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Import/Export auto-routing of transports

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  • Import/Export auto-routing of transports

    One of the first big differences I noticed between the original Colonization and civ4:col is the trade route mechanism.

    In the Original, the player created individual trade routes, to which a transport was assigned. This was good because the player had absolute control over the the route & could tailor what went where with more precision, but obviously "bad" due to the intensive micro required.

    Civ4:col evidently has some sort of algorithm auto-routing transports. This is good because the player doesn't HAVE to micro his trade routes.

    To better explain my situation, in my last game, I had approx 4 small settlements "feeding" resources to a single large, industrialised port city for refinement and export. One of these (inland) harvesting settlements was exporting Silver, Furs and Ore. Being inland meant that I was entirely reliant on the wagon train's 2 cargo capacity. Having 3 exports from the settlement was therefore, inefficiently, using 2 (1.5 rounded up) wagon trains.

    The half full wagon train was then moving off to pick up more goods from another "harversting" settlement before delivering to the industrial centre.

    It is great to see the game processing this kind of logistical puzzle autonomously, but nonetheless it has it's drawbacks:

    1. Longer delivery times can reduce the turn's output of my factories if my city isn't holding sufficient stock of raw materials as a buffer.
    2. Unstable stock levels can result in wastage if a glut of resources are delivered in one turn.

    At this point, people might like shout GEEK at me (and rightly so), suffice it so say that I'm a manufacturing engineering and have an interest in maximising the effciency of my colonial economy/should get out more.

    I would like to see more choice to the player, I like the civ4:col "hands-off" system, but in some circumstances I'd like to get my logistical hands dirty. If a hybridised system were introduced (like the refinements to the civ4 workers' auto-improve), allowing the player to create particular trade routes (import export paths) and to assign individual wagon trains to them (and only them), I would be very happy.

    Alternativley, does anyone know how the routing algorithm works and how to better utilise or exploit it?

  • #2
    You can assign a trade route to a wagon, like in Col1.

    Assign the export at the FROM city and the import at the TO city. Select a wagon train and select "Assign Trade Routes" button (looks like a city skyline with four outgoing arrows) then tick the box of the trade route to assign this wagon to.

    The wagon will perform it's mission to it's full satisfaction, without the happy sighing known to come from doors within the Heart of Gold.

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    • #3
      The wagon will perform it's mission to it's full satisfaction, without the happy sighing known to come from doors within the Heart of Gold.


      ah. OK.

      That'll teach me not to read the manual...

      Thanks Dale!

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      • #4
        I've been pretty impressed with the auto transport features, and with the auto colonist feature. The trick is to make sure you assign the emphasis on production in the governor screen.

        It might not assign colonists exactly the way you'd like, but it also will reassign colonists if they don't have the raw materials they need that turn. Take some time and play with the emphasis levels and see how your colony responds. It's an extremely powerful tool once you get used to it.

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        • #5
          I like the fact that you can control every last move of a complex web of Wagon Trains. The only problem is that when you get a lot of settlements, EVERY possibility is on the list.

          Is there a way to sort them by:
          Settlement
          From City
          To City
          Commodity


          I had a series of cities in a row, and each one had its own wagon to get its exports to the next city. That way they could all have limited travel time. I had the overflow on, so that everyone had equal amounts of stuff, with the last settlement getting all the overflow.

          The problem comes with there are hundreds, or even thousands of options on the wagon automation window. It takes a long time to go through, and your eyes dry up.

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          • #6
            Ah, the old shriveld dry eyes of Logistics...

            If col had a solution for large, complex logisitics networks I'd have thought Firaxis would be selling industrial software, not just games...

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            • #7
              Originally posted by alh_p
              Ah, the old shriveld dry eyes of Logistics...

              If col had a solution for large, complex logisitics networks I'd have thought Firaxis would be selling industrial software, not just games...
              Touche'

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              • #8
                I will say this, I am happy that you CAN control every aspect, albeit it takes a long time to do so.

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                • #9
                  I really like import/export system.

                  It is especially good for smaller island or batches of land where you have 4-5 colonies and can set up pretty much everything nicely. Using F1 to see production rates of various goods in cities also helps when planning things (to prevent overloads).

                  Still, I always have 1 single spare wagon train for special occasions, when automated system is not perfect, or for special shipments (like moving tools to specific town).

                  Without this system, Civ4Col would be very difficult to manage.

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                  • #10
                    have you guys noticed that the auto trade route will be disable when u r at war time, at least be disable at the cities near the front line.

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                    • #11
                      That's intentional, because you don't want the AI taking an unprotected wagon train through enemy territory
                      <Reverend> IRC is just multiplayer notepad.
                      I like your SNOOPY POSTER! - While you Wait quote.

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                      • #12
                        I do wish there was a way to save, or modify a single Wagon, as in, turn it off, and then when you want, turn it back on, without having to search through the infinite list of possibilities.

                        I just want to trade with the city next door, FROM this city TO that city, there should only be 5 things to choose from, not EVERY city's TO & FROM mixed on one list.

                        I am imagining that it would be a MAJOR overhaul to fix that. Not just some simple little mod. Being able to sort the list by commodity or starting city or something would really help though. Even if the whole list came up. Right now the list is just a jumble with no discernible order.

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