[W|0.4.466] Inefficient hauling to build sites

[HeadWar]

When a colonist carries items to a build site, he will pick the nearest stack, and move that stack. If it's a full stack, everything's fine, but more often than not, there will only be a few items in the stack, making for a very inefficient trip.

I'd suggest the colonist collects as much as he can carry, from any available stacks, before making his way to the build site. (Much like when hauling items to stockpiles.)

[StorymasterQ]

I could have sworn that they already do this. They even carry more if that means they can prepare more building sites at the same time. For example, if one's told to build a single wall segment out of a row of it, won't he take enough metal to prepare a few at the same time?

[HeadWar]

They do, this problem is in the other end. They will only pick materials up from one stack, even if it is a very small one.

[forsaken1111]

In the same vein, I'd like to see colonists periodically 'stack up' everything in the stockpile so I don't have small stacks of 12-15 metal/silver/whatever else covering every square. It's all fine when they first put it down because they bring a full stack if possible, but subsequently people will pull small amounts from the stack to build with and I end up with 5 stacks of 10 metal each.

[UrbanBourbon]

I totally agree here that hauling and stack placement are less than optimal, even frustrating. But, when I build something that takes a lot of materials, I place a tiny stockpile near the intended construction, set it to 'critical', wait for it to fill up, and only then start the construction. That way all your haulers will do the hauling, as opposed to your builder doing it all by himself.