Colonist Problem

[badday]

Hello,
I'm currently having a problem with colonists, I've noticed that from the original number I only have 5 left (mostly botanists) which is having a major impact on production. I haven't noticed the game alerting me to this problem at all, i.e. colonists dying or leaving. The game also didn't give me any information regarding the life cycle or other needs of the colonists beyond the quest to rescue them.
So can colonists really die or leave and how can I control this?
Thank you

[Alukat]

I think i found a way to keep the colonists alive!

Once they're low health, unassign them from all their tasks and then they should eat, sleep and recreate properly, slowly regenerating health over time.
Did only a short test over about half an hour at mostly times 3 speed, but so far it worked.

[Ballin]

Originally posted by Tyrax:

Colonists are reaaaaallly early stages development right now, as the warning message says when you first get them. Lots of issues, including pathing (they often get stuck in place and can't go anywhere)

early or not but u can't progress without colonists. U can't make lasers on time ect...

[Montague]

I've decided to play in sandbox mode for a while and get to grips with some game mechanics in a less-stressed context. That way I can still experiment with colonists even though things are bugged. After I am better acquainted with gameplay, and some bugs are fixed, I will go back to the campaign. I appreciate the steady updates coming from the devs, and I am really happy this game is available now to play. Its what Early Access is made for.

[Voice From Beyond]

Well maybe the patch fixes the starvation problem, but the colonists will still starve because they won't pick up food!

[Keldrath]

Originally posted by Razguul:

Originally posted by Tyrax:

Colonists are reaaaaallly early stages development right now, as the warning message says when you first get them. Lots of issues, including pathing (they often get stuck in place and can't go anywhere)

So if they're paaaaart of the game right now how do we proceed so as not to get frustrated or soft locked/stuck? Oh, I know, stop playing.

Just play sandbox then it doesn’t matter not like you need them there to beat the time limit to build the laser cannon anymore.

[resonance]

Originally posted by Voice From Beyond:

Well maybe the patch fixes the starvation problem, but the colonists will still starve because they won't pick up food!

Research the carbon fiber production. It gives access to a fridge that you can store the food in. Why that is under that, I don't know. It should be part of some earlier research. I mean, they come with like 300 food, but what good does it do you without a place to put it?

[Voice From Beyond]

I also noticed that when you sell food, the drones take the food from the kitchen, even though, there is literally 350 food lying right next to the landing pad.

[resonance]

Originally posted by Voice From Beyond:

I also noticed that when you sell food, the drones take the food from the kitchen, even though, there is literally 350 food lying right next to the landing pad.

use the priority tool on the pile of food and it will take those first.

[Vasil]

they eat w/ no problem, they just dont use medicine station or buyed med near landing pods
its new patch out - mb fixed

[badday]

Can someone please confirm that the latest patch has indeed solved the colonist dying issues?

[Voice From Beyond]

Originally posted by badday:

Can someone please confirm that the latest patch has indeed solved the colonist dying issues?

It worked for me, however, I had to go to an even earlier save because there was no food in the kitchen and they will not pickup food on the ground. Food can also be stored in a refrigerator (research carbon fiber factory, social).

[Keldrath]

Originally posted by badday:

Can someone please confirm that the latest patch has indeed solved the colonist dying issues?

Well I got back to colonists on my newer sandbox run and they are eating now instead of starving to death but they still very frequently just get stuck in place til they die so there’s that.

[Jorn Stones]

I've got my very simple 15x15 room with 4 beds, and the other essentials; oxygen, kitchen, medbay, small hydroponics, fundamental research, as well as 2 refigerators (one meds, one food), and a dining table.
So far nobody died. They seem well fed, rested, and do their work stuff as the nearby factories.

I'm afraid to actually send them on missions, though... the few times I attempted on a previous save resulted in them all dying and the cargo truck never leaving the base, waiting for a dead colonist to come to it..

[Vasil]

atm no problem here. all lives and successful drive a car; even work in external buildings
for eating; kitchen, better mb call meds from space; as soon as possible hire at least 10 colonists more (i finish all researches at 39)

more rovers - more research points. always get extra from orbital research station

if start loosing health... just let them be lazy for 2hours... its fixed for me

[BoNeMacHiNe]

I found in my case the death of the colonist had to do with lack of oxygen. Mouse over the oxygen info at the top of the screen and it tells you the consumption vs production. If you are in deficit you are not producing enough O2 and the colonists will die; you notice the O2 storage is not filling. Build a second Electrolysis plant. I started saving oxygen a minute or two later. Click on the colonists and you'll see that they have a full O2 bar.

Also keep the priority of life support items like the electrolysis plant and food production at full so they receive priority power and don't shut down when power is in deficit.