubators, but at the worst case an egg won't go un-buffed for more than 5 hours at a time.

The difference is about 180 watts of power use. Shrug. Pick your downside.

(also - if you're going to go with a 1-day cycle: you should use a clock sensor to set the start time, fewer pieces)

[SkunkMaster]

eh, no, this system turns of once the rancher was by and lullabied the egg. 

 

turns on again exactly 1 cycle after being lullabied, and then stays on until the egg has been lullabied once more.

[avc15]

ah, I see. That's the system beowulf is talking about.

It's a tradeoff, certainly. That one won't fit more than one to a room, or ever "slip" a chance to lullaby an egg. Mine uses a little more power (on the order of 180 -220 watts more), and occasionally slips, but can fit many in the same room.

[SkunkMaster]

I wouldn't say it's that bad