Waiting Queues and Waiting Rooms

[blash365]

Some of our buildings are shared among dupes. Toilets for example are used frequently, but as soon as one is occupied the other dupes will have to find something better to do. This can lead to them travelling across the entire map instead of simply lingering around for a few seconds.

This problem has already been softened by the schedule feature, but it there is even another avenue of possible improvement.

Another problem is that some buildings require long-term usage (e.g. manual generator), but once the currently active dupe has finished his job, the building lies vacant until the next dupe has been assigned and travelled to the device.

 

I suggest a fore-ground building called "Ticket Dispencer", which can be built (optionally) in front of any usable device. The building has an configurable value, which determines the length of the desired queue (no dispencer = 0). If you configure a higher value than 0, dupes (up to a number as configured) who can not work on an already occupied device will draw a number and linger around.

This would give us another way to smoothen out the workflow in our base.

 

While lingering around the dupes could either stand in the corridor, or drop by in a nearby Waiting Room, which has to include chairs, decoration, a display calling the next number of the queue and maybe some magazines providing some kind of stress relief. Dupes can leave the waiting room if a more pressing charge comes up or if their number is called.

 

This might also fit well with a potential MEDICINE UPDATE.

[Alfons100]

Isnt there that Duplicant Checkpoint?

[blash365]

If i am not mistaken, a duplicant checkpoint restricts access for duplicants (similar to a door).

[Alfons100]

It actually does put people on a waiting 'queue' and lets everyone pass once it activates. They will have an unique waiting animation and doesn't neccessarily cut off their Navigation AI

[blash365]

It is still something different. The duplicant checkpoint would still only allow one dupe to pick up the toilet "job".

While my suggest would be, up to x (as defined by the ticket dispencer) dupes can pick up the job and will linger around until they are able to use the toilet or another job is more important.

With a duplicant checkpoint only one dupe would go through the checkpoint and the others would simply pick up different jobs somewhere else on the map.

[Tobruk]

On 8/25/2018 at 4:32 PM, blash365 said:

It is still something different. The duplicant checkpoint would still only allow one dupe to pick up the toilet "job".

While my suggest would be, up to x (as defined by the ticket dispencer) dupes can pick up the job and will linger around until they are able to use the toilet or another job is more important.

With a duplicant checkpoint only one dupe would go through the checkpoint and the others would simply pick up different jobs somewhere else on the map.

You're gonna have a lot of dupes just idling doing nothing. I'd rather have a duplicant take a different errand and sacrifice these 10-15 seconds as he walks back to replace another duplicant on manual generator. It's no big deal.

[blash365]

2 hours ago, Tobruk said:

You're gonna have a lot of dupes just idling doing nothing. I'd rather have a duplicant take a different errand and sacrifice these 10-15 seconds as he walks back to replace another duplicant on manual generator. It's no big deal.

It's no big deal, as long as you have nothing better to do in those 15 seconds that you can effectively save by not walking somewhere else. As soon as the dupe has to travel a distance twice, it is wasted. And waiting a few seconds to not travel twice can definitely be worth it.