Gaps in priority settings for resources

[arquebus_x]

Splitting this off from my other suggestion, since they're related but not identical.

Right now the Resource Priority list allows the following, along with what it appears they're trying to do relative to this topic:

Conservation - lowers production and lowers needs
Consumer Materials - sets production to meet C needs
Decrease Domestic Rationing - increase C needs
Decrease Stocks - export all goods (this is essentially a combo of the next three?)
Export Agriculture and Ore - export those two, not energy and FG
Export Energy - energy only, none of the others
Export Finished Goods - FG only, none of the others
Increase Domestic Rationing - decrease C needs
Military Materials - sets production to meet M needs
Product Self Sufficiency - sets production to meet C and M needs?
Subsidize Food - increase food need specifically
Trade Commodities - export surplus

This means that we've got the following matrix:

INCREASE production (generally or granular)
DECREASE production (generally or granular)
EXPORT goods (generally or granular)

What's missing are any IMPORT goods priorities. As I understand it, Trade Commodities has the secondary effect of creating import pressure, since that's the only way to export (can't export with no return), but there's still no priority that directly exerts pressure on import. If the Trade Commodities priority really does both equally - attempts to export surplus AND attempts to import shortfalls - then it should say so in the description. But it feels like it doesn't attempt to import shortfalls; that just happens as a side effect. I'd like to know that my governor understands the urgency of getting a specific resource.

So I feel like there should be mirror priorities for the three Export priorities: Import Ag/Ore, Import Energy, Import FG.

The overall energy crisis issue has been solved, which does alleviate some of the urgency for importation, but I'm still left with the strong impression that I have no control over how I acquire resources (from outside), only how I get rid of them.

[Balthagor]

We'll look into this idea. Ticket 35984.

Note: The game is a closed economy. You can only import when you export. If you tell your minister to export Ore, Agri and FG, then you have just told him to import Energy.

[arquebus_x]

Note: The game is a closed economy. You can only import when you export. If you tell your minister to export Ore, Agri and FG, then you have just told him to import Energy.

Absolutely. However, what I can't do is tell my minister to export Ore only...and import Energy. The only way to funnel him toward that specific import is to set export to all the others. Also, by extension, if I set to export Ore only that means I'm implying import Ag, FG and Energy. But I may not want any Ag or FG. But to tweak those levers I need to then also use a delicate balance of other policies that add up to suppressing Ag/FG. That ends up being a lot fiddlier than simply being able to specify an import target.

[Balthagor]

Why not use the Target Supply slider? I usually set it to export Ore and energy to a target of 500 days. That will do what you're suggesting.

[arquebus_x]

Edit: never mind, I thought this was the other thread!

[arquebus_x]

Realizing that I'm responding as if this were the other thread! (The forum keeps going up and down for me so it's hard to read.)

You're right, that's the solution I need for import, but the question remains why that's not an option for the priority controls. "Export Ore" (for example) is a priority control option even though you can also set the slider to Export. That is, there are two methods for setting governor resource handling of Ore for export, but only one for import. Ultimately it's an interface suggestion more than a gameplay mechanics thing.