Aurora 4x
New Players => The Academy => Topic started by: Bandus on November 20, 2012, 10:27:36 AM
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So, I'm a bit confused about prefabing PDCs. They seem to cost the same as building the actual PDC, but then seem to cost additional resources to "assemble." I just want confirm my idea of the "steps" necessary to properly use a pre-fab PDC are correct. From what I understand, the steps appear to be:
1. Construct prefab PDC for the same cost as building a PDC.
2. Transport prefab PDC to destination location
3. Assemble prefab PDC (which costs more resources)
4. Use PDC as normal?
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That sounds about right, but honestly I've never checked if the prefab production used the same amout of resources as the regular one . . . I either need prefab ones (because the planet that it will be built upon has no significant construction capability) or not.
If it helps you at all, I usually forget about the resource cost for assembly on the planet I transport the prefab parts to, making a second trip necessary ::)
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So, I'm a bit confused about prefabing PDCs. They seem to cost the same as building the actual PDC, but then seem to cost additional resources to "assemble." I just want confirm my idea of the "steps" necessary to properly use a pre-fab PDC are correct. From what I understand, the steps appear to be:
1. Construct prefab PDC for the same cost as building a PDC.
2. Transport prefab PDC to destination location
3. Assemble prefab PDC (which costs more resources)
4. Use PDC as normal?
That is what I do, and it seems to work alright. I had some problems on an ininhospitable world, but it was due to a bug that will be fixed for next version.
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This is correct. Think of the extra cost as an overhead required by ability to ship and assemble remotely (packing materials? :) )
John
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It isn't Ikea, you need to supply your own nuts,bolts, and washers. Lots of washers. All made out of space age materials. Very much not like Ikea. Also need to feed and supply a bunch of bachelors to put it together (Much like Ikea).
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You'll want to use pre-fabs only in cases where you've got a world with little industry that needs a PDC. You do most of the work at some big-industry world, move the bits, and then do only the final assembly in Possum Holler.
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It says that the PDC comes in sections. How big is a section in terms of freighter lift? Does 1 section take 5000 cargo or 25,000 cargo?
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Each section of pre-fabed PDC is 5,000 tons.
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Thank you, I had moved a PDC but could not recall if I used my heavy lifter or my tramp freighter to do it.
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What capability or resources are needed to assemble the PDC when it gets to it's destination?
I plan to make a prefab PDC on Earth, and ship it to Mars to be assembled. Will the assemble option appear in the menu when I get it to Mars or will I need something, like a construction battalion?
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Might I recommend this wiki article to answer that: http://aurorawiki.pentarch.org/index.php?title=PDC
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I find the extra minerals required at the destination to build these an unnecessary micro-management hassle. If its a cost issue, roll it up into the manufacturing process. I just SM the minerals needed at the destination if I need them.
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I tend to agree with you on that SteelChicken. I wish it worked that way too. It's kind of a pain. But typically speaking the amount of minerals is so small that just loading them at the same place I built the prefab PDC isn't an issue. Either that, or the place I transport to happens to be mining the needed minerals anyway in most cases.
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I tend to agree with you on that SteelChicken. I wish it worked that way too. It's kind of a pain. But typically speaking the amount of minerals is so small that just loading them at the same place I built the prefab PDC isn't an issue. Either that, or the place I transport to happens to be mining the needed minerals anyway in most cases.
It is not a resource issue, the amount of minerals is trivial to me. Its all the extra clicking to get them there that's a pain. Like batteries, they should come included, not ordered, shipped and assembled separately. That's just micro-management for the sake of mm.
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Might I recommend this wiki article to answer that: http://aurorawiki.pentarch.org/index.php?title=PDC
Thank you. I'd read that before but I'd forgotten.
From the wiki: "The destination of the PDC will require both minerals and the ability to generate construction points to complete the assembly of the PDC".
I don't have CF at the destination. Will a Construction Battalion do the job?
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I don't have CF at the destination. Will a Construction Battalion do the job?
They will indeed, the more the merrier.
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Indeed. A construction batallion will produce construction points, however, even en masse it has been my experience they won't do the job fast enough. I typically transport 40-50 construction factories to the destination for the job.
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That's what I needed to know Bandus. Thanks.
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A Construction Brigade rather, but yes they'll act as a single CF
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That raises another question.
Will I be able to transport missiles, FC sensors, turrets, etc from stock piles on Earth to stock the assembled (but empty) PDC at Mars?
All this time I've pictured a PDC as an orbiting Death Star type of structure. I came to that conclusion by the fact that it is desgned in the same window as ships. The light bulb just went on that it is a structure that is based on the surface. I guess I've answered my own question. I should be able to transport weapons from Earth to stock the PDC on Mars.
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I find the extra minerals required at the destination to build these an unnecessary micro-management hassle. If its a cost issue, roll it up into the manufacturing process. I just SM the minerals needed at the destination if I need them.
+1
I would think that all the parts to put them together would be created with and for the parts to be assembled, or at least come pre-packaged with . I think giving us a 5-10% markup on overall cost and removing the cost required to assemble would make PDCs more useful and less of a hassle.
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Hold up there.
Having the components on hand will only help if you're building the PDC from scratch, aka building it in place or prefabbing it as components. Actually I'm not even sure that PDC construction will use stockpiled components at all.
You will need to truck missiles out to it though. And yes, they are indeed rooted in place once they're constructed or assembled.
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Apparently I cannot load missiles and sensors on board a cargo vessel. Does that means there is no way to move weapons and weapon components between colonies or bases? I guess I could build a collier to move the missiles but I'm not sure how to transport the FC sensors and Beam turrets and FC from Earth to Mars. It would be quite inconvient to have to build Ordnance Factories and CF on Mars when I have stockpiles on Earth already.
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Definitely some confusion here. Part of the pre-fabrication process includes building the FC sensors, turrets, etc. You would have to move ordinance still using a collier though.
A good way to think of it is that pre-fabricating builds the PDC, and then "assembling it" at its destination bolts it to the ground so it is ready to use.
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Apparently I cannot load missiles and sensors on board a cargo vessel. Does that means there is no way to move weapons and weapon components between colonies or bases? I guess I could build a collier to move the missiles but I'm not sure how to transport the FC sensors and Beam turrets and FC from Earth to Mars. It would be quite inconvient to have to build Ordnance Factories and CF on Mars when I have stockpiles on Earth already.
As already said in the post prior to yours, there is no need to move components unless you are planning to produce the PDC sections on Mars, in which case it would probably better to simply build the PDC in one piece. The components are consumed when constructing the PDC sections, so you want them present on the world you are doing that on.
If you do have a situation in which you need to move components around, you can load them into normal cargo bays.
For transporting missiles you need to design a Collier, a ship with a large number of magazines as missiles cannot be placed in cargo bays.
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Thanks for the explanations. I've got a handle on it now. I'd forgotten that the PDC is equipped with Sensors etc during design.
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Once a PDC is contructed, should it show up on the F2, summary tab, under installations?
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No. It will show up under the Ships (F6) screen.
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But it's hard to determine where they are. I thought I had built one on Mars. I paid all the mineral cost for doing it but it doesn't show up on the system map or F6 but the pop of Mars are happy now because all their defense needs are satisfied.
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But it's hard to determine where they are. I thought I had built one on Mars. I paid all the mineral cost for doing it but it doesn't show up on the system map or F6 but the pop of Mars are happy now because all their defense needs are satisfied.
Task groups are your friend. :)
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A PDC is exactly like a ship, except for the following:
1) Immobile. Once constructed (or assembled from pre-fabbed sections), it is stuck at that location forever.
2) Extra, free armor.
3) A few components, if designed as PDC-only, get a minor bonus (beam fire controls, missile launchers).
Thus, you treat them exactly like ships (including managing them using Task Groups).
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A PDC is exactly like a ship, except for the following:
1) Immobile. Once constructed (or assembled from pre-fabbed sections), it is stuck at that location forever.
2) Extra, free armor.
3) A few components, if designed as PDC-only, get a minor bonus (beam fire controls, missile launchers).
Thus, you treat them exactly like ships (including managing them using Task Groups).
In order to make that list more complete.
4) Are unable to mount a few components such as Shields and Engineering Spaces.
5) Ignore the maintainance clock.
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Shows what I know. I didn't know you couldn't mount shields on PDCs.