outpost_2:outpost_2_manual:tutorial_6 [Outpost Universe Wiki]

This tutorial introduces the basics of loading and unloading vehicles at docks.

1 - Start Tutorial 6 - Docking.

2 - Select ConVec #1-01 at 49,27. ConVecs are the only vehicles that can carry structure kits, and structure kits are the only thing a ConVec can carry.

3 - The kind of vehicle and the cargo it is carrying determines where the vehicle can and cannot dock. Move the cursor over the Agridome dock at coordinates 44,23. The cursor changes to the Cannot Dock cursor. A ConVec cannot dock at an Agridome.

4 - Move the cursor over the Structure Factory dock at coordinates 41,28. The cursor changes to the Dock cursor. Click the dock. The ConVec will move to the dock.

5 - When the ConVec has reached the dock and stopped, select the Structure Factory. Click STORAGE at the bottom of the Command Pane. You will see the six storage bays of the Structure Factory. Two of them have structure kits in them. Bay #1 has a Tokamak kit and Bay #2 has a Light Tower kit.

6 - Click the storage bay with the Tokamak kit, or press <Alt+1> to load the contents out of Bay #1. In the Detail Pane you will see the trailer on the ConVec descend into the dock and load the kit. When it is done, the Command Pane will show the storage bay is now empty.

7 - Select the ConVec sitting on the dock. The Command Pane indicates its cargo is Tokamak.

8 - With the ConVec still on the dock, select the Structure Factory. Click STORAGE.

9 - Notice that the bottom of the Command Pane shows you the dock, the vehicle on the dock, and any contents of the vehicle. 10 - Click the Light Tower kit in Bay #2. The ConVec will unload the kit it is carrying into Bay #2 and load the Light Tower kit from Bay #2. You can swap kits between storage bays and ConVecs in this way.

11 - Put the Light Tower kit back into storage in Bay #6.

12 - Move the ConVec to 44,31.

13 - Select Cargo Truck #1-01. Move the cursor over the Agridome dock, the Common Ore Smelter dock at coordinates 41,33, the Common Ore Mine dock at coordinates 57,36, and the Common Ore Storage dock at coordinates 35,33. An empty Cargo Truck can dock at any of these locations.

14 - Move the cursor over the Structure Factory dock. A Cargo Truck cannot dock at a Structure Factory.

15 - Click the Agridome dock to move the Cargo Truck onto the dock.

16 - Select the Agridome. At the bottom of the Command Pane, click STORAGE. The Command Pane changes to the Storage display. Click LOAD. The Cargo Truck's cargo bed will be lowered into the Agridome and come back up with a full cargo of Food.

17 - When the docking animation is done, select the Cargo Truck. Move the cursor over the Common Ore Smelter dock. The cursor changes to the Cannot Dock cursor. A Cargo Truck with Food in it cannot dock at a Common Ore Smelter.

18 - Select the Agridome. Click STORAGE. The Command Pane changes to the Storage display. Click UNLOAD. The Food will be unloaded from the Cargo Truck and put back into storage.

19 - Select Cargo Truck #1-02. Move it to the Common Ore Mine dock. When it arrives, the mine will automatically load the Cargo Truck with Common Ore.

20 - Select the Cargo Truck, then move the cursor over the Common Ore Storage dock. The cursor changes to the Cannot Dock cursor. A Common Ore Storage structure can hold only Common Metals. The Cargo Truck cannot dock here since it is carrying Common Ore.

21 - Move the cursor to the Common Ore Smelter dock. The cursor changes to the Dock cursor. Click the dock. When the Cargo Truck arrives, it will automatically dock.

22 - Select the Common Ore Smelter. Cargo Truck #1-02, now empty, should be sitting on the dock. At the bottom of the Command Pane click STORAGE. The Command Pane changes to the Storage display. Click LOAD. The Cargo Truck's cargo bed will be lowered into the smelter and come back up with a full cargo of Common Metals.

23 - Select the Cargo Truck and move it to the Common Ore Storage dock.

24 - When it arrives, select the Common Ore Storage structure. Click STORAGE. The Command Pane changes to the Storage display. Click UNLOAD. The metals will be unloaded from the Cargo Truck and put into storage.

25 - Click LOAD to put the metals back in the Cargo Truck. When it is done, select the Cargo Truck and click the Common Ore Smelter dock. The vehicle will move to the dock.

26 - When the Cargo Truck arrives, select the Common Ore Smelter and click STORAGE. On the Storage display, click UNLOAD. The vehicle will unload. The smelter can take either metals or ore. Metals go into storage while ore is refined into metal. If no storage room is available, the cursor will change to the Cannot Dock cursor when you try to move the Cargo Truck (loaded with metals or with ore) to the dock.

27 - Select Evacuation Transport #1-01. In the Command Pane, the cargo is listed as Colonists. Colonists will load and unload themselves into Evacuation Transports as necessary. You do not need to command the Evacuation Transports to dock anywhere for this to happen.

28 - Select Evacuation Transport #1-02. The cargo is listed as (empty).

29 - Select Lynx Tank #1-01. Order it to attack Evacuation Transport #1-02. Stop the attack after the Evacuation Transport has taken three or four hits.

30 - Select Evacuation Transport #1-02 and move it to the Garage dock at coordinates 35,37.

31 - When it arrives at the dock, select the Garage and click STORAGE at the bottom of the Command Pane.

32 - Click Repair Bay #1, in the upper left of the Storage display. After the Evacuation Transport is in the bay you will notice the vehicle's Strength Bar, shown to the right of the bay, increasing.

33 - To have the vehicle leave the Garage, click on the repair bay you wish to unload. Any kind of vehicle, except Spiders and Scorpions, may be stored and repaired at a Garage.

You now have an understanding of docking with several different vehicles and several types of cargoes. You have also learned that the docking process is controlled by the structure and not the vehicle on the dock.

This is the end of Tutorial 6.