Got to thinking about this the other day while slogging from a planetary resource to the orbiting factory to drop (another) load of metals etc for production. Seems there all kinds of other drones,from mining to survey to repair, but I haven't seen Cargo drones. I was talking with KD about this, and he pointed out another use for his type of drone, namely waste management.
So...
Have a series of different sized CD's, say, 100-500-1000 cargo capacity, limited to in-system travel from a dedicated resource extractor to a dedicated factory. The factory also has a dedicated cargo drone outputting to a designated Commercial Storage endpoint in the same system.
As each factory requires 3 resources, (at least the ones I've seen so far) the player would have to monitor the resource closely to make sure that it is shifted in time, and the factory would have to be moved, too. Failure to move extractors/factories means that the drone goes wandering off, maybe never to be seen again.
I'll use Descartes as an example of what I mean. You have 1 each extractor on Messor, on radioactive stocks, iron ore, and refined chemicals. These feed to the factory manufacturing high tech components on San Gallen, which in turn feeds to the commercial storage on Rama.
A more advanced series of drones would be possible, too, with larger cargo capacity or capable of out system travel to a limited amount of fuel points away. Or maybe even both.
Haven't considered it all, but it was pointed out that this could make another type of career path for the universe.
Thoughts?
Cargo Drones
Re: Cargo Drones
so... ummm... just asking here, but why not just plant your CS in one spot?
Re: Cargo Drones
I don't see any benefit to this idea, its just adding a lot of micromanagement and complexity
to an already easy and efficient system. All this does is duplicate the existing hoppers/CS/CSTS
mechanism.
to an already easy and efficient system. All this does is duplicate the existing hoppers/CS/CSTS
mechanism.
Re: Cargo Drones
@ jc- because sometimes you can't, the Gleso slots are all filled on the planet you have your extractors on, or there isn't a Gleso at all.Or a GBM...
@ Marksp- Not necessarily; you have to move the extractors periodically anyway as resources run dry, and you have to move your factory from time to time as well. A scheme like this would allow a player
to effectively automate the process of extracting and manufacturing, in addition to getting the final product where you want it. You'd just have to do the moving of the equipment, not the resources/manufactured items themselves. This would have the effect of easing management issues, not complicating them.
Further: It's been pointed out to me that the hoppers on the extractors serve for storage needs. Very true, and one I'd overlooked. This might be able to be addressed by a type of extractor that would use the drone itself as storage, with a minimal 'on board' capability in the extractor while the drone makes it's run. In-system runs wouldn't take more than an hour, anyway, and with the limits to range I'm thinking of, even out-system runs could be completed in that time.
Yes, it would take time/credits/IP's to set the system up, and would not appeal to everyone- it's definitely a specific niche- but there's a lot of that in the game
@ Marksp- Not necessarily; you have to move the extractors periodically anyway as resources run dry, and you have to move your factory from time to time as well. A scheme like this would allow a player
to effectively automate the process of extracting and manufacturing, in addition to getting the final product where you want it. You'd just have to do the moving of the equipment, not the resources/manufactured items themselves. This would have the effect of easing management issues, not complicating them.
Further: It's been pointed out to me that the hoppers on the extractors serve for storage needs. Very true, and one I'd overlooked. This might be able to be addressed by a type of extractor that would use the drone itself as storage, with a minimal 'on board' capability in the extractor while the drone makes it's run. In-system runs wouldn't take more than an hour, anyway, and with the limits to range I'm thinking of, even out-system runs could be completed in that time.
Yes, it would take time/credits/IP's to set the system up, and would not appeal to everyone- it's definitely a specific niche- but there's a lot of that in the game
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pikolinianita
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Re: Cargo Drones
I'd like drone which transfer resources from my CS to Joe... would save me a lot of clicking
Re: Cargo Drones
Sorry, I don't see how changing a weekly/monthly maintenance function, into a hourly/daily function, is easing.Mantic wrote: @ Marksp- Not necessarily; you have to move the extractors periodically anyway as resources run dry, and you have to move your factory from time to time as well. A scheme like this would allow a player
to effectively automate the process of extracting and manufacturing, in addition to getting the final product where you want it. You'd just have to do the moving of the equipment, not the resources/manufactured items themselves. This would have the effect of easing management issues, not complicating them.
Plus now having to keep track of all those drones (3 or 4 per factory),making sure they get to the right place.
Or not getting them lost. Or keeping them fueled. A lot of extra, unnecessary work IMO.
You've got to get to your orsa planet once a week anyway just to reset your extractor, so dump the hopper, CSTS
the stuff to factory, and be done in 30 seconds. One week of orsa extraction will feed a factory for a month anyhow.
Plus: the coding complexity of this looks to be nightmarish, I'd rather have that dev time put into a new
addition rather than a rehash of existing functionality.
And I am wondering: where are your extractors and factory based? It seems you have concerns about overcrowding
and lack of access. That is common in central Sphere (and central VP) but get out into the outer galaxies or Furnace,
there are entire systems with no one in them, waiting to be exploited.
Re: Cargo Drones
okay, get yourself this lovely little thing called a QTD or use a CSTS to transport 700 hours worth of material then...Mantic wrote:@ jc- because sometimes you can't, the Gleso slots are all filled on the planet you have your extractors on, or there isn't a Gleso at all.Or a GBM...
you know, the idea of extractors was you keep an eye on them, or you lose the res. i don't see anything drawing out of the hopper, ever.Mantic wrote:@ Marksp- Not necessarily; you have to move the extractors periodically anyway as resources run dry, and you have to move your factory from time to time as well. A scheme like this would allow a player
to effectively automate the process of extracting and manufacturing, in addition to getting the final product where you want it. You'd just have to do the moving of the equipment, not the resources/manufactured items themselves. This would have the effect of easing management issues, not complicating them.
Further: It's been pointed out to me that the hoppers on the extractors serve for storage needs. Very true, and one I'd overlooked. This might be able to be addressed by a type of extractor that would use the drone itself as storage, with a minimal 'on board' capability in the extractor while the drone makes it's run. In-system runs wouldn't take more than an hour, anyway, and with the limits to range I'm thinking of, even out-system runs could be completed in that time.
Yes, it would take time/credits/IP's to set the system up, and would not appeal to everyone- it's definitely a specific niche- but there's a lot of that in the game
sorry, i'm going to have to agree with MarcSp here.
Re: Cargo Drones
Plus: the coding complexity of this looks to be nightmarish, I'd rather have that dev time put into a new
addition rather than a rehash of existing functionality.
And I am wondering: where are your extractors and factory based? It seems you have concerns about overcrowding
and lack of access. That is common in central Sphere (and central VP) but get out into the outer galaxies or Furnace,
there are entire systems with no one in them, waiting to be exploited.[/quote]
Wouldn't know about your first point- I am not a coder. But, as we currently use a Similar[i/] system with mining drones,it shouldn't be all that much of a nightmare- maybe one of the dev's would be willing to clarify this point, especially for myself?
As to your second: Yeah, I'm still a newbie here, confining myself mostly to the upper 3 galaxies and still finding my way about. The biggest constraint for me is fuel- there are reasons that, as much as I would like to in order to give my support,I cannot patronize the CE store. I'm sure that as time goes by and I am able to buy, make, or craft the equipment necessary, that will be much less of an issue as to the Furnace galaxy. but at a bit over a 1000 units in fuel, (512 each way, isn't it?) it's a bit prohibitive( and ,yes- I do vote daily, several times on the browsermmorpg site) As to where my set up is, I'd have thought that by using the Descartes system as an example it would have been clear: Extractors on Messor, factory on San Gallen, and 'home' base on Daphine in Rama
Be that all as it may, I'd still like to hear from other folks on this- it's very possible I'm overlooking applications for this type of network.
Seasoned players and Newbies like myself could - possibly - benefit from something like this.
addition rather than a rehash of existing functionality.
And I am wondering: where are your extractors and factory based? It seems you have concerns about overcrowding
and lack of access. That is common in central Sphere (and central VP) but get out into the outer galaxies or Furnace,
there are entire systems with no one in them, waiting to be exploited.[/quote]
Wouldn't know about your first point- I am not a coder. But, as we currently use a Similar[i/] system with mining drones,it shouldn't be all that much of a nightmare- maybe one of the dev's would be willing to clarify this point, especially for myself?
As to your second: Yeah, I'm still a newbie here, confining myself mostly to the upper 3 galaxies and still finding my way about. The biggest constraint for me is fuel- there are reasons that, as much as I would like to in order to give my support,I cannot patronize the CE store. I'm sure that as time goes by and I am able to buy, make, or craft the equipment necessary, that will be much less of an issue as to the Furnace galaxy. but at a bit over a 1000 units in fuel, (512 each way, isn't it?) it's a bit prohibitive( and ,yes- I do vote daily, several times on the browsermmorpg site) As to where my set up is, I'd have thought that by using the Descartes system as an example it would have been clear: Extractors on Messor, factory on San Gallen, and 'home' base on Daphine in Rama
Be that all as it may, I'd still like to hear from other folks on this- it's very possible I'm overlooking applications for this type of network.
Seasoned players and Newbies like myself could - possibly - benefit from something like this.
Re: Cargo Drones
the system you propose is not like the mining system in place.
the mining system pulls ore from a field and deposits it at one location in-system, and only one place.
since factories pull from the CS, they would not hold resources, so your proposition entails constant motion of resources from CS or a hopper to another CS.
for CS->CS, use the CSTS. for hopper ->CS, i doubt anything like that will ever happen.
besides, what happens to your drone when you run out of resources to transfer?
what you're also doing is splattering your CS to the winds, increasing your costs.
you also introduce a risk of losing your resources and drones when there are systems in place to get 100% of your resources to target 100% of the time-QTD and CSTS
btw, if you're going to use quotes and other stuff, make sure it works right, i was stumped when i started reading, lol.
the mining system pulls ore from a field and deposits it at one location in-system, and only one place.
since factories pull from the CS, they would not hold resources, so your proposition entails constant motion of resources from CS or a hopper to another CS.
for CS->CS, use the CSTS. for hopper ->CS, i doubt anything like that will ever happen.
besides, what happens to your drone when you run out of resources to transfer?
what you're also doing is splattering your CS to the winds, increasing your costs.
you also introduce a risk of losing your resources and drones when there are systems in place to get 100% of your resources to target 100% of the time-QTD and CSTS
btw, if you're going to use quotes and other stuff, make sure it works right, i was stumped when i started reading, lol.
Re: Cargo Drones
...frankly I agree with MarcSp and jcheung. :/Mantic wrote:Be that all as it may, I'd still like to hear from other folks on this
I currently have automated resource gatherers (extractors, harvesters, mining drones) running in 12 different systems, ranging from Sphere to Furnace to the Expanse. It just so happens that with this current deployment none of them are active in the same location as my factories or refineries, which are themselves in two different locations. My primary Commercial Storage facility is in yet another location.
Yet still... I can't see how your proposed system would benefit me in any way. Every five to ten days I visit these locations anyway to pick up the various resource gatherers and put them down on new plots (preferably not in twelve different locations, but needs must...). These visits are all I need to empty the hoppers and send the resources on to their desired location. It runs cheap (especially when I can put the ol' QTD to use), easy, and secure. None of my manufacturing buildings run out of resources unless I'm simply not extracting a thing they need and haven't been for a while, since as MarcSp mentioned most factories can run multiple weeks off a single week of extraction.
These new drones of yours would automate sending the resources? Alright. And? I'm there anyway. I am already at the location dealing with the extractor/harvester/chicken replicator. It takes seconds to send the resources on their way, without any need to craft, maintain, or manage yet another fleet of drones. I have to be at the location to manage the gatherer (place it on a new plot, reset a timer, or what have you) whether the resources have been moved automatically or not.
I just don't see the benefit.
