Reactor vs Generator Decision Tree

Version: 1.0.0 Category: economic Priority: high Description: Decision tree for choosing between Reactor (safe) and Generator (efficient) for energy production

Decision Flowchart

flowchart TD
    needEnergy{"Do you need\nenergy production?"}
    needEnergy -->|Yes| hasAlpha{"Do you have\nAlpha Matter?"}
    needEnergy -->|No| noNeed["No energy production needed"]

    hasAlpha -->|Yes| riskLevel{"What is your\nrisk tolerance?"}
    hasAlpha -->|No| mineFirst["Mine and refine Alpha Ore first\nthen return to this decision"]

    riskLevel -->|Low| useReactor["Reactor (1x)\nSafe and reliable"]
    riskLevel -->|Medium| medChoice{"Choose production type"}
    riskLevel -->|High| highChoice{"Choose max efficiency type"}

    medChoice -->|Safer option| medReactor["Reactor (1x)\nSafer for medium risk"]
    medChoice -->|More efficient| fieldGen["Field Generator (2x)\nManageable risk"]

    highChoice -->|2x efficiency| fieldGenHigh["Field Generator\n2x output"]
    highChoice -->|5x efficiency| contPlant["Continental Power Plant\n5x output"]
    highChoice -->|10x efficiency| worldEng["World Engine\n10x output"]

Condition Table

Condition True Path False Path Notes
Need energy production? Check Alpha Matter No action needed Entry point
Have Alpha Matter? Assess risk tolerance Mine and refine first Prerequisite for all production
Risk tolerance = low Reactor (1x) – Safest option
Risk tolerance = medium Field Generator (2x) or Reactor – Balanced choice
Risk tolerance = high Field Generator, Continental Power Plant, or World Engine – Maximum efficiency options

Production Type Comparison

Type Rate Formula Risk Efficiency Best For
Reactor 1x Energy (kW) = Alpha Matter (g) x 1 Low 100% Beginners, reliability, network stability
Field Generator 2x Energy (kW) = Alpha Matter (g) x 2 High 200% Experienced players, acceptable risk
Continental Power Plant 5x Energy (kW) = Alpha Matter (g) x 5 High 500% High-risk strategies, maximum efficiency
World Engine 10x Energy (kW) = Alpha Matter (g) x 10 High 1000% Maximum risk/reward, extreme efficiency

Production Examples

Using 100 grams of Alpha Matter as input:

Type Input Output Risk
Reactor 100g Alpha Matter 100 kW Low
Field Generator 100g Alpha Matter 200 kW High
Continental Power Plant 100g Alpha Matter 500 kW High
World Engine 100g Alpha Matter 1000 kW High

Reactor

The Reactor is the safe, reliable choice for energy production. It converts Alpha Matter to Energy at a 1:1 ratio with low risk.

Pros: Safe, reliable, predictable, lower risk

Cons: Lower efficiency, 1x output only

Design intent: Network stability. Reactors are intentionally lower-efficiency to provide a reliable baseline for the game economy.

Generators

Generators offer higher efficiency at the cost of increased risk. Three tiers are available:

Field Generator (2x) – Doubles output compared to Reactor. Suitable for players comfortable with moderate risk who want better returns.

Continental Power Plant (5x) – Five times Reactor output. Designed for experienced players pursuing aggressive strategies.

World Engine (10x) – Ten times Reactor output. The highest risk/reward option, suited for players willing to accept extreme risk for maximum efficiency.

Design intent: Higher returns with inflation control. Generators create a risk/reward tradeoff that drives economic decisions.

Energy Properties

Best Practices