Sometimes metal planets spawn with mass points close to the catalyst point preventing build. Is this a bug or intended luck of the draw?
Just reclaim the extractors blocking it, metal spots dont actually block anything if you dont want them to. (build preview pink just means youre building something close enough to a metal spot to prevent t2 extractor getting built, nothing more.) They left it in since metal planets were introduced, so I would assume its intended.
Nop, metal points block Catalyst build. I didnt build on the extraction point at all, which was on terrain beneath the Catalyst point and only the green marker showed not the metal stripes because the Catalyst point model covered the metal point. I also cleared the space around it just in case, but there were two Catalyst points blocked in the same way on the same planet. The Catalyst build wireframe model showed up white and building would start on the three unblocked sites but hovering with the build model in the same way over the blocked sites snapped to position but showed red. The second blocked build point was completely clear of all buildings on the other side of the aperture/planet and it had no extractor on it, so it had nothing to do with buildings, but it still showed red with a little green dot beside the light blue dot of the catalyst point. I think its a bug. Either the terrain under the Catalyst point needs to be clear of metal points or the Catalyst itself needs to be able to build over unbuilt metal points. Probably the latter as it is just an object property.
I've heard this before, but I was never able to replicate it. See this thread (with pics): https://forums.uberent.com/threads/cant-build-catalyst-metal-spot-is-in-the-way.69766/#post-1102782 I even made a custom planet with lots of metal spots in the way, but it just always worked for me. It's kind of weird... Does it work if you use the area build command?
Did you also try an area build? Building catalysts can be buggy from time to time but I always find that the area build gives better results.
I didnt think to try the area build so I cannot say but next time I see this situation I will give it a try and get back. Also the piccy in DeathByDenim's link, shows a greater distance between the catalyst dot and the green dot than in the two cases where the build was blocked in my game today. May have a bearing.
Area build is the solution with the catalysts. That append for me a lot of time if a try to do catalysts one by one. With the area command that solve all time (for me) the problem with one or two catalysts who can't be build without building on theyr place.
