Why can't I shrink a plot?

[thijso]

I missed the small button (very easy to do), and now my plot is sized all the way up to the max. And that's it? Why the heck can't I shrink it back? Sorry, but sometimes the UI in this game is so broken and non-sensical. Sigh...

[Imperial Good]

Likely the ability to shrink a developed plot is not implemented. For example, the logic needed to check that shrinking a plot is possible without the station protruding the bounds might need to be implemented. This would likely be non-trivial to do so eat up development time that could be spent elsewhere. Given that shrinking a plot is something the player seldom needs to do, it likely would end up low priority to implement.

[thijso]

Well, maybe.

I mean, I can build outside of the plot already. Just load in a construction plan that is bigger than the plot, and there's no problem. It will build it without issue. So not sure if your supposition is correct. Well, the one about priority probably is. It seems logic for bounds and such is actually not even needed.

ETA: and in this case even if logic would be needed, here the logic is simple: allow shrinking but not below what was already there. The problem happens when I try to increase the plot size, and make a mistake. Letting me fix that mistake back to what it was, is simple. And should be implemented. Just let me undo actions with the plot size changes.

[BitByte]

Likely the ability to shrink a developed plot is not implemented. For example, the logic needed to check that shrinking a plot is possible without the station protruding the bounds might need to be implemented. This would likely be non-trivial to do so eat up development time that could be spent elsewhere. Given that shrinking a plot is something the player seldom needs to do, it likely would end up low priority to implement.

There's already logic implemented to the game which understands the minimum plot requirement - if you don't buy the plot but make design and confirm it you can still change the plot size. It won't go smaller than what your construction plan requires.
The plot size lock activates when you buy the plot.

This workaround does not work in sectors which you own as there no need buy the plot.

[Irushian]

I often cannot shrink an empty plot even before purchasing it. I've had to abandon the plot and start over if I've gone too big on one side by accident.

[Rei Ayanami]

If you plant a plot in a sector that is owned by a faction you can resize it as you wish as long as you don't purchase it. However, if you plant a plot inside a neutral sector, every increase of the plot, since there is no sector owner, immediately counts as "purchased" and therefore can not be reduced anymore. At least, that's what my guess would be.

Perhaps Egosof0t should make it so in both owned and unowned sectors you have to click on "buy license" to confirm the new plot size (with 0 credits cost in neutral sectors).