Techtonica is a factory-building game based on creating production networks. The game largely depends on using a Techtonica water wheel that produces the electricity you need to power other machines.
As this game is in early access, there might be too much that you need to understand, that’s why in this article, we will explain how Techtonica Water Wheel works to power the production, but first let’s briefly dive into the gameplay of Techtonica.
Understanding Techtonica
Techtonica is a factory-building game set under an alien planet’s surface. It is a first-person automation game that you can play alone or in co-op. In this fun game, you can build factories, collect resources, and research the latest Technologies.
The game begins when you are left in a rogue underground alien world with a few tools and a lot of mysteries. You have to work your way up of gathering tools and building bigger machines. That’s where you need the power of the water wheel.
How Water Wheel Techtonica Works?
The water wheel is present in many places throughout the game and it needs a water body to work. The best thing about this wheel is, that it works automatically after you scan it and place it on a water body and can automatically produce energy to power the machines such as crank generators, batteries, and power floors.
The science behind water wheel generators is very innovative. It uses the principles of hydropower and engineering to create renewable energy. There are three major parts of the water wheel, buckets, and special blades. When flowing water passes through the blades, they redirect its force to rotate the wheel. This rotation then produces electrical energy, more like turbines.
To generate the energy you have to connect a water wheel to a generator. Although you can place the water wheel on any water body, keep in mind that there must be a floor close to the water to place the generator. Make sure that the distance between the water wheel and the generator is not too far or the setup will not work. However, it is very irritating to turn the crank generator on manually after every 5 minutes.
Locations To Place Water Wheel
As you know, you can place a water wheel anywhere in the water body. Still, a little strategy is better. So, always place the water wheel in a wide spread of water so you can add multiple wheels.
The river near terminal Victor is a place where you unlock the wheel and this is one of the great locations to place the wheel. Another great location for the wheel is the freight elevator to build power plants. However, keep in mind that there must be 1 block space between two water wheels.
The freight elevator can be in a far-off location, so a high-voltage cable will be handy to place the wheel. Now that you know where to place, let’s take a look at how many to place.
Techtonica Water Wheel Ratio
The crank generators are represented as Mark I, Mark II, and so on according to the number of wheels they need to generate energy. One water wheel can turn up 2 cranks. If you add one more crank, there will be a small loss of energy production.
However, once you add several more cranks, the energy production will again increase and cycle back, this is an irrational behaviour but we have to play along.
On the other hand, two water wheels are required to turn one Mark II crank.
The reason behind this is, that Mark II cranks generate more power than Mark I cranks so they need an extra push to work. Mark II cranks are expensive to build but they have an extra boost of energy. Mark II cranks are also better because keep the base clean as you don’t have to add too many water wheels when you are getting more power per water wheel.
However, if you don’t mind a congested base, you can generate cheaper power with Mark 1 cranks.
Where To Unlock Water Wheels
You can unlock the water wheels at Terminal Victor. You can see the location on the map and scan the wheel to unlock their blueprints. You can do this unlocking at the north of Ternimal Victor.
After scanning the wheel you can unlock it in a tech tree then you can easily find on the interface. You can find the wheel in the cooling system tier under the terminal Victor (The second tier of tech and Victor) and it costs 180 purple research points to unlock.
Components and Cost
Every component you use has a cost, here is a list of what you need to spend.
To build one water wheel, you need the following.
- 5 Iron Frames
- 20 Mechanical Components
- 20 Electrical Components
The cost of raw materials will be:
- 26 Copper Ingots
- 57 Iron Ingots
Final Analysis
So, here is what you need to know about the Techtonica water wheel. This game is fun to play as it’s innovative and has immersive graphics and people are completely invested in it. However, this game is still under development, and if you want to purchase you will have to put up with this incomplete version as specified by developers.
FAQs
What is a water wheel in techtonica?
A water wheel is a device that uses flowing water to generate energy. In Techtonica, these wheels are used to power machines and build factory as specified by the gameplay.
How do water wheels work?
The water wheel has blades and as the force of moving water is exerted on the blades they rotate. This rotary motion is then used to produce power when connected to the crank generator.
Can I use Multiple Mark I cranks with one water wheel?
One water wheel can turn up two Mark 1 crank generators. Yes, you can connect more but as you do so, there can be slight fluctuations in the power production.
How much torque is produced by a water wheel?
A water wheel is a torque produced and can generate 100 Nm of torque when placed in a water source.
Can I place multiple water wheels in one location?
Yes, you can place several water wheels in one location given that it is wide because there must be a 1 block distance between two water wheels.
