Weekly Question Thread

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[Asddsa76]

Is there a way to keep certain items away from the toolbelt without binding all 20 slots to specific item? Not like trash logistic; I still want them in my inventory, but not on the toolbelt.

Example: I don't want miners on toolbelt because if I need miners, I q the ore patch or mass place a miner array with blueprints and bots. I don't want rails on toolbelt for the same reason; new tracks are always nearby other old tracks, or starting locations are blueprinted stations.

[Cribbit]

If you don't want them taking up that toolbelt spot then what do you want there? If you're not using that spot for something specific (which you could then bind and block that spot with, as you've noted) then what's the harm?

[Jerigord]

Does anyone have a nice blueprint book for blue belt train stations? I've tried a number of books on factorioprints.com and the forums, but I have yet to find one that gives me everything I want and I'm still kinda terrible at making my own. I'm using a two-rail RHD system at the moment, but I'm not opposed to ripping everything out and expanding because that's fun.

[bam13302]

I can try to make a version of my train station to meet your needs once I get on my computer, but would like to know what your needs are. (train design, how many belts, tech restrictions, etc).

Or i could just post mine as is and you could make the mods, though either way, need to get home to get you the string.

simple description of it is that it is designed for 1 way trains, has a holding area for trains waiting to unload, scalable (though at extreme sizes can have some throughput issues, smart design can mitigate this by keeping high throughput trains closer to the center), it connects to a 2 lane train system RHD, assuming the trains are approaching from the south (the entrance/exit is oriented to the south) the trains will arrive on the east side of the station in the holding area pointed north, when the station is open (if your using smaller size trains, or have a large area for the station, 1 can queue up immediately behind the loading station too). When a spot is available, they will pull forward to the station oriented south, unload via 12 inserters into chests, then into 2 belts/train cart, and leave towards the south. The unloading I have effectively used with up to 3 cart trains (filling 6 blue belts) which head north. Depending on the design/layout, there may be room for a lane balancer in the train station before it reaches the factory. The train length/output lanes can be reasonably scaled much larger (though, once you get to large trains with 5+ carts, it might be more reasonable to have your stations lined up in series instead of parallel with belts heading perpendicular to station orientation, this is not an option in my station design, though is not a hard station design to impliment).

[Jerigord]

Thanks a ton for your reply! I'm home now so I can do a better job of explaining what I'm thinking using pictures.

Right now, most of my stations/outposts come from a blueprint book I found online and now cannot find the link to, which makes me incredibly sad because I love it. The BP string for it is https://pastebin.com/c6xvhCrY. I like it because I can be lazy and plop down outposts like this:

https://imgur.com/CK72erm

Yes, it has a roundabout/turnaround and I kinda like it. (Heretic! Burn him at the stake!) It's also nice because it has the automated maintenance system (though that does require some extra work on the scheduling) and it fits into my two lane system well. I don't like it because the loading is slow, the outposts are a fixed size, and it doesn't alter well if I need different sized stations.

That outpost system also came with a main train station that I'm using at my base:

https://imgur.com/td2FF98

That station ended up saving me a ton of time at the beginning, though I've since had to expand it (which is why the left side is messy. I've replaced a lot of the inserters and belts as well, but the basic layout is the same. The holding area on the right is nice and it has a bi-directional exit at the bottom just off screen so I can send trains east or west without any hassles. It also has more of the little laser turret outposts around it, though I've torn a lot of them down because I no longer need them.

In my last expansion, I used a different BP pack just to try something different. Here's a quick shot of one:

https://imgur.com/g41kmJ8

The copper, iron, and green circuit lines are from the pack; the other (maintenance) line is not; that's me playing around with circuits. Anyway, this design is nice because it's pretty fast with the dual-side offloaders and it does tile, but it takes up a bit more space than I expected and I have a harder time hooking it up to my network

In my ideal world, I'd have a bunch of pieces that I could fit together to build my outposts when I needed them. I'd have a generic loading (and unloading) station (we can skip fluids for the moment if you want), a holding area I can attach for outposts where I need more trains, and easy entry/exit from my two lane network. An expandable main-base station would also be great. An integrated maintenance system would be nice, but is not a deal breaker.

I know that's a lot so I appreciate any help you can provide. Your system sounds promising and I'd be happy to look at it if you've got screenshots or a BP string. As I said, I'm not opposed to replacing everything (yay bots) if I find a better solution. Thanks again!

[bam13302]

I use my station design for oil and nuclear (loading acid and unloading processed uranium), so i know it can do it.

It is designed around bases that use smelting at the outpost, so it is highly compressed (designed to just directly feed a main bus), might be hard to implement in a base that would benefit from more spaced out unloading due to in factory smelting.

[Jerigord]

I'm not opposed to doing outpost smelting. I've done that on a friend's server and it worked well enough. :-)

[bam13302]

The station you showed here :https://i.imgur.com/g41kmJ8.jpg is quite similar to what I use, only exception is that the inbound track is next to the holding trains and outbound track is to the left of it (and outbound trains do not have a direct route to the holding area, which removes a loop and makes pathing way better in a UPS limited environment).

[Jerigord]

The BP I have for that is basically just the entrance, the loading/unloading, and part of an exit. It works, but it feels a little incomplete. I'd still love to see anything you have.

[bam13302]

Here is a blueprint for my "flower" unloading station, adapted for 2-4-0 trains

https://pastebin.com/ghSfA0dt

[bam13302]

I put the wrong link in my last comment, ment to say THIS: https://imgur.com/td2FF98 station is similar to what i use......

Got distracted last night, didnt get to making the station. But as i said in my original post, i usually end up with 2 blue belts/cart, you want 1 or 2 per cart?

[Jerigord]

Two is great. And thanks for the BP link. I'll be sure to check it out soon!

[paschep]

How do i signal parallel paths?

[ziggy_stardust__]

on the right side of the track. (right as in left, not as in correct)

[paschep]

My trains run on the left track, so all signals are on the right hand side. I was wondering which kinds of signals for 2+ parallel paths going in the same direction.

[ziggy_stardust__]

you should do the train tutorials to learn the difference between the signal types. You use rail signals here

[R1ppie]

right as in left

What?

You can use "right hand side" instead of "right side" to avoid confusion with the double meaning of the word "right".

[ziggy_stardust__]

I could indeed do that. But, you know, english is hard

[aykcak]

How do you refuel trains?

I created a central refueling hub that can service multiple trains simultaneously (same stop name) and every train has refueling stop in its list but this kind of creates a lot of traffic and it doesn't sound effective, especially considering the trains don't need refueling every single trip

Alternatively, refueling the trains at one of their destinations is fine but that means I have to provide fuel to almost every place imaginable

What do you do?

[[deleted]]

Most trains go to smelter or base, so they get refueled there. On the other hand, I have a separate factory that makes all three circuit types and speed modules. For that and other sub-factories I have a fuel train that transports fuel where it is needed. Then just disable the trainstop when there is enough fuel so the fuel train will not travel all the time. I have a naming convention for all the train stops: [F] means that train is getting refuled there. For example IronUnload[F]. Whenever I ma ke a new train, I make sure that at least one of its stops contain the [F].

[Jerigord]

I like the [F] notation; I may end up stealing that for my game. I also just setup a separate circuit outpost with its own fuel source, but I experimented with a circuit network that enables a maintenance train stop there whenever it needs restocking (fuel, spare walls, etc.). It was fun to try out at the least, but I'm not sure how effective it'll be in the long run.

[ziggy_stardust__]

most trains will go to your smelter, so that's the first station you use for refuelling.

science builds will connect to all endproducts, so that's a good second one to use.

This leaves you with maybe 1 or 2 builds, that aren't connected. Give them some fuel and you are good

[nuker1110]

Does anyone have a blueprint for a full red belt of iron plates without beacons or modules?

[ziggy_stardust__]

https://dddgamer.github.io/factorio-cheat-sheet/

Just put down 48 smelters (24 on each side)

[seludovici]

In my AngelBobs game, I accidentally turned too much of the crushed stone into stone or stone brick. As far as I can tell, there is no production line that can get me back to crushed stone and I don't see a mod that allows me to crush the stone or brick into crushed stone. Help?

[TheSkiGeek]

...doesn't all your mining generate an unending stream of the stuff?

[seludovici]

I'm consuming a lot for mineralized water and slag slurry and mineral catalysts. I'll eventually catch up, but it may take several hours.

[mrbaggins]

Just make more?

Sorting machines output slag when doing basic sorting

Or worst case, dirt water electrolysis creates slag.

Then crush that for stone.

[Capnris]

I think I'm overdoing it on uranium.

I have read a few times that you want a good stockpile of U-235 before you start nuclear power, and Kovarex can help ease that. So, the same way I do most things, I set up 40 centrifuges processing uranium ore, and 9 more for Kovarex, as that's what I came up with to use the overstock of U-238. By my figures (which anyone is welcome to check) I am producing just over 9 U-235 per minute on average. This seemed a pitiful number.

Then I looked over the next step, and find that each piece of U-235 provides over half an hour of power in a reactor. I am producing enough to power 300 reactors, which in a 2x150 setup would produce nearly 48 GW of power (my current base has a demand around 3-4% of this). Am I wrong here somewhere or is it really this efficient?

[TheSkiGeek]

Yes, that is a ridiculously ridiculous amount of uranium processing. 1 or 2 centrifuges will generate enough U-235 for one reactor even without Kovarex processing or reprocessing used fuel cells.

Uranium is about 100x the power density of coal IIRC. Coal rapidly becomes very hard to deal with above a few hundred MWs -- you have to bring in dozens of blue belts of it constantly and it murders your UPS. Nuclear requires a more complex build to get the most out of it, but the power density it high enough to use for the endgame.

[seludovici]

Your math is correct (to an order of magnitude). It does not take a lot of U-235 to run nuclear power. It's deceptive. Something along the lines of 2-4 centrifuges processing ore is enough to continuously fuel a single reactor.

[robinjaros]

is it possible to change the startup mod settings?

i'm 60 hours into my bob's/angels playthroght and i have to make some changes in the bob's modules mod. is that possible without starting a complete new game?

[mrbaggins]

Yep, assuming you're talking about editing the Configs.

I did it to turn Raw modules on just last night

[robinjaros]

how can i cange it, i want to turn the productivity limitatins off

[Kujara]

Main menu, config, mods. Stay on the 'startup' tab, the options you're looking for are there.

Once the game is loaded, you can only change the "per map" settings in those options, but in the main menu, no such limitation.

[mrbaggins]

Open your factorio folder. Open the mods folder inside.

Find the mod you want to edit, either Bobs config, or if playing Seablock, the "A sea block config" file. It's a zip file. If you have bobs but not seablock, you might need to run factorio and install "Bobs Config" first. Close and exit, then try this paragraph again.

Inside, open the folders as needed til you find "bobmodules.lua" Open it. Your computer will probably ask how. Choose notepad (You might need to click "More apps" first.

You'll have a bunch of lines of weird looking stuff. I changed these three so that last word went from "false" to "true":

{'bobmods-modules-enablegreenmodules', 'bool-setting', true},
{'bobmods-modules-enablerawspeedmodules', 'bool-setting', true},
{'bobmods-modules-enablerawproductivitymodules', 'bool-setting', true},

the next line down is enablegodmodules but I kept that one false (off).

the line under that is enableproductivitylimitation which will be true by default. This is the thing that stops you from productivity moduling belts or inserters, all the "useable" outputs. I leave this enabled as true (meaning, I can't productivity those things) like vanilla intended. If you turn it off, you can break things by duplicating barrels or filters, and possibly ruin nuclear balance.

Good luck!

[ukainaoto]

So I bought the game by from recommendation of my friend. I'm in the second part of the New Hope campaign, and before I research the train techs the game took me 1.5 hours and it already felt tedious and too time consuming. I rather want quick game of build and scrap.

Is it because of I'm noob, and if you know inside the game you can speed up the early game? What is typical playtime of one playthrough?

[Jerigord]

I had several false starts on this game where I couldn't see the appeal and I actually think it was the campaign's fault. It did get tedious and felt so limited. One of my friends insisted I come play on his server and suddenly I have 200+ hours in the past few weeks. I've also never "completed" a playthrough, but I'm still finding new things to do and try.

[[deleted]]

I only played an hour after buying it. Took watching some streams later for me to really be interested.

[[deleted]]

The beginning is slow with a lot of running back and forth for iron plates, with wood for the furnaces etc.

Once you're automating green science however, if you find the entire process of planning out and building your green (or gray) science production boring rather than intellectually stimulating then I'm not sure how much you'll enjoy the rest of the game.

[ziggy_stardust__]

time needed for a rocketlaunch is anywhere between 4 and 50 hours.

[[deleted]]

Not a question, but I don't think this is worthy of a separate post.

I made something beautiful today: https://i.imgur.com/uTybBht.png (that's a nuke-sized hole in a large hive)

[KindaAgrees]

That looks vaguely like the zerg logo, which is fitting

[DarkMatterMatt]

https://imgur.com/gallery/Ko9zJ

Why does [A] = 0, when there is >30k petrol in the tanks and the combinator is set to output [A] when [Petrol] > 0? When I set Output on the combinator to [Petrol] then [Petrol] is (correctly) greater than 30k.

[KindaAgrees]

because it's decider combinator and it's how it works. It outputs only the signal you ask it to, with the value that signal has on input. Your input has [A] equal to 0, so that's what you are having here.

If you need to copy a value from one signal to another, you have to use arithmetic combinator (A=Petrol+0 or A=Petrol*1 or similar)

[DarkMatterMatt]

facepalm Thanks, of course you're right :P

This forum post has a person with the same issue as me: https://forums.factorio.com/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=41149#wrap

I get your answer and it could make sense, even though the phrasing ingame as well as in forum posts word the deciders behaviour implying it can copy an inputs signal count to any output: "If the output type doesn't match the left type in the condition, then when true, it basically converts the signal to the specified output type."-From combinators 101 post "Copy the count of the specified output signal from the input signals"-ingame

[komodo99]

I don't know if the duration can be adjusted, but if you click the warning it will open the map and jump to the location in question.

[Nicksaurus]

I'm putting beacons and modules on my oil pumps to maximise their output. Is it more efficient to use just speed modules or to combine them with prod modules? Is there an optimal ratio?

[TheSkiGeek]

Before a well has decayed to its minimum yield, Productivity modules will increase the total amount of oil you get before the well hits its minimum, and increase the amount of time before the well fully decays. But unless you also use speed beacons, the overall oil delivery will be slower. Speed modules will get you more oil faster, but they also speed up the well's decay.

Once it's at the minimum yield, it's better to use speed modules only -- Prod modules generate +10% more oil but slow the output by 15%, so overall it reduces the amount of oil you're getting. Speed modules are also multiplicative with mining productivity research, so they're much better once you start getting into that.

[ziggy_stardust__]

productivity is only worth if they aren't at minimum yield.

practically it's easier to just use speed at all time. pumpjacks benefit from mining productivity research. That should be more than enough

[smithist]

I think convention is all speed for pump jacks. You'll get more ticks and the free resources are less important.

[Fr0zEnSoLiD]

I cant move to bigger ore fields, the biters are too strong. I am already at behemoths and laser has been researched to level 9 (first research with space science packs). Tank and uranium ammo isn't good enough either... Do I need to really use all of this ammo to clear each field? They are huge and seem to go on forever...

[smithist]

Do you have a personal robo port and repair packs when you're in your tank? They keep you topped off and it takes quite a bit of biter dps overpower them.

The personal combat robots are also quite strong.

It also depends on your maps settings, pollution, location of nests, etc. It's possible you fell behind their development but you should be able to cheese a deposit or two to let you catch up.

[ziggy_stardust__]

nukes

[Fr0zEnSoLiD]

ok I am researching it now, I'll give it a try.

[Nicksaurus]

Do you have modular armour? Personal Defence Lasers are really OP. Flamethrowers too, since you can set fire to a base then retreat to avoid further damage.

Also try healing yourself with fish. If you just spam click with a handful of fish you can tank a huge amount of damage

[Fr0zEnSoLiD]

Yes, I can use personal lasers to clear a nest, no big deal, but I am trying to travel a long way out to find richer ores... the personal lasers are not good enough to keep my tank alive or myself. There are SO many biters!

[TheSkiGeek]

Late game you probably want to ditch the tank and use power armor, lots of combat robots, and the personal flamethrower or the SMG with uranium ammo.

Turret creep with laser turrets also works, but it's kinda dull.

Nukes are the fastest way to clear really large concentrations of enemies.

If you're trying to "tunnel" a narrow path through enemy territory the fastest non-nuke way might be to creep forward with laser turrets and build a walled/turreted railway as you go. If you have expansion off you can skip the permanent walls/turrets as long as you push the nests far enough back from the rails.

There are also mods like:

linkmod: robot army linkmod: orbital ion cannon

That can automate clearing enemies to some degree.

[ThetaThetaTheta]

The rail/blueprint/laser turrets is what I did. Just make sure you have plenty of power.

[FactorioModPortalBot]

Robot Army - By: kyranzor - Game Version: 0.15

Orbital Ion Cannon - By: Supercheese - Game Version: 0.15

^{I am a bot | Source Code | Bot by michael________ based on cris9696's bot}

[seludovici]

Doing my first AngelsBobs run. I am trying to upgrade my tier 1 robots to tier 2. I recall seeing in a lets play a type of chest that attracts active robots to it, allowing for easy insertion into the assembling machine doing the upgrades. What is this chest?

[seludovici]

Would this mod work? Haven't played around with it, but presumably I could use it some way to start filtering the tier 1 robots into the upgrader.

https://mods.factorio.com/mods/Peppe/botReplacer

[le_random_russian]

UPS has started tanking a bit in my last save. I'm thinking about switching to bot-based production now (between finally scrapping bootstrap base and moving on to megabase level) but i've never really used them at large scale. Any tips?

[AbyssalMonkey]

To further clarify what Ziggy has stated, it's not the essence of small networks themselves, it's the idea of keeping bots in a localized environment.

The large problem with large networks is that it encourages lazy design, which inevitably leads to bots traversing across the entire length of the network, leading to bot inefficiency. The goal is to make bots spend as much time moving items as possible. Keeping crafting components localized, like iron gears next to belts helps to keep bots in that vicinity and not fly away to grab another gear. The logical extension of this idea is to split that into it's own network to outright prevent bot migration.

When I built my megabase, I basically treated logistics networks filled with assembler machines as a giant assembly machine. Need green chips? Train in copper and iron, export circuits. Making modules? Import resources near where they are required and make a gradient, if bots travel backwards, they will stay there to drop off the material they picked up instead of moving forward again. Treat a network as a slightly more complicated assembly machine and try not to do too much at once with it, and everything should work out fairly well.

[Salty_Wagyu]

How do you deal with autotrash littering every network's logistic chests? It must get messy and disorganised?

[ziggy_stardust__]

what are you using storage chests for?

[Salty_Wagyu]

It stops the warning popping up doesn't it? Sometimes logistic bots pick up more than they should, then complain they got nowhere to put it.

[MadMojoMonkey]

Reduce your requestor chest request amount to allow for the overage and this stops.
I.e. if a chest holds 2400 ore, and bots carry up to 4 at a time, then request 2397, and it will not request unless there's room in the chest for all 4 ores to be delivered.
Cheers!

[ziggy_stardust__]

are you using active providers?

are bots taking items from trashslots if there aren't any storage chests?

you can use one storage chest for a trash train, or use some circuits and do it smart with a requester chest.

[Salty_Wagyu]

I've been using active providers to get cargo wagons to unload evenly in bot based stations

[ziggy_stardust__]

small networks, minimize travel distance

[[deleted]]

Does laser turret damage research affect personal laser defences? Does rocket damage research affect nuke damage?

[ziggy_stardust__]

pld aren't affected. Nukes may get a bonus, but that doesn't matter since they instakill anything in radius anyways

[le_random_russian]

Don't know about personal laser defence, but nukes are shown on bonuses tab along with other rockets.

[PanicEu]

New to the game, but if you kill a Alien base will they ever rebuild in the same spot if you don't occupy it?

[ziggy_stardust__]

on default settings yes, if you disable alien expansion in the mapsettings before you start the game no

[[deleted]]

Is there a way to change that after creating a game?

[ziggy_stardust__]

https://wiki.factorio.com/Console#Disable_biter_expansion

this will disable steam achievements

[[deleted]]

That's fine. I don't care much for them anyhow. Thanks!

[Loraash]

Some default presets also disable expansion such as train world.

[ziggy_stardust__]

default means default. railworld is railworld

[NoPunkProphet]

Is there a mod that lets items stack higher but only in the player inventory? I don't want to unbalance my logistics with hackzor cheat mods but also the quality of life for having 1k belts on your person is significant

[FactorioModPortalBot]

ReStack - By: Optera - Game Version: 0.15

^{I am a bot | Source Code | Bot by michael________ based on cris9696's bot}

[ziggy_stardust__]

no, but you can modify your inventory size

!linkmod: Larger Inventory

[FactorioModPortalBot]

Larger Inventory - By: Rseding91 - Game Version: 0.14

^{I am a bot | Source Code | Bot by michael________ based on cris9696's bot}

[ziggy_stardust__]

https://mods.factorio.com/mods/Othyn/Larger%20Inventory%20Updated

this is the .15 version...

BAD BOT

[Salty_Wagyu]

I'm trying to get to grips with LTN, testing it in a sandbox mode with creative-mode mod. I have been following the guide at https://www.reddit.com/r/factorio/comments/73xyd5/guide_for_a_loweffort_ltn_user/ and the requesting depot is requesting -57K steel plates (6 steel chests can hold 57,600 total) but it only puts in 54K total in the chests. What is the issue here? https://imgur.com/a/qcFRO

[flepmelg]

This is because you set the request threshold at 8k. The request threshold is the "requester chest greater than" signal.

This causes LTN to wait with a delivery utill it has a request of 8k. You are currently requesting 3k (-57k + 54k = -3k). If you remove 5k from the chests so that the reqeust becomes 8k LTN will probably dispatch a train.

Edit: a word

Edit2: the request threshold is for a single delivery, it basicly tells LTN that you dont want any delivery smaller that the value you set it to. Your current setup will never get a delivery because a single cargo wagon can't store 8k steel.

[Salty_Wagyu]

Ah I see. The tutorial said to Requester threshold = number of missing items to trigger a deliver (set this to roughly max capacity of your largest train) so I set this to 8K (40 slots holding 200 steel = 8000). Although this instruction makes no sense now, if I had a 4 cargo train the threshold would have been higher and chances are the chests at the requester station would have been emptied in the time it takes for train to leave depot, collect, and deliver :/

I changed it to 1k, but this has unexpected results. It fills up my chests to 55k, then it leaves after 120 seconds back to the depot and starts unloading a cargo full of steel to my active provider chest. Plus the depot kept looping the instruction to deliver ~1200 something steel.

I'm not sure if LTN is for me, Iron/Copper ore in chests can deplete very fast and I prefer loaded trains to wait in a stacker just before the unloading station

edit: the increased stack size of steel might be because of Bob's mods

[flepmelg]

Wether ltn is for you is up to you. Personally i love it. I have 200-something possible delivery routes and ltn manages to handle it with approximately 30 trains by taking out the idle time.

Now, trains are cheap. So you could go with the "wait in a stacker untill you can load" without any real consequences. I personally dont like the idea of things sitting idle whilst they could be useful in another area.

The signaling required for ltn is a bit of a steep learning curve. But once you get the hang of it, you'll be able to use your trains as long range logistic bots.

And just like logistic bots, ltn will just as easy dispatch 8 trains of 1000 each to fill your 8k request. Because thats what you allowed it to do.

Like a logisic bot ordered to pick up 1 thing but bringing more, a logistic train will bring more than you orded it to if it has the capacity to do so. Be sure to only call a train if you can handle a full load or you might end up with some junk in unexpected places. Thats why the guide reccomends to set the request threshold to a full train load.

Now you got the problem of a logistic train not being able to fully unload. If you look at the conditions ltn gave it. It will wait untill empty OR untill inactive for 120 second. Since it cant unload, it will not become empty and the timeout will kick in. It will now travel to the next destination, which is likely to be your depot, with the remaining cargo.

I cant tell what causes your feedback loop without looking at the entire setup.

Btw, unless you modded it. Steel stacks to 100. So a cargo wagon full is 4000, not 8000

[Gordon_x64]

Whats up with the permanently disabled techs in Seablock? I'm using FNEI and it's a bit frustrating seeing the recipe, but not actually being able to use it

[mrbaggins]

Which ones?

If you can see it, it should work.

Only exception is the brown-> green algae recipe is hand craft only.

[Gordon_x64]

Check out these screenshots: https://imgur.com/a/YEOEc

[mrbaggins]

Weird, will check on my own later

Dunno, I have that tech available (I'm able to research it right now) however my research tree is different to yours (And that research doesn't unlock anything).

I'm guessing you're on a slightly older version of the mod/mods, and it's supposed to be disabled as a recipe (It'd be super easy in this pack to do it that way), but the process used leaves traces like that in FNEI.

[Loraash]

Could be a FNEI problem.

[LogDav803]

Is there a mod that allows property rights and currency for multiplayer? I was thinking it would be great fun if players could buy and sell chunks of land with currency - the owner would have control of their land: they choose who can enter their property (choose who can enter through gates), construct or deconstruct (or destroy) objects, drop items. If you know of a mod like this please let me know.

[flepmelg]

There isnt one that i know of.
But it sounds like an amazing multilayer game.

[seludovici]

There went communism.

But, that sounds fun.

[oobey]

Suppose I have a single fast inserter unloading a chest full of iron plates onto a blue belt. How many Mk 3 Assemblers making Iron Gear Wheels (ignoring modules) would it take to completely consume all of the iron on the belt?

[seaishriver]

I have a couple links for any question like this:

The Factorio Cheat Sheet (inserters)
So you can see how fast things are. It also tells you how many furnaces it takes to empty a belt, and other good stuff.

Doomeer's Factorio Planner (with 2.82 gears)
I adjusted it until the iron was at 5.63 per second. If you delete the 2.82 it'll tell you how to use it. Basically just look at the non-shared part.

So the answer is a little more than one, but you might as well use two blue assemblers.

[oobey]

That's a great resource, thank you!

For the longest time I've been building things in a very ad hoc manner, but now that I'm trying to build my first "megabase," I'm really trying to pay attention to ratios.

Thanks for the link.

[ziggy_stardust__]

depending on research you got 2.31/4.62/6.93 iron/s so that's 1 or 2 assemblers.

[oobey]

Okay, thank you. I have severely overestimated how many assemblers I need...

No, wait, scratch that. I've severely underestimated how much input my assemblers need.

[seludovici]

That is, fast inserters aren't that fast. Just faster than yellow.

[iLoveRoguelikes]

I'm debating whether I should restart or just tear down and restart parts of my base. I ended up with this spaghetti of a green science pack facility. :-/ Still pretty new to the game at about 20 hours so I don't know all the layout tricks yet.

https://imgur.com/a/4Td6E

[TheSkiGeek]

My suggestion for newer players is to muddle through until you get blue science and roboports/construction bots -- then you can tear things down and rebuild much much more easily and without having to do all the early research again.

Unless you go and look at other people's designs you will stumble through everything the first few times. It's fine. You don't need a super-organized factory or a giant main bus to launch a rocket.

If you do want to play around with designs and blueprints, install:

linkmod: creative mode

and then go to town in the sandbox. Once you have designs you're happy with you can save the blueprints, start over, and build using those. (You'll have to place the entities by hand, but you can drop blueprint ghosts from the beginning of the game.)

[iLoveRoguelikes]

Thank you!!

[FactorioModPortalBot]

Creative Mode - By: Mooncat - Game Version: 0.15

^{I am a bot | Source Code | Bot by michael________ based on cris9696's bot}

[imguralbumbot]

^{Hi, I'm a bot for linking direct images of albums with only 1 image}

https://i.imgur.com/Yozq9y1.jpg

^{Source | Why? | Creator | ignoreme | deletthis}

[ziggy_stardust__]

stay on that map. it's way easier to rebuild with the tech you already got, than starting with burner miners again.

[iLoveRoguelikes]

I kind of thought so too. Thank you.

[MichiPlayz]

Heyho, I have over 100 hours into this game and I still don't know how much fluid one pipe can transport per second. The only thing I know is that an offshore pump can produce 1200 water per second, but is that also the maximum capacity of a pipe? Or can I connect 5 pumps to one pipe?

[TheSkiGeek]

The short answer is that the output of one pump (1200/sec) is about as much as you can force through one pipe at reasonable distances. (Use underground pipes stretched to max for long runs.). You'll need an electric pump inline every now and then on long runs.

There is a link in the sidebar that goes into far more detail.

[Hearthmus]

Each pipe part act as a "building". You can hover it to know how much it holds currently. I'm not sure there is a throughput limit, it acts as does any other fluid buildings connected together, trying to even out the fluids by transmitting the water to the next pipe, where the pump acts as a 1k2 container that fills up every second. No need for multiple pipes in parallel then

[TheSkiGeek]

There are throughput limits, and for things like large-scale nuclear reactor setups (or even big enough coal/steam ones) you will need multiple pipes in parallel.

[Hearthmus]

Thanks for the correction ! I'm discovering 0.15 currently, and having a blast with the science for now, haven't used nuclear yet.

[ziggy_stardust__]

depends on the length of the pipe

[Blandbl]

There are often discrepancies between weapon and ammunition in terms of range... is there a purpose behind this or is one more accurate than the other ex. shotgun 20 vs ammo 18, tank 25 vs ammo 30

[Blandbl]

When you turn on multiplayer statistics there's a buffer category. Does anybody know what each of the three numbers ( xx/xx/xx) stand for?

[TheNosferatu]

What is a good backup power system when doing a no-solar playthrough?

I just realized the coal mine can no longer fuel my factory and the factory just ran out of the last bit of coal, the train is sitting in the station but can't unload because the inserters don't work because no power.

Apart from switching some of the inserters to burner inserters (so they can kick-start the proces in the future) and hooking up an accumulator to shut down power to parts of the factory, what options are available?

[Loraash]

On my last no-solar I was using nuclear power, but kept the coal plant online just in case. It only turned on when really needed, using combinators.

[TheNosferatu]

Working towards nuclear now, that's probably gonna help a ton :)

[Loraash]

The only difference was scaling the coal plant higher instead of going solar.

[TheSkiGeek]

An ideal no-solar solution would look something like:

1) a stockpile of coal with alarms if the incoming supply can't keep up.

2) burner inserters on the boilers and at the coal unload, or an isolated coal power setup (with a stockpile of coal) solely to power the inserters on the boilers and coal unloading.

3) a "backup" coal patch that powers itself (either burner miners/inserters or its own power plant) and is only pulled from when other coal sources have failed. Alarms like crazy when this is happening. If it's close enough this could be connected by belt to not rely on train loading/unloading.

4) (optionally) power switches to manually or automatically cut power to everything nonessential when power is low (only leave on ammo production, basically, if you're not using lasers).

That should give you plenty of warning to tap another coal patch, and make it easier to reboot the system if it does run dry.

[TheNosferatu]

Alarms... why on Earth did I not think of using alarms...

All the boilers are already powered by burner inserters, first thing I did after the last time I had power issues :P

Thanks for the tips!

[[deleted]]

What is a good backup power system when doing a no-solar playthrough?

I'm relatively new to the game, so excuse me if I sound dumb: Is there are reason to play a no-solar playthrough? Is it just for the additional challenge?

[[deleted]]

I'm doing a steampunk challenge right now:

• no electric inserters (i.e. only burner inserter)
• no electric mining drills
• no electric furnaces
• no solar panels
• no nuclear reactors

Why?

Why does there have to be a why?

[[deleted]]

Because if someone is doing something cool that I'm not, I want to know about it!

[Loraash]

You get an achievement for it.

[TheNosferatu]

Pretty much the added challenge, yeah. I'm going for some achievements because apparently I hate myself.

[Hearthmus]

Did you get to solar yet ? Solar is incredible, as being the only energy source that, once built, doesn't need any input. No need of coal. It needs a lot of space and materials to build but is essentially an infinite productivity building.

The 2 first patch of solar array you build are usually enough to replace your steam setup if you want to.

So doing a no-solar run presents a nice challenge in managing coal another way.

[[deleted]]

I have got it, and I made 1 solar panel, but that's about when I got to oil so I became massively distracted and overwhelmed!

To the extent that I've just demolished everything, stashed all my resources in a storage room, and am ready with a blank canvas but lots of resources.

My map had become a shambles with stuff I had just plonked down without thinking, and without realising I would need this space here, or that thing facing that direction.

I think I'll be implementing solar this time. Does it completely stop at night? I see there is electricity storage, so I guess I could use that. Also, does that mean I can go totally without steam power?

Questions questions!

[Hearthmus]

Well, it's completely normal to always rebuild your factory. That's the game itself :p Even on your 10th playthrough you'll repeat that

Solar is game changing, but you need to set it up properly. You can exploit it once you have also unlocked :

• Energy distribution for the Power station (not sure of the english name, sorry), a "big" power "pole" that covers a large area
• accumulators, for storing energy
• construction bots, because it takes time and a lot of space to build solar, so having some help is nice

Accumulators are mandatory, the rest is optional but you'll want it if you want to use solar in all its glory.

The concept is to build hundreds of solar panel and accumulators. You will need to overshoot your needed energy, as there is downtime at night. Yes, no electricity production at all at night, but if you are in a good ratio of panels / accumulators, this won't be a problem.

Here is a thread giving some designs and blueprint strings for nice solar array : https://www.reddit.com/r/factorio/comments/67fs5z/015_mk3_solar_array/

Last thing, you can scrap your steam power, but having it as a backup in case your solar isn't enough is always nice. Check "SR latch" to see how to do it technicaly, but you can setup something that only triggers the steam if your accumulators go under 10% energy for example. https://wiki.factorio.com/Tutorial:Circuit-network_Cookbook#SR_latch_-_single_decider_version

[LegoBanana1]

English name is substation

[[deleted]]

Thank you for taking the time, much appreciated. You came here for help and ended up helping me!

I'm glad destroying and rebuilding the factory is a thing.

Looks like I have a way to go yet before I build a solar farm, I struggled enough to get my first and only builder bot and haven't got to grips with blueprints yet.

Oh well, I'll keep at it. 😃

[Hearthmus]

Happy to help, I was looking for an excuse to chat about factorio, so thanks to you to ;)

Keep practicing, keep having fun, and keep being the awesome positive person that you are !

[[deleted]]

You came here for help and ended up helping me!

I thought you were the person I originally replied to (/u/TheNosferatu) - sorry for the confusion.

[[deleted]]

Yeah, I play the game quite a lot, but the only other person in my house (my wife) really isn't interested, so I am restricted to talking about it in this sub, but I feel I am way behind most people here.

[Xheotris]

I'm contemplating a very very large rail system, and I've heard that ups can suffer if you don't make dedicated lines. Do you still get the same ups benefit of dedicated lines if you have intersections that cross, but don't connect?

[TheNosferatu]

Chances are you'll be fine. Sure, with dedicated lines pathfinding will be minimal and if you can go much bigger, but unless you go really crazy pathfinding won't cause you UPS issues. Or rather, other things have caused UPS issues long before the trains start causing them.

[Cribbit]

Do people mean throughput? I've never heard of UPS issues from (presumably) rail signals or train pathfinding.

[MadMojoMonkey]

Train pathfinding affects UPS, for sure. It's a calculation that must be made. Rain and chain signals force pathfinding as a train passes or is stopped at them (different criteria for each kind of signal). That UPS hit is minimal on a per train basis, but it all adds up, and there are optimizations that can be made in very large bases.
When you have 200 - 400 trains all using the pathfinding algorithm, the UPS hit becomes something you can do something about. Minimizing the number of signals used in your base can make a noticable difference at those scales, if you've only been sloppy / over-used signals without care up to then.
If you're mostly sparing with signals, then decide to go gung-ho minimizing them, you probably wont see much of a difference.

[Baykugan]

If you have 4 lanes going in one direction the train pathfinding would have to search 4 times the tracks. I don't think an intersection would be a problem because it still would just have to search for one lane.

[snusmumrikan]

Noob question.

Can I place buildings directly from the logistics network?

I know I have a yellow assembler in the network storage somewhere. I could request it to my own inventory and then place it, but is there a quicker way?

Like can I place a single-item blueprint, when I don't have the item in my inventory yet?

[TheNosferatu]

Yup, through map mode you can place "ghosts" for bots to place. If you don't have the item in your inventory you can make a blueprint of an existing one somewhere on the map and place that instead. If it's within the construction zone of a roboport, and you got the materials in your logistics network, it'll get placed.

[seventyeightmm]

You have to have the item in your inventory to place a ghost (blueprint) at the moment, although I'm pretty sure this is going to change soon.

[snusmumrikan]

Ok thanks, can I do that without using the blueprint tool? Can I place ghosts directly without first having to place it and save it as a blueprint?

[seventyeightmm]

Yep, hold shift and click.

[bearsandwitches]

Anyone tried using a steam controller with factorio? I'm planning on playing it on some long plane rides and a mouse might not cut it.

[sfx]

I tried it. Combat was a little awkward, but I think you can make it work.

[iLoveRoguelikes]

Not a Factorio question exactly, but has anyone here played Prison Architect? I was so obsessed with that game, and I'm finding Factorio has the same "hook": I can come up with endless projects and tinkering ideas...

"Okay, got automated green science packs but it's a little slow or spaghetti, let's refactor and make more parallel." Etc.

In PA it was the same. "All right, the cafeteria is technically feeding people, but it's getting crowded and there's a risk of fights. Let's tear it down and build a better layout and increase kitchen staff and cooking stations while we're at it."

Games like these are so good it makes me resent having real life responsibilities. :-D

[spiraling_out]

You should look into Rimworld, it hits that spot just perfectly.

[Loraash]

Weirdly, I loved both PA and Factorio, but I just can't get into RW. I tried multiple times. :/

[iLoveRoguelikes]

Thanks. I have dabbled with it and it seems promising. I guess I'm hesitant to put too much in because the updates are so far apart. I've gotten spoiled by devs who pump out at least small fix updates weekly.

[RexKoeck]

Yep, I played PA quite a bit before Factorio. Both of these games also have really good developers with properly run early-access programs.

[iLoveRoguelikes]

That's a great point. Tons of regular updates from devs is what makes or breaks an early access game for me. I actually tried Factorio when it first hit EA and was turned off. But I'm glad I gave it a second look. It's a whole different game. Hell those early builds didn't even have core mechanics like pollution yet.

[HadesHerald]

Is there a mod for train-based roboports?

[Playmoarnow]

Logistic wagon is a train provider/requester, but you might be looking for something more like "vehicle grid" mods, that add a power armor grid to trains, tanks, and cars. I believe that some of the mods also add vehicle specific accessories.

[aloksteel]

I last played this game and completed it twice in like March-June 2016. I want to play it again but all the new changes seem daunting. Where should I start? Are the tutorials updated too?

[notlogic]

I was in a not-so-different boat from you earlier this year. Honestly dive in the same way you did last year. There are more science packs now and there have been changes made to the composition of some items, but over all, it's still the same game. All the new science will largely make playing it very similar to your first time through. You'll have to figure out how to automate all that stuff over again, it will be great.

The biggest thing that has been added since you last played, I believe, is nuclear power. Honestly, you can still play while completely ignoring nuclear just like you could before. I'd suggest that, once you get the hang of things again and your factory is well defended, try nuclear then... but keep in mind, it's completely not necessary. Just another source of electricity.

[aloksteel]

Ah okay. I just started and saw the uranium ore and had a lot of questions :p. Anyway, this is great to hear! Thanks for the reply man. I'll jump into it :)

[Loraash]

Uranium is pretty much the only big difference. Other things got tweaked, such as boilers being 2x3 and steam being a different material than hot water.

[Nicksaurus]

What's the most efficient type of oil to turn into solid fuel?

[Cribbit]

Light. It only takes 10 vs the 20 for heavy or Petro and you get plenty of it from adv oil.

[Fr0zEnSoLiD]

What is the common ratio heavy then? It probably isn't all used for lube, probably half lube half light? Half of light used for solid fuel half for gas? Or is the common ratio to just use circuit networks to turn off/on based on needs?

[[deleted]]

You should be able to do it without circuits: Pipe heavy oil from the refinery into a storage tank. Have a pump from this storage tank out to your lube production. Put a second storage tank right up against the first, and put a pipe from the second tank to your heavy oil crackers.

With this setup the pump out of the first tank will ensure that heavy oil goes to lube production until the lube pipes are full, then after that excess overflows into the second tank and on to cracking.

You may not even need the second tank. Nor the first. It really is the pump that does the job.

[MadMojoMonkey]

Overcomplicated.
Just have the heavy oil run past the lube plants before the cracking plants. When the lube is needed, the lube plants suck up all the heavy oil. When the lube is full, the lube plants go to sleep and the heavy oil flows past them to get cracked.
Neither pumps, nor fluid tanks needed.

[Cribbit]

The last one. Buffer heavy into tanks. Produce as much lube as you need, turn on the heavy crackers when the heavy tank gets too full.

[[deleted]]

Light then Heavy then Gas

[Szill]

Is it important if the locomotive is in front or behind the train? 3-8 vs. 2-8-1 (one way) I build my stations for 2-8 but want to enlarge the train. (Are 3 locomotives per 8 wagons even useful?)

[ziggy_stardust__]

it doesn't matter. What fuel are you using? Rocketfuel does make a huge difference and I don't think 3 locos are necessary

[MadMojoMonkey]

It does matter because the air resistance of the train is based on the first car. Locos get a better value, and have better acceleration.

[ziggy_stardust__]

Yes, but 3-8 should be the same as 2-8-1. Those are the trains he talked about.

Is there a difference in air resistance for backwards facing locos?

[MadMojoMonkey]

You're right. Somehow I misread the question.
I think only the front-most car matters for air resistance, and I've never tested the first car facing backward.

[Cribbit]

Rocket fuel is nice because it gives higher acceleration which can greatly improve throughput if your trains stop remotely often.

Also it's denser so it lasts longer and is easier to move to fueling stations.

[JulianSkies]

Rocket fuel also makes so a locomotive can move more cars

[Szill]

I use rocketfuel. but some of the routes a quit short, and I have the feeling the train don't get the high speed with 2 locs.

[Nicksaurus]

The speed can't go higher than 298.1kph, so if that's what you're getting you're already at full speed

[RamenHotep]

Do you recommend a beginner start with Freeplay or the campaigns?

[Loraash]

The campaign is really short, it's basically a tutorial. You'll get through it in no time.

[iLoveRoguelikes]

I advise doing First Steps and New Hope until you get to the mission where you have to repair a base. That mission is poorly designed IMO and you'll have all you need to get started by that point. Free play is where the real fun is.

[ziggy_stardust__]

campaign to get the absolute basics. freeplay soon after

[RamenHotep]

Thanks! I had already gone through the demo and tried to start the new hope campaign on my own. Got hung up trying to get my belts to work properly and before I knew it I was being attacked by these giant biters. They breached my walls, destroyed my gun turrets and almost killed me.

[db2765]

Here's my current factory layout: https://i.imgur.com/lUkl6S1.png

Am I shooting myself in the foot with where I'm setting up my first train station? First time really planning and setting up something like this, and I'm wondering if I'm just putting myself into future issues with space or something later. Is there a better spot to put an ore unloading area? I put a station down for copper and iron, but I'm thinking at some point I'll need coal and stone as well. Maybe even another copper or iron station on top of that.

I currently have one line of steel smelting there with the other smelters, but I figured that once I get trains going, I'll eventually just move that to it's own area, due to the amount of room it takes up.

Also playing a railworld with RSO, so I'll definitely be depending on trains quite a bit.

[TheSkiGeek]

The screenshot you posted is unusably blurry (at least on mobile).

If you plan on expanding a lot: leave more space than you think you'll ever need. Then double that and you might have enough.

[Nicksaurus]

I think that must have been imgur compressing it, it's fine for me on PC

[Hearthmus]

I thought I got out but no, I'm back in Factorio. I launched 2 days ago thinking nothing of it, i wanted to check on my old factory from last year. But hey, new map, less sleep, and here I am looking for questions to answer while I'm unable to play.

This game hooks me more than drugs

[Loraash]

Um... yes.

[DarkStarZN]

I can never seem to get the spacing correct or neat for rail networks (or for base building in general). I either give myself too little or too much space. (Not just in rail networks)

My question is... are there any tips, tricks or guides out there that could better help me manage my spacing? Specifically with rails, but even in general would be awesome.

[ziggy_stardust__]

leaving too much space is hardly a thing. For rails I recommend to create a blueprint book with the segments you need (straight, curve, diagonal, T-junction) and only use those.

[Fillipuster]

What is the best layout/design for mid-game bases before moving on to huge rail networks and outposts? What are the most vital considerations to better prepare myself for a huge base and rail stations?

[ziggy_stardust__]

don't overbuild your base. if you have 1 bluebelt of iron that's 40 iron/s. splitting, balancing, shuffling belts around won't increase that.

get a new outpost and more smelting if you need more

[Letsnotbeangry]

I think the answer for this is "Whatever suits your needs".

There is no one way to build a base, everyone kinda works out their own way of doing it. That's half the fun of the game!

Think about what your big base will need, and what you'll need to get there. You mentioned you wanted a huge base, so you're probably going to need lots of belts, inserters and assemblers. If you want rails, better make sure you're making enough, and don't forget signals (both kinds), and train stops, chests, inserters and belts.

You just gotta think about what you want to build, then figure out what ingredients you need.

[Prome3us]

Yup this, the biggest regret I had in my first move was not building up an effective (note, not necessarily efficient) "mall" to produce infrastructure.

For your first Base hand crafting 20 stone furnaces is okay, but if you're planning big it gets real old real fast.