Make tractor pads not being able to grab items from other techs

[Coder]

For me it's very annoying that tractor pads grab resources from tractor pads on other techs. It's especially awful when they are constantly pulling the same item back and forth instead of doing what you want them to do (pick up resources from the ground and/or move items somewhere). I know that there are storage silos but:
1. If I wanted one tech to be capable of grabbing items from tractor pads on other techs I'd use a receiver.
2. Resources can be grabbed from silos only by a player. So If for example I want to make a fuel storage for a generator I either have to keep my tech far from other techs or insert the fuel into the generator manually.

 

[Azirahael]

Without pads grabbing from each other, there will be no multiple pad resource sharing on a tech.
One pad will fill up, and the others will stay empty.

and it's easy enough to avoid other units with pads, even if it's a bit annoying.

It also prevents me from offloading some resources onto another unit deliberately.

 

[Coder]

Without pads grabbing from each other, there will be no multiple pad resource sharing on a tech.
One pad will fill up, and the others will stay empty.

I thought I explained my opinion clear enough: I'm against trator pads trying to grab items from another techs. Tractor pads on the same tech share items in a different way: they don't get stuck fighting to get one specific item while completely ignoring others lying on the ground.

it's easy enough to avoid other units with pads, even if it's a bit annoying.

It means I'll have either to build a separate base to store tractor pads I get from enemies. At least until I get a silo and a scrapper.

It also prevents me from offloading some resources onto another unit deliberately.

This limits you to unloading smaller tractor pads onto bigger tractor pads but not other way round.

Compromise:
If tractor pads are meant to only be used for resource gathering but not for storage, then I'm fine with the ability to unload small tractor pads onto bigger ones but I'm still against a tractor pad being able to grab items from another tractor pad (on another tech) that is bigger or the same size as it. This solution might still cause problems if you have tractor pads of different sizes on the same tech: one would grab items from another tech and another would return them back but it's easier to avoid. And if tractor pads are only for resource gathering, I'd like my generator to be able to get fuel from an adjacent silo.

 

[Azirahael]

"And if tractor pads are only for resource gathering, I'd like my generator to be able to get fuel from an adjacent silo."

Pretty sure this bit is on it's way.

 

[Azirahael]

Eh.

I'd settle for an 'off' button on the pad.

 

[reaperx1]

The on and off switch is a good idea that could be added to the way it is. I like them now so I can join eight of them together and make a resourse field. Damn I lost my picture of the field.

I got playing with the tractor pads there the other day and found that I could not get parts to pass from a geocorp tractor pad to the big receiver on another tech but resources would work flawlessly.

Is this the way it is meant to be?

Have a good one

 

[Coder]

I like them now so I can join eight of them together and make a resourse field. Damn I lost my picture of the field.

Does the "field" consist of many techs or all 8 pads are on the same vehicle?

 

[Coder]

About the switch: I'd like it to disable only grabbing items from other techs but not from the ground. This way once AI gets fixed I'd be able to switch off tractors on my automatic harvesters and don't worry about them coming too close to me.

 

[reaperx1]

Does the "field" consist of many techs or all 8 pads are on the same vehicle?

No it was part of a base idea that had 8 large tractor pads put together to make one set. There were five sets that I had set up with seven more to go. It was meant to be my refining station that would eventually connect to the crafting station and then the recycling and sales station. I still had a lot of work to do on it, but now it looks like I have to start all over again.

Another reason to play later.

Have a good one

 

[Coder]

I like them now so I can join eight of them together and make a resourse field

Sorry but it looks like you didn't read carefully enough or I explained it badly. I didn't suggest making connected tractor pads not to share resources. I suggested making a way to stop tractor pads grabbing resources from other techs.
BTW "sets of tractor pads" sounds like you have a sorting system. But item sorting isn't implemented yet. Is it?

 

[reaperx1]

Sorry but it looks like you didn't read carefully enough or I explained it badly. I didn't suggest making connected tractor pads not to share resources. I suggested making a way to stop tractor pads grabbing resources from other techs.
BTW "sets of tractor pads" sounds like you have a sorting system. But item sorting isn't implemented yet. Is it?

No the item sorting is still coming I was just setting up something in advance. The one thread that I had read ask to show what your base would look like if you had the sorting blocks. Well it got me thinking and I started one.

I think I miss understood what you meant, I thought you meant stopping the passing all together not just inbetween techs.

Have a good one.

 

[GameSpender]

For me it's very annoying that tractor pads grab resources from tractor pads on other techs. It's especially awful when they are constantly pulling the same item back and forth instead of doing what you want them to do (pick up resources from the ground and/or move items somewhere). I know that there are storage silos but:
1. If wanted one tech to be able of grabbing items from tractor pads on other techs I'd use a receiver.
2. Resources can be grabbed from silos only by a player. So If for example I want to make a fuel storage for a generator I either have to keep my tech far from other techs or insert the fuel into the generator manually.

OH OH OH!!! I GOT IT! Idea: make 3 modes: (modes are on/off so you could have mode 1&3 tractor p)
1. Only pick up items from floor
2. Only take items from other tractor pads
3. Only give other tractor pads items