The devaluation of propane...(moved to GD from GS)

[Surly]

Right, okay... this topic is a direct question to the programmers, helpful comments are appreciated, but if irrelevant chatter causes yet another of my threads to be locked before I get an answer... I'll be severely pissed off.

Right, the basis of this topic is figures that I have worked out. All values are given from base values of gatherable resources - I have not figured in any travel costs what so ever. All values are given in grams

My point ios that propane appears to have been devalued in the iron refining process. I don't think these figures are breaking the CR... but you can moderate if you wish...
Current iron production per day, using coal: 27.74
Current iron production per day, using propane: 25.37
Now this is a marked difference from the old values, namely the poruction value of propane before this change.
Old iron production per day, using propane: 40.13
This is a huge difference. Under current values, there is no point in propane, as it is no longer a more efficient replacement for coal. In fact, considering the equipment required, it is worth considerably less. It requires coal to make, and there is no way to speed up the actual purification process (as a pickaxe will speed up coal production)
In fact, the benefits of tools are as follows...
Current iron production per day, using coal and a pickaxe: 29.71
Current iron production per day, using propane (and pickaxe/gas valve): 27.27
The benefits are negligible, but favour the coal production anyway. Propane is worth less than normal coal. Why would anyone make propane now, when it is more exspensive and less efficient.

Now, is there an explanation for this? By this change, programming has considerably devalued a large amount of stock I have spent a long time building up, and wasted many years of my Cantrians life.

Quite simply, my question is this: Why the devaluation of propane?

[madprofit]

don't get mad this is only slightly tangential to your post:

What is the equation you are using to generate these numbers?

[Thomas Pickert]

Ask Resources.

[Surly]

How do I ask Resources, Thomas? Or will they pick it up here?

And the equations are quite simple.

I use the base rate of each resource in question to calculate how many days work goes into gathering the resources required for a days worth of iron. Then I add them, add in the 1 day of work required, and divide the resultant number into the total produced.
Hmm... quite hard to explain... If you want, I can pm you a table of my calculations. It's quite hard to explain the full calculation for propane iron production, as it is a long and complicated equation. Well... not that complicated, but you know what I mean.

[Thomas Pickert]

How do I ask Resources, Thomas? Or will they pick it up here?

Merely pointing out that this is not a programming matter, as you seemed to believe.

Someone from Resources will probably read this thread. You could also send an inquiry to resources@cantr.net.

[Surly]

*shrugs*

The resources department keeps a low profile... I tend to forget about them. I do apologise for blaming programming, force of habit I suppose.

Okay... could someone from resources explain this to me?

[rklenseth]

Ask Resources.

Like we know what the hell we're doing.


Anyways, can't answer your question, Surly. I wasn't around when they added this nor have I have ever worked on the how iron is processed. Since I added bronze into the game you can ask me about that but since it is new I won't give away much.

[Surly]

Do you have any idea who can answer my question? The decision to devalue propane has cost me a lot, in game, and I would like to know the thinking behind it... Who is the most active person on resources?

[Bowser]

Like we know what the hell we're doing.

Finally a straight answer. How can anyone argue with that? Imagine how many heated arguements would be defused if more people used this technique

[Surly]

Well that's fine. Move the topic to GD... I don't care.

But can somebody give me an answer!

[The Sociologist]

But can somebody give me an answer!

Look! He's asking for an answer! *points at the man and laughs uproariously, holding his sides and eventually collapsing and rolling around on the floor*

[jeslange]

In less than 6 hrs, 2 staff members have attempted to assist insofar as they can without having the information you're looking for. I hope you can manage to survive until the appropriate staffer has a chance to read this and respond.

[jeslange]

Well that's fine. Move the topic to GD... I don't care.

I'd imagine you wouldn't care, since it was you who asked for the concern to be discussed with the person who made the changes.

[Surly]

You know jeslange, there really isn't any need for sarcasm. If I wanted that, I would go elsewhere... and I wouldn't have posted this. I really don't need smartarse comments from a member of the PD. And the head of it noless, unless I'm mistaken.

My frustration is that despite the numbers of responses, no-one has provided any kind of answer (although I do appreciate the input) to a question I feel is entirely relevant. I accept that I may well need to wait. But that doesn't mean I have to hide my frustations. If you can't deal with it, don't read it.

The reason I posted this in General Support is because I genuinely want help with this question. And I really didn't want to deal with irrelevant comments from people with no intention of helping me. If you can help, then I very much appreciate it. If not, then there is no need to post on this thread, especially if all you will do is insult me and make irrelevant comments.

[Yo_Yo]

Well I replied earlier... but it appears my post just up and dissapeared.

I could see why they would lower the value of propane. unlike coal, which burns for a long time, propane simply burns for as long as you supply it. Plus since propane is a gas, the fire doesn't have the potential to burn at even hotter degrees.

Simply put, the coals get hotter then the propane, thus making it easier for the coal to burn out the impurities in the iron.

Or at least thats what would make sense to me.