Topic: Production time requirements - refining

This might be a balance topic but I figured since it proposes new design its more appropriate as feature discussion.

Currently alsmot all production steps take quite a bit of time. Mining takes time, prototyping takes time, reverse engineering takes time, mass production takes time etc. There are also extensions which make these times be less.

However it strikes me as odd one out that refining is instant and doesn't require time. That is going from raw resource to commodity. Occasionally there has been complaints about how it makes more sense to keep materials as raw materials and only commoditise upon starting production.

There is the all looming comparison point of Eve where at least used to work similarly. However I think there is a crucial difference in that in that game there are ore and commodity spesific skills that boost a capsuleer to a particular kind of ore. However this is not the case for perpetuum. One does have resource-blend spesific extensions for collection but not for refining. I don't know about the particlar impact but as this reduces the specialication types one can have for a agent it reduces reasons for trade. If one were to specialise in refining titanium and another HDT it would make sense to conduct trade to move HDT and titan between such players for improved efficency.

Even if we don't tip into giving refining colors having refining would make sense in either having producers to better plan ahead or use market liquidity for current style "only what I actually produce" commodity receiving.

One current upside is that there is less waiting. It could still be made to be instant for small amounts but take longer for bigger amounts. You could for example have 10000 "commodity capacity" and creating 5000 titanium would use up 5000 such units. It would recharge again to 10000 over time but if you tried to refine more than what you have charges for it would only allow you to do up to that amount. There would be two relevant new extensions "Refining: Time efficiency" that would fasten the time the charges recharge and "Refining: Volumetised Reactions" that would raise the cap on how much you can accumulate the charges (comparable to "Factory: Programmed mass-production"). The current refining skill would be changed to "Refining: Material efficency"

Giving fixes to the ecnomy to make it more healthy can be pretty multifaceted issue but I think this would be clearly to its health.

There are some stray industiral processes that also don't take time, namely repair, recycling and research. The need to address these is less but could be given a similar treatment. The need for refining is more urgent because it is part of the mass production chain and much more used than the others.

Re: Production time requirements - refining

Making industry even bigger pain in the *** is definitely gonna fix the economy.

Re: Production time requirements - refining

Jasdemi wrote:

Making industry even bigger pain in the *** is definitely gonna fix the economy.

+1

*Disclaimer: This post can contain strong sarcasm or cynical remarks. keep that in mind!
Whining - It's amazing how fast your trivial concerns will disappear

Re: Production time requirements - refining

Ok no.

You know what I liked about Eve on industry? boils down to this:- Mine a belt, refine, buy your blue prints, then start production. Simple.

RIP PERPETUUM