Zenith Space-time Manipulators?

[Premier Rag]

Am I the only one that finds their energy use of 30k to be a tad excessive? At that rate they don't seem to be too economically viable, at least in my opinion, and especially now that we have logistical command stations. Just my two cents on a relatively minor issue.

[KingIsaacLinksr]

Apples and Oranges.  Even with the Logistical command center, this is still usable.  Due to the fact that using a logistical center takes away either economic or  military benefits. 

Yeah, the energy cost is high, but that's probably intended. 

King

[Premier Rag]

Well, they could at least be buffed, then, if not reducing their cost. A mark I logistical command station, which costs I believe 2k energy boosts speed by a decently larger amount than a single ZSTM, which to me personally seems like an oversight.
 
Edit: and that's on top of the logistical command stations reduction of enemy ship speed, as well.

[Lancefighter]

I can see spacetime manips being useful over logistics stations by way of opportunity cost (log station vs econ station vs energy costs), but for the moment i dont actually maintain a travel distance long enough that I feel I need more speed in it.

However, with their knowledge cost, and their general less-than-useful-compared-to-log-stations-ness..

[Vinraith]

In light of logistics stations they could certainly use a boost. They're distinct in that they don't eat a com station spot and can be stacked with other speed effects (including themselves) but still...

[Dyers_Eve]

I unlocked them once and will never again. 30k energy is crippling with only one planet and even later on in the game ok now you have a bigger empire and need to place more so now you are throwing maybe 200k energy at 6-7 of them. Even at 1k knowledge, the energy cost and +1 AIP for it dying is just too much, I know +1 AIP isn't much but unless they are under a FF they are gonna die a lot and will add up.

[Sunshine!]

Logistics stations can be stacked with other effects AND slow enemy ships.  About the only use for Space-Time Manipulators I've found is to stick them on your home planet, since by default you can't have a logistics station there (which saddens me).

Past that, 30k energy is exorbitant.  15k maybe, but with logistics stations giving speed boost and slowing enemies (heck, the slowing enemies is why I use them instead of military posts usually), I still think I'd rarely use them.  What would be cool, for 30k energy, is to give all friendly units on-planet the teleport ability.  It definitely conflicts less with logistics stations then, and gives a really nice benefit to go with the mark 2 energy station it'll be consuming per planet you set one up on.

[Ozymandiaz]

I like them in combination with close range units for defense, e.g. zenith shredders.

[Rustayne]

The 30k energy seems fine by me, but I do think if they are going to cost 30k they should have the same type of capablities as a Logistics Station.  Having the AI be slowed down by a logistics station really makes them useful, and for certain map types, like X and the new Maze ones for LoTS, they really come in handy if your playing out a bigger game.   I tend to use them on lanes in the X to help get my ships back to the splits on a counterwave, or if some ships do manage to slip past my defenses it gives me some extra time to get there and deal with them.  If TSM's had the same type of use, I would easily see 30k energy being worth the cost of it.