A flaw in the execution of the new resource system

[Dalwin]

So, as intended, it is now possible for shortages to completely shut down production lines instead of still allowing them a minimum of 10% production (Podcat misspoke to say max penalty was 80% prior to 1.3.3.)

The flaw is that once a line is shut down, it still demands and uses the other resources. For example, as Germany I have a line producing battleships. It has completely stopped producing due to lack of oil, but it still wants chromium. In this case the other resource is not hurting me since I have nothing else that is using chromium, but in other situations resources being used by factories that are not even running could cause other shortages.

This also misleads players since the false usage and shortages are reported in such a way to encourage him to import resources that may have zero impact on production output.

 

[MadDjinn]

this is probably a navy only problem, given that all other equipment is 'supply based'. Ie, it actually takes a while to build a ship and if supply to production is cut, you still have the part of the ship that was built.

I would definitely support an automated 'release of resources from this line' for ships, or a manual 'pause production' button. Once you get the resources back, you can click on it to resume.

Might consider that for other lines, but then, you could just reassign the factories to other lines and that would reduce usage. If implemented for other lines though, I would suggest a production efficiency loss per week penalty for locking down factories and not using them.

 

[Meglok]

this is probably a navy only problem, given that all other equipment is 'supply based'. Ie, it actually takes a while to build a ship and if supply to production is cut, you still have the part of the ship that was built.

I would definitely support an automated 'release of resources from this line' for ships, or a manual 'pause production' button. Once you get the resources back, you can click on it to resume.

Might consider that for other lines, but then, you could just reassign the factories to other lines and that would reduce usage. If implemented for other lines though, I would suggest a production efficiency loss per week penalty for locking down factories and not using them.

Nope, I am watching a game where ai Japan had arty, support, and tanks all at zero production at one point due to resource production, along with her entire naval production. I will note that about 6 months later the ai had shifted production around and finally demanded steel from puppet Manchuko to resolve this issue somewhat.

And if @podcat said the max penalty was 80% he was definitely mistaken or talking about an earlier beta build of 1.3.3.

 

[jamesd]

Playing a couple of more or less observation games as Caribbean nations recently, I found that production levels could be kept relatively high despite having no resources at all, while you're seeing majors massively penalised while being proportionally much better resourced (Germany has at least some Oil). How did Germany go with I'm guessing 30+ factories on aircraft production in 1939/40 with no rubber? It's still very early in the life of this patch, but I think this change may have been a step in the wrong direction.

 

[Highbinder]

This new production mechanic is also crippling the Soviet AI. They tend not to produce enough convoys meaning they can't trade for Tungsten and stuff meaning a lot of their production comes to a complete halt. They are a complete pushover now.

 

[Axe99]

Well spotted Dalwin, and a good point. It sounds like that if factories go to zero per cent efficiency, it would help if they stop using (and demanding) resources altogether.

 

[Brawler]

The flaw is that once a line is shut down, it still demands and uses the other resources.

Spot on. Something still didn't seem right with the new resource mechanic and this is it.

I play minor nations a lot and quite often find myself juggling production lines up and down the list for the sake of gaming the new resource system. I can only imagine how the AI would prioritise these due to shortages if it does at all...

 

[MadDjinn]

Nope, I am watching a game where ai Japan had arty, support, and tanks all at zero production at one point due to resource production, along with her entire naval production. I will note that about 6 months later the ai had shifted production around and finally demanded steel from puppet Manchuko to resolve this issue somewhat.

And if @podcat said the max penalty was 80% he was definitely mistaken or talking about an earlier beta build of 1.3.3.

oh, my point on that is that arty/etc is all made in mass batches and it's more about 'how much per x day'. So it doesn't really matter if a few get 'stuck' when you run out of resources. You can move all of the factories elsewhere, then when you get the resources back, you can restart the line. Yes a resource efficiency problem, but ships on the other hand can take months to make, if not longer for Battleships/etc, so losing 99% of a single super heavy battleship hurts more than a couple arty if you switched around the lines.

 

[Meglok]

oh, my point on that is that arty/etc is all made in mass batches and it's more about 'how much per x day'. So it doesn't really matter if a few get 'stuck' when you run out of resources. You can move all of the factories elsewhere, then when you get the resources back, you can restart the line. Yes a resource efficiency problem, but ships on the other hand can take months to make, if not longer for Battleships/etc, so losing 99% of a single super heavy battleship hurts more than a couple arty if you switched around the lines.

Yes, a player can do this. My point is that the ai seems to have issues with this concept. In a single player game this likely leads to another cakewalk or game of "Production Commander" depending upon the nation you are playing.

 

[safe-keeper]

I never thought of that . Well spotted indeed.