Engines
Guide created using an unknown version of Cataclysm DDA. The information present here might not apply to the current version of CDDA.
Ultimately engines work, but teasing out the specifics of how they work isn't easy. Here are some basic understandings of how engines work in vehicles. There aren't details on things like how power works with weight, fuel efficiency, top speed, and acceleration because those things simply aren't apparent. (At least, to me!)
Engine details
- epower is the drain on a vehicle's energy stored in batteries
- This represents the minor power needs in combustion engines for spark plugs as well as direct fuel in electric engines
- power is how much true power an engine generates to turn wheels or alternators; this shows for electric engines in the vehicle window, but not for gas or diesel
- Electric engines have a "fuel usage" but that is ignored for their epower use
- Gasoline and diesel engines spawn in a range of liter sizes, this liter size is multiplied by 100 to get their power
- 0.53L 1 cylinder engine has 53 power
- 12.43L V12 has 1243 power
- Power for variable size engines is listed with the min and max as well as an average to compare against the fixed power engines
- Fuel use is tied directly to power, it is power divided by 100, with 1 minimum and rounded down otherwise
- 0.53L 1 cylinder engine is fuel use 1 because 53/100=0.53
- 12.43L V12 is fuel use 12 because 1243/100=12.43
- Muscle power engines have their output adjusted by a factor of 5 for pedals and 3 for hand rims, based on strength
- The minireactor is the only engine that generates battery power without alternators
- Durability and damage mod determine how the components take damage in the vehicle
Table of engines
| name | damage modifier | durability | epower | power | min power | max power | fuel type | fuel usage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| small electric motor | 80 | 120 | -6000 | 15 | 15 | 15 | battery | 1 |
| electric motor | 80 | 200 | -29000 | 70 | 70 | 70 | battery | 1 |
| enhanced electric motor | 80 | 200 | -160000 | 400 | 400 | 400 | battery | 4 |
| large electric motor | 80 | 400 | -137000 | 350 | 350 | 350 | battery | 3 |
| V6 diesel engine | 80 | 400 | -200 | 500 | 400 | 600 | diesel | 5 |
| I6 diesel engine | 80 | 400 | -400 | 600 | 500 | 700 | diesel | 6 |
| V8 diesel engine | 80 | 400 | -300 | 700 | 600 | 800 | diesel | 7 |
| V12 diesel engine | 80 | 600 | -400 | ??? | ??? | ??? | diesel | 12? |
| small 1-cylinder engine | 80 | 120 | 0 | 33.5 | 22 | 45 | gasoline | 1 |
| 1-cylinder engine | 80 | 150 | 0 | 55 | 35 | 75 | gasoline | 1 |
| V-twin engine | 80 | 200 | -50 | 112.5 | 75 | 150 | gasoline | 1 |
| Inline-4 engine | 80 | 300 | -100 | 225 | 150 | 300 | gasoline | 2 |
| V6 engine | 80 | 400 | -150 | 400 | 300 | 500 | gasoline | 4 |
| V8 engine | 80 | 400 | -200 | 650 | 500 | 800 | gasoline | 6 |
| V12 engine | 80 | 600 | -350 | 1200 | 800 | 1600 | gasoline | 12 |
| foot crank | 50 | 50 | 0 | 45 | 45 | 45 | muscle | - |
| set of hand rims | 50 | 50 | 0 | 32 | 32 | 32 | muscle | - |
| minireactor | 80 | 580 | 149200 | 100 | 100 | 100 | plutonium cell | - |
Engines in 0.D (Danny)
The vehicle code has been slightly cleaned up in the latest versions. Engines no longer spawn with variable size: a V8 diesel is the same size as every other V8 diesel. Engines still produce power, drain electrical energy, and consume fuel based on their displacement, which is tied directly to their size.
A vehicle's safe cruising speed is proportional to the sum of the cruising power of its engines multiplied by its k_dynamics and k_mass. Cruising power is displacement multiplied by a fixed value by engine type:
| Engine Type | Cruising Power Factor |
|---|---|
| Muscle | 45 |
| Gasoline | 60 |
| Diesel | 65 |
| Electric | 90 |
A vehicle's maximum speed is proportional to the sum of the power of its engines.
In both cases, a vehicle with multiple engines reduces effective engine power by 4 / (3 + engine count), like so:
| Engine Count | Effective Power | Gain per additional identical engine |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 100% | +0% |
| 2 | 80% | +60% |
| 3 | 66% | +100% |
| 4 | 57% | +129% |
| 5 | 50% | +150% |
| 6 | 44% | +166% |
| 7 | 40% | +180% |
| 8 | 36% | +190% |
It is possible to reduce total effective available power by engaging a smaller engine: any additional that produces 25% power of the largest engine or less is an absolute loss in terms of effective power.
Alternators in 0.D (Danny)
Alternators are treated as though they were engines that consume power and produce electrical energy.
Solar panels in 0.D (Danny)
Solar panels produce electricity when the weather is sunny, clear, or cloudy. Solar panel energy production was severely reduced from previous version, and vehicles powered solely by solar panel need to be very lightweight and slow or only used infrequently. The solar car, made entirely of extra light frames with 13 upgraded solar panels and two electric motors, has a cruise speed around 50 mph and still only produces 10% of the necessary epower.
Table of engines
| name | epower | cruising power | power | fuel type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| foot crank | 0 | 28 + 1.25 * (ST - 8) | 64 + 5 * (ST - 8) | muscle |
| set of hand rims | 0 | 15 + 0.9 * (ST - 8) | 32 + 2 * (ST - 8) | muscle |
| small 1-cylinder engine | 0 | 18 | 30 | gasoline |
| 1-cylinder engine | 0 | 36 | 60 | gasoline |
| V-twin engine | -50 | 60 | 100 | gasoline |
| Inline-4 engine | -150 | 150 | 250 | gasoline |
| V6 engine | -200 | 240 | 400 | gasoline |
| V8 engine | -250 | 390 | 650 | gasoline |
| V12 engine | -350 | 720 | 1,200 | gasoline |
| small electric motor | -1,000 | 18 | 20 | battery |
| electric motor | -5,000 | 90 | 100 | battery |
| enhanced electric motor | -60,000 | 450 | 500 | battery |
| large electric motor | -40,000 | 360 | 400 | battery |
| V6 diesel engine | -250 | 260 | 400 | diesel |
| I6 diesel engine | -350 | 390 | 600 | diesel |
| V8 diesel engine | -350 | 422.5 | 650 | diesel |
| V12 diesel engine | -400 | 780 | 1,200 | diesel |
| motorbike alternator | 360 | -2 | -2 | - |
| car alternator | 780 | -4 | -4 | - |
| truck alternator | 1,320 | -6 | -6 | - |
| 7.5kW generator | 7,500 | -28 | -28 | - |
| minireactor | 149,200 | 100 | 100 | plutonium cell |
| solar panel | 50 | 0 | 0 | sunlight |
| solar panel | 50 | 0 | 0 | sunlight |
| upgraded solar panel | 100 | 0 | 0 | sunlight |
| quantum solar panel | 300 | 0 | 0 | sunlight |
- epower is electrical power, with negative values meaning the engine drains power
- cruising power and power are effective power. A single power is 1/2 HP. Cruising power already takes into account the effective cruising power multiplier by engine type mentioned above.
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