Energy Transfer System

http://freespaceserver.cjb.net/topace/wiki/ETS.jpg

General

Energy Transfer System (ETS) allows pilots to balance power between energy settings, depending on the actual need. This means that if the fighter has abated shields, but has maximally recharged primary weapons and has little need of speed, the pilot can divert all power to recharge its shield faster. It could be done, the energy on primary weapons and engines were redundant, because the primary weapons were already at maximal level and there was no need of speed.

Energy transfering possibilities

If you increase power on a system, you automatically decrease power on the other two energy sources.
There are three parts you can balance energy between:
Shields, Primary weapons, Afterburners

Setting more power on shields make your shields recharge faster. Having no power on shields does not mean your shields no longer work, they only don't recharge at all,

Setting more power on primary weapons defines how quickly your primary weapon power recharges. Having maximal recharge on lasers does not guarantee you will not run out of primary energy in case you use an energy-demanding weapon. Diverting all power away from primary weapon recharge causes your primary weapons not to recharge.

Engines work a slightly different manner: Set all power to engines and your afterburner energy will recharge at fastest and your craft reaches its maximal engine capacity. Setting the energy level lower makes your main engine and afterburner recharge slower. Setting no energy on engines does not stop your fighter, it will only be able to run at fifty per cent of your standard speed.
While burning afterburners, your afterburner does not recharge, it is advised you divert off energy to laser recharge or shield recharge, if there is a need.
The energy level on engines does not affect the maximal speed of your afterburners.

Default keys

• Alt+D: Equalize energy
• Insert: Increase primary weapon energy
• Delete:: Decrease primary weapon energy
• Home:: Increase shield recharge rate
• End:: Decrease shield recharge rate
• Page up: Increase afterburner recharge rate, increase maximal engine capacity
• Page down: Decrease afterburner recharge rate, increase maximal engine capacity

Direct energy transfer

You still have two choices regarding energy transfering
You can divert power from your shields to recharge primary weapons. This obviously causes your shields to weaken, but your primary weapon energy to increase.
Doing the same in reverse is possible. You can sacrifice weapon energy to shields.

Misc notes

Recharge rates depend on Game Difficulty. On easy, your primary weapons get depleted later, given the fact laser recharge is basically faster. Your afterburner energy does replenish as quickly as on any difficulty setting, but your recharge rate is spectacularly faster.
Shield recharge is also affected by game difficulty.

See also

Afterburner
Shields