Contrtolling Constructor Ship

[Chris21wen]

Other than turning them all to manual is there anyway to determine what they build? Specifically they keep sepnding my money building useless research stations.

[Starke]

I don't think there's any way to set them general priorities while automated. You can, however, queue them to build mining stations at specific locations using the button in the bottom left that appears with any empty planet/moon/etc. selected, and I am fairly sure that doesn't turn automation off. But even if it does I would recommend manually controlling at least a couple constructors, there's always something obvious the AI ignores. =P

[KAHUNA]

If you go to the screen that lists your resources [planner screen]you can have constructors put mining operations on what you pick out and where.You can also click a planet for them to put in a mine,defense base,starbase,resort base or monitering base in the main screen and it will que a constructor to do that.

[turtlefang]

You need to remember a few things:

a) Manually queuing up a constructor doesn't mean that the next constructor available will build that mining station. It means the closest constructor available when you set the queue will be assigned to build that station. Which means you can end up with one constructor with a dozen mining stations queued up rather than a dozen different one queued up with one each.

I found this out the hard way.

b) Obsolete your research stations in the ship design screen UNLESS your ready to build one. That stops them from building a research station. It is the only way to insure that they don't. When your ready to build one, select the constructor and have him build it. Then obsolete the research station again.

It is a pain, but it stops them building research stations all over the place.

c) You have to use the resource profile manager frequently and just see which constructor's aren't busy and then manually assigned them to specific targets.

Again, a pain, but it pays off.

[flight2q]

a) If the queues get deep for your constructors, you can build another and set it to automated. From what I've seen it will grab items out of the queues of the other constructors. I assign a hot key to it so I can keep an eye on it and end its automation once the queues are in better shape.

b) Quite irritating when they build unnecessary research stations - even next to pirate bases! When playing as a pirate they love to build space ports and defensive platforms everywhere, so obsolete all your bases. It's too easy to pick up a stray constructor from some minor assets that you let go on raids by themselves, and captured ships come automated.

c) Works fine if you don't obsess over some idle ships. And why would you; you don't obsess over your warships failing to consume fuel every single moment.

I'd be more likely to play a story line if automated constructors would repair the derelict ships. As it is, they are just an extra pain.

[Chris21wen]

ORIGINAL: turtlefang


b) Obsolete your research stations in the ship design screen UNLESS your ready to build one. That stops them from building a research station. It is the only way to insure that they don't. When your ready to build one, select the constructor and have him build it. Then obsolete the research station again.

It is a pain, but it stops them building research stations all over the place.

Good tip. Thanks I'll do that in lieu of anything better. Won't be a particular problem as I have auto upgrade turn off but that's another problem. Maybe you can help.

In the game I'm playing I have research and ship design switched to manual in Empire Policy but with all the subroles ticked and the designs set to auto upgrade as well. Problem is they are not upgrading automatically and I don't think they will form the note on the Researh & Design part of the policy.

The way I'm reading it is you have manual or auto control of what is upgraded IF you have Ship Design set to auto but not IF Ship Design is set to manual. All you get is manual.

[Plant]

If you untick the design subrole in the Empire Policy > Research and Design, it will not automatically upgrade itself even if ship design is automated. Try it that way instead.

[Chris21wen]

ORIGINAL: Plant

If you untick the design subrole in the Empire Policy > Research and Design, it will not automatically upgrade itself even if ship design is automated. Try it that way instead.

This only works if you have 'fully automate ship design' enabled. If you are doing it manually then these ticky boxes do nothing, or appear to if I've missed something.

[Plant]

If you do it the way I described, you'll have some roles automatically upgrade and others not. Isn't that the effect you are looking for?

[Chris21wen]

ORIGINAL: Plant

If you do it the way I described, you'll have some roles automatically upgrade and others not. Isn't that the effect you are looking for?

Sorry, if you have set Ship Design to manual then the ticky boxes do nothing as per the note above them. They only come into play if Ship Design is set to Auto.

[Plant]

ORIGINAL: Chris H

In the game I'm playing I have research and ship design switched to manual in Empire Policy but with all the subroles ticked and the designs set to auto upgrade as well. Problem is they are not upgrading automatically and I don't think they will form the note on the Researh & Design part of the policy.

The way I'm reading it is you have manual or auto control of what is upgraded IF you have Ship Design set to auto but not IF Ship Design is set to manual. All you get is manual.

I don't understand you.
Do you want some designs automatically upgraded whilst others are not?
If yes, go and ahead and do it.
Saying that you don't want to set ship design to auto isn't going to solve your problem.

[Chris21wen]

ORIGINAL: Plant

ORIGINAL: Chris H

In the game I'm playing I have research and ship design switched to manual in Empire Policy but with all the subroles ticked and the designs set to auto upgrade as well. Problem is they are not upgrading automatically and I don't think they will form the note on the Researh & Design part of the policy.

The way I'm reading it is you have manual or auto control of what is upgraded IF you have Ship Design set to auto but not IF Ship Design is set to manual. All you get is manual.

I don't understand you.
Do you want some designs automatically upgraded whilst others are not?
If yes, go and ahead and do it.
Saying that you don't want to set ship design to auto isn't going to solve your problem.

This isn't about design it's about restrofitting. On the Empire Policy under Research and Design there is a selection box for Ship Design. This has two settings, 'Fully Automate' or 'Control Ships Design manually'. If this was all the setting did, fine but it is not, it also controls the ability to retrofit ships; the ships ticked in the list below. If set to auto then both the ticky boxes and the design screen selection for auto retrofit do something. If set to 'Control Ships Design manually' they do nothing. Read the note below.

[Plant]

You had a problem and described it.
I provided solution to problem, so what you want to happen can occur.
You then say, "no I don't wanna do it"
I ask for clarification.
You then describe the settings. Settings that I already asked you to change. Accompanied by a picture to no discernable purpose.

I'll ask again.
Do you, or do you not want some designs automatically upgraded whilst others are not?
If not, then please say what your problem is.
If yes, then follow the instructions.

[Chris21wen]

ORIGINAL: Plant

You had a problem and described it.
I provided solution to problem, so what you want to happen can occur.
You then say, "no I don't wanna do it"
I ask for clarification.
You then describe the settings. Settings that I already asked you to change. Accompanied by a picture to no discernable purpose.

I'll ask again.
Do you, or do you not want some designs automatically upgraded whilst others are not?
If not, then please say what your problem is.
If yes, then follow the instructions.

What I want is to be able to automatically retrofit some of my ship when I have ship design set to manual. You cannot do this.

[flight2q]

For what you want, the game forces you to "have ship design set to manual" by using the checkboxes.

It should make you feel better that this is on the dev's list of things to change.

[Plant]

You can automatically retrofit some of your ships when you have ship design set to auto. That is what you want to occur, correct? That's the solution to your problem. The only difference is what you tick and untick to produce the desired effect.

I don't understand your reluctance to change your options to produce the effects you desire.