Reactors on Private Sector?

[EsoEs]

So Im noticing that the default designs for all private sector ships only include a single reactor. I see both the upside and downside to this, but Im leaning towards including a 2nd reactor to get their speed up. More speed = more transport trips = moar profit??

Anyone have a more definitive answer to this?

[Aeson]

If they aren't fully powering the hyperdrive and the hyperdrive is not the Warp Bubble Generator, then it's worthwhile adding another reactor to speed the ship up (a good indication that the hyperdrive isn't fully powered is to look at the movement energy costs - if the energy cost while warping is equal to the excess reactor output, there's a good chance that the ship will go faster if you add another reactor). It's possible that you may want your ships to be faster at sublight speeds, as well, but I wouldn't really suggest pushing cruise speed past about 20.

More speed also does not necessarily translate directly into more trips, as freighters will often remain idle for some time after arriving at their destination, before they take on their next assignment.

[adamf]

For some reason, it had never occurred to me to modify the designs of private sector ships aside from passenger ships, which it seems I'm required to design manually.

In my current game, I checked the design of a freighter and was surprised to see that it had a clunky old Basic Reactor and no hyperdrive. I modified the freighter designs to update the cargo holds from small to standard, added the latest hyperdrive, and replaced the basic Reactor with two Fission reactors. I chose Fission reactors because my military ships use Fusion reactors and I'd prefer that the private sector ships not drink all of my hydrogen up and there's already a lot of caslon being stored.

Very shortly afterwards, my supply issues evaporated. All of those lonely mining bases giving me endless "construction delayed" messages received the supplies they needed and now I get very few recommendations from my advisors to hire smuggling missions for colonies. I also noticed that my freighters began showing up at distant colonies. I remember looking for my freighters before and not finding any -- just independent and other freighters.

So, to sum up, I'd definitely recommend providing each freighter with a hyperdrive and an extra reactor.

[johanwanderer]

That's odd. If you have all private designs on Automatic (need to have the ship design option on automatic as well for that to work) it should upgrade them when you have enough technology. I have noticed that the game sometimes does not create a design (passenger, transport, etc.) if I have a lot of them (maybe all?) on manual. I'm guessing having all designs on manuall effectively turn off the auto-designer, which is responsible for creating new designs when you get the right techs. It might take a few game days (17?) for the designs to be updated, though.

[Tcby]

The game will only auto-design a passenger ship once you have built a resort base.
Order of events is:
Research recreation centers
Auto designs resort base
Build base
Autodesigns and begins to construct passenger ships

...if you have set ship design to automatic.

As for the private sector not assigning hyperdrives or only using a single reactor, this is due to you setting their design to manual. If you use automated ship design the private sector will always utilise hyperdrives, and use > 1 reactor. They may start the game with a single reactor due to the limited prewarp construction size of 160. If this doesn't make sense, or you think it doesn't apply to your case, upload a save if you've got one and I'll try to point out what's going on.

[adamf]

Thanks guys, I must have turned off automated ship design as I wanted control over my military ship designs, which inadvertently left me with a backward transportation fleet.

[Tcby]

You can configure which of your designs are automated, so you can have the best of both worlds if you so choose. Note that this is configured in both the design screen and the empire policy menu.

[Tryam]

One thing I wish (as much as I love the various options) is that I could assign lines a certain type of upgrade. For example: Civilians use Caslon, military uses hydrogen reactors. I know I can hand control it but I hate having to go back in and manual edit instead of auto upgrade for some things. Also I'd like to have 2 different small space ports. And initial minimalistic design then a more fully functional variety. (Also Hand doable.) Or like my preference for the escorts and frigate to use the fast jump drives vs the high speed drives. (Especially for local area defense) Minor things and I do really like this game. So much depth.

[johanwanderer]

I think the only way to do that is to edit the ship templates (via modding.) Personally, I find that to be too much of a hassle, so I just stick with one fuel source, and make sure I have a plentiful supply of it.
 
With that said, some sort of direction filter per design (fuel source, warp types, engine types, etc.) would be great. I hate it when I come across a new (but inferior) type of drives / shields / etc. and all the auto-retrofit want to use them.