What determines auto construction ship priorities?

[Tanaka]

Mine on auto seem to be focusing on hydrogen mining when what I really need is caslon! Im having huge shortages of caslon fuel when there are plenty of sources around! Seems their first focus should always be caslon or your whole economy will shut down. Whats worse is they dont stay focused on local improvements but fly away far off if your explorers find stuff way out. If I don't take my constuctors off auto and manaully control them I really struggle! On that note constructors and explorers on auto should be programmed to work there way outward spirating from inward so that all local systems are covered first while focusing on the most needed early resources for empire growth. Poor AI! Can this be improved?

[CaptainBipto1]

I control my automated constructors by queuing strings of projects. I play pirates so it is easier early on until you "find" more construction ships:p

[Tanaka]

ORIGINAL: CaptainBipto1

I control my automated constructors by queuing strings of projects. I play pirates so it is easier early on until you "find" more construction ships:p

Thanks for the tip how exactly do you que projects?

[Aeson]

Thanks for the tip how exactly do you que projects?

Control + right-click, should be an option at the bottom of the menu that says something like "queue next mission," which should lead to a submenu where you can select something like "build gas mining station here." Note that this will tack the assignment onto the end of any existing mission queue, and as such will not necessarily result in the construction ship making the new mining station its priority immediately after it completes its current project.

[Hikikomori]

I also always build manually, its a pain in the butt, but i am a control freak. [:D]

Queuing 2 or 3 projects keeps them busy for a while. Same goes with explorers, at least early on, later they get a sector to cover each and then i automate them completely.

Only problem is keeping track of projects to do and destroyed bases to rebuild/repair. Would be nice to have a "repair/replace only" automation.

[Skasski]

As far as I noticed they seem focus on "Resource Targets by Galaxy Priority". That's the third entry in the "Expansion Planner (F3)" drop-down menu.

Perhaps this should be a setting in the "Economy and Trade" or the "Construction" categories in the "Empire Policy" screen? By default races that are open and trade with other empires would focus on "galaxy priority" while isolationist races that oppose trade would focus on "your empire priority".

[DustyMonk]

Personally I just like to stop them automatically building research stations.