Solutions to “On player workload scaling, or why I am quitting PrUn”. All solutions must be active to fully fix the problem.
- Shipments:
A recurring shipment model, where you create a “Route” and set a ship(s) to that route. The routing can behave like Custom Contracts, a currently unimplemented system. Example:
A. Pick up 20 Basic Bulkheads, 30 Basic Deck Elements, 40 Basic Structural Elements and 5 Basic Transparent Apertures at YI-683c (Arcadia)
B. Travel to OT-580 (Moria) Station
C. Drop off 20 Basic Bulkheads, 30 Basic Deck Elements, 40 Basic Structural Elements and 5 Basic Transparent Apertures at OT-580 (Moria) Station
D. Travel to YI-683c (Arcadia)
E. Repeat above every 7 Days (This time includes the time used to complete the shipment, if the shipment takes longer than this time and there are no available ships assigned to the route, it will wait for the current ship to finish)
Shipments could also include CX Sell Orders. A variant of the above example including this:
A. Pick up 20 Basic Bulkheads, 30 Basic Deck Elements, 40 Basic Structural Elements and 5 Basic Transparent Apertures at YI-683c (Arcadia)
B. Travel to OT-580 (Moria) Station
C. Sell 20 Basic Bulkheads, 30 Basic Deck Elements, 40 Basic Structural Elements and 5 Basic Transparent Apertures at OT-580 (Moria) Station at Bid Prices for each. (You could also put “Sell Prices for each” here, or a specific price for each commodity.)
D. Travel to YI-683c (Arcadia)
E. Repeat above every 7 Days
- More, Larger Cargo Bays:
I propose that ships can have 1 cargo bay, 2 cargo bays or 4 cargo bays and that cargo bays can be larger. The new cargo bays:
- Extra Large Cargo Bay - 3kt, 3km³
- Massive Cargo Bay - 5kt, 5km³
- Extra Massive Cargo Bay - 10kt, 10km³
- Maximal Space Cargo Bay - 10kt, 30km³
- Maximal Load Cargo Bay - 30kt, 10km³
- Extreme Cargo Bay - 30kt, 30km³
With the above cargo bays, the maximum cargo a ship can store is 120kt, 120km³. You’d also be able to add Spatial Compacters and Anti-Gravity Lifters as ship components to increase the volume/mass of cargo space and decrease the volume/mass of the cargo bays themselves, both when full and empty. All cargo bays would have to be the same, to keep the BLU screen simple(ish).
- WF command replaced with BRN command:
I propose that the Workforce Command (WF) be replaced with a Burn Command. (BRN) This command would be able to do everything the WF command can do, except not just for workers, but for buildings too. It would have about as much information as the XIT BURN command from PMMG Extended, but in a similar UI to the WF command. It would have (at the top) Workforce, then a category for every COGC category used on the base. (except worker types) This is not as cluttered as using CX categories or worker categories.
- BSO command:
I propose that a new command be added, the Bases Overview Command (BSO). This command would allow you to view surpluses and deficits on each base with a drop down for each. The bases could be clicked to open up the base in the BRN command (and get slightly more info) and even better, a version of the BRN command which shows your company as a whole. (with surpluses and deficits) This section would allow you to view the transport routes required to fulfil the deficits of each base, in a universe map like manner. It would show transport routes for bringing enough goods to a location and show only the closest bases required to fulfil a specific base. This would be repeated for every base. When a deficit cannot be fulfilled by another base, a link from the nearest CX is shown instead. If a surplus greater than some configurable value is there, it will also generate a link to the nearest CX.
- QTR command:
The Quick (un)loading command (QTR) would be a feature which could allow you to automatically (un)load multiple resources onto a ship at once. If not all the materials fit, you could allow a specific resource to not be fully (un)loaded. The Quick (un)loading command would allow you to insert a piece of text to set up, which would look like this:
“500 DW, RAT, 50 OVE, 40 COF, 110 KOM, 550 TCL, 250 EPO, 350 C, *H”
This is the example given in the original post (converted to use this format). The removal of the quantity infers that the quantity before is to be used instead (500 DW and 500 RAT is the result) and the * means that the resource doesn’t have to be fully (un)loaded. The value can be omitted with a * symbol, as it will no longer have a limit to how much will be loaded. (When a value is used, the star would go before the value in that case) Only 1 star can be used per usage of Quick (un)Loading.The quotes are just to help signify what is and isn’t the text. You could say it’s like a bunch of MTRAs in one. The command is less user-friendly, giving MTRA a use. This line of text could be generated by tools like PRUNPlanner and spreadsheets.
- PRODM Command:
I propose a new command, the Production Manager Command. It would allow you to manage your recurring production orders easily. You’d enter a base or production line as a paramater and you’d be able to add extra reccuring orders for existing orders. You’d be able to swap these orders around, and they wouldn’t move even when a production order completes. It would tell you the ratio between production orders and percentages, as well as fees. These are somewhat shown on other commands.
- Worker Upkeep Packages:
The Worker Upkeep Packages wouldn’t work exactly as the original post says, (in my vision) because of luxuries. Not everyone needs them, not everyone wants to spend extra on them. The proposed system would be like this - WUPs can be unpacked into 10 days of consumables for 100 of their associated worker type. Basic WUPs would be basic consumables only, but Luxurized WUPs would be luxury consumables also. They’d be made by combining the associated consumables in their respective quantities, as well as packaging materials - likely PE and either STL, AL or TI. In exchange, when unpacked you get a reduced quantity of PE and STL that would need to be used. Unpackaging would have no cost.
- The end-game:
The end game is having a good time, making lots of money and helping others on their company owning journey. And maybe also automating everything.
- Advanced Tutorial:
It took a long time making the rest of the reply, so i felt i had to add something of my own. This is that. The Advanced Tutorial series is a series of tutorials which start after you’ve completed your first faction contract. Here they are:
- Contract Completed: a welcoming gift for completing your first faction contract, likely Basic Construction Prefabs plus anything you need to construct buildings on your first planet.
- Expansion 1: Construct more buildings related to your selected profession (like PP2 for construction) which you don’t already have.
- Expansion 2: Construct more buildings related to your selected profession which you already have. (Like PP1 for construction)
- Large Order: Make a CX Sell or Buy order larger than 50. It must be something your base consumes, or a construction material/prefab.
- XL Order: Make a CX Sell or Buy order larger than 250. It must be something your base consumes.
- Making it this far: Receive 100K of your primary currency. This should be enough to complete the next contract.
- Major Expansion: Construct your second base and produce a commodity there.