Helper Bot

[Alan Snowman]

Can anyone please advise me on how to best use the helper bot. I tried to use it to stack the shelves, perhaps the mode with the most potential but all it was doing was taking items from the top of the list until it had exhausted that type of item then it moved to the next one down the list.

It then also puts items in any available display slot which is annoying when it comes to manual restocking as you get gloves with boots etc.

I don't mind paying for fuel for the bots, in fact I think it's a great idea because there comes a point where income is of no issue. However, if I have to functionally have 1 helper bot for every 2 or 3 different items and then contend with it mixing stock I'm not sure its worth it!

Would it be at all possible for them to 'remember' what was on display before and restock with the same, requiring a manual restock to update the produce. Maybe they could have a max range which would require thought as to where they are placed throughout the store?

Having then given up on automated restocking I then decided I wanted it to stop thieves. Not once during the course of the day did it stop any thief, it didn't even use any fuel. As a consequence I'm running all over the town chasing thieves and by the end of the day I have a terrible store quality because there are 15-20 corpses lying throughout the town. I try and sweep up bodies as I go but come peak time I have too many items to restock and too many thieves to chase down.

Helper bots have the potential to be truly useful items but as they stand, unless I am doing something really wrong, they are the most frustrating thing in the entire game.

[Stark Skywind]

In regards to the restocking function, basically what you described is exactly how they work.
They start restocking the top item in their inventory until item is exhausted and move on to the next item in their list. It's also actually not that bad having a "disorganized" selection across your store as there's no feature in place that affects either your store appeal or sales in regards to your shoppe appearing organized. The only real drawback to just "putting stuff anywhere" is making it difficult to figure out how much of a certain item you actually have in stock.

I agree with you as far as them being frustrating for restocking purposes. The only real way I can see them being effective currently is if you are trying to get a lot of items out to sell very quickly so you need bots to help with that.

When you put a bot in "thief catching" mode the bot acts as more of a sentry. It does not move.
Therefore you need to place your anti thief bots in a spot in your store that potential theives are most likely to travel through. In my store I have two anti thief bots positioned on either side of my front door and a helper bot near the back of my main room set to "retrieve items" mode to pick up the items said zapped thieves dropped, which I then pickup at the end of the day and put them back on the sales floor.

Hope this information helps you understand how to use the bots better. :]

[Alan Snowman]

Cheers, so how close does the bot station need to be to catch thieves? Mine is located in the front left hand corner of my shop as you look out the door. It does appear however to have the eye of the bot looking into the corner bit I didn't think that would matter.

[Stark Skywind]

Yeah the actual direction the bot faces doesn't affect anything, it's more of an aoe coverage.
I generally put one bot each lined up with the door frame of the main door and the two bots zap basically any thief that tries to escape my store.

[X-the Unknown]

Helper bots stock in this order, tables and counters then weapon racks then armor racks. They will not stock shelves properly ever.

What you do is put all your table and counter goods in the bot first then weapons after those and then finally the armor.

They will NEVER stock like you want it to look and frankly it doesn't matter because the customer will goto the spot the item is in even if at the back of your front store.

I have been using this method for weeks now and enjoying it. I never have to stock anymore except a few potion and weed shelves and glove shelves. But, if you just make counters the bots will stock those 9 slots on each counter with anything a shelf can hold only in pretty much a random order.

You also must have the proper inventory count or you may see a weapon on a table or countertop.

You can stock boots and single slot items with bots but it's very expensive and you should put them in last. Like potions, boots, gloves, shoulder pads etc.etc.