Cargo Value Tool - Value Estimation

[MightyGooga]

Hi every one,

Im not sure this issue have been adreesed yet but it came to my mind recently and I suppose this is the right section to post it.

What if we had a tool in OPENTTD that could estimate cargo values from one point to another. One would draw a line between a coal mine and a powerplant and the tool would tell the aproximatly value of one cargo wagon, one truck or a certain number of tons.

The problem with that would be to determine the medium speed of that cargo, but that could be solved using a simple table, Days/Value, like the one in the cargo payment rates window. This tool would exceed this later table by providing especific route estimations.

What do you guys think? Would it change the nature of the game? Is there any posts that already adress this?

Thanks a lot

[Eddi]

actually, i like this idea

i could never make much sense of the payment graphs, as i have no idea about "if i transport at X km/h, it will take Y days from A to B". i'd be very glad about a kind of "point and click" dialog that could calculate such stuff. i wouldn't worry about speed estimation, let the user input a number. whether he actually reaches that speed, or does not go on a straight line, is a totally different matter.

[MightyGooga]

Actually you could use a shift hit comand to draw more complex lines. Even more, you could draw a "permanent" line call it something and have a table that you could input a speed. Example:

Line 1 - Yow drew a line that goes form plant A to plant B (The tool stores it)

You open the Tool table and shows Line 1, with a little prompt for speed, tons and cargo

Then the table calculates for that line the average value.

Then you can store other calculations and compare them.

Is that even possible to code?

[CommanderZ]

Is that even possible to code?

I doubt so. Cargo prices depend a lot on time spent travelling, and that depends on construction of the track, traffic conditions etc.

[Conditional Zenith]

Which is why there have been suggestions of a user supplied time, or the output being a time/payment graph. The underlying calculations would be easy enough, and I suspect the GUI side of things will not be too hard either (if we reuse the graph code from elsewhere in the game), all that needs to be done is to select 2 endpoints and a cargo. There is no point measuring anything other than the manhattan square distance, as that is the distance used for payment.

Having persistent lines seems like too much effort for too little gain.

[DJ Nekkid]

more viable would probably be a modification to the graph where one could add range in tiles, speed in kmh/mph, and ammount, and it would adjust properly...

[MightyGooga]

All those ideas really fit in. But when I thoght of the tool, i expected something very handy, that you could use with a short-cut. Something to use for planing.

One thing I miss the most in TTD and all is that you have few tools for planing. I would like to draw on the map, and name places (I can use sings for that I know), prioritize building, analyze investments and etc. Wwith the Value Cargo Tool (VCT) much of this need would be surpressed.

In the other hand I beleive that a few changes to the orginal Cargo Payment Graphs would satisfy this as well. At least would be the very begining of the VCT creation.

Too bad i hav eno idea how would that be done...

[Roest]

Do you really need that much planning in ottd? Maybe i'm doing it wrong, but i usually pickup some cargo and haul it to the farthest spot possible ->profit.

[MightyGooga]

Hi Roest!

I dont actually need it. I can play without using any kind of planning, but when you start increasing the level of difficulty planning becomes crucial. Also, there are lots of playing styles, I like to play with the economic challange, analysing investments and profit, trying to mange the company as if it were real, thats why I applyed the idea. But hey, that is just my style...

thanks for the input thought!

[CommanderZ]

Regarding planning, I would much more welcome something like the strategic ovelay in Civilization IV - something that allows you to paint on the map with a "pen" of your player colour. The display of these sketches can of course be toggled (and is displayed to your allies). Excellent tool for planning expansion.

[MightyGooga]

I was thinking the exact samething. The strategy layer in CIV-4 is a perfect exemple of a tool for planning. But I still think it would be worthwhile to have some kind of in game cargo value projection.