[FeatureRequest] Trade Routes

[vvvvvvvv]

Trade route is a virtual placeable. Player clicks a series of viewpoints that form a line going through multiple sectors, at each specifies which ware should be bought or transferred, or sold and transferred. Route could loop or not. Waypoints could target sectors or stations.

Ships assigned to the route will perform trades. They can be unassigned at any time.

Reasoning:

This is similar to Repeat Order, but:

* It is visualized on the map
* It is possible to easily assign multiple ships to it.

This way it is possible to do mass transfer, which can't be done now, even with repeat order. Repeat order can't be copied and cannot be set to multiple ships.

[Hector0x]

This is exactly the type of global empire management tool that should be considered for X5.

The game would be more successful if there was an easy way to automate the repeated hauling of specific resources between specific locations, like traderoutes in Anno 1800.
The X-series wants to simulate prices and free trade, but my impression is that most players want closed supply lines like in factorio. Every popular X3 overhaul had extensive tools for internal logistics. Players loved these and we tinkered around and shared our setups on this forum.

Players want to set a start point, end point, select a ware and then assign ships to that route. When a ship dies they want to automate the reassignment of another ship to that same route. During all this they never want to see any price number on their screen.

[Valkertok]

The X-series wants to simulate prices and free trade, but my impression is that most players want closed supply lines like in factorio.

Well, I for one would like both, but it really doesn't make sense that you need to bend "free trade and prices" to make internal logistics work, given that no money is being transferred if the trade is between your two stations.

So yeah, 100% agree.

[vvvvvvvv]

This is exactly the type of global empire management tool that should be considered for X5.

Why x5, though, when it could be patched into x4? It is not impossibly incompatible with the engine.

[Hector0x]

Why x5, though, when it could be patched into x4? It is not impossibly incompatible with the engine.

Keep in mind that all of the current trading scripts are designed for the price based system and that everything runs on the ships themselves.

An internal logistics as outlined by the op would need entirely new scripts which prioritize import/export rules set by the player in some global menu. This is fundamentally different from the current system.

Such a major pradigm shift is not really feasible for X4 at this point.

[feaniris]

You can already do that if you manage item price in your base, and with the help of commercial global order.

[vvvvvvvv]

An internal logistics as outlined by the op would need entirely new scripts which prioritize import/export rules set by the player in some global menu. This is fundamentally different from the current system.

Such a major pradigm shift is not really feasible for X4 at this point.

...

It is simply a behavior, like auto salvage. You can already do similar thing in incredibly awkward way through repeat order. Or manually. Ship has to be assigned to route. Assigning it would set its behavior and that's it. There are no paradigm shifts. It fits into existing framework.

You can already do that if you manage item price in your base, and with the help of commercial global order.

See "mass item transfer". While you can sorta move goods through stepped prices, this requires 5 stars admins, stations in range and does not let you quickly control which ships will be doing the move, and where exactly they will go.

[feaniris]

If you need to move items (quantity Is irrelevant) between distant place of your dominion you do need 5 star admin and 1-2 base nodes for keeping the logistic chain. If you want to transfer item to NPC stations, you will Need a trading station in that area. A bit complicated for new player, but It can be done ( we all do that for terraforming mission)

[Hector0x]

The point is not that it cannot be done. The point is that every involved actor - every miner, station and freighter, needs to be fooled into believing that he makes a personal profit, even when you just want to move goods around in your own empire.

Yes you have the bookkeeping crowd who want to track individual profitability. And they even use mods to reenable credit transfers between player assets and stuff. But this is not how this game is usually played.

In reality many new players often ask around for detailed guides how to get wares from A to B. They do not think in stepped prices and trade offers because they don't even want to trade with the NPCs at all. It feels artificial and unnecessarily complicated to them.
So they try their luck with stepped prices and traderules. But then they make some mistake which breaks the entire chain and they get frustrated.

It shouldn't be this complicated.

[vvvvvvvv]

The point is not that it cannot be done. The point is that every involved actor - every miner, station and freighter, needs to be fooled into believing that he makes a personal profit, even...

No. That's incorrect implementation. I'm not sure why you would ever think any this is necessary. Like I said, repeat order already does what's needed, and require nothing of the sort. The feature is dead simple - just dumb mechanical going through checklist will do what is needed. "pick up at point A, dump at point B". Profit calculations were never in the picture. Probably can be done by a single person in under 2 months if not under a week.

If you for some reason decided it has to be convoluted I won't be able to change your mind, so there's no point in discussing this further.

Have fun.

[Hector0x]

The point is not that it cannot be done. The point is that every involved actor - every miner, station and freighter, needs to be fooled into believing that he makes a personal profit, even...

No. That's incorrect implementation. I'm not sure why you would ever think any this is necessary.

Maybe i wasn't clear enough. My statement was:
"this is the way X4 works at the moment."
NOT
"I want it to be this way"

I want point A to B (as an alternative).
No, repeat order is not an alternative because your order dies with the ship, cannot be copied and you cannot manage all repeat orders at the same time