Moving factories

[rff1]

No, I don't want to move factories. But the AI does, to my great annoyance after carefully placing stations where I can extend tracks both ways. If I don't do those extensions immediately after placing the station, I sometimes find the extension blocked by a factory which was originally in a different position. I can accept that a new building, factory or not, can be placed where the AI pleases, but shifting an existing one is truly sneaky. I've even had a factory shifted close enough to my station to prevent me from expanding the station as was my intention when cash permitted; small to medium, yes, but not to large. Of course, the AI does not announce "come and see my lovely new factory" - which message would be far more helpful if it said in which city the new build was.
Presumably the original building was demolished and rebuilt elsewhere, just to annoy me and never mind the expense - if indeed AI buildings have a cost. And no, I have no screenshots because I delete saves more than a year back and so can't oblige with before-and-after pictures. I have no way of knowing when the shift occurred, except that the obstacle was placed more than a year before it forced itself to my notice.
As I've said before, it's not the AI players who are my nastiest opponents but the AI itself.

[Didz]

That's normal behaviour. Every time you build or upgrade a station, and possibly even when a city grows (although I haven't actually witnessed that event first hand) the street layout and factory placement of the city changes, and factories move along with everything else.

It's the main reason why I do exactly what you suggest and build out the lines from a new station immediately to prevent them being blocked. It's also worth considering building a larger station than needed immediately as like you I've found it impossible to upgrade it later because of obsticals in the way. In one case I had to build a second station perched on the edge of a city because my initial 2 x platform one couldn't be expanded.

[chaney]

That is the current behavior, yes, but is it a desireable behavior? From a game point of view, it's not unreasonable to give any station a fully reserved right-of-way to fully expand and connect out with straight track. The game shouldn't prohibit placement that limits connection due to terrain, and should warn (red highlight) if existing blockage is in place, but allow placement at the player's choice with those constraints fixed, but not add constraints after the station is built.

[rff1]

Terrain limitation is surely reasonable: if a track can't be built because the incline is too steep, how could a station be built ?

Recently I wanted to build a second station just to block a competitor but could not; buildings prevented that. Safe, I thought. Then the city grew, the buildings I presume did their mystic and unannounced dance, and in came Beatrix with a small station and a serpentine track with very long bridges and a tunnel. She knew there was a space: I did not. Rats !

[Didz]

Originally posted by chaney:

That is the current behavior, yes, but is it a desireable behavior? From a game point of view, it's not unreasonable to give any station a fully reserved right-of-way to fully expand and connect out with straight track. The game shouldn't prohibit placement that limits connection due to terrain, and should warn (red highlight) if existing blockage is in place, but allow placement at the player's choice with those constraints fixed, but not add constraints after the station is built.

Well its not realistic obviously, but I agree from a game point of view its frustrating when you are prevented from growing your network by a relocated Meat Factory.

Having said that being an evil bastard I am prone to placing purchased factories in competitors cities directly in the path of their station exits whenever possible. So, I can't really complain when the AI does it to me

Originally posted by rff1:

Recently I wanted to build a second station just to block a competitor but could not; buildings prevented that. Safe, I thought. Then the city grew, the buildings I presume did their mystic and unannounced dance, and in came Beatrix with a small station and a serpentine track with very long bridges and a tunnel. She knew there was a space: I did not. Rats !

Reminds me of the classic Railroad Tycoon expliot for eliminating the compeition by build a circle of track around their starting station. I haven;t tried it in this game but I doubt it would work as the AI seems able to build impossible to configure bridges and tunnels.

[Mardak]

I had to start the Mexico map all over again, because Mexico City was blocked completely on the left side, due to my meat factory. The devs really need to do something about it!

[rff1]

Once, I put a Station in Baltimore when there were no obstructions from buildings and the Tailors was on the other side of the river (with, curiously, two other empty sites nearby also showing red). In went the station and the tailors instantly moved into the city, occupying three blocks. Two of them prevented station expansion westward, the third blocked southward tracks.
Start again . . .

[Didz]

I can only repeat again that it's prudent to build track stubs out from stations to thet city limits before you begin buying industries.

I'm not going to try and justify this game mechanic where industries get locked in place when purchased by the player, becuase I don't think it can be justified. But its a fact of how the game works and so one just has to try and limit the potential damage.

[rff1]

Didz - buying industries ? In the early game, what with ??

[Didz]

Originally posted by rff1:

Didz - buying industries ? In the early game, what with ??

I usually try and buy as many industries as I can as early as I can. Particularly as once you begin to deliver freight either from or to them their value and cost rises really rapidly. Something that can be purchased for a under $500k at the start can easier cost $3M in the late game.

[rff1]

Didz - in the Metropolis scenario, you start with $1M and no track whereas your opponents have 3 or 4 cities all connected. They can afford to pay over $700K for the Tailors; you can't.

[Didz]

Originally posted by rff1:

Didz - in the Metropolis scenario, you start with $1M and no track whereas your opponents have 3 or 4 cities all connected. They can afford to pay over $700K for the Tailors; you can't.

I suspect its a matter of timing, and you're trying to buy it far earlier than I did.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1484279030
I checked through my saves and I didn't own the Tailor in Baltimore until July 1832. But you are right, before even starting the bidding process you need to have enough capital to make sure you can outbid the competition.

The other thing I would mention is that whilst you start with $1M you should always maximize your borrowing. So, I always take out the highest bonds available at the start of every scenario..
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1484284824
The interest rates are trivial compared to the advantages of the extra purchasing power.