Planning my bases with excel

[KAJ3D]

I wanted to share how I plan my bases using excel. I'm sure a few of you already do that, and yes I use it too in the more traditional sense, but I also found it incredibly useful for visually planning my base in regards to what goes where. I started when I was planning on building my first SPOM and wanted to know exactly the layout for the whole thing (I'm not showing it though because with hindsight, it was really a bad design). Anyway I set the cells to be 25 pixels wide and tall and just started filling in with background colors. I now use this method for most all of my planning. I find it easier getting it all down in excel before I start building in game.

Here's a couple pics:

A metal volcano tamer (inspired by Brothgar, with a couple tweaks):

Spoiler

@Tonyroid's Volcano tamer:

Spoiler

An arbor trees->ethanol->petroleum generator power station (with nat gas from a nearby vent as well):

Spoiler

And finally an old base which served me well but needed some changes mid game:

Spoiler

I realize they aren't labeled so they might not completely make sense, I don't label my stuff usually as I try to keep my colors consistent and when I'm planning it I usually remember what it is when I make it. I do however label automation sensors, tricky piping, etc but didn't include that here. Just wanted to give everyone an idea of another way to plan bases/projects.

[Nitroturtle]

This is cool and all, but why not just use debug mode?

[nakomaru]

Tough to use debug mode on the work computer.

[KAJ3D]

3 minutes ago, nakomaru said:

Tough to use debug mode on the work computer.

Bingo!

[fox_kirya]

That's it! I see you don't need ONI at all. Add some VBA and you'll give an answer to the question of late game lags. Excel definitely doesn't need as much RAM as ONI.

[Nitroturtle]

4 minutes ago, nakomaru said:

Tough to use debug mode on the work computer.

Ah hadn't thought of that!  Fair enough!

[KAJ3D]

2 minutes ago, fox_kirya said:

That's it! I see you don't need ONI at all. Add some VBA and you'll give an answer to the question of late game lags. Excel definitely doesn't need as much RAM as ONI.

It's been done with original Civilization after all...

https://kotaku.com/a-basic-version-of-civilization-running-as-an-excel-sp-1837970858 

1 minute ago, Nitroturtle said:

Ah hadn't thought of that!  Fair enough!

I'm a graphic designer who is at a computer all day. Sometimes I have work to do, sometimes I don't. I'm also the type who loves making lists, spread sheets, plans, etc. so this is what I do at work when I don't have work, I plan!

[Chthonicone]

56 minutes ago, KAJ3D said:

I wanted to share how I plan my bases using excel. I'm sure a few of you already do that, and yes I use it too in the more traditional sense, but I also found it incredibly useful for visually planning my base in regards to what goes where. I started when I was planning on building my first SPOM and wanted to know exactly the layout for the whole thing (I'm not showing it though because with hindsight, it was really a bad design). Anyway I set the cells to be 25 pixels wide and tall and just started filling in with background colors. I now use this method for most all of my planning. I find it easier getting it all down in excel before I start building in game.

Here's a couple pics:

A metal volcano tamer (inspired by Brothgar, with a couple tweaks):

  Reveal hidden contents

@Tonyroid's Volcano tamer:

  Reveal hidden contents

An arbor trees->ethanol->petroleum generator power station (with nat gas from a nearby vent as well):

  Reveal hidden contents

And finally an old base which served me well but needed some changes mid game:

  Reveal hidden contents

I realize they aren't labeled so they might not completely make sense, I don't label my stuff usually as I try to keep my colors consistent and when I'm planning it I usually remember what it is when I make it. I do however label automation sensors, tricky piping, etc but didn't include that here. Just wanted to give everyone an idea of another way to plan bases/projects.

It saddens me that you don't seem to leave room above your ethanol distilleries for a sweeper and receptacle to deliver wood. I never have dupes deliver to generators or automated production after a certain point, instead haulers or rails will deliver materials to a central facility that will in turn deliver materials to the buildings.

Another example, my hatcheries ship all objects out of them on priority 1. A food receptacle is priority 2 and their feeder is priority 3. Thus their food is never shipped out unless it somehow ends up on the floor (priority 0). Then where the stuff was shipped, everything but eggs and coal goes to a central sort facility, coal goes to a central coal storage area, and that ships coal to a receptacle priority 1 that feeds my coal generators priority 2. Because of the low priorities, my dupes never get involved unless otherwise idle.

This is how I manage to get to cycle 150ish with only 5-6 dupes, and how I grow my population rather slowly, while building large bases.

[KAJ3D]

9 minutes ago, Chthonicone said:

It saddens me that you don't seem to leave room above your ethanol distilleries for a sweeper and receptacle to deliver wood. I never have dupes deliver to generators or automated production after a certain point, instead haulers or rails will deliver materials to a central facility that will in turn deliver materials to the buildings.

Another example, my hatcheries ship all objects out of them on priority 1. A food receptacle is priority 2 and their feeder is priority 3. Thus their food is never shipped out unless it somehow ends up on the floor (priority 0). Then where the stuff was shipped, everything but eggs and coal goes to a central sort facility, coal goes to a central coal storage area, and that ships coal to a receptacle priority 1 that feeds my coal generators priority 2. Because of the low priorities, my dupes never get involved unless otherwise idle.

This is how I manage to get to cycle 150ish with only 5-6 dupes, and how I grow my population rather slowly, while building large bases.

It gladdens me that you recognized what some of the things were

But don't be too sad, that power station was made before I knew much about shipping. At the time I thought auto sweepers just picked stuff up and put them in storage, I didn't realize they could also deliver to buildings that needed it. I'm not sure I'm at the level of 'giant central storage' but I do know now to leave enough room for an auto sweeper and a receptacle and/or loader.

I also find it harder to learn the mid to late game things because I get too addicted to starting new bases. I love the exploration, the survival, the planning... once I've got a mostly self reliant base the urge to start a new one takes over

One of these days I'll build a rocket...

[Chthonicone]

Just now, KAJ3D said:

It gladdens me that you recognized what some of the things were

But don't be too sad, that power station was made before I knew much about shipping. At the time I thought auto sweepers just picked stuff up and put them in storage, I didn't realize they could also deliver to buildings that needed it. I'm not sure I'm at the level of 'giant central storage' but I do know now to leave enough room for an auto sweeper and a receptacle and/or loader.

I also find it harder to learn the mid to late game things because I get too addicted to starting new bases. I love the exploration, the survival, the planning... once I've got a mostly self reliant base the urge to start a new one takes over

One of these days I'll build a rocket...

You and I both. I only learned last month about automation, after I saw a streamer pick this game up for the first time and he was in it that same day, though not as well as I am now.

I get the same sadness looking at some of my old bases too mind you. Do not worry or feel it is wrong of you.

[Guest]

2 hours ago, KAJ3D said:

I wanted to share how I plan my bases using excel. I'm sure a few of you already do that, and yes I use it too in the more traditional sense, but I also found it incredibly useful for visually planning my base in regards to what goes where. I started when I was planning on building my first SPOM and wanted to know exactly the layout for the whole thing (I'm not showing it though because with hindsight, it was really a bad design). Anyway I set the cells to be 25 pixels wide and tall and just started filling in with background colors. I now use this method for most all of my planning. I find it easier getting it all down in excel before I start building in game.

Here's a couple pics:

A metal volcano tamer (inspired by Brothgar, with a couple tweaks):

  Reveal hidden contents

@Tonyroid's Volcano tamer:

  Reveal hidden contents

An arbor trees->ethanol->petroleum generator power station (with nat gas from a nearby vent as well):

  Reveal hidden contents

And finally an old base which served me well but needed some changes mid game:

  Reveal hidden contents

I realize they aren't labeled so they might not completely make sense, I don't label my stuff usually as I try to keep my colors consistent and when I'm planning it I usually remember what it is when I make it. I do however label automation sensors, tricky piping, etc but didn't include that here. Just wanted to give everyone an idea of another way to plan bases/projects.

 

[erny0507]

I wish there was some labels, just saying...

[KAJ3D]

43 minutes ago, aresd said:

(Image that I had to google search by image to figure out who that was)

I don't think I used that many shades of grey, I think it was just 2 or 3.

38 minutes ago, erny0507 said:

I wish there was some labels, just saying...

I thought about it, but it's more about showing the idea of using excel to make plans, not to get people to use my plans. I'm still new to the game, my plans usually suck

[Guest]

9 minutes ago, KAJ3D said:

I don't think I used that many shades of grey, I think it was just 2 or 3.

this is a meme, I just did not post it with the text, because it is not known how the moderators will respond to this =D

[Chthonicone]

3 hours ago, KAJ3D said:

I don't think I used that many shades of grey, I think it was just 2 or 3.

I thought about it, but it's more about showing the idea of using excel to make plans, not to get people to use my plans. I'm still new to the game, my plans usually suck

the shapes of the buildings were enough clues for me to know what was where. Coal generators are 3x3, Ethanol distilleries are 4x3, Petroleum Generators are 3x4, etc.

Personally I have a pad of graph paper myself for stuff like this though. I've always found Excel to be clunky for this kind of work.

[JesusOnEez]

I used to do this as well...this was generally what I aimed for early game...it was before the SPOM was a big thing and the bell tower for hydrogen collection was a bit more usual.

 

[JesusOnEez]

Oh, and this - https://grid-paint.com - has been mentioned on Reddit before as something some people use for planning.