Entities preview: focus on energy generation (part 1)

Published on March 31, 2026, 10:35 a.m.
Last changed on May 7, 2026, 11:18 a.m.

Howdy fellow galactic wanderer!

I would like to introduce this post as a preview to how entities are currently being defined. Not entirely focused on mechanics, but also flavour, progression across science levels, etc. Hopefully this provides opportunities for feedback here or on Discord. Up to you!
As usual though, this is also a good way for me to dump part of the current status; this is both driven by a desire for transparency and also by a pure want to expose how things are evolving/taking shape.

So without further ado, let's have a look at one entity class: Energy generation

This class was picked because it is varied (imho of course). To give you a feel of the overall class progress, another 17 similar classes are in about the same state of development: which means their descriptions, progressions, slot and attribute definitions are pretty much as advanced as the one we are about to have a close look at.

The post will be logically split into the following sections:

A brief introduction
Symbols, names, descriptions and science dependencies
Slots
Attributes for the class; this will include universal attributes, unit-level attributes and class-specific attributes
Metabolism
Then some comments, observations, thoughts, etc.
… spread over three posts (I am a fucking idiot and my max_length is 50k on post contents… I will fix that later)

And before we start, the reason only one class is detailed here are: 1) the goal is not to expose everything, just to give a preview 2) as you will see, the class overview takes up quite some space already, so covering too many classes would result in an endless post. :-)

One more thing: this is all not finalised and is subject to change!

Energy generation: introduction

This class is of the utmost importance to any entity: without power, there can be nothing. Power (wattage, not the ability to crush your enemies!) drives all and without it nothing can function aboard a ship, a station, a vehicle, etc. Tangent: a very close sibling class to energy generation is "energy collection"; whereas generation is very much active and involves burning fuel, collection does it from the environment in a far more passive fashion (from wind to gravitational gradients, etc).

Energy generation: entity types

The class is populated with the following entity types:

Symbol	Name	Description	Science	Tier
`ENERGY_GENERATOR_FISSION_LWR`	Light water hub fission reactor	A Light Water Reactor (LWR) core using enriched uranium-235 fuel pins. It uses water as both a neutron moderator and a heat-transfer medium. The core is designed for high reliability and steady-state baseload power. While efficient, it requires a massive pressure vessel to keep the water in a liquid state at high temperatures, and it is susceptible to xenon poisoning during rapid throttle changes, making it less responsive than fusion or isomer cores.	particle physics	0.7
`ENERGY_GENERATOR_FISSION_MSR`	Molten salt cell fission reactor	An advanced fission design in which the fuel is dissolved in a fluoride or chloride salt medium. The Molten Salt Reactor (MSR) operates at atmospheric pressure, significantly reducing the risk of explosive decompression. The liquid fuel allows for online refuelling and the continuous removal of fission products, resulting in higher fuel burn-up and improved safety. The high operating temperature provides excellent thermal efficiency, though the corrosive nature of the hot salts requires specialised nickel-alloy containment layers.	particle physics	0.8
`ENERGY_GENERATOR_FISSION_FAST`	Fast-spectrum breeder fission reactor	A compact, high-performance core that uses unmoderated ‘fast’ neutrons to sustain the reaction. This Fast-Spectrum Breeder reactor can transmute non-fissile isotopes into fuel, effectively creating its own propellant and energy source. It uses liquid metal (sodium or lead-bismuth) as a coolant to handle the extreme power densities. This core is significantly smaller than thermal reactors and offers much higher power density, making it the preferred fission variant for military vessels and heavy industrial platforms.	particle physics	0.9
`ENERGY_GENERATOR_FUSION_TOKAMAK`	Tokamak fusion reactor	Tokamak fusion reactors confine and heat plasma using strong toroidal magnetic fields combined with a central current. They achieve stable, long-duration fusion reactions through well-established magnetic confinement techniques and remain the most mature approach for continuous power generation.	fusion physics	1
`ENERGY_GENERATOR_FUSION_STELLARATOR`	Stellarator Fusion reactor	Stellarator fusion reactors use complex, non-axisymmetric magnetic coils to create stable plasma confinement without requiring a strong plasma current. They offer inherently steady-state operation and a reduced risk of disruptive instabilities compared with tokamak designs.	fusion physics	1.1
`ENERGY_GENERATOR_FUSION_INERTIAL`	Inertial Fusion reactor	Inertial fusion reactors compress small fuel pellets using high-energy lasers or particle beams to achieve fusion conditions through rapid implosion. They deliver power in short, intense pulses rather than continuously, allowing very high peak output in compact reactor volumes.	fusion physics	1.4
`ENERGY_GENERATOR_ANEUTRONIC_DPF`	Aneutronic DPF fusion reactor	A pulsed-power coaxial Dense Plasma Focus reactor that initiates fusion via the ‘pinch’ effect. High-voltage discharges accelerate a plasma sheath to a focal point, reaching p-B11 ignition temperatures. The resulting high-velocity alpha particles are captured through induction coils for direct-to-electric conversion. This eliminates steam-cycle losses but subjects the electrode assembly to intense periodic mechanical fatigue and thermal shock during each pulse cycle.	aneutronic fusion	2
`ENERGY_GENERATOR_ANEUTRONIC_FRC`	FRC containment fusion reactor	A linear system maintaining a self-stable plasma torus through internal currents and poloidal fields. The Field-Reversed Configuration is optimised for helium-3 cycles, using an open-field geometry to direct ion exhaust towards longitudinal converters. While highly efficient for direct energy recovery, it requires high-speed magnetic feedback to prevent tilt-mode instabilities and maintain the plasma’s alignment within the reactor axis.	aneutronic fusion	2.3
`ENERGY_GENERATOR_ANEUTRONIC_CBR`	CBR collision fusion reactor	The Collision-Based Reactor architecture uses particle acceleration to intersect high-energy ion beams within a vacuum hub. Precision electrostatic lenses focus the beams to overcome the Coulomb barrier without bulk plasma heating. This avoids bremsstrahlung losses and produces a clean, neutron-free reaction. It requires sub-nanosecond synchronisation and perfect beam alignment, making it the most complex but radiation-quiet chamber available.	aneutronic fusion	2.7
`ENERGY_GENERATOR_COLD_FUSION_ELECTROLYTE`	Electrolytic lattice cold fusion reactor	A classic LENR design using a heavy-water electrolytic cell with a palladium cathode. Hydrogen isotopes are forced into the metal lattice via electrical current, reaching the high loading ratios necessary for anomalous heat production. It provides a very stable, low-intensity power output suitable for long-duration auxiliary systems. The primary constraint is the physical degradation of the cathode over time due to helium embrittlement and lattice expansion stress.	cold fusion	2.5
`ENERGY_GENERATOR_COLD_FUSION_GAS_PHASE`	Gas-Phase cold fusion reactor	This core uses pressurised hydrogen gas within a nanostructured nickel-lithium lattice. By applying specific thermal gradients, the core triggers phonon-coupled nuclear transitions. This dry-loading method allows for much higher operating temperatures than electrolytic cells, significantly improving Carnot efficiency for power conversion. It is the industrial standard for compact advanced cold-fusion units, balancing fuel economy with a robust, vibration-resistant structural design.	cold fusion	2.8
`ENERGY_GENERATOR_COLD_FUSION_CATALYSER`	Energy catalyser cold fusion reactor	An advanced LENR core optimised for high-flux energy production. It employs a proprietary mix of hydrogen-loaded powders and thermo-electric stimulation to maintain a semi-stable ‘active’ state. This unit features the highest power density in the cold-fusion class but requires sophisticated electronic monitoring to prevent thermal runaway. The integrated sensor array constantly tunes the input frequency to match the lattice resonance, maximising the energy release while protecting the core.	cold fusion	3.2
`ENERGY_GENERATOR_MUONIC_FUSION_RESONANCE`	Muon resonance cavity fusion reactor	A precision reactor designed for muon-catalysed fusion (MCF). It uses a high-pressure deuterium-tritium gas mix in which injected muons replace electrons in D-T molecules. This reduces the internuclear distance, allowing fusion to occur at near-ambient temperatures. The cavity geometry is optimised to maximise the muon-alpha stripping rate, ensuring muons are freed to catalyse subsequent reactions before their natural decay cycle concludes.	muonic fusion	2.7
`ENERGY_GENERATOR_MUONIC_FUSION_LASER`	Muon-Laser hybrid fusion reactor	This core enhances the muonic catalysis process by using mid-infrared laser pulses to stimulate the formation of muonic molecules. By vibrationally exciting the D-T targets, the ‘muon sticking’ problem — where muons bond to helium ash — is significantly mitigated. This increases the total fusion yield per muon injected. The hybrid approach allows for lower operating pressures than pure cavity designs while maintaining a higher steady-state power density for industrial applications.	muonic fusion	2.8
`ENERGY_GENERATOR_MUONIC_FUSION_BEAM`	Muon Beam Collider	A reaction hub that uses intersecting muon and fuel-ion beams to bypass bulk gas limitations. By colliding high-velocity muonic atoms, the core achieves near-instantaneous fusion with exceptional recycling rates. Advanced quantum-state monitoring ensures muons are recaptured with over 98% efficiency after reaction. This configuration is the most compact muonic variant, suitable for high-performance vessels requiring rapid throttle response and minimal thermal signature.	muonic fusion	3.2
`ENERGY_GENERATOR_ISOMER_XRAY`	X-Ray triggered isomer reactor	A nuclear isomer reactor using an external X-ray source to induce ‘de-excitation’ of metastable hafnium isotopes. The incident photons trigger the nucleus to drop to a lower energy state, releasing high-energy gamma radiation. This energy is captured by a heavy-metal heat exchanger. It offers a higher energy density than muonic fusion but requires significant radiation shielding to protect the trigger synchronisation hardware from the resulting gamma flux.	transient structure physics	3
`ENERGY_GENERATOR_ISOMER_STARK`	Stark-Effect stimulator reactor	An advanced core that uses intense, oscillating electromagnetic fields to distort the nuclear potential well, facilitating the forbidden transitions of high-spin isomers. This ‘Stark-shifting’ method allows for much finer control over the power ramp rate compared with photon-triggered designs. It is highly valued in tactical applications where rapid throttle response is necessary, though it places extreme electrical stress on the field-stabiliser components during peak energy release.	transient structure physics	3.3
`ENERGY_GENERATOR_ISOMER_NEUTRON`	Neutron-Mediated isomer reactor	Uses a low-flux neutron source to populate a transition state that bypasses the metastable isomer’s spin barrier. This catalytic approach produces the highest energy density in the isomer class, bridging the gap towards antimatter systems. The reaction is managed via a precision neutron-moderator assembly that prevents the core from entering a prompt-critical gamma burst. Due to the high neutron flux, the internal structure requires exotic self-healing alloys to mitigate lattice displacement damage over its operational lifespan.	transient structure physics	3.8
`ENERGY_GENERATOR_ANTIMATTER_PENNING`	Penning trap antimatter reactor	A high-stability core using axial magnetic and quadrupole electric fields to suspend antiprotons in a 3D vacuum well. Power is generated through controlled matter injection, triggering annihilation events captured by a conversion foil. The low-density confinement ensures a predictable, steady-state output with minimal leakage risk, making it the standard for reliable, long-term power generation in deep-space habitats and orbital grids.	antimatter synthesis	4.1
`ENERGY_GENERATOR_ANTIMATTER_MAGNETIC`	Magnetic Bottle antimatter reactor	Designed for high-density storage, this core uses powerful magnetic mirrors to reflect antihydrogen plasma between two focal points. This dynamic confinement handles the intense annihilation rates required for high-thrust propulsion and heavy industrial loads. It is susceptible to loss-cone instabilities, requiring active flux compressors to manage plasma fluctuations, but offers significantly higher power density than static trapping methods.	antimatter synthesis	4.4
`ENERGY_GENERATOR_ANTIMATTER_QUANTUM`	Quantum coherence antimatter reactor	An advanced core maintaining antimatter in a macroscopic coherent state. An entanglement grid decouples the wave function from surrounding matter, allowing ultra-high-density storage without accidental contact. Energy is extracted via wave-function collapse, providing near-perfect efficiency and instantaneous power release. This reactor type requires absolute thermal isolation but enables the highest annihilation power densities achievable.	antimatter synthesis	4.7
`ENERGY_GENERATOR_SINGULARITY_ACCRETION`	Accretion flow singularity reactor	A reactor generating power via controlled matter accretion. A microscopic black hole is fed ionised gas, forming a high-energy accretion disc. As matter falls towards the event horizon, gravitational potential is converted into intense X-ray and gamma-ray radiation. This flux is captured by nested multi-layer converters. While stable, it requires robust shielding to handle the isotropic radiation signature of the disc.	gravitonics	6.1
`ENERGY_GENERATOR_SINGULARITY_VELOCITY`	Velocity singularity reactor	Velocity reactors use the Penrose process to extract rotational energy from Kerr-type rotating singularities. By injecting matter into the ergosphere and capturing super-radiant scatter, the core achieves yields exceeding 100% of rest-mass input. High frame-drag sensors and stabilised injectors must operate within nanometres of the ergosphere boundary. This produces massive output but subjects the buffer components to extreme mechanical torque and frame-dragging stress.	gravitonics	6.4
`ENERGY_GENERATOR_KUGELBLITZ_OPTICAL`	Optical shell Kugelblitz reactor	Constructed around a spherical array of gamma-ray lasers and gravitic mirrors, the optical shell reactor maintains a Kugelblitz by focusing light into a volume so dense that it collapses into a singularity. Power is harvested from Hawking radiation as the singularity evaporates. The system requires constant photon-flux adjustment and temporal flux adjustments at the horizon to balance mass-energy against radiation pressure. It is efficient but requires perfect optical alignment to prevent catastrophic core collapse.	duality physics	6.7
`ENERGY_GENERATOR_KUGELBLITZ_HARMONIC`	Harmonic flux Kugelblitz reactor	The harmonic flux Kugelblitz reactor leverages frequency synchronisation to maximise photon-to-mass conversion. Instead of simple laser focusing, it uses a complex interference pattern to trap light within a self-sustaining quantum-optical lattice. This increases Hawking radiation capture efficiency and allows operation at lower input thresholds. Precision resonance monitors and time-flow flux regulators allow rapid throttling by shifting interference phases, providing unmatched control for high-tier vessels.	duality physics	7.5
`ENERGY_GENERATOR_ENTROPY_RETROCAUSAL`	Retrocausal time-reversed entropy core	A time-reversed entropy reactor generates power by enforcing local entropy inversion within a closed system. Thermal and energetic gradients flow inward towards ordered states, producing continuous extractable energy. The core maintains temporal symmetry control, allowing entropy reversal to persist. Power is drawn as heat or usable electricity with stable, controllable output.	temporal physics	7.4
`ENERGY_GENERATOR_ENTROPY_PARADOX`	Paradox-free entropy core	A paradox-free entropy reactor leverages advanced temporal folding to generate power from the collapse of divergent timelines. By ‘harvesting’ the entropy of failed quantum states before they are pruned by reality, the core provides near-infinite power with almost zero observable fuel consumption. It features a triple-redundant causality buffer and an event-horizon clock that keeps the core’s local time decoupled from the rest of the vessel.	temporal physics	8.2
`ENERGY_GENERATOR_VACUUM_CASIMIR`	Casimir vacuum energy siphon	A vacuum energy siphon extracts usable power by inducing asymmetries in quantum vacuum fields. The core maintains a sustained gradient that converts background energy fluctuations into directed energy output. Continuous regulation keeps the vacuum state stable while energy flows through conversion conduits. The system provides constant, almost fuel-free power suitable for long-term autonomous operation.	zero-point energy	8.1
`ENERGY_GENERATOR_VACUUM_STOCHASTIC`	Stochastic Flux Siphon	A stochastic siphon uses high-frequency electromagnetic pumps to ‘excite’ the vacuum field, forcing the creation of high-energy virtual particle pairs. These are separated by an ultra-fast field splitter and harvested before recombination. This active siphoning provides significantly more power than passive Casimir arrays and allows for rapid output adjustment. The core is characterised by its distinct ‘quantum hum’ caused by the high-frequency field modulation.	vacuum condensation	9.1
`ENERGY_GENERATOR_ASYMPTOTIC_TIDAL`	Tidal transfer asymptotic reactor	A dissipative bridge between a micro white-hole outflux and a black-hole sink. It uses gravitic induction rings to ‘bleed’ energy from the spacetime curvature gradient between the pair. By modulating the distance between singularities, the core regulates the flow of virtual particles and relativistic jets, converting the potential energy of the ‘fall’ into high-energy direct current through vacuum-polarisation effects.	event horizon physics	8.3
`ENERGY_GENERATOR_ASYMPTOTIC_RELATIVISTIC`	Relativistic loop asymptotic reactor	A high-performance variant maintaining a closed-loop asymptotic transfer by recirculating white-hole exhaust into the black hole through a relativistic manifold. This creates a perpetual energy gradient with near-zero fuel waste. Built around spacetime-folding anchors that maintain micro-wormhole geometry against tidal dissipation, it offers the highest power output in the gravitic class, requiring constant calibration of the geodesic manifold.	event horizon physics	8.7
`ENERGY_GENERATOR_HYPERMATTER_DIMENSIONAL`	Dimensional conduit hypermatter reactor	A conduit hypermatter reactor draws power from stabilised hyperdense matter states bound within dimensional containment fields. Controlled decay of hypermatter releases vast energy streams that are channelled into conversion matrices. The reactor core maintains constant matter-state equilibrium, enabling smooth, continuous output.	hyperenergetics	9.9
`ENERGY_GENERATOR_HYPERMATTER_HYPERCELL`	Hyper-Space Singular Cell	A hyperspace singular cell creates a localised ‘fold’ in the manifold to ingest bulk hypermatter. By collapsing the higher-dimensional matter within a micro-containment field, the core generates a sustained high-energy plasma that exceeds the power output of standard singularity cores. It uses a quantum-state manifold to ensure the hypermatter remains stable long enough for total energy extraction.	hyperenergetics	10.5

Continued here.