Cargo slots at stations

[adf88]

The idea is to allow multiple cargo slots at a single station so a vehicle can drop/take cargo at/from a certain slot and don't touch other slots. These would be pure virtual slots not having any graphical representation on the map (just UI).

What we gain? Primly I'm thinking about 2-way transfer stations, but more complex layouts would be also possible where a certain type of cargo travels through a single station to different locations. This idea is strictly coupled with the standard cargo model (non-CargoDist/Dest/YACD) where it is we who decide exactly where cargo goes.

[Eddi]

and how exactly do you imagine that would work?

[adf88]

Exact behaviour can be finetuned of course. I imagine this in following way:

1. Default slots
There would be probably one default slot at each station where cargo would be gathered from nearby industries.

2. Defining slots
I think we could assume that each station has a constant number of slots so you don't have to add/remove slots by hand.

3. Coupling orders with slots
There would be ability to couple orders with a certain, non-default slot:
- load any cargo from slot X
- load all cargo from slot X
- unload cargo at slot X
- transfer cargo through slot X
By default, vehicles would drop cargo at the default slot.
I'm thinking of three variants of loading behaviour, not sure which one would be best:

• by default, load just from the default slot, no ability to load from all slots
• by default, load from all slots but also allow to instruct the vehicle to load just from the default slot
• by default, load just from the default slot but also allow to instruct the vehicle to load from all slots

The choice (which slot) would be available through an extra drop-down(s) in the vehicle orders window.

4. Displaying slots
Just display non-empty slots one after another, something like this:

1.png (4.99 KiB) Viewed 2731 times

Perhaps allow to roll down/up the list (switch between summary view and slot view).

5. Transfer cargo between slots
This should be available in any time and with no costs. Probably through a tiny button next to a cargo or just by clicking on a cargo. To choose a certain slot an input box can be used or a drop-down list.

6. Related idea - advanced orders.
This idea is not just about cargo slots but also about load percentage and other. It's to allow more complex orders e.g. "load from slot X and Y" or "load at least 50%" by changing vehicle behaviour. Currently when a vehicle finishes it's order it must start moving, always, even if it's next destination is the same station. This could be changed so no move is required. We could then put multiple orders for a certain station, one after another, and vehicle would execute them without moving. To prevent furious loops, simple cycle detection can be used (pause for a while if executing an order that has been executed already).



For example, 2-way transfer order list.

Code: Select all

[A]<------>[X]<------->[B]

A-X:

• go to A, unload if accepted and full load
• go to X, transfer to slot 1, load from slot 2

X-B:

• go to B, unload if accepted and full load
• go to X, transfer to slot 2, load from slot 1

[YNM]

Kinda like cargodist actually IMO. The difference is, this way the destination isn't set yet.

[adf88]

Kinda like cargodist actually IMO. The difference is, this way the destination isn't set yet.

I strongly disagree. Cargodist-like approach is to let cargo decide where it wants to go. This is way much different from the standard model where it is player who decides exactly where cargo goes. In cargodist-like model cargo can travel through a single station to different location. But this is not the purpose, it's just a side effect. In this model my problem just not exists. Problem exists in the standard model and cargodist is not a solution. My idea is to allow players to decide more precisely where cargo goes. Cargodist is something opposite.

[Eddi]

honestly, i can't see how this would be working in a way that would not be totally confusing and/or overwhelming to players. it would be even worse than timetables, really tedious to set up, so hardly anybody would use it.

[V453000 :)]

If it was a part of orders (extra button, like <unload all> <to slot 1> and <leave empty>)

This would mean slot X would be default so in order not to use it you would not have to do anything.

However, it could also be an extra order like from the bottom right dropdown, appending only when specifically chosen.

Then I think it would not be confusing or overwhelming at all