1 (edited by Uncle Mo 2011-05-11 07:04:29)

Topic: Factory modification request.

Please have Factories collect ALL materials (and ALL NIC) for every programmed manufacturing cycle upon beginning of the first cycle.  Currently the factory will only collect the materials needed for the first cycle only.

This makes it difficult to see which materials are 'spoken for' by current production cycles when starting multiple lines that have similar materials.  There's no need to leave these materials in a person's storage.  The only reason I can think of is that is someone wants to cancel a factory cycle mid production.  I say those people should simply lose those mats, which is how the current mechanic works with the current cycle anyways.

Thanks.

Re: Factory modification request.

Best Idea Ever!

3 (edited by Alexander 2011-05-11 07:55:09)

Re: Factory modification request.

This cannot be done simply because Cycles was implemented by a player request for the purpose of producing smaller items in larger quantities like ammo. Anyone using it for anything other than ammo doesn't understand how to produce. Each cycle will degrade the CT and a new mineral cost will be calculated each cycle.

There are two factor when producing Quantity and Cycles. Increasing cycles is pretty much the worst thing a producer can do and is only really a good idea once all your production skills are above level 5.

If you're confusing Quantity (Runs) and Cycles (Loops) then it would be a good idea to clarify. I don't produce and have no idea if the total minerals for the Quantity (Runs) is taken which it should be.

The Game

Re: Factory modification request.

I was referring to cycles.  Surly the game mechanics could be taken into account to calculate the degrade level for the following cycles and take the appropriate amount of materials.

Re: Factory modification request.

Yes, a small change that would make manufacturing easier

6 (edited by Annihilator 2011-05-11 12:06:40)

Re: Factory modification request.

Uncle Mo wrote:

I was referring to cycles.  Surly the game mechanics could be taken into account to calculate the degrade level for the following cycles and take the appropriate amount of materials.

can't be done - degrade of CTs is random based and happens at the end of the cycle.
theres no way to forsee how much materials the next cycle needs.
taking more materials then displayed would cause even more forum posts.
precalculating with random factor would make it exploitable (refresh window until i get a lower degration)

also, when producing eg. small bots or assaults, i appreciate that i can stock up my storage with materials for the second cycle that would happen at 3 o'clock in the morning. I can start the two cycles with the materials for one, then gather another bunch of materials +10% safety while the first cycle already runs.

like alexander said - its something we got to produce low-cost stuff like Ammo while we are not online

*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: Factory modification request.

+1 +1 and +1 we need

Re: Factory modification request.

What would help though, is to have a special "Production" folder instead of having to put the mats in the base of the private storage. That way you move can move the estimated amounts, or all of it whichever, to the production folder, and anything you have left is unspoken for.

Having to keep the mats in the base folder makes the storage very cluttered.

Re: Factory modification request.

Nothing is impossible.

Please make this happen devs!

Re: Factory modification request.

i like the system as it is now.

so -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: Factory modification request.

Annihilator wrote:
Uncle Mo wrote:

I was referring to cycles.  Surly the game mechanics could be taken into account to calculate the degrade level for the following cycles and take the appropriate amount of materials.

can't be done - degrade of CTs is random based and happens at the end of the cycle.
theres no way to forsee how much materials the next cycle needs.
taking more materials then displayed would cause even more forum posts.
precalculating with random factor would make it exploitable (refresh window until i get a lower degration)

There's no reason that the RNG can't calculate each cycle at the beginning.

Re: Factory modification request.

Uncle Mo wrote:
Annihilator wrote:
Uncle Mo wrote:

I was referring to cycles.  Surly the game mechanics could be taken into account to calculate the degrade level for the following cycles and take the appropriate amount of materials.

can't be done - degrade of CTs is random based and happens at the end of the cycle.
theres no way to forsee how much materials the next cycle needs.
taking more materials then displayed would cause even more forum posts.
precalculating with random factor would make it exploitable (refresh window until i get a lower degration)

There's no reason that the RNG can't calculate each cycle at the beginning.

And then it'll have to store those values for when the event to change the CT quality is called. It'll also feel weird that you're somehow able to forecast the mineral cost and could just open and close the window until you get the cheapest randomisation.

I can see the issue and why it's confusing. Perhaps we could just remove cycles and increase quantities? Double the current values and refund the cycle EP or something like that.

The Game

Re: Factory modification request.

maybe it can just calculate the max. random amount, and if you have some left over, bonus!

Re: Factory modification request.

Only a little necro,

I have just become a victim of this, set my production runs up kicked every thing off and tidied up for my next set of production.  Requiring the base storage area for a lot of operations fitting transferring etc. makes it very hard to keep multiple production jobs with more than a single cycle and preping new materials for further production.

I can completely agree with the randomness factor meaning that we should not allow the taking of all materials at the beginning of the run as it allows us to cancel and restart with better %'s.

As such I have off the top of my head 2 suggestions.
1:  All materials and nic are taken at the beginning of the first cycle however if you wish to cancel the job the CT takes the % loss for all planned cycles, optionally you also loose all the nic for each of the cycles but all materials are refunded

2:  There is a new storage location created this is where all factory jobs take their materials from.  This storage location would only accept commodities not rew materials or modules / fragments.

Re: Factory modification request.

Tailn wrote:

I can completely agree with the randomness factor meaning that we should not allow the taking of all materials at the beginning of the run as it allows us to cancel and restart with better %'s.

You loose all your materials if you cancel the production run

Re: Factory modification request.

Mouse Tiger wrote:
Tailn wrote:

I can completely agree with the randomness factor meaning that we should not allow the taking of all materials at the beginning of the run as it allows us to cancel and restart with better %'s.

You loose all your materials if you cancel the production run

I that case why are we still required to hold all our commodities in the main storage folder? until the last cycle starts and not have them sucked into production immediately, I can see no reason for this not to happen if any benefit from cancelling a run for better resource usage is nullified by loosing all of the materials.

Re: Factory modification request.

Simple fix...  have the calculated maximum materials drawn from storage when the job is initiated, factoring in the highest probable CT degradation through the entire job process.  Once the job is complete all remaining materials are discharged with the finished goods back into storage.  If the job is canceled all unallocated resources are returned to storage (those not already consumed by the current cycle but claimed for subsequent job cycles) along with completed products, if any.

Re: Factory modification request.

BugSplat wrote:

Simple fix...  have the calculated maximum materials drawn from storage when the job is initiated, factoring in the highest probable CT degradation through the entire job process.  Once the job is complete all remaining materials are discharged with the finished goods back into storage.  If the job is canceled all unallocated resources are returned to storage (those not already consumed by the current cycle but claimed for subsequent job cycles) along with completed products, if any.

As you say - degradation = 3% max.  Each run 3% worse than the last for what it pulls. 

So 5 runs starting at 75%
75%
72%
69%
66%
61%

So it would pull all materials for each run at those levels - not good.

Your solution is to hurt those who don't have vast stores of stuff - helping only the most overstocked types by letting them be lazier.  Right now, players can collect the stuff while the jobs are queued up but your "fix" ...

Leave it the way it is.

Re: Factory modification request.

Marak Mocam wrote:

Your solution is to hurt those who don't have vast stores of stuff - helping only the most overstocked types by letting them be lazier.  Right now, players can collect the stuff while the jobs are queued up but your "fix" ...

Leave it the way it is.

The current system has some nice benefits however having to leave every thing in the root storage folder that you also need to move things to for trading etc. makes this a pain in the back side. 
Please a new 'hopper' location in the factory that you load with materials for the factory to use as its source.  Or at least allow the use of subfolders (designated at production start) for the factory to source from.

Re: Factory modification request.

facility specific storages - +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: Factory modification request.

A small change can be made to the CT degradation. Make it static instead of random. It would allow accurate calculation of materials.

Additionally, I would love to be able to designate an output folder for Corp production. For instance I should be able to designate an folder in corp storage for my output instead of having people wait till I get home from work or wake up to put things in there.

Re: Factory modification request.

Khorina wrote:

A small change can be made to the CT degradation. Make it static instead of random. It would allow accurate calculation of materials.

Additionally, I would love to be able to designate an output folder for Corp production. For instance I should be able to designate an folder in corp storage for my output instead of having people wait till I get home from work or wake up to put things in there.

+1

Re: Factory modification request.

Annihilator wrote:

facility specific storages - +1

That I like.

Allow specification of an input container.  You put in as much as you feel is needed.  If THAT goes empty due to degradation... That is their issue - it won't hunt through their entire inventory looking for stuff.

Also allow specification of a DESTINATION container.  Final output goes into that container.

Default both to the current settings for new types of production runs but allow the values to be changed.  Store these "container" values in some fashion so the defaults change with that type of product at that location. 

In other words it "remembers" what you set as a source container and destination on a job-by-job basis (store this info "hidden" with the transaction log for facilities).

An "automated factory" with delivery.