On the real price of Mex upgrades

[suka]

If I believe the wiki or the thumbnails, upgrading a mex to a given tier cost the exact same price as building it from scratch to the same tier.

(T2 -> T3 == T3)

This would imply it is more interesting to reclaim, then build a mex rather than just upgrade it.

However, this guide: http://supcomfaguide.uw.hu/chapter1.html implies a cost of 3600 and my own test games implies 3450.

(replay number:3474101, name Dawngame, map Summer Duel, only player is suka).

Is there an official thread about that? Any info?

[Deering]

Yes, reclaiming and rebuilding can be better than upgrading. Lets look at T2 mex -> T3 mex. Reclaiming a T2 mex gives 810 mass and it produces 9/sec (assuming surrounded by storage). if you reclaim the mex you are missing out on the 9m/s. So you have 810/9 seconds before not reclaiming it is more efficient.

So basically, if your upgrade is going to take less than 90 seconds than reclaiming and building a T3 is more mass efficient, however this requires build power in the right spot, most likely having the mass in storage and also the extra apm/concentration to do it so most people just upgrade. T1 -> T2 is 16 seconds so pretty much not worth it.

[suka]

Yes, reclaiming and rebuilding can be better than upgrading. Lets look at T2 mex -> T3 mex. Reclaiming a T2 mex gives 810 mass and it produces 9/sec (assuming surrounded by storage). if you reclaim the mex you are missing out on the 9m/s. So you have 810/9 seconds before not reclaiming it is more efficient.

So basically, if your upgrade is going to take less than 90 seconds than reclaiming and building a T3 is more mass efficient, however this requires build power in the right spot, most likely having the mass in storage and also the extra apm/concentration to do it so most people just upgrade. T1 -> T2 is 16 seconds so pretty much not worth it.

That is accepting that upgrading costs the same, which appears to be false if you watch my replay.

In fact, it looks like the previous mex is automatically "reclaimed".

[Hascins]

I think 3450 is a net value.

You gain 6 Mass per tick and it takes unassisted about 192s to upgrade t2-->t3. That means 1152 Massincome during the upgrade.

The costs are 4600 mass.

Leaves you at about 3448 mass cost.

Could this be the answer to your question?

[Vee]

Did you turn off the mex while measuring the cost? The real cost should be 4600, which was just confirmed in a test by gala.

[suka]

The wiki said that mexes do not produce mass when upgrading, is it a change in FAF?

That would indeed make sense, but it contradicts other sources.

[speed2]

What wiki says that? I think you miss read, mexes always produced mass while being upgraded and always will

[Deering]

No it does say that. Its just flat out wrong. The supcom wiki that is, not faf wiki

[codepants]

What wiki says that? I think you miss read, mexes always produced mass while being upgraded and always will

Wait, really? Why does the animation stop then? And why does the cost icon (if you turn on eco icons) say -6 when upgrading t1 > t2? Wouldn't it say -4?

[Exotic_Retard]

umm
it should say -8 and the real consumption be -10 (+2)
http://content.faforever.com/faf/unitsDB/unit.php?bp=URB1202,URB1103 use this to work it out. (it works.)
and the mex animation doesnt stop - it changes because it is replaced with the upgrade animation.


tldr: which game do you play?