Matrix Games Forums

TF Suggestion for Patch 2

Currently, when a TF is in port there is a toggle on the TF screen to command a TF to be either "Docked" or "Undocked". When a TF is docked it loads and unloads cargo faster than when undocked. In addition, if there is too little room for a whole TF to dock, during turn resolution individual ships sort of 'dock' or get the benefit of docking, up to the capacity limit of the port. In this way, the burden of micromanagement on the played is reduced. In effect there is a harbor master directing traffic to get efficient use out of the port's pier space.

This last mechanism (which IIRC was added in a patch) is great because it only affects ships that have been commanded to load or unload. Escorts do not take up dock space. When a TF docks as a whole escorts do take up dock space, and (even more importantly) so do ships in the TF that have already finished loading or unloading. Even an entire TF that is done loading or unloading (sometimes a player does not want to disband a TF or send one on it's way immediately for tactical reasons) will dock automatically, denying pier space to ships that need it.

I suggest an enhancement. Make the above mentioned toggle on the TF screen a 3-way toggle: "Docked", "Undocked", or "Do Not Dock". The new function "Do Not Dock" would only prevent the TF from docking as a whole. Individual ships that needed to load or unload would still be allowed to participate in the excellent 'harbor master' mechanism described above. The benefits of setting a TF to "Do Not Dock" are that a) escorts would not take up pier space and (more importantly) b) ships already finished loading or unloading would not take up pier space.

Please let me know what you think, and if I need to clarify or further explain what I mean.

Bump... Any developer comment?

ORIGINAL: witpqs

Bump... Any developer comment?

???

Not going to happen for patch 2 already got a full load

Thanks for the reply, Andy!

"Currently, when a TF is in port there is a toggle on the TF screen to command a TF to be either "Docked" or "Undocked". When a TF is docked it loads and unloads cargo faster than when undocked. In addition, if there is too little room for a whole TF to dock, during turn resolution individual ships sort of 'dock' or get the benefit of docking, up to the capacity limit of the port. In this way, the burden of micromanagement on the played is reduced. In effect there is a harbor master directing traffic to get efficient use out of the port's pier space. "
 
I did not know this and have been splitting TF's for unload mistakenly to speed them up.  Thanks for this.  I missed this in the patch notes, or was this back in WitP? 

I know Don Bowen posted it in the forums a while back. I believe he said that he put it in for Patch 1. I just don't remember if it's in the patch notes or not.

Great feature.

This suggestion by witpqs does sound like a good addition. Maybe for patch 3?

or simply not add the toggle, do we really need one, and allow the game to micromanage this as an add on, like inthe set up screan, allow harbor master setting to cycle through loadingand unloading ships. etc