:: Drone Mod Request ::

[Deejicus]

Quick overview of a mod/modlet that has been going around in my head for a bit. It is more of a balancing mod and doesn't make anything easier.

https://7daystodie.fandom.com/wiki/Robotic_Drone

1. Crafting requirements for Quality 1, and increase accordingly from there.

• 10 Robotics parts (up from 5)
  
• 10 forged steel (no change)
  
• 15 duct tape (no change)
  
• 20 electrical parts (changed place of scrap polymers)
  
• 2 motion sensors (no change)
  

2. Charged battery required for it to run. This might be tricky, but it would need a UI element for the battery. Additionally, as the drone quality increases, so do the battery requirements. (For extra clarity, they would not occupy the 'mods' space. They would have their own area in the UI, similar to what the battery bank looks like.)

• Quality 1-2 drone = 1 battery to operate.
  
• Quality 3-4 drone = 2 batteries to operate.
  
• Quality 5-6 drone = 3 batteries to operate.
  

3. Running the drone, drains the batteries. Different states affect amount of energy used from battery.

• Drone inactive or in your inventory - no power drain at all.
  
• Idle drone, <50% cargo filled. - .01 watt per minute?
  
• Idle drone, >50% cargo filled. - .05 watt per minute?
  
• Moving drone, <50% cargo filled. - .1 watt per minute?
  
• Moving drone, >50% cargo filled. - .5  watt per minute?
  

**I am not sure those are good values I suggested for power draw. Only used to give an idea. I guess they use a "durability" system for draining batteries with banks, but the concept remains.**

4. Mods would increase power draw. (Again, I'm just throwing out numbers here as a rough idea)

• Each cargo mod adds a 1.5 or 2 multiplier power draw to each state.
  
• Medic Mod adds a flat extra .05 watt consumption all the time and spikes 10x when it's activated.
  
• Headlamp Mod only draws power when activated. Maybe like a .05 watt/min as well?
  
• Armor Plating and Morale Booster mods add a small increase in draw because of weight.
  

5. Drone would alert player at 50%, 25%, 10% and 5% battery power remaining. At 2% it would say something like, "batteries critically low, power loss imminent".

:: Extra ::

This is outside of the scope of the mod I just outlined, but these would be cool!

- Solar Charging Mod: Now, Solar Cells have a second use and would slowly recharge drone batteries on the go (only during the day of course). Could just pop a solar cell into the mod slots, is what I'm thinking. (More than one could be added)

- Extra Battery Mod: Be able to put an additional battery in drone for extra charge! When main batteries deplete, the drone would mention something about being on 'reserve power'. (More than one could be added)

- Lightening Mod: Uses scrap polymers to lighten certain parts. Decreases discharge rate of batteries. (Only one could be added)

- Efficient Rotors: Better designed rotors to increase flying efficiency, also decreases discharge rate. (Only one could be added)

 

[Deejicus]

I would like to add, for the UI portion, that the batteries should be independent of the mods in terms of interfaces. Like the vehicles have, there could be radial menu option that allows the battery "compartment" to be opened. Changing out batteries would cause the drone to become inactive on the ground. I also think it should be ok to be able to put the drone in your inventory even if it has batteries in it.

 

[Deejicus]

Crafting requirements ideas for the extra mods suggested at the end:

• Solar charger - 1 solar cell, 5 polymers, 4 electrical parts, 4 duct tape (lower crafting reqs since solar cells are rare and expensive AF)
  
• Extra Battery (might want to call it Reserve battery compartment) - 5 forged steel, 10 polymers, 4 electrical parts, 4 mechanical parts (this is the standard crafting reqs for drone mods in vanilla)
  
• Lightening - 20 scrap polymers, 5 military fibers, 10 duct tape, 5 glue
  
• Efficient Rotors - 4 robotics parts, 10 scrap polymers, 4 mechanical parts, 4 electrical parts