I'd like to see some more electronic gadgets

[Xarian]

A switch that changes based on battery state (for engaging back-up generators)

A powered valve that permits flow if powered/non-powered (for doing plumbing bypasses with coolers, etc)

Doors that lock/unlock if powered/non-powered (for making airlocks, water locks, etc)

 

 

 

[Saturnus]

10 hours ago, Xarian said:

A switch that changes based on battery state (for engaging back-up generators)

A powered valve that permits flow if powered/non-powered (for doing plumbing bypasses with coolers, etc)

Both of these are already in the game. A coal generator has a battery state setting just like manual generator. And liquid and air filters can function precise the way you describe. Give them a random filter output, like magma for a liquid valve and connect the two outputs and it's effectively a powered valve.

EDIT: There's other simple systems I like to use, like deoxidizers on atmoswitches  as backup oxygen generation. Usually combined with ceiling lamps close to the printing pod as status warning indicators. I like to keep an array of ceiling lamps to indicate faults in different systems across the map, like for example on the atmoswitch for emergancy oxygen generation. Or an atmoswitch in the coal generator room. I keep a carbon skimmer on an atmoswitch in the backup coal generator room and route a wire to the warning light array, so if the coal generators fire up and starts releasing CO2 I get a warning that something is wrong with the power generation.

EDIT2: In previous versions powered airlocks access control only worked if it was powered, so you just disallowed all access through it, and when a condition set by a switch occurred you'd power the door and all dupes would be barred from using it. I'm not sure, and can't test it right now but I think that is changed in the current version which is a shame if it is.

[Xarian]

14 hours ago, Saturnus said:

Both of these are already in the game. A coal generator has a battery state setting just like manual generator. And liquid and air filters can function precise the way you describe. Give them a random filter output, like magma for a liquid valve and connect the two outputs and it's effectively a powered valve.

EDIT: There's other simple systems I like to use, like deoxidizers on atmoswitches  as backup oxygen generation. Usually combined with ceiling lamps close to the printing pod as status warning indicators. I like to keep an array of ceiling lamps to indicate faults in different systems across the map, like for example on the atmoswitch for emergancy oxygen generation. Or an atmoswitch in the coal generator room. I keep a carbon skimmer on an atmoswitch in the backup coal generator room and route a wire to the warning light array, so if the coal generators fire up and starts releasing CO2 I get a warning that something is wrong with the power generation.

EDIT2: In previous versions powered airlocks access control only worked if it was powered, so you just disallowed all access through it, and when a condition set by a switch occurred you'd power the door and all dupes would be barred from using it. I'm not sure, and can't test it right now but I think that is changed in the current version which is a shame if it is.

Switches that have specific engage and disengage states would be very useful compared to a coal generator (which requires a dupe to run over to it and load in coal). We already have atmo, thermo, and hydroswitches - a battery charge switch makes perfect sense. Also, battery state switches could be used for coolers, non-essential equipment, etc. I'd like to be able to shut off my hydrotuners when the batteries run out, for example, and only re-engage them when the batteries are full.

De-powering a door loses *all* access control. There's no way to simply lock a door when it's unpowered and maintain normal access access control. Also, powered opening/closing of doors would be nice, especially for things like pets.

We also need a motion sensor for dupes/animals.

[Saturnus]

6 minutes ago, Xarian said:

Switches that have specific engage and disengage states would be very useful compared to a coal generator (which requires a dupe to run over to it and load in coal). We already have atmo, thermo, and hydroswitches - a battery charge switch makes perfect sense. Also, battery state switches could be used for coolers, non-essential equipment, etc. I'd like to be able to shut off my hydrotuners when the batteries run out, for example, and only re-engage them when the batteries are full.

De-powering a door loses *all* access control. There's no way to simply lock a door when it's unpowered and maintain normal access access control. Also, powered opening/closing of doors would be nice, especially for things like pets.

We also need a motion sensor for dupes/animals.

There are still other ways you can build maintenance free emergency systems with for example as described above a powered valve (ie. a liquid filter) holding back a liquid control water pipe. When it loses power it drips onto a couple of hydro switches. One decoupling the aquatuner systems, and the other turning on the emergency power system. I know it might seems a little complicated but it is possible to do with the currently available tools.

Powered doors used to function differently but it's not something I've really cared much about. I've worked around it, and built systems that have no need for powered doors. You can make a sensor that tell you remote when a door is used though by having two doors, an air pump in between to make a vacuum, and an atmo switch. When the door is opened from either side some gases will slip in an trigger the switch.

You can make quite complicated systems with what we have already. You just have to split the function up into its most basic parts and build it up from there. 

[Executive_Lurker]

15 hours ago, Saturnus said:

status warning indicators. I like to keep an array of ceiling lamps to indicate faults in different systems across the map, like for example on the atmoswitch for emergancy oxygen generation.

this needs to be a thing with red lights for when emergency services come on. 

[Lifegrow]

23 hours ago, Xarian said:

 

A powered valve that permits flow if powered/non-powered (for doing plumbing bypasses with coolers, etc)

 

Any filter - set the output to a random element that it'll never encounter, i.e. gold - then use the green output. Acts exactly like a powered valve.

I use these on any rooms that need a set pressure, i.e. maintaining my hydrogen within wheezewort co2/chlorine cooling bubblers, or topping up polluted oxygen in your liquid oxygen maker etc.

I had an idea to use thermo switches on a seperate bank of small batteries to trigger power gen off - but never got around to building it as I rarely care about wasted power so long as I have enough The idea being that when these end of the line batteries are filled, the entire system is full - they would heat up and the switch would toggle the gas pumps that feed the nat gas generators. Not the most elegant, but if efficiency is your thing, then i'm sure every little counts