Discussion: Utilization bar

[WilliamMGary]

Okay, I know I keep beating this in the head but there's something really wrong with the utilization bar in the latest release. (i.e. chewing gum)

[eleaza]

What's the problem? The utilization didn't reach 100%? Is the utilization stay at 82%, and didn't rise up slowly over time?

[WilliamMGary]

What's the problem? The utilization didn't reach 100%? Is the utilization stay at 82%, and didn't rise up slowly over time?

Supply should be sufficient to meet demand because the factorizes have adequate supply, the input/purchasing units is getting products timely so why is demand higher than supply with the output and the inputs at less than 100%?

[eleaza]

What's the problem? The utilization didn't reach 100%? Is the utilization stay at 82%, and didn't rise up slowly over time?

Supply should be sufficient to meet demand because the factorizes have adequate supply, the input/purchasing units is getting products timely so why is demand higher than supply with the output and the inputs at less than 100%?

Because in input unit the level is too low, its purchasing power can not get all the product from a factory most likely have more than 1 manufacturing and sales unit, also in warehouse output unit, its level is also too low and it has 2 input units, so it doesn't take out product fast enough from input.

In output unit, the level is too low, and demand is most likely from many store, so the demand is very high, and the output supply can not meet those demands.

If you train this warehouse input output units level up (or actually just level up output unit, or just connect another output to these two input units), you will see the supply demand start to even out. (simply put, the bottleneck is between the warehouse input and output unit)

[WilliamMGary]

What's the problem? The utilization didn't reach 100%? Is the utilization stay at 82%, and didn't rise up slowly over time?

Supply should be sufficient to meet demand because the factorizes have adequate supply, the input/purchasing units is getting products timely so why is demand higher than supply with the output and the inputs at less than 100%?

Because in input unit the level is too low, its purchasing power can not get all the product from a factory most likely have more than 1 manufacturing and sales unit, also in warehouse output unit, its level is also too low and it has 2 input units, so it doesn't take out product fast enough from input.

In output unit, the level is too low, and demand is most likely from many store, so the demand is very high, and the output supply can not meet those demands.

If you train this warehouse input output units level up (or actually just level up output unit, or just connect another output to these two input units), you will see the supply demand start to even out. (simply put, the bottleneck is between the warehouse input and output unit)

hmm...seems like I did not understand these concepts that well. Thank you.

[eleaza]

hmm...seems like I did not understand these concepts that well. Thank you.

It got me confused as well when I first played the old Capitalism II. After a while I realise everything in the game is an independent entity, from each corporation, each person, each firm, or even each unit (sort of like the accounting principle of economic entity assumption, one entity although owned by others, still need to be treated as a separate entity).

Like an input unit, it has its input(income), and output(expense), and its status is only reflecting what this unit can "see" given the income and expense, it won't know what other units are doing, unless they are directly connected to it. It won't even have information about its higher hierarchy entity (like the factory that owns it). However the inverse isn't true, the higher hierarchy entity is obviously the aggregation of its lower hierarchy entities, but viewing from the outside, it will again becomes an independent entity regardless of its inner working.

So in order to understand a unit, just trace its source, like an input unit to the source factory (and treat it like a whole entity), and its outflow to the output unit (or a manufacturing unit if it is in a factory). The same goes for output unit, the source from input unit (or manufacturing unit or storage unit, depending on the layout links), and the outflow to downstream retail stores or warehouses (and they need to be consider as a whole, not separately, aggregate all their demand into a single "economic entity")

[ACITceva]

Because in input unit the level is too low, its purchasing power can not get all the product from a factory most likely have more than 1 manufacturing and sales unit, also in warehouse output unit, its level is also too low and it has 2 input units, so it doesn't take out product fast enough from input.

In output unit, the level is too low, and demand is most likely from many store, so the demand is very high, and the output supply can not meet those demands.

If you train this warehouse input output units level up (or actually just level up output unit, or just connect another output to these two input units), you will see the supply demand start to even out. (simply put, the bottleneck is between the warehouse input and output unit)

Thanks for the explanation... I'm still not understanding though why the utilization is less than 100%?

If the output unit's level is too low such that it can't meet the demand of the multiple stores pulling from it, doesn't that mean the output unit is 100% utilized?

If not then I'm not sure I understand what utilization is supposed to represent?

[eleaza]

Thanks for the explanation... I'm still not understanding though why the utilization is less than 100%?

If the output unit's level is too low such that it can't meet the demand of the multiple stores pulling from it, doesn't that mean the output unit is 100% utilized?

If not then I'm not sure I understand what utilization is supposed to represent?

It used to "stuck" at 100% when demand exceeds supply (I don't remember which version, but quite a while ago), but after patch 3.5.05 dealing with a bug from an earlier patch (http://www.capitalismlab.com/forum/view ... =13&t=3773), the new mechanic of utilization making it only goes up when the unit is actually "working".

In a sales unit, if the aggregated demand from downstream is so high that its upstream can not meet this demand, then it will "idle" from time to time when there's no goods to process. If you observe closely, in a demand greatly exceeds supply situation, the utilization rate goes up when new batch of products reach the sales unit (and actually selling); when goods runs out, the utilization rate trickles down until the next batch arrives. Inverse is also true, when sales unit has full inventory, but downstream stops buying (excessive supply or insufficient demand), this also creates idle time and reduces utilization rate. Essentially the utilization bar tells you how far this unit to a balanced supply and demand (inflow and outgoing products to this unit).

[ACITceva]

Thank-you! That makes sense now - much appreciated.