How to make sexier complexes [Updated, again!]

madpenguin · Post by **madpenguin** » Fri, 30. Dec 05, 02:05

I'm feeling just like deathandx3.... I'm about ready to scream...

Can someone kindly explain how you are supposed to link up say 9 factories? I just don't get it, along with it taking forever to line things up. I have lain all 9 factories in a row with nodes lined up so how am I supposed to link them all now? I can only join 2 at a time. The original posters pic has quite a few stations with just one hub... I suppose it doesn't overly matter because now that I have 9 factories in a completely empty sector, it's unplayable. About 1fps anywhere near the factories... SWEET!!!! Can't wait to enjoy my new home sector.

Any help on the connection issue would be most appreciated.

Ryuujin · Post by **Ryuujin** » Fri, 30. Dec 05, 11:13

Just place them down logically.

Connect the first couple of stations, and place down the hub. Then buy some more construction kits, and link each of the next stations in sequence to your complex hub. It helps to zoom right in (page up/down) so you can see which station is next nearest, if you connect them in the wrong roder you'll probably get whacked out connections.

szuur · Post by **szuur** » Fri, 30. Dec 05, 15:17

i just made a self sufficient big sfhere in hatikvah's faith only spiky about em are the ore mines with ain't in the ball, basicly the factor's are almost toutching the one next to em so one one can get trapped, at least for now:P

Ryuujin · Post by **Ryuujin** » Mon, 2. Jan 06, 16:34

*bump*

Added some to the end discussing relative stations sizes/resource usage, to help you balance your complexes input/output.

Cucumber King · Post by **Cucumber King** » Mon, 2. Jan 06, 16:40

Nice work!

I have build my own complex now too, but I should've read you guide first... one fact is about 9 kilometres in the air because I didn't yet know the INSERT function, and so I have one 9 Kilometre long tube that connects 2 stations, and at the end of it I have 3 Factories linked together and it's just messy!

That screenshot looks fantastic by the way! On what setting do you play?

HaunterV · Post by **HaunterV** » Mon, 2. Jan 06, 16:46

[ external image ]
x1 Bofu Lab M, x1 BoGas Plant M, x1 Teladianium Plant L, x1 Tube Fab, x1 Chip Plant = Profitsssss

[ external image ][/quote]

exceptional complexs dude

I agree to the complex beauty pagent idea lol it'd be awesome

Swordsman · Post by **Swordsman** » Tue, 3. Jan 06, 09:34

Thanks for the guide, a great help but unfortunately it hasn't solved my problem, seems that Crystal Fab M's are bugged

I've started with a CF M, and now I want to turn it into a complex. Unfortunately whenever I try to link another factory (Cahoona M or Cattle Farm M) it ALWAYS tries to link them to the node on the bottom (same direction as the dock) which isn't the closest node. The hanger is fine linked to the 'front' of the CF. I decided to give in and use the bottom node first, only to find I can't line up the nodes on the other factories because you can only rotate them in 2 directions not 3

After a solid week of playing to get to this point, it's sadly time to put it away in frustration.

Ryuujin · Post by **Ryuujin** » Tue, 3. Jan 06, 11:32

Yeah, the SIlicon fabs are buggy.

There's 2 usable connections on them though. one on the underside, and one on the rear, just above where the docking claw connects.

What I tend to do, is connect them pointing outwards using the connector above the docking claw, then rotate them along the stem so it's on it's side (so the unside connection stikcs out horizontal), and then connect the next fab to that if nessecary.

Mentalor · Post by **Mentalor** » Tue, 3. Jan 06, 11:53

Swordsman wrote:I can't line up the nodes on the other factories because you can only rotate them in 2 directions not 3

Yeah, that is a bit annoying, init.

I've found its best to locate the factory complex 10 or 15km below or above the ecliptic and have the hub placed 8-10km away from the factory, towards the ecliptic. Stops any clutter round the hub and ships have no trouble getting in.

Swordsman · Post by **Swordsman** » Tue, 3. Jan 06, 22:56

Ryuujin wrote:Yeah, the SIlicon fabs are buggy.

There's 2 usable connections on them though. one on the underside, and one on the rear, just above where the docking claw connects.

What I tend to do, is connect them pointing outwards using the connector above the docking claw, then rotate them along the stem so it's on it's side (so the unside connection stikcs out horizontal), and then connect the next fab to that if nessecary.

Unfortunately that was the first factory I bought, and it's been a while so no going back. Thought I'd just with a manual factory loop for this one and try a complex again later.

Mentalor wrote:Yeah, that is a bit annoying, init.

Just a tad...

Umpti-Fratz · Post by **Umpti-Fratz** » Fri, 6. Jan 06, 09:28

Argh! I spent 3 hours learning how to place two factories. I put them 1.5k apart and then told the TL class ship to offload the construction kit. I need some help in that I have no idea how to get the tube to work. I get the sector screen and I see both factories "names" on the right flashing but no luck. I have moved the cursor around like when I placed the factories but it just keeps selecting the factories. Does the tube work automatically? Thanks in advance.

Umpti-Fratz

X-it · Post by **X-it** » Fri, 6. Jan 06, 10:02

First it asks for the two factories you want to connect, then it asks you to place the cursor to where you want the landing bay to be. Place it a bit north of the factories.

(I've read here that there is an isse with the landing bay so that it always faces due north, so that's why I said north. Not sure if this has been fixed yet, as I've always place them north so far).

arcana75 · Post by **arcana75** » Fri, 6. Jan 06, 15:21

My 2 attempts at making complexes...

1st: 2x Crystal Fabs, 2x Bakery M, 2x Ranch M
[ external image ]

2nd: 5x Crystal, 2x Chelt L, 2x Rastar L, 1x Silicon L
[ external image ]

DaveyP · Post by **DaveyP** » Fri, 6. Jan 06, 16:06

I've got 3xL silicon mines each on 64 yield rocks about 2k apart all linked together down in

Spoiler

Show

furthest south unknown sector near consecrated fire

I was going to turn the whole lot into one big silicon producing complex.

Perhaps this is a bad idea.

Torias · Post by **Torias** » Mon, 9. Jan 06, 21:37

Would any of you mind please posting some screenshots of the process in action, instead of just the final product, so it'll be a bit easier to figure out what you're talking about

I haven't been able to find a single one of those alleged dome things, or look for a station 'shadow' or any of that, it's confuzzling without proper visual input

Thanks

-norman · Post by **-norman** » Sun, 15. Jan 06, 06:57

Rikaelus wrote:Someday, maybe, hopefully, they'll give us a "Complex Creation" screen which has a nice wire-frame view of all the stations and other obsticles. Then we can position our stations from that and connect tubes between the various nodes.

A feature like the one mentioned would make things so much easier. It takes me ages to get stuff lined up, then I usually find its lined up wrong.

Tempest Stormfury · Post by **Tempest Stormfury** » Mon, 16. Jan 06, 08:41

Hey, excellenet work, this one! Wish I could plug something like that together!
Say, just one question; how do you add new factories to a previously created complex? Tried but couldn't find anything in station/ Hub menue.
Can anyone help?

Mfg TS

jlehtone · Post by **jlehtone** » Mon, 16. Jan 06, 09:01

-norman wrote:
Rikaelus wrote:Someday, maybe, hopefully, they'll give us a "Complex Creation" screen which has a nice wire-frame view of all the stations and other obsticles. Then we can position our stations from that and connect tubes between the various nodes.
A feature like the one mentioned would make things so much easier. It takes me ages to get stuff lined up, then I usually find its lined up wrong.

Or maybe something similar to designing small molecules. You basically add atoms to your existing "complex", and their positions are dictated by possible bonds. Atoms have typically four or less possible bonds at fixed geometry, just like stations have nodes.

Unfortunately, this requires a separate station placing mode. You must choose a reference station, then a node from it. That results in a straight line outwards from the station. It serves as the only rotation axis. Then one can adjust distance (from default minimal), rotate around the axis, and choose the node in the new station.

Basically, it really needs just the way to choose that mode and reference station. There are two translation and two rotation inputs already (the Numpad). One translation for the distance, one for stepping trough the (free) nodes on existing (complex). One rotation to step and choose the node on new station's ghost, and one rotation to rotate around the axis.

Just a thought

Tanlith · Post by **Tanlith** » Sun, 29. Jan 06, 03:00

Hrmm... From a developers point of view, I would think it'd be fairly easy for the programmers to add a script allowing the user to select a specific node on one building and "match" it to a node on another... it would then automatically line the nodes up perfectly... could this be possible? Or would the nodes have to be reconfigured as new "seperate" objects?

- Tanlith -

tomten2k · Post by **tomten2k** » Mon, 30. Jan 06, 22:21

Question1. Minimum tube distance ...what happends if I place the 2 stations too close?? Is it impossible or will the tubing connection do a little swirling lopp or what??

Question2. The station sizes...can I buy any size of any type of station?? (just started so maybe this will change later on but....) for example I've only noticed Cahoona bakerys as small or medium class...(The solar energy stations and some mines can be seen in different sizes depending on which races shipyard you look at).. can I buy bigger sizes somehow or do I have to add 2 bakerys together in the same spot to get a bigger size??

Thinxs
Space Santa

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How to make sexier complexes [Updated, again!]

Re: How to make sexier complexes [Updated, again!]