Factorio, highly addictive game(alpha)

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Fri Jan 12, 2024 11:19 pm

Bulk inserter
...
Goodbye filter inserters
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In Factorio 2.0 there will be no more filter inserters - instead, all inserters will be capable of setting 5 filters.
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Faster belt tier

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Sat Jan 13, 2024 12:22 am

So what you're saying is that now, since I've picked up the game, the devs have realized it's worth adding more content after all

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Sat Jan 13, 2024 1:48 am

They released version 1.1.101 just for you.

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Sat Jan 13, 2024 2:19 am

Isgrimnur wrote: ↑Sat Jan 13, 2024 1:48 am They released version 1.1.101 just for you.

I knew it!

I'm seriously thinking of starting a new game but without enemies. I know that a lot of the game is designed around these, but I think I'd rather just have a building game. I did the same thing in Satisfactory, played it with no enemies. And I'll probably never play Dyson Sphere Program with the hostile forces. I've done eighteen hours so far and am mostly enjoying the game, but I feel like dealing with turrets, ammo and defensive walls is making it less fun for me.

Did anyone else play with enemies off?

stessier · Post by **stessier** » Sat Jan 13, 2024 4:37 am

I did not, but KatherineOfSky is the youtuber who got me into Factorio and that was the only way she played (I mention in case you want to check out what that would look like). If it makes a difference, the Biters are attracted to the sources of pollution. So while they will take out anything in their path, the are not specifically looking for those long belts and pipelines. In the early game, it's doable to only surround your oil field with guns and walls as a form of defense. My strategy was to always beeline for lasers and solar, though, as that proved to be an easy and scalable defense. Recently I've discovered how great nuclear power is, though.

Maybe restart and try one without Biters until you understand the flow and tech tree and then come back and give it another shot with the Biters on?

Unagi · Post by **Unagi** » Sat Jan 13, 2024 11:39 am

Like stessier, I also always left them in.

I found them manageable eventually and gave a tiny bit of a purpose and something to consider. Tiny moments of excitement when I would make a push to clear out a nearby nest, for instance. And it makes pushing things like solar and lasers more meaningful.

Satisfactory, they were meaningless add ons (at this stage of their EA. IMO. )

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Sat Jan 13, 2024 2:37 pm

I have a question that I didn't see answered in the wiki, or at least I didn't know where to look. Is is possible to dig a canal? Or at least removed dirt so water can flow in? It occurs to me that in my present situation (shown below) I could run a causeway straight north through the lakes north of me till I was just east of the oil fields. I have to cross that peninsula, but if I dig water channels on each side of my causeway I can prevent the enemies from attacking it. Heck, I could build a moat in front of my gun turrets for that matter, so I'm guessing that's not possible.

Lasers sound good, but it still needs petroleum products and that means going to that oil field.

By the way, I'm guessing that the enemies can't cross water, is that correct? It had better be, otherwise I have to redo a lot of my defense

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Sat Jan 13, 2024 2:42 pm

Never found a way to dig a canal. Monsters can't swim or climb cliffs.

stessier · Post by **stessier** » Sat Jan 13, 2024 7:28 pm

There are (or were, haven't checked in a while) mods that allow for canals, but nothing in the base game.

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Sun Jan 14, 2024 1:22 am

I decided to keep going with my current game because I figured that without the enemies I'd just be doing a lot of research without needing to really have another objective, meaning not being overrun by bugs

I did have a breach which cause some damage. I am more sensitive now regarding which way the little beasties can approach:

I'm now producing blue flasks and I went right for laser weapons, so I'll have supplements to my turrets. I also have started building accumulators to build up energy storage for when the lasers are used and to make more use of my solar cells.

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Sun Jan 14, 2024 1:26 am

My crude oil facility. I didn't want to run power lines all the way to it so I went with accumulators and solar panels.

Right now the pollution map shows that my oil field production pollution isn't close enough to any enemy bases to trigger attacks so I'm not installed any defenses. I'm not sure if laser turrets would draw the beasts towards the field, or are they neutral?

stessier · Post by **stessier** » Sun Jan 14, 2024 6:30 am

Even if the pollution isn't touching a nest, as the bugs evolve, the nests will send out expansion patrols. If these come across your outpost, they will attack. Biters hate radar and will prioritize taking that out over your production structures. I believe radar is prioritized on the same level as turrets and lasers.

I'm not sure if you want any specific building suggestions, so I'll spoiler it.

Spoiler:

Unagi · Post by **Unagi** » Tue Jan 16, 2024 2:33 pm

I expand and claim defendable areas as I go slowly into the areas that I need for resources. Wall between lakes.

Also - on Lasers, when you first use them - you will notice (IIRC) their huge draw on power.

I would set up conveyor belt loops with ammunition-feeding turrets that defended a wall - as my main MO. I had some absurdly long loops of ammunition belts.

coopasonic · Post by **coopasonic** » Tue Jan 16, 2024 2:38 pm

I want a game where we manage the bugs against an evil company that keeps polluting my world with all his machines and science! They expand and build defenses and we evolve stronger forms and sent out patrols. I wanna be the biters!

stessier · Post by **stessier** » Tue Jan 16, 2024 4:15 pm

I just expand my walls past my pollution cloud. If pollution isn't hitting a nest, only new nest parties will attack as they search for a home. It's a slow process, but not hard to pull off.

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Wed Jan 17, 2024 4:56 pm

After a break I'm back to playing this again. I just realizing that I'm now starting to run short of iron ore at my starting location. It's time to start expanding towards an iron ore field to my NNE, sadly right near an enemy base. Well, I've wanted to figure out how to defeat a base, I guess now is a good time for it

Unagi · Post by **Unagi** » Wed Jan 17, 2024 5:04 pm

You will need to develop a way to make a furious lunging attack at the nests, one by one. and whittle them down. I assume you will learn your own method. Vehichles are important, of course.

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Wed Jan 17, 2024 5:10 pm

Unagi wrote: ↑Wed Jan 17, 2024 5:04 pm You will need to develop a way to make a furious lunging attack at the nests, one by one. and whittle them down. I assume you will learn your own method. Vehichles are important, of course.

Oh dear, I was really hoping I could just creep towards the nest with my walls, plunking down gun and laser turrets and just use attrition to destroy the nests. Right now my only vehicle is my starting car and I suck at WASD driving

Unagi · Post by **Unagi** » Wed Jan 17, 2024 5:16 pm

IIRC you can almost do that, but it will get overrun - have not played in a couple year, so I may be sketchy on this. I recall doing frantic drive-bys (until my skills or gear improved) picking them off and scurring off, then coming back again.

But, honestly - I also recall there being several ways you could go about it - and if you put your mind to it, it is not too much of a big deal to get into the rhythm of how you go about handling a nest.

The Meal · Post by **The Meal** » Wed Jan 17, 2024 6:05 pm

Laser creep is very fun.

stessier · Post by **stessier** » Wed Jan 17, 2024 6:30 pm

The Meal wrote: ↑Wed Jan 17, 2024 6:05 pm Laser creep is very fun.

+1

You are also very early - the nests are small. Gun turret creep can also work (lay down Row 1, creep forward and lay down Row 2, pick up Row 1, rinse, repeat). Just make sure to bring a lot of ammo. If you fear for your health, bring fish.

I don't recommend attacking with the car. It is unwieldy unless you have vast open spaces around a nest. The tank on the other hand....

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Wed Jan 17, 2024 7:02 pm

I've laid down my first railway, very fun

. However, I didn't make it a loop. Is it possible for a train to travel both ways on a track, as long as I have a loop at each end, just like in Satisfactory? That would mean I'd have to be able to merge and split tracks.

stessier · Post by **stessier** » Wed Jan 17, 2024 7:09 pm

jztemple2 wrote: ↑Wed Jan 17, 2024 7:02 pm I've laid down my first railway, very fun . However, I didn't make it a loop. Is it possible for a train to travel both ways on a track, as long as I have a loop at each end, just like in Satisfactory? That would mean I'd have to be able to merge and split tracks.

Yep - sure is. The trains are really a whole mini-game all by themselves. Did you know you can specify exactly what can go in each slot in the rail car?

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Wed Jan 17, 2024 7:17 pm

stessier wrote: ↑Wed Jan 17, 2024 7:09 pm
jztemple2 wrote: ↑Wed Jan 17, 2024 7:02 pm I've laid down my first railway, very fun . However, I didn't make it a loop. Is it possible for a train to travel both ways on a track, as long as I have a loop at each end, just like in Satisfactory? That would mean I'd have to be able to merge and split tracks.
Yep - sure is. The trains are really a whole mini-game all by themselves. Did you know you can specify exactly what can go in each slot in the rail car?

Oh, I'm quite a way from even using a train for more than one thing, right now I'm just trying to get iron ore to my base to keep production going. Oddly the beasties haven't attacked my drillers at the new iron ore site, which is fine with me.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Wed Jan 17, 2024 11:49 pm

I tooled around the countryside and attacked nests on foot. I would carry at least half a dozen gun turrets and the ammo for them. Set them up as a defensive line, approach the nest, retreat to let the turrets kill the critters, go back in to destroy the spawners. Rinse and repeat, no power needed. Pick them up, go do it again.

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Thu Jan 18, 2024 1:02 am

Killed my first nest

. Crept my wall towards the nest with laser and gun turrets, then ran out to kill off the worm.

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Thu Jan 18, 2024 5:21 am

Anyone ever read the Deathworld trilogy by Harry Harrison? That's what this game reminds me of.

I did my first huge mistake in the game, I let myself run so low on coal my boilers didn't have enough fuel because I hadn't built up my production of solid fuel

. I set up an emergency coal mining operation at a remote location, but because I was pretty much out of power I was back using burner fed drills and inserters. I eventually got enough coal so I could get the boilers going and the power back up, but I had neglected to put my huge research production complex on a separate circuit and I had to go through deleting power poles till I got it off line. And I had made a couple of goofy mistakes and so one of my two solid fuel producing facilities wasn't been fed

. Eventually, with a profusion of solar panels, accumulators and Draconian cuts to production I was able to reach a positive power output.

I eventually got that remote coal location fully up and running and ran a conveyor belt back to my old coal field so I wouldn't have to change everything. I've put the research facility on a separate circuit and once I do some more research on logic circuits I'll have some smart switching to put the facility offline first if I get a power shortage. Or I might just turn it off at night

. And my boilers now get fed both coal and solid fuel, just in case.

I now have my logistic network up. Right now I'm just using the flying repair bots to fix things after attacks, and I found out that when those nasty purple squirters make the damage to a wall unfixable, the bots can just fly out and replace it. Pretty cool.

stessier · Post by **stessier** » Thu Jan 18, 2024 9:18 am

Haha - running out of power has happened to all of us. It's very easy to get distracted with other things and not notice when the reserves run dry. You seem to be surrounded by forests - you can always use wood power the boilers too. If you've got the bots, they can strip and area pretty quickly.

The Meal · Post by **The Meal** » Thu Jan 18, 2024 3:03 pm

I believe Deathworld is one of the map settings.

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Thu Jan 18, 2024 3:39 pm

When I first ran into the beasties I almost gave up on the game, but now I'm finding them to be an interesting part of the challenge. I've noticed that since I destroyed that first nest it seems that the beasties have stepped up their efforts to destroy me. That is, if I don't destroy myself first

.

I have no coherent production plan, I'm producing bunches of everything and that's why. I'm running out of resources like stone. I guess my next project is to put production into groups and put them on switches. And then it's time to start thinking about those last two flask productions.

stessier · Post by **stessier** » Thu Jan 18, 2024 4:14 pm

For the Biters - the more you kill, the more they evolve. The more pollution they encounter, the more they evolve. You're in a bit of an arms race - but there is a max level they can attain. Your max power is higher than theirs....assuming you can find the resources.

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Thu Jan 18, 2024 6:02 pm

Can I not repair a damaged construction robot? I have one that is damaged but I can't figure out how to fix it

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Thu Jan 18, 2024 7:01 pm

Is there a way to get rid of these red "X"s? These are places where I accidentally

put down ghost wall construction markings but the robots can't build there because of the cliff. But I can't get rid of the "X"s. I reloaded the game, tried to build a wall manually,

Unagi · Post by **Unagi** » Thu Jan 18, 2024 7:28 pm

jztemple2 wrote: ↑Thu Jan 18, 2024 7:01 pm Is there a way to get rid of these red "X"s? These are places where I accidentally put down ghost wall construction markings but the robots can't build there because of the cliff. But I can't get rid of the "X"s. I reloaded the game, tried to build a wall manually,

(X is 'marked for deconstruction')
To Undo: Hold shift, when you select them with the Destruction Planner.

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Thu Jan 18, 2024 8:02 pm

Works great, thanks!

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Fri Jan 19, 2024 12:12 am

How do I equip construction robots to my Personal Roboport? I've tried all the methods I can think of.

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Fri Jan 19, 2024 12:14 am

jztemple2 wrote: ↑Fri Jan 19, 2024 12:12 am How do I equip construction robots to my Personal Roboport?

With lots of lube.

Unagi · Post by **Unagi** » Fri Jan 19, 2024 12:22 am

jztemple2 wrote: ↑Fri Jan 19, 2024 12:12 am How do I equip construction robots to my Personal Roboport? I've tried all the methods I can think of.

You should just need them in your inventory, they will leave your pocket to build things nearby

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Fri Jan 19, 2024 12:27 am

Unagi wrote: ↑Fri Jan 19, 2024 12:22 am
jztemple2 wrote: ↑Fri Jan 19, 2024 12:12 am How do I equip construction robots to my Personal Roboport? I've tried all the methods I can think of.
You should just need them in your inventory, they will leave your pocket to build things nearby

Oh, so they aren't permanently assigned to the roboport, just use that as the way to leave my inventory and do stuff. Thanks!

I just got power armor and I'm spending way too much time tinkering with all the accessories

By the way, thanks to everyone who has been answering all my newbie questions. Guess sometimes it is good to wait till way past full release

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Fri Jan 19, 2024 1:46 am

Well damn, now I'm out of stone

The only other stone area on the map, other than my starting position, is well off to the northwest with several nests that I'm going to have to deal with on the way. I'll have to start preparing my campaign to reach there and defend it. Right now I'm almost done with all the researching I can do without having to build new production lines for purple and yellow flasks, those are going to be a big planning challenge and I think stone comes first.

By the way, I have items in my personal trash slots and a logistic network storage chest nearby, but no robots are flying the trash to the storage chest. Do I need to do something beyond just putting it in the trash slot??