Difference between revisions of "Solar pinhole"

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(Added in-depth summary and analysis (if someone knows the exact heat value provided by solar pinhole, feel free to add it))
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== Summary ==
 
== Summary ==
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Upon casting, Solar pinhole will create a solar pinhole on the target tile. This can be any empty tile within 25 tiles, respecting line of sight. Note that while buildable objects such as [[chair]]s or [[sandbag]]s disqualify a tile as valid, non-buildable or placeable objects such as [[corpse]]s or [[chunk]]s do not, and Solar pinhole can be cast freely on tiles containing them.
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The solar pinhole created by this psycast will persist for {{Ticks|{{P|Duration}}}}, or 5 in-game days. It behaves similarly to a [[campfire]], providing both heat and light over its duration. It produces approximately 10 heat per second (half as much as a [[heater]] or campfire), and can heat a room to a maximum of {{Temperature|20}}. Additionally, it provides light within a 13 tile radius, granting 50% illumination within 9 tiles, above 30% between 10 - 11, with tiles within radius 12 - 13 being considered dark.
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[[File:Solar Pinhole Radius Labeled.png|300px|thumb|left|The white area (9 tiles out) is 50% illumination, required for best [[Surgery Success Chance Factor|surgery success chance]]; the yellow (10-11 tiles) represents 30% or better, adequate for all general labor, avoiding [[mood]] penalties, and for growing [[Decorative Plants|decorative plants]] indoors in [[plant pot]]s.]]
 
[[File:Solar Pinhole Radius Labeled.png|300px|thumb|left|The white area (9 tiles out) is 50% illumination, required for best [[Surgery Success Chance Factor|surgery success chance]]; the yellow (10-11 tiles) represents 30% or better, adequate for all general labor, avoiding [[mood]] penalties, and for growing [[Decorative Plants|decorative plants]] indoors in [[plant pot]]s.]]
  
 
== Analysis ==
 
== Analysis ==
{{Rewrite|section=1|reason=Currently just a Copy-paste of minor tactics previously on [[Psycasts]] - needs verification, rewriting, formatting, and expansion}}
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Solar pinhole is a niche psycast that can be invaluable in some scenarios, yet will see little use in the majority of colonies, due to its benefits being easily replicated by other means.
Solar pinhole can be used to warm rooms during a cold snap if you don't have enough heaters. Since solar pinholes are relatively inexpensive psyfocus-wise, multiple can be cast if needed.  
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The primary and most obvious use for Solar pinhole is to combat cold temperatures. While heaters are miles better for ensuring livable temperatures, they require Electricity to be researched, a functional power grid, and a moderate investment of components and steel, something which may not be readily available. Additionally, low-tech alternatives like campfires require a steady supply of wood to fuel, something which biomes like [[ice sheet]] or [[tundra]] can be sorely lacking. In comparison, Solar pinhole requires only psyfocus, can be placed anywhere, provides ample light, and needs to be replenished less often than a campfire (though it must be done manually). Additionally, the potential to acquire Solar pinhole early on (through the Noble wimp quest, and the subsequent royal title and psylink provided) can be a lifesaver in difficult starts, such as the aforementioned ice sheet, or naked brutality, where methods of temperature mitigation can be few and far between. On a minor note, the maximum temperature of the solar pinhole is below the threshold for the "[[Mood#Slept_in_the_heat|slept in the heat]]" thought, making it preferable to a campfire for sleeping spaces.
  
Use it when mining deep underground to avoid the darkness work speed penalty without having to build long, temporary, and/or redundant infrastructure.
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In conditions with more welcoming climate, Solar pinhole is still useful in the event of a cold snap or solar flare (assuming you're relying on heaters for temperature) - a few quick casts will keep temperatures livable until the event ends. In particular, Solar pinhole is extremely useful in the event of a solar flare assuming one has a grow room that relies on heaters to stay warm - depending on the surrounding temperature, a single solar flare can wipe out your crops due to freezing temps if swift action is not taken. Solar pinhole provides a quick and cheap method to rectify this problem.
  
Also good for icesheet or other places where heat and light are hard to fuel pre-electricity. Getting lucky with the right random psycast can lessen a colony's dependence on [[geyser]]s and allow more rapid and/or flexible expansion.
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Besides temperature concerns, Solar pinhole is also useful as a quick way to provide light without having to build any temporary buildings or infrastructure. The most applicable scenarios for this are mining operations, pawns working outdoors at night, or impromptu wound tending. Naturally, this benefit is also particularly useful during a solar flare, where colonies reliant on electricity will be stuck in the dark; the short duration of said event renders this a minor benefit at best, however.
  
Very useful to deal with the threat of [[unnatural darkness]],{{AnomalyIcon}} to the extent that emergency [[go-juice]] doses should be considered if psyfocus is low.
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With the addition of [[Anomaly]]{{AnomalyIcon}}, however, comes a threat that Solar pinhole excels in combating: [[unnatural darkness]]{{AnomalyIcon}}. Solar pinhole's long duration and considerable light range can aid in keeping the main body of your colony well-lit and habitable - the instant, ranged placement also allows one to light darkened areas, even after that shadows have already taken root, and attempting to build a conventional light source would place a pawn at risk. Additionally, said qualities also make it incredibly useful for foraying out into the darkness to destroy the fallen [[noctolith]]s{{AnomalyIcon}}, providing wide coverage, as well as being trivial to daisy-chain pinholes to create a path to each noctolith. The long duration also eliminates the risk of your light source dissipating before you return, unlike those created by the [[disruptor flare pack]]{{AnomalyIcon}}.  
  
 
== Version history ==
 
== Version history ==

Revision as of 18:06, 10 December 2024

Solar pinhole

Solar pinhole

Generate a microscopic skipgate linked to the core of a nearby star. Solar material leaks through the pinprick in spacetime, illuminating and warming the surrounding area until it closes. The light is enough to work by, but not enough to grow plants.

Base Stats

Type
Psycast

Ability

Psylink Level
1
Psyfocus Cost
8%
Casting Time
12 ticks (0.2 secs)
Range
24.9 tiles
Effect Radius
14.9 tiles
Duration
300,000 ticks (83.33 mins)
Caster Must Be Capable of Violence
False

Solar pinhole is a level 1 psycast that creates a source of light and heat for 5 days.

Acquisition

There are two ways to acquire the solar pinhole psycast:

  1. Upon reaching psylink level 1, a random psycast of level 1 is granted regardless of how this level up is achieved. This won't apply if the psycaster already knew one or more level 1 psycast.
  2. Solar pinhole can also be acquired from a psytrainer naming it. See the psytrainer page for further details.

Summary

Upon casting, Solar pinhole will create a solar pinhole on the target tile. This can be any empty tile within 25 tiles, respecting line of sight. Note that while buildable objects such as chairs or sandbags disqualify a tile as valid, non-buildable or placeable objects such as corpses or chunks do not, and Solar pinhole can be cast freely on tiles containing them.

The solar pinhole created by this psycast will persist for 300,000 ticks (83.33 mins), or 5 in-game days. It behaves similarly to a campfire, providing both heat and light over its duration. It produces approximately 10 heat per second (half as much as a heater or campfire), and can heat a room to a maximum of 20 °C (68 °F). Additionally, it provides light within a 13 tile radius, granting 50% illumination within 9 tiles, above 30% between 10 - 11, with tiles within radius 12 - 13 being considered dark.

The white area (9 tiles out) is 50% illumination, required for best surgery success chance; the yellow (10-11 tiles) represents 30% or better, adequate for all general labor, avoiding mood penalties, and for growing decorative plants indoors in plant pots.

Analysis

Solar pinhole is a niche psycast that can be invaluable in some scenarios, yet will see little use in the majority of colonies, due to its benefits being easily replicated by other means.

The primary and most obvious use for Solar pinhole is to combat cold temperatures. While heaters are miles better for ensuring livable temperatures, they require Electricity to be researched, a functional power grid, and a moderate investment of components and steel, something which may not be readily available. Additionally, low-tech alternatives like campfires require a steady supply of wood to fuel, something which biomes like ice sheet or tundra can be sorely lacking. In comparison, Solar pinhole requires only psyfocus, can be placed anywhere, provides ample light, and needs to be replenished less often than a campfire (though it must be done manually). Additionally, the potential to acquire Solar pinhole early on (through the Noble wimp quest, and the subsequent royal title and psylink provided) can be a lifesaver in difficult starts, such as the aforementioned ice sheet, or naked brutality, where methods of temperature mitigation can be few and far between. On a minor note, the maximum temperature of the solar pinhole is below the threshold for the "slept in the heat" thought, making it preferable to a campfire for sleeping spaces.

In conditions with more welcoming climate, Solar pinhole is still useful in the event of a cold snap or solar flare (assuming you're relying on heaters for temperature) - a few quick casts will keep temperatures livable until the event ends. In particular, Solar pinhole is extremely useful in the event of a solar flare assuming one has a grow room that relies on heaters to stay warm - depending on the surrounding temperature, a single solar flare can wipe out your crops due to freezing temps if swift action is not taken. Solar pinhole provides a quick and cheap method to rectify this problem.

Besides temperature concerns, Solar pinhole is also useful as a quick way to provide light without having to build any temporary buildings or infrastructure. The most applicable scenarios for this are mining operations, pawns working outdoors at night, or impromptu wound tending. Naturally, this benefit is also particularly useful during a solar flare, where colonies reliant on electricity will be stuck in the dark; the short duration of said event renders this a minor benefit at best, however.

With the addition of AnomalyContent added by the Anomaly DLC, however, comes a threat that Solar pinhole excels in combating: unnatural darknessContent added by the Anomaly DLC. Solar pinhole's long duration and considerable light range can aid in keeping the main body of your colony well-lit and habitable - the instant, ranged placement also allows one to light darkened areas, even after that shadows have already taken root, and attempting to build a conventional light source would place a pawn at risk. Additionally, said qualities also make it incredibly useful for foraying out into the darkness to destroy the fallen noctolithsContent added by the Anomaly DLC, providing wide coverage, as well as being trivial to daisy-chain pinholes to create a path to each noctolith. The long duration also eliminates the risk of your light source dissipating before you return, unlike those created by the disruptor flare packContent added by the Anomaly DLC.

Version history

  • 1.2.2719 - Added.
  • 1.4.3580 - Fix: Solar Pinhole cannot be created over non-edifice buildings.