Building stuff

[Lorini]

I'm having trouble making research stations. I click on a construction ship, but there doesn't seem to be an option to create them. Also is there an easy way to tell what is missing when building something? I want to make more defensive bases for example but they keep stalling after just a few parts have been built.

[sbach2o]

ORIGINAL: Lorini

I'm having trouble making research stations. I click on a construction ship, but there doesn't seem to be an option to create them.

It should work the same way as manually issueing a command to build a mining station, if you have already done this. Like, select constructor ship, move view to planet/neutron star/black hole where you want to build the station, open right-click menu, select 'build/design name of research station'.

If the research station designs do not appear there, check whether you have any of those designs (ship designs screen). They could be obsoleted. Also check whether they are too big, this should only happen with custom designs, I think, but under most circumstances you are initially limited to building bases with a size of 690 units. Personally, I like to build custom combined research/mining designs on planets with a research bonus. In this case it is easy to go over that limit.

Edit, I forgot one thing: If the research station designs are visible in the build menu of the construction ship, but you cannot issue the order, you migh tbe short in cash. Note, that the amont of cash shown in the upper right corner of the game screen is not always exact. The game engine doesn't update the value all that often. I just mention all this because I've sometimes fallen for either of these, the unavailable build options - those are grayed out in the menus, but it is a bit hard to see - and the not so current display of funds when cash is tight.

ORIGINAL: Lorini

Also is there an easy way to tell what is missing when building something? I want to make more defensive bases for example but they keep stalling after just a few parts have been built.

I don't know whether this passes for 'easy', but you could look at the cargo hold of the planet where the defensive base is being built (or constructor, in case one of those is building it). This will contain a list of resources and often components. For resources, the relation between the two number columns is relevant. If there is any resource with your flag besides it where the number in the 'Rsvd' column is bigger than the other one, you are typically short of that kind of resource, if applied to strategic resources.

[Lorini]

OK so I looked in the Cargo area of the planet. I see Amount and RSVD. Is Amount the amount that I have or the amount that I need? And is RSVD what I'm keeping of what I have or what I need? Thanks much for your response!

[feelotraveller]

Amount is what you have present. RSVD (reserved) is what is already spoken for - building stuff, to be picked up by freighters or constructors. If you have greater than zero numbers for both amount and reserved, it is first come first served for who gets what, the exception being foreign reservations which get put aside in their own lines/cargo areas.

[Lorini]

Thanks. I also found out in another thread that one of the reasons my new colonies might not be able to build a defensive base is because I don't have the population yet to do so.

It all makes sense now, thanks again.