Colonists starving themselves?

[Hellvern]

This is becoming a real irritation, like bordeline rage inducing problem. However I have a colony of 6 people, about 7 days old, and all of a sudden, two of them refuse to eat!!!

What am I supposed to do?? There is no food prioritization, and instead they keep wandering of doing jobs and sleeping but NEVER eating. I've tried to basically prevent them from doing anything, or take direct command and get them near food, but they just sit about. 

And before you say it, I have more than enough food. So much in fact I think I could probably add another 20 people to my colony, and still not have a problem.

So is there anything I've missed? Or is it a bug?

[SteveAdamo]

ok, first thing... where is your nutrient paste dispenser? is it powered? is it in an accessible area? yes, the units should eat raw food, but the dispenser is obviously the preferred source of food...

[Hellvern]

Yes food dispenser is fully powered, I've checked it, I have four full batteries in the storage room next to it. Its also in the first room of the building you come into, they rarely use it now. They were earlier during the game, then suddenly they just stopped using it, and instead took plants from the farm and ate them raw as opposed to using the paste machine.

[Slev]

You said two of the colonists aren't eating. Are the others?

A common cause of this problem, that might not be obvious, is the "prison food" problem.

The game assumes that any paste dispenser that is in a prison cell is only for the use of prisoners. However, "in a prison cell" is pretty loose- it counts if there is ANY free path from a prison bed (or sleeping spot) to the dispenser that doesn't go through a door. Have you just removed a door, or have your miners caused a break in a cell wall (Maybe at a corner?)? If you don't have any prisoners now, perhaps try setting all beds and sleeping spots to be for Colonist use.

Another alternative is something that happened to me- I accidentally walled some colonists into a closed area. I wanted the base entrance to be hidden behind a cactus, not realising that Saguro catcuses block movement. That's probably not the case here, since you said they can walk right up to the dispenser and ignore it, but something to be aware of.

[jjgoldman]

Maybe Tynan can change the colour of the food dispenser when it is "prison" accessible or not? 

[ShadowDragon8685]

Maybe Tynan can change the colour of the food dispenser when it is "prison" accessible or not?

That is actually a really good, really simple idea.