Suggestion: Machine storage (alternative to selling)

Hey there Pharmacists.

Have you ever wanted to move a production line?
Ever wanted to replace a condenser with an agglomerator, but not had the new place for the condenser figured out yet?
Ever wanted to switch pilling machines for a creamer, but wanted the pilling machines somewhere else?

All these issues happen quite frequently, and I’ve found myself a little dissatisfied with the ‘sell for half price’ option.

So here’s an alternative idea I had: What if right-clicking machines didn’t instantly sell them, but instead put them out back, in storage for a bit. You wouldn’t get any money for removing them, but the next machine of that type you place also wouldn’t cost anything - you’re just getting your already-owned machines out of storage.

Perhaps there would be a flat rate to store a machine (tarpaulin aint free), say 25 credits per machine.

If you actually want to sell things, rather then temporarily remove them because you actually want htem somewhere else, you could of course still use the ‘sell’ button in the interface. Perhaps there could be a toggle for what right-clicking does: sell/store.

Or you could double-click to pick it up, put it somewhere out of the way, rearrange lines, and put it back where you want it after that. I think a storage zone would add unnecessary confusion for the player and programming tasks for the developer. More features does not necessarily equal better game.

The problem is, there are too many situations where there ISN’T somewhere out of the way, and you can’t or won’t buy more room.
I don’t think the storage zone would add any confusion if it’s always open when in use, I do realize it’d decrease usable screen space, but right now the problem isn’t screen space but in-game factory space.

Yes, I realize it’d take more coding, but how much depends on how the machines, and/or the space is implemented. Ultimately the GUI for the storage could take more code then the storage itself.

Wouldn’t even have to take up screen space - don’t make the storage zone its own thing, just add a counter in the corner of each machine, “you have N condensers out back ready for use before you have to buy new ones”.

It’s true this is possible (it’s my current workaround too), but I find it mighty inconvenient. I have no idea how hard coding something like this would be, sadly, so I don’t know how much of a development investment it would be - its entirely possible it’s not worth the effort, just suggesting it as a possibility while the game’s still in development :slight_smile:

i don’t know how hard this would be to implement but you could alway have it so normal buy screen shows how many of a certain machine are stored as a small counter near the normal machine buttons and wont buy any new machines until all the stored ones are used then it will fuction as normal if nothing is stored. balancing on the other hand could be a case charing X amount of dollars per month per 10 items rounded up (for example $100 per month for 24 would cost $300 per month.).