Logistics, Virtual Toolbar, Modular Containers

Discussion in 'FAQ & Feedback' started by Hummel-o-War, Dec 17, 2018.

  1. Taniyama

    Taniyama Captain

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    The current problems of things disappearing may well be a bug, but seriously. The logistics is over complicated, the average player won’t want to deal with it, therefore not buy or play the game. You can see from the Steam that bad reports are going up.
    Emp Reports.jpg

    And I suspect that the new logistics system isn’t the only thing putting people off.
     
    #81
  2. Ian Einman

    Ian Einman Captain

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    No time to update blueprints either. Many ships in the workshop are no longer viable as-is. Problem is that without also balancing the mass, volume, thrust, and RCS altogether, it is unclear what the right way to "fix" ships is. Does it make sense to update ships in the workshop prior to other balancing being done?

    I don't think volume is a good idea, because I think doing it accurately would make the game not fun anymore, and I think doing it inaccurately is redundant with limiting mass, and kind of pointless. Slot limits and stack size limits are already a proxy for volume, why change it?

    I think mass has a better case for it. Limiting carry weight is part of most games. It is too easy to mine out an entire iron, copper, and silicon mine back-to-back and keep it all in your backpack. An entry-level HV could cart around the entire disassembled MS Titan. There was no point to building bigger ships, or creating dedicated transport ships. It is not believable that you can disassemble a whole POI and put it in a small ship without any impact on acceleration.

    So I do think the game will probably be better with cargo mass. The problem was more that they didn't balance it or address some of the UI issues with logistics prior to rolling it out to everyone. Players don't know their whole roadmap or understand where things are going. What people see is a new system that makes some things harder to do, and that's not what people were hoping for out of a major point release.

    I actually don't see a problem with releasing this as Experimental, and letting people argue about it. What surprises me is the quick promotion to a full release, I don't think it was ready.
     
    #82
  3. TheState

    TheState Ensign

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    The constructors are freezing or just not crafting on and off. It's been an issue for many people.
     
    #83
  4. Runeshadow

    Runeshadow Captain

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    You might be seeing a lag in the icon's update. Try exiting out of the container's inventory and access it again. You should then see a bulk updated amount
     
    #84
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  5. Bollen

    Bollen Captain

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    Has anyone had this bug? You invade a POI and every time you open a container where your inventory is supposed to be, instead you get the POI's Fuel Tank...??? No matter how many times I change it from the menu or press T I always get the fuel tank. Not even sure where to report this...
     
    #85
  6. Germanicus

    Germanicus Rear Admiral

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    I had not much interest in previous discussions here on the Forum about "Automation", I did not care. But they seems to have a big lobby for it. Can't say that I am really happy with the way it turned out so far as it seems pretty complicated..at the first hours. After a while you find several points that makes life, such as mining, a lot easier than before. At least when you got your first Transport-HV or a so-called mobile Backpack :)
     
    #86
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  7. Sasquatch

    Sasquatch Captain

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    There's definately potential in the system but the implimentation has been handled poorly. I Think this needed to bake a little longer in exp. Have a few more of the obvious issues ironed out.

    From what I'm reading its just so unintuitive at the mo (which yeah I can definately see the issue there) that its slower and more cumbersome in most ways than the old system and it really seems to be getting peoples backs up.

    That being said people are giving useful feedback so hopefully we'll get a system that is more user friendly.
     
    #87
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  8. Taniyama

    Taniyama Captain

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    I really hate to point this out, just because the mass majority think it’s a good idea. Doesn’t mean to say it is. Too much automation can be a bad thing & quite frankly it’s been poorly thought-out & implemented.

    The average player either likes or not a game within the first fifteen minutes. As you’ve already stated it takes a few hours to get used to the logistic system, by that time the player as most likely given up.

    It's a bad idea. Quite frankly the old system was a lot better, simpler and frankly much like other systems used in a lot of other games. Which means that the average player had no problem understanding it.
     
    #88
  9. Ian Einman

    Ian Einman Captain

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    Yes, this is the real problem. The new system actually has some aspects that are quite nice... problem is, they do not show up until the later game when doing bigger things. In the early game, that "first 15 minutes", it is harder to use. It is much harder to get your first base going, just not as intuitive.
     
    #89
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  10. imtimex

    imtimex Ensign

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    The logistics system is a great idea in terms of being able to transfer items from one structure's container to another and being to output to different containers with constructors. Honestly though, I'd much rather go back to to old system of having a constructor get full and have to empty it.

    While I can see the advantages (flip Constructor output boxes when it gets full for instance), it's not just way too clunky - it doesn't work! I'm looking at 3 out of 6 constructors that actually work, the rest are just sitting there with an active queue, correct mats, and powered up, yet no activity.

    If my constructors don't work, I can't do much of anything that makes me enjoy the game. Early access games should have annoying and frustrating bugs, I get it. Right now I feel like I paid for WoW and got Moraff's revenge. Looking at things, I like the way things look, but when I interact with basically anything it feels clunky or just doesn't work. I enjoyed 8.0 thoroughly, but 9.0 to me might be a reason to play a different game.

    I don't want to fight the game itself in order to fight people - please read the feedback and improve this. Optimally for me, the logistics system should be removed and it should function the way it did in 8.X. I like the ability to transfer between structures, but if the tradeoff is the system we have now for constructors, then I'll give up the advantages with no issue.
     
    #90
  11. Germanicus

    Germanicus Rear Admiral

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    As long as the Devs find no way how to make the PC accessible through the logistic system the only work around is have a lvl 5 Stater Base BP handy.
     
    #91
  12. Sasquatch

    Sasquatch Captain

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    I don't see them removing the current logistics system (improve yeah and we'll have to see how that goes.) Its the basis for their planned automisation system and with the way they've implimented volumn they can't even give us limited space in the constructors early game so that the new system can be gotten used to as we progress in the game (they say its a consequence of the system though it may be that they don't want people to be able to use constructors and the like to circumvent the volumn system) so we seem to be stuck with this.
     
    #92
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  13. Sasquatch

    Sasquatch Captain

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    They'll have to impliment something because the current use of bps to plug that gap will not be acceptable to new players! its essentially hidden knowledge when you first get into the game. Who would assume you'd need a work around to play a game (even one that's in alpha) properly.
     
    #93
  14. Ian Einman

    Ian Einman Captain

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    You don't need a workaround to build a base, although the way to do it is not obvious to a new user.
    1. Find a good base location
    2. Place your portable constructor near it (but not in the way of future construction)
    3. Build a base starter block (just leave it in portable constructor)
    4. Build a few other blocks (again, leave it in constructor)
    5. Build a cargo box
    6. Place the core, and some floor blocks around it
    7. Put the cargo box on it
    8. At this point you have an unpowered base
    9. Go stand next to portable constructor again
    10. press F4, select cargo box on base, and connect/link to it
    11. Now start making bigger stuff in portable constructor - large constructor, solar panels, capacitor, etc.
    12. When you pick up the items made in #11, they will go into the base cargo box
    13. Now you can add these newly made items and place them on the base
    Far less intuitive than before, but you can do it at level 1, no need for blueprints or anything.
     
    #94
  15. geostar1024

    geostar1024 Rear Admiral

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    Yes, exactly this. There are a number of poor UI design choices and flat-out missing features that make it annoying/slow to learn the system. The system should only have been releasing to exp now, with at least another 2 or 3 weeks before a public release should have even been being contemplated. The devs have done the system a great disservice by releasing it in a too-incomplete state (and of course without figuring out what they wanted to do regarding mass and volume). It's frustrating to see all of the potential of the logistics system being overshadowed by usability and functionality issues.
     
    #95
  16. Cinerite

    Cinerite Lieutenant

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    As much as I hate to say, Harrison Textbook seems to fail in comparison to current Logistics feature's complexity and by the amount of time spent to understand its practicality. Personal trials & errors experience so far:
    • Connect:
      • Which side of the GUI does this Connect button actually link to the virtual toolbar? Either or both? - Yes, I did soon realize it's only the left container (as of released), but some GUI tweaks would be nice. There's a background marking leading to the left, but it is too faint at first sight.
      • Does it switch the connected container once you change any left side dropdown? - No.
      • If you pick something up, would the items goes to Connected cargo? - No.

    • Dropped container with very large items like that of CV's has no way of being picked up except by using the Connected toolbar (since pressing F doesn't bring the Logistics GUI up like that of cargo boxes), which can't also be assigned using faster methods like shift+left clicking each slot or shift+F quick loot ('cause it went straight to the personal inventory). Similarly applies to looting killed NPCs or picking up plants with easily-filled-up personal inventory.
      • Suggestion: Connected container should become the receiving one instead, so that any aforementioned action could be performed as it used to be in Alpha 8 as long as there's enough volumn. Pressing F with any container, as well as dropped containers/killed NPCs should brings up, by default, the logistic menu with Connected container on the other side.
      • Seeing that personal inventory by default is going to be moved to the left, the Connected cargo should appear on the left as well. With that being said...

    • There's also no ability to shift-click items from toolbar to either container in Logistic menu, the ability that really saved some time in Alpha 8.
      • Suggestion: Shift-click toolbar items should goes to the fixed side; either always left or right. Then it can be shift-clicked to wherever they're supposed to be.

    • While pressing T to switch the toolbar, pressing Tab should reveal Connected container instead of personal one. This would also allows shift-clicking toolbar items to their respective container as well.

    • Wireless connector relays the signal up to 100m, but is it the radius from the device or the 100m aura around the structure? - the former, apparently. This means large structure (as tested on a certain one with 300m+ length) practically has no wifi regardless of whether there's a device or not. The wifi range is essentially the same with calling up control panel.
      • Suggestion: Make it the latter, or allow the use of relaying device for longer than 100m distance.
      • This (the latter suggestion) can also become an interesting infrastructure of logistic networks across the planet. Yes, this may eventually leads to not having to waste a single drop of promethium mobilizing cargo ships at the end game, but in SP, building something equivalent to Roman empire constructing roads across their land seems quite grand to me. NPC territories would add the fun to how you create the route too. For MP, especially in PvP, securing those logistic routes can possibly be quite a task as well.

    • Modular containers must by separated from each other; this demands more space than they already does by themselves. It becomes more encouraged to mix up all item types in fewer controllers than being able to assign item types to each of many controllers. Result: increased time spent on finding the item in need.
      • (Artistic impression) Modular container currently can't be texturized. In non-cuboidal shape, its default texture becomes especially more irritating to watch.

    • (The amount of bullet points should, to say the least, mildly suggest how complex it is compared to the much more easy-to-get-into system of the Alpha 8. Or is it a potential? Would new players appreciate this when some regulars with 4 digits in their playtime struggle to make it work? Does the pros outweight the cons? One thing is certain: please warn us next time before forcing all containers wipe out and radical change to item handlings. Thank you for your hard works regardless, Empyrion team.)
     
    #96
  17. stanley bourdon

    stanley bourdon Captain

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    How do you untether? Where did my hover thrusters go? Removed two hover thrusters, found them in the fridge of the base. Moved them to my inventory and now they are gone. Nothing about this system is intuitive.
     
    #97
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  18. imtimex

    imtimex Ensign

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    I'm one of those people. I can reproduce it pretty easily, too, though I can't fine
    I bought the game to enjoy it with an understanding that we'd deal with some bugs, not to be 100% a slave to contribution of it's development, and I paid for it. Bugs = OK, that attitude from staff = NOT OK. Negative reviews come from just that type of response.
     
    #98
  19. StyxAnnihilator

    StyxAnnihilator Captain

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    I like to play survival and discover, but without tediousness and grinding.

    Looting and using storage have become annoying. Along with new (and old) bugs and issues. I want to use as little time as possible on it, with as few button pushes and movements as possible. Since this are to be repeated many times. When in combat then looting and maybe access devices you should not need to fiddle much, as now have to do in a9.

    Several have requested "loot all" (buttons) for a long time. Not the same as to have to move the mouse and click an arrow for transfer, or now often have to select where to put it. Not even managed to put in a default behavior properly. At least not long ago got "shift key + loot key" for "loot drop boxes". But for each device with "cargo box" function have to press "loot-key", select a box, move it (shift click does not work always either), close it with a different key (ESC or F4).

    The upgrade also messes up previous saves, most by loosing everything stored in constructors of different types.
    With mass/volume enabled it becomes a reason to not play anymore, fortunately that is turned off on default, when that unbalanced. Also mssing some devices with storage slots, like Armor Locker and Repair Bay.

    Then you have the Control Panel that lacks several functions, that also makes the new logistic system even worse.

    Conclusion is a mediocre implementation of a system, in my opinion. Along with some other new features it have become a messy and too soon 0.9, should have been exp 0.9 longer. So do not get my vote as is.
     
    #99
  20. elmo

    elmo Captain

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    I play coop with @jlego and until 9 was released we had fun playing empyrion. We tried 9 but got to say I do not like the idea the logistics etc. I got fed up continually having to ask him how do I do this or that ( it took the fun out of just playing the game). I would go on Empyrion and gather resources, get HVs, get base built. I used to stay in base at night and load up constructor then sort everything into the cargo boxes the way I wanted, same with harvesting plants, making food etc. got to admit I was a bit OCD about how things were done and laid out. My son would then come on and we would raid bases, fly to other planets. When starting 9 he was on with me right away and i found myself getting impatient with the new system. We both play the game differently and he was getting used to the new system but I couldn't get used to it so I quit playing this week. Last night he loaded game 8.7.1 1909 back onto my computer for me and I have to admit I was happier back playing the older version. Will I play the game with the new system. no I wont. I will move on and find something new.
     
    #100
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