I'm extremely hesitant to add this feature because I feel the game has enough death spirals and I don't want to add add another one players could fall into. I don't like auto-supply and I would remove it if I could. (But I can't!)

-Scott-

I wonder if the real problem is that without Auto-Supply it's too easy to lose track of when you've run out of a necessary resource for one of your production buildings.  If the resource was somehow highlighted when you had ongoing production demands for it and were out, would that help?  I, personally, prefer to manually buy supplies, as it lets me be a bit more precise with pricing and being aware of when I'm about to spend more than I should for the output, but I'll often lose track for minutes at a time of the fact that I'm out of (say) carbon.

Some sort of indicator on the resource market that draws my attention to the carbon stockpile when I'm out and have production buildings that need it might help deal with that.

This is a great idea, and I too would also like this. Mainly due to the fact that I find it awfully difficult with how teenie the "needs resource" text is that pops up above the factories.

Essentially, there needs to be a better interface for that system, whether its OP's suggestion or otherwise. Having to manually micro it isn't a bad thing, but the current system can be exhausting. Just as bad as a death spiral due to purchasing materials too expensive is not using more inexpensive materials you can purchase to utilize your buildings to create the more expensive resources.

Just provide better feedback on buildings that are set to auto supply. Toggle some kind of icon. Or somehow display that in the market sidebar.

My concern is that if we start providing feedback on everything and auto totaling, you lose a degree of difficulty. Which might be the defining factor in competitive play. Like at some point you have to stop providing feedback and make the player take on that cognitive load. Their ability to handle that is what allows them to excel.

That said I think a basic auto supply / not auto supply icon over buildings would be a good move.

They already have that.

If a building not having the required resources appeared on the notification bar like buildings that are turned off do, auto supply wouldn't even be needed. I prefer to leave it off either way!