wash stations cannot be passed if dirty

[MythN7]

If the wash station is being used, a germ ridden dup will just wander on by.

Could you make it so they wait in line to wash up?

[Kasuha]

You can use duplicant checkpoint, germ sensor and weight plate. So the checkpoint will close if there's a duplicant at the sink and a germy duplicant approaches.

Of course that's a mid to late game solution.

Working early game solution is to build the same number of wahsbasins and outhouses.

Edit: okay to be honest it would be nice to have something like this but it's been suggested number of times since the Outbreak update came out and nothing changed about it so far.

[ImpalerWrG]

The main argument in favor of the OP's idea is that its what the player would expect given our ability to assign the direction of these wash buildings.  This implies a hard checkpoint behavior much like a Exo-suit checkpoints.  AI behavior should be brought inline with player expectations when ever possible.

Alternatively we can introduce a 'wash hands sign' which takes on the direction flag and remove the direction flag from the wash basins and sinks making the system identical to Exo-suits, but this may present too much complexity at the start of the game.  Mastering basic hand washing helps the player to grasp the Exo-suit system later.

[Kasuha]

27 minutes ago, ImpalerWrG said:

AI behavior should be brought inline with player expectations when ever possible.

I would argue strongly against that. Trying to meet player expectations may lead to overcomplicated and in consequences unintuitive system while there may be a simple solution that may not exactly meet player expectations but it works. 

Eve Online crimewatch system is one of examples.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0AVmBVAAnk

 

And in fact, this is similar case. It looks simple and intuitive for duplicants to wait in some kind of queue but it gets very complicated and weird when you start considering all details. In the end it may not be worth the effort to implement such a complicated system for such a basic thing like washing hands.

 

[Zarquan]

What happens if there is no air nearby?  Will they suffocate while they wait in line?

Can I have multiple wash stations in a row to increase the number of duplicants who can go through per unit time, or will they wait to clean themselves at the first wash station?

 

[Master Miner]

A possible solution would be to make the dupes go wash their hands when dirty over a threshold just like they go and eat when they are hungry. So dirty hands create task with priority 10 and they will do it as soon as possible. This wouldn't be perfect but probably acceptable.

It would be optimal if they would just wait in line at the nearest wash station.

 

 

 

 

[Kasuha]

5 hours ago, Master Miner said:

A possible solution would be to make the dupes go wash their hands when dirty over a threshold just like they go and eat when they are hungry. So dirty hands create task with priority 10 and they will do it as soon as possible. This wouldn't be perfect but probably acceptable.

I think people would complain about it the same way they already complain that duplicants go shower way too much.

When digging slime biome, you want them to stay dirty and finish the work and only wash when they're leaving the place, not to go wash every time they get dirty.

[Master Miner]

3 hours ago, Kasuha said:

I think people would complain about it the same way they already complain that duplicants go shower way too much.

Yes, some digging in the slime biome is needed before setting up exosuits and having them run back to wash would be too high penalty. Do they immediately get slimelung on them as soon as they mine something that carries it? I think if they would run back after 10 mined blocks that could be acceptable. One could set up a wash basin in vicinity.

BTW, I wouldn't change that behavior of showers, because as it is now they can be used to regulate (boost) production of polluted water. If less showering is desired, then access can be restricted to certain times of the day, e.g. shortly before bed time.

Anyway, having them wait to wash when passing by a wash basin / sink if it is currently in use (and if they need to wash) would be sufficient.

[ImpalerWrG]

Then use a hand washing checkpoint that must be next to a washing facility, same logic as an exo-suit checkpoint.

[Zarquan]

7 hours ago, ImpalerWrG said:

Then use a hand washing checkpoint that must be next to a washing facility, same logic as an exo-suit checkpoint.

The logic can't be identical.  The dupes don't go back to get their exosuits at the exosuit checkpoint.  They just suddenly have a suit.  The logic on a hand washing station would have to tell them to go back and wash their hands, which could be difficult. 

I feel a mass handwash station where many dupes can wash their hands simultaneously is a more likely solution.  There can be a limit on how many dupes can wash their hands at a time and the dupes can wait in line more reasonably than if they were washing their hands one at a time, but I would still be concerned about dupes suffocating while they wait if I have an O2 crisis. 

[ImpalerWrG]

That is not a problem the Dup AI being unable to pass the sign will receive a wash job and just go to the nearest wash facility which you the player should obviously have placed between the sign and the toilet.  Signs can be disabled if your in a crisis and need dubs to pass by it without washing.

[Zarquan]

24 minutes ago, ImpalerWrG said:

That is not a problem the Dup AI being unable to pass the sign will receive a wash job and just go to the nearest wash facility which you the player should obviously have placed between the sign and the toilet.  Signs can be disabled if your in a crisis and need dubs to pass by it without washing.

Except wash hands isn't a job.  It's an event that happens when they walk by a wash stations and have germs.  If it were a job, they would drop what ever they are carrying when they washed their hands.