Infraspace Feedback and Observations
First I have to say I really like this game so thanks to the creators, wonderful job. My plan when I started was to play a while, just learning the game, then start over after I learned how everything operates. Instead I kept playing enjoying the challeges of working around the problems I created. The only bugs I’ve encountered besides the one already addressed about the roads is sometimes a power substation would fail to output any power. My work around was after verifying the network connection was to delete the substation and replace it. I didn’t bother reporting as a bug because it is inconsistent and I cannot recreate the issue with any regularity.
I read the feedback provided by others so don’t want to repeat much of it. Since I tend to play the same game for a considerable time I’m not suggesting things to make the game faster or easier, just a bit more control over a few things.
I really like the train stations but as someone else suggested being able to see how much is stored in the station could help with planning. In one area I created a test situation with mining a lot of copper and the only path to the other areas was by rail. I let this run for quite a while until all the mine storage was full and no copper was moving. Then I added aluminum mines to the same area and waited, the aluminum mine storage filled since nothing being shipped. I then cut power off to all the copper mines and aluminum mines in other areas to force the supply to only come from the test area station. Eventually after many trains of copper the aluminum started to move.
Distribution centers for manufactured goods could also be useful, perhaps with mid/max stock levels for each type of item. Again I created a manufacturing area to the far north of my map with the only access via rail. As I added factories again the train station loaded up and many items such as appliances did not or could not move. In this test I had seperated the appliance factories and feeders to an area where I could shut down road/rail access for the other factories which had been up and running for a while. Again it took a while for the train station to start accepting appliances which only happened after other factories were no longer moving products.
To further test this I cut off all appliance access to the station (cut the roads). Then waited until residences in the far south of the map started indicating an appliance shortage. By this time the trains would come and go as empty, I then reconnecte the road and watched as trucks delivered appliances to the station, trains loaded and traveled to the city. However structures would downgrade before the appliances could make the full trip.
Other options I considered to be useful would be the ability to shut down a structure’s power. I know creating a canyon spanning bridge is possible but it doesn’t look good, so perhaps a bridge option that is very expensive in materials and time would be a option. Same with tunnels for railroads and roads.
And lastly since I sometimes inadvertenly click on the wrong item after forgetting the mouse is still in move or delete mode, an undo button for at least one thing. Serveral times I have placed a road without noticing until it was too late. Yesterday I accidently moved my major train station which would not move back and connect all the roads and rails. Once I had the station oriented back to as near it’s original position it took a while to reconnect all the roads and rails and of course, all vehicles disappeared on those sections of road.
In summary, wonderful product, very few bugs or screen freezes. I have highly recommened this game to a few friends (and warned them of the addiction). As soon as I complete my final phase I’ll let it run on it’s own for a while, then start a new game trying to implement all the scenarios I have decided upon.
Thank you for this game.