Steam Shovel - Revision history

Rhaom at 09:14, 1 January 2026

2026-01-01T09:14:58Z

Genhotep: /* Output */

2024-07-04T03:08:26Z

Output

Genhotep: /* Output */

2024-07-03T20:32:32Z

Output

Amhur at 19:57, 29 June 2024

2024-06-29T19:57:32Z

Amhur at 19:57, 29 June 2024

2024-06-29T19:57:02Z

Amicca: /* Use */

2022-05-17T16:52:56Z

Use

New page

{{Building
| name = Steam Shovel
| image = SteamShovel.jpg
| location = [[requires::Small Construction Site]]
| size =
| requirements =
* [[requires::Steam Mechanics|Steam Mechanics 3]]
| material1 = [[requires::Treated Boards|Hard, Rotproof Treated Boards]]
| qty1 = 1500
| material2 = [[requires::Bolt]]s
| qty2 = 100
| material3 = [[requires::Washer]]s
| qty3 = 100
| material4 = [[requires::Water]]
| qty4 = 500
| material5 = [[requires::Leather]]
| qty5 = 100
| material6 = [[requires::Small Gears|Brass Small Gears]]
| qty6 = 50
| material7 = [[requires::Steel Wire]]
| qty7 = 250
| material8 = [[requires::Treated Metal|Cobalt Sheeting: Hard, Corrosion Resistant]]
| qty8 = 200
| material9 = [[requires::Treated Metal|Copper Sheeting:Stainless]]
| qty9 = 100
| material10 = [[requires::Iron]] [[requires::Bars]]
| qty10 = 25
| material11 = [[requires::Iron]] [[requires::Medium Gears]]
| qty11 = 15
| material12 = [[requires::Lubricating Oil]]
| qty12 = 10
| material13 = [[requires::Thermometer]]s
| qty13 = 5
| material14 = [[requires::Screw Gear]]s
| qty14 = 1
| material15 = [[requires::Large Steam Engine]]
| qty15 = 1
}}

A Steam Shovel is a large building for automated harvesting of [[Dirt]], [[Cuttable Stone]]s, and [[Medium Stones]].

Steam shovels must be located on [[Dirt]], and must be built at least 500 feet (32 coords minimum) away from any other Steam Shovel so as to not interfere with each other (similar to [[Water Mines]]).

'''Steam Shovels are unique among all buildings in that Tuning them using [[Mechanics]] is not generally considered beneficial, and may be harmful, as explained below. Exercise caution in tuning non-Public Steam Shovels.'''

== Use ==
Steam shovels are fueled by [[fuel::Petroleum]]. The produce [[produces::Dirt]], [[produces::Cuttable Stone]]s, and [[produces::Medium Stones]] while running. Fuel can be added at any time, but items may not be removed from the Steam Shovel while it is running.

Steam shovels can be tuned with the [[Mechanics]] skill and/or [[Gear Oil]], and accept a [[requires::Springbox]]. One deben of [[Lubricating Oil]] will tune it to level 6.

=== Fuel ===
{| style="background-color:transparent"
|- valign=top
|
{| class="wikitable"
! Tune<br>Level !! Fuel/<br>THour
|- align=center
| 0 || 15
|- align=center
| 1 || 16
|- align=center
| 2 || 17
|- align=center
| 3 ||
|- align=center
| 4 ||
|- align=center
| 5 || 20
|- align=center
| 6 ||
|- align=center
| 7 || 26.7
|}
|
The rate of Petroleum consumption appears to depend on the level of tuning; fuel is consumed faster (and goods are produced faster) with higher tuning. Based on current data, the formula appears to be (240 / (16 - Tuning)) Petroleum consumed per Teppy-hour.

Maximum fuel capacity is 350. For an untuned Steam Shovel, this will last just over one realtime day. More fuel can be added while the Steam Shovel is running.
|}

=== Output ===
There is a short (<1 hour) period of low production (but regular fuel consumption) right after starting the Steam Shovel, after which it settles into its normal rate. On average, a basic Steam Shovel will produce 1 [[Dirt]], 1/2 [[Cuttable Stone]], and 1/7 [[Medium Stones]] per Petroleum consumed.

The shovel becomes more efficient the longer it runs. After 6 days, it goes to 2x and increases another level every 3 days. After 21 days, it maxes out at 7x per petroleum consumed. Notably, this is directly a factor of run-time, and not simply from the steam shovel having produced a given amount of stones (or consumed a given amount of fuel) in a single run.

At each increase in efficiency, the Steam Shovel displays a new message when you examine the mechanism
* The machine wobbles and shakes as the gears are meshing, but seems to be working (initial 6-day run).
* Something has slipped in the mechanism, but it seems to be improving (first efficiency increase)
* The mechanism is running smoothly and increasing in tempo (second increase)
* You think you smell smoke, and that can't be good. The machine does seem to be running faster though, so maybe a little fire isn't all bad (third increase)

Tuning does not affect the efficiency (Stones per Petroleum) of the Steam Shovel, but adding a [[requires::Springbox]] does. This means that a well-tuned Steam Shovel will go through fuel more quickly than an un-Tuned Steam Shovel - the difficulty with Steam Shovels often being keeping them fed often enough to get to the higher efficiency tiers, as it takes days of uninterrupted run-time.

This means that, counter-intuitively, Tuning a Steam Shovel may be more of a hindrance than a help. However, if the Steam Shovel is prone to intentionally being stopped before it could get to the higher efficiency tiers, or you could not reliably expect to keep it fed that long to begin with as is likely the case with all Public Steam Shovels, then tuning may be desirable as it will increase the amount of stones produced in a given shorter amount of time, and there is no real chance of the shovel reaching the higher efficiency tiers to begin with.

=== Pollution ===
''"The steam shovel belches forth a cloud of acrid smoke and rumbles to life. As it starts to run it seems to develop a rhythm the more it turns."''

This message received after starting the Steam Shovel and implies that there may be [[Ecology|pollution]] caused. More research is needed.

{{L|en}}

← Older revision		Revision as of 03:08, 4 July 2024
Line 90:		Line 90:

	* Ping? You swear you heard something pinging, but it is still running fine (sixth increase)		* Ping? You swear you heard something pinging, but it is still running fine (sixth increase)
		+	* The gears practically sing to you, you don't think it can run any better than this (seventh increase)

	Tuning does not affect the efficiency (Stones per Petroleum) of the Steam Shovel, but adding a [[requires::Springbox]] does. This means that a well-tuned Steam Shovel will go through fuel more quickly than an un-Tuned Steam Shovel - the difficulty with Steam Shovels often being keeping them fed often enough to get to the higher efficiency tiers, as it takes days of uninterrupted run-time.		Tuning does not affect the efficiency (Stones per Petroleum) of the Steam Shovel, but adding a [[requires::Springbox]] does. This means that a well-tuned Steam Shovel will go through fuel more quickly than an un-Tuned Steam Shovel - the difficulty with Steam Shovels often being keeping them fed often enough to get to the higher efficiency tiers, as it takes days of uninterrupted run-time.

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:57, 29 June 2024
Line 97:		Line 97:

	This message received after starting the Steam Shovel and implies that there may be [[Ecology\|pollution]] caused. More research is needed.		This message received after starting the Steam Shovel and implies that there may be [[Ecology\|pollution]] caused. More research is needed.
−
−	~~[[requires::Large Steam Engine]]~~

	{{L\|en}}		{{L\|en}}

@@ Line 2: / Line 2: @@
 | name         = Steam Shovel
 | image        = SteamShovel.jpg
-| location     = [[requires::Small Construction Site]]
+| location     = [[where::Small Construction Site]]
 | size         =
 | requirements =

@@ Line 88: / Line 88: @@
 * The mechanism is running smoothly and increasing in tempo (second increase)
 * You think you smell smoke, and that can't be good. The machine does seem to be running faster though, so maybe a little fire isn't all bad (third increase)
 Tuning does not affect the efficiency (Stones per Petroleum) of the Steam Shovel, but adding a [[requires::Springbox]] does. This means that a well-tuned Steam Shovel will go through fuel more quickly than an un-Tuned Steam Shovel - the difficulty with Steam Shovels often being keeping them fed often enough to get to the higher efficiency tiers, as it takes days of uninterrupted run-time.