Frabby
(This should go into Rules/Game Mechanics - Starbases or Ground Parties, but I cannot start a topic there.)

I had a phone chat with Mica concerning shuttle ports and teleporters. My personal view is that they are both way too powerful in the game, as they allow you to affect places without actually going there.

Over the course of the discussion we came to the conclusion that shuttle ports are, in essence, very inefficient ground parties. They perform exactly the same role as a GP equipped with shuttles.
Why inefficient?
First off, a shuttle port (1000mu/week) costs 10 stellars/week on average to pay for the workers operating it. A GP costs 100 stellars/week, equalling 10 shuttle port complexes, no matter how big it is. You have to pay for crew but can get a great share of the wages back through recreation complex visits.
1000mu of Shuttles can handle 750mu of cargo in one transaction. But over the course of a week they can do 3-4 trips, i.e. shift at least twice as much cargo as a shuttle port.
Going one step further, why use shuttles? Most starbases use their shuttle ports where they had RTS links in BSE, i.e. surface links to outposts on the same planet. When using ore carriers instead of shuttles the GP can move even more cargo. So they are not only cheaper to operate but also more efficient per MU.

Thus, 90% of the shuttle port operations in the game would better be performed by GPs!
The only advantage remaining with shuttle ports is that they are not run to TUs. When shifting large numbers of different items in many individual transactions they remain superior to GPs.

Mica may allow people to exchange their shuttle port complexes into an equal mass of GP items (suitable shuttles and vehicles). I know I'm going to submit a few special actions!
MasterTrader
QUOTE
The only advantage remaining with shuttle ports is that they are not run to TUs. When shifting large numbers of different items in many individual transactions they remain superior to GPs.


Not quite true. The other advantage of shuttle ports is the standing order, which means that you know for certain that the transfer will happen at a given point in the week/production cycle.

Richard
AFT
Andy
I for one would not use GP's purely for lack of time. I want to set my starbase up and then forget about having to send orders in to pickup ores etc.

The standing orders are powerful to do this.
Nik
QUOTE
Not quite true. The other advantage of shuttle ports is the standing order, which means that you know for certain that the transfer will happen at a given point in the week/production cycle.


I couldn't agree more. This is vastly more beneficial than using GPs.

Nik
HPSimms
QUOTE

Not quite true. The other advantage of shuttle ports is the standing order, which means that you know for certain that the transfer will happen at a given point in the week/production cycle
.

Agreed, running GPs all the time for standard pickups would be a real pain.

Geoff