Reducing Number of Cycles?

[Miggel16]

My question is "How can i reduce cycles?" , because i don't know which the number of cycles depends on. :S

Ps: I hope you can understand me, because my english isn't good. :S

[Amander]

All the actions produce cycles. A waldo moves? Cycles. A waldo comes over an action icon? More cycles. Reduce the amount of movement and actions.

[Miggel16]

But i reduced the way a waldo moves and the number of cycles is the same

[ikluana]

Well I think the explanation above is wrong, the cycles clearly depends on time and nothing more, so let's break it down: on the lowest speed 1 cycle equals 1 second. In 1 second a waldo moves exactly one square, or performs one rotate. (Thats the only action consuming a "cycle", while staying on the same square, whereas all other actions are instantly finished, except syncs ofcourse and maybe input/output in production levels when the input line is empty or the output line clogged.)
So if you want to reduce your cycles you have to produce the output quicker, it doesn't matter how many actions you are using, as long they help you to finish your task faster.

[coolguy5678]

Cycles = time. Simple as.

Keep in mind that if your solution has a bottleneck (e.g. one slow reactor in a production assignment, or a research assignment with one waldo path longer than the other and a sync command on both), then optimising anything other than the bottleneck will have no effect on the number of cycles - the thing you've optimised will just spend more time waiting.

[Snorkel]

Make your loops as small as possible. Keep everything tight.

[G.Lecter]

Originally Posted by Miggel16

But i reduced the way a waldo moves and the number of cycles is the same

Try to make the other other line shorter, then...

[PieceOfMind]

Originally Posted by coolguy5678

Cycles = time. Simple as.

Spot on.

Also, notice when you set your machine in motion, there's a count in the bottom right of the screen telling you how many 'cycles' have elapsed. Basically 'cycles' is just the unit of time used for this game. So statements like, "Waldos move at 1 tile per cycle" make sense.