Wardo21
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Posted - 2009.01.15 18:39:00 -
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On the topic of "they should have known", there was a post a few back that stated "X fuel makes Z resources, when it wasn't balanced there should have been a red number on a spreadsheet."
Ok, total fuel usage for all running POS for some time period is likely to be tracked. Total output from reactions is likely to be tracked as well. The problem comes when using this particular comparison, that there are any number of POS that aren't being used for reactions.
A better metric (if it's collected) would be the input materials ==> output materials should not exceed the normal ratios for that reaction. That brings in tracking the specific reaction, since some input materials are used in multiple output materials.
Without access to the audit system, or the code itself, we have no way of knowing just what was tracked. If you assume that there isn't a bug in the system that provides for "free" reactions, you might code the system to only record the end result, and not the inputs. It makes for a smaller dataset in the audit trail. Storing "reaction Z completed on this date at POS D" is much smaller than "N input1 and M input2 produced Q output1 on this date in reaction Z at POS D", because the inputs and outputs should always be the same for every reaction Z.
That's called avoiding redundant data, and is considered good practice in database management.
Knowing how much input stuff existed at the start of the timeframe in inventory, how much was collected, how many runs were done that should have used that stuff, and how many units are lost to container destruction/etc., should get you to balance with the number of units in inventory at the end. Provided of course you're tracking all these transactions somewhere to do the accounting.
Rinse and repeat for every single reaction/production/destruction/refining/whatever process that's in game. Now you're no longer looking at a simple task, and the offhanded "you should have known" converts to "you should have found the one off-color grain of sand on the beach". (Needle in a haystack pales in comparison.)
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