I get it. We're all used to these sorts of games having automatic management AI with the IQ of spoiled mayonnaise. As a result, we try to micromanage resource distribution.
In the case of Surviving Mars, it looks like for once we don't have to.
From what I can tell, the drone AI in Surviving Mars will automatically distribute resources as needed as long as you arrange your drone controllers (be they hubs or rovers) and depots in a particular way.
The simple way to do it is to build a shuttle hub (and keep it operational, obviously). You only need one for the entire map. Then, plop down depots in remote locations next to your drone controllers. That's it. You're done. The shuttles (and drones, if they're in range) will automatically move resources to the depots where they're needed.
The more complicated way is to set up a pass-the-baton system with drone controllers.
When you set up a new drone controller, make sure its range overlaps with the range of another controller enough to build a universal depot. Place a universal depot in that overlap. From what I can tell, as long as you have an uninterrupted network of overlapping control zones, and there are depots in the overlap areas, the drones will shuffle resources from one depot to the next until they get where they're needed. Granted, I haven't tested this method extensively, but it seems to be the case, and the shuttle method definitely works.
Also note that the pass-the-baton method doesn't work through tunnels. If you have stuff on both sides of a cliff, you'll need a shuttle hub, or fiddly manual transport.
In the case of Surviving Mars, it looks like for once we don't have to.
From what I can tell, the drone AI in Surviving Mars will automatically distribute resources as needed as long as you arrange your drone controllers (be they hubs or rovers) and depots in a particular way.
The simple way to do it is to build a shuttle hub (and keep it operational, obviously). You only need one for the entire map. Then, plop down depots in remote locations next to your drone controllers. That's it. You're done. The shuttles (and drones, if they're in range) will automatically move resources to the depots where they're needed.
The more complicated way is to set up a pass-the-baton system with drone controllers.
When you set up a new drone controller, make sure its range overlaps with the range of another controller enough to build a universal depot. Place a universal depot in that overlap. From what I can tell, as long as you have an uninterrupted network of overlapping control zones, and there are depots in the overlap areas, the drones will shuffle resources from one depot to the next until they get where they're needed. Granted, I haven't tested this method extensively, but it seems to be the case, and the shuttle method definitely works.
Also note that the pass-the-baton method doesn't work through tunnels. If you have stuff on both sides of a cliff, you'll need a shuttle hub, or fiddly manual transport.
