Octopus Overlords

GreenGoo wrote: ↑Thu Apr 19, 2018 1:48 pm

stessier wrote: ↑Wed Apr 18, 2018 12:14 pm As I said, drove me nuts for quite some time. It's not obvious what is wrong.

Turns out that is what the problem was.

If this really bother you, there is a "quality of life" mod named Far-Reach which allows you to build even on the minimap (but no deconstruction). This might (or will?) break Steam-achievements (already achieved ones will still there after you disabled mods again).

This game is all consuming. I played until 1am Monday night. I never stay up that late. As of this morning, I'm up to 47 hours on this first world. I'm not really sure how far I have to go - might be about halfway done? I have 4 component research up and running.

My big accomplishment the last two days was cleaning out the biter nests that are at the edge of my pollution ring and opening up a new source of iron. Those biters man - they were kicking my butt as they had some blue biter that seems armored and was a pain to take down. And a giant blue worm that was brutal to take on from afar. Then I invented lasers and rockets and all was right in the world again. I grabbed 4 lasers, 10 transmission poles, 4 turrets, and a ton of bricks and started making mobile attack bases. I would build a tiny base, draw off the assembled biters, then hit the biter nest with rockets before retreating and repeating. When finished, I'd tear it all down and move to the next one. It was amusing.

I also managed to upgrade my iron plate processing so that I can reach saturation of all my lines. I still hit points where it drops to a trickle, and I haven't quite found the cause yet. But most of the time I have plenty and full saturation of gears as well (which were always scarce for some reason).

Today I am working on revamping my copper processing in a similar manner and reworking copper wire. It had become a bottleneck as I started consuming just a ton of green circuits. I thought I had it figured out right before leaving for work, but the way I hooked up the last belt has a saturated copper coil belt on pulling from half of it. Annoying.

Oh, and my solar farm expansion is up to 563 panels and 463 storage batteries. It has expanded so far west that it has reached my Coal excavation site - which I connected by train early in the game because it was soooooooo far away.

stessier wrote: ↑Thu May 03, 2018 2:04 pm Oh, and my solar farm expansion is up to 563 panels and 463 storage batteries. It has expanded so far west that it has reached my Coal excavation site - which I connected by train early in the game because it was soooooooo far away.

You should start working on a nuclear reactor. It's a fun challenge getting the production lines setup for it (among other things you need to bring sulfuric acid to the uranium miners to mine it), and it puts out ridiculous amounts of clean power.

Sepiche wrote: ↑Thu May 03, 2018 2:10 pm

stessier wrote: ↑Thu May 03, 2018 2:04 pm Oh, and my solar farm expansion is up to 563 panels and 463 storage batteries. It has expanded so far west that it has reached my Coal excavation site - which I connected by train early in the game because it was soooooooo far away.

You should start working on a nuclear reactor. It's a fun challenge getting the production lines setup for it (among other things you need to bring sulfuric acid to the uranium miners to mine it), and it puts out ridiculous amounts of clean power.

Figuring out nuclear stuff is on the To Do list. I've already gotten the research, I just need to figure out what I need to do each step and how they all combine to make a reactor. (It was kind of a pipe dream for a while as the nearest nuclear pile was a long ways off surrounded by big biter colonies, but now that I have an attack plan, I could probably liberate them.)

Also on the list: Logistics and Construction robots - I have them, I just don't know how to use them, some type of wiring control system with red and green wires and combinators, and then there are the railroad switches so trains can use the same tracks or cross tracks. And I recently finished Tanks research and am wondering how those will work on the nasty biters. So much to figure out and so little time!

stessier wrote: ↑Thu May 03, 2018 2:47 pm Logistics and Construction robots - I have them, I just don't know how to use them, some type of wiring control system with red and green wires and combinators,

When I used them it didn't need to be that complex. You had to build their stations each within the edge of a zone of control of another so they could move between the stations as necessary. Then you just did things and they'd repsond, so...


Huge forest to be taken down? Mark it for removal within a stations zone and walk away. Come back later and viola!, no manual chopping.

Can't get your batteries to your drone chassis to make a drone? Have the manufactured batteries dump into a distribution box and put a collection box next to you drone manufacturing site. Set your preference and walk away.

And aside from tree chopping, which was the best you set up boxes that both did collection and distribution and you could call resources to your on body storage for building as long as you yourself are within a stations range. You can tweak what you carry on the fly and never have to run back to storage box after you set its distribution, you just call on your minions with a change of your toolbelt.

(This is from a build from many moons ago)

Man I need more gaming time.

stessier wrote: ↑Thu May 03, 2018 2:47 pm Also on the list: Logistics and Construction robots - I have them, I just don't know how to use them, some type of wiring control system with red and green wires and combinators, and then there are the railroad switches so trains can use the same tracks or cross tracks. And I recently finished Tanks research and am wondering how those will work on the nasty biters. So much to figure out and so little time!

You have some of the best "Oh, that works? How cool is that!" moments in front of you!

I only had 30 minutes to play last night (which is not the way I like to play) and spent about 10 trying to figure out what was wrong with my copper conveyor before giving up and building a tank to see what it was like. Holy cow - it is so cool! I'm only powering it with coal and only had 2 shells, but even with just the machine gun, it's a revelation. I cleaned out 7 biter colonies and look forward into expanding into these new areas.

stessier wrote: ↑Fri May 04, 2018 8:28 amHoly cow - it is so cool!

Thank Tank is pure awesome when it comes to dealing with enemies.

Something to be aware of when you're using it - if you haven't done this already - your Construction drones will fly out and try to repair it during a fight and get themselves killed. This annoyed me until I figured out that I can stop this by swapping them in and out of the Tank's inventory. When you're done fighting, put them back in yours and they'll pop out and repair you. Put them back in for the next fight. You can even build while inside the Tank. Never leave the Tank again!

Okay, I don't do that. I wish I could, though. It's just not easy to build a delicate production line when you keep running things over and destroying them.

Yeah, the driving control are not great. There has to be a better way to do it. I stopped using the car because I was more likely to drive into trouble than out of it. With the Tank, though, I can take such a pounding that it doesn't matter so much.

I only get to play this on the weekends and I've already gotten 72 hours in it according to Steam.

stessier wrote: ↑Thu May 10, 2018 2:24 pm I only get to play this on the weekends and I've already gotten 72 hours in it according to Steam.

I am an obsessive gamer, but you may well have me beat.

Got in 10 more hours yesterday and didn't even notice Butterknife trying to chat.

Apparently I can't even look at the last time I played. I got some sort confiuration message on load up. Then I went to look at my save game 0.12.1something or other is too old to play.

Scenarios? Campaigns? I'm soooo confused.

And I finished the game! It took a mere 84:12:11. That is all playtime - no letting it run while I did other things. I think there might be room for me to improve. Just knowing what builds what will almost certainly make me faster in the next game.

Overall, I have 104 hours in the game so even if I never touch it again, I've certainly gotten my money's worth.

If you haven't played coop so far, I'd recommend that. In case of no friends (owning Factorio), try the rocket in 15 hours, and then in 8. I must admit, that isn't that much fun and we did it in sessions, but that was the only way I ever have one Steam game with 100% achievements

I didn't realize you could play with others. Does the objective of difficulty change?

I started a second game and I think the layout is going a bit better. Leaving way more space and trying to build in lines with space for future expansions, rather than the cramped "just get it working" style I used in the first game. It seems to be working - I'm up to blue science in about 7 hours which isn't fast, but way faster than last time - like 1/3 the time.

It's crazy how I lose track of time while playing. I'll be planning a line setup or change in my head and just be watching the current system picturing where the new pieces will fit and how things will improve and when I look up, an hour has gone by. I have a problem.

stessier wrote: ↑Fri Jun 08, 2018 8:49 am I have a problem.

No, you've got Factorio.

Time always seems to move faster when I play. I sit down and start redesigning my base, and before I can even finish a single production line, three hours have lapsed.

stessier wrote: ↑Sun Jun 03, 2018 12:02 am And I finished the game! It took a mere 84:12:11. That is all playtime - no letting it run while I did other things. I think there might be room for me to improve. Just knowing what builds what will almost certainly make me faster in the next game.

Overall, I have 104 hours in the game so even if I never touch it again, I've certainly gotten my money's worth.

Back when there were only three types of research, I wasn't interested in what was then "the finish" I was interested in how far you could take get the game to play to play itself.

Getting back in "the Campaign" it looks like they ratcheted up the your need to defend yourself *a lot*. The icon remains on my desktop but with a very active enemy it's not a relaxing as it once way. I used to lose myself problem solving, something I love to do, defense is an inconvenient distraction.

LordMortis wrote: ↑Fri Jun 08, 2018 9:47 amGetting back in "the Campaign" it looks like they ratcheted up the your need to defend yourself *a lot*. The icon remains on my desktop but with a very active enemy it's not a relaxing as it once way. I used to lose myself problem solving, something I love to do, defense is an inconvenient distraction.

There are options you might like.

For example, one option causes enemy spawners to never respawn. Clear an area, and it stays cleared. You might like that as you can control your encounters - control your pollution to avoid getting hammered, and when you become too big, get out there and hose down the spawners to stop them from attacking. Just don't forget that spawner's "eat" pollution to generate hostiles, and if you kill them, your pollution zone will spread further because of it, possibly annoying other spawn points.

Gotta play with the New Game options to see what you'd like. By the end of my last run, I was getting tired of being constantly attacked and having enemy bases spring up like weeds after I cleared areas out. On the other side of the coin, it felt like it was too easy when I'd clear an area and it never respawned.

LordMortis wrote: ↑Fri Jun 08, 2018 9:47 am

stessier wrote: ↑Sun Jun 03, 2018 12:02 am And I finished the game! It took a mere 84:12:11. That is all playtime - no letting it run while I did other things. I think there might be room for me to improve. Just knowing what builds what will almost certainly make me faster in the next game.

Overall, I have 104 hours in the game so even if I never touch it again, I've certainly gotten my money's worth.

Back when there were only three types of research, I wasn't interested in what was then "the finish" I was interested in how far you could take get the game to play to play itself.

Getting back in "the Campaign" it looks like they ratcheted up the your need to defend yourself *a lot*. The icon remains on my desktop but with a very active enemy it's not a relaxing as it once way. I used to lose myself problem solving, something I love to do, defense is an inconvenient distraction.

The campaign is much more biter intensive than the game itself. In the game, you can modify the biter level from peaceful to killer (my levels, not the real names). There is also a toggle for them respawning their nests to having nests permanently gone after you take them out.

Paingod wrote: ↑Fri Jun 08, 2018 10:22 am Gotta play with the New Game options to see what you'd like. By the end of my last run, I was getting tired of being constantly attacked and having enemy bases spring up like weeds after I cleared areas out. On the other side of the coin, it felt like it was too easy when I'd clear an area and it never respawned.

Have you found the benefits of Artillery? It automatically clears out all nests in it's zone of fire - which is huge. All you have to do is keep it supplied with exploding shells. Easy, right?

Is that a new thing, or has it been there for a while? For some reason I don't remember that as an option when I was doing my last run.

Granted, my last run was maddening. Lazy Bastard/No Solar/No Lasers/No Logistics - four annoying achievements in one go. I may have skipped it intentionally but can't recall.

Yeah I'm trying to play the campaign and I think I'll just go back to the no biters regular game I have.

/wonders if he should quit the campaign....

Lorini wrote: ↑Fri Jun 08, 2018 10:29 am Yeah I'm trying to play the campaign and I think I'll just go back to the no biters regular game I have.

The campaign is really more of a tutorial and is only 5 missions long. If you already know how to play, there is really no reason to play it.

Paingod wrote: ↑Fri Jun 08, 2018 10:29 am Is that a new thing, or has it been there for a while? For some reason I don't remember that as an option when I was doing my last run.

Granted, my last run was maddening. Lazy Bastard/No Solar/No Lasers/No Logistics - four annoying achievements in one go. I may have skipped it intentionally but can't recall.

This is the first version I've ever played, so it's all new to me.

I'd bet it's fairly new if you don't know about it. It is way, way down the tech tree, so I guess it's possible you missed it, but the icon is a giant artillery piece.

One thing I really still have to figure out is circuits. I think I'm going through this game without them, but next game they will be a priority.

I've been through a few times and never put a successful circuit together. I'd rather make a complex series of splitters and belts. I should experiment with it, though. My one flaw in this game is that when my base gets to a certain size, generally enough incoming ore to fill a red belt, I kind of stall on growth and ride out the remainder of the game.

I hardly even use trains, honestly. I might be strange, but I prefer the steady flow of conveyor belts. Even for fluids. I barrel them up at one end, ship it to my base via belts, load it into tanks, and send the empty barrel back to be refilled.

stessier wrote: ↑Fri Jun 08, 2018 4:23 pm One thing I really still have to figure out is circuits. I think I'm going through this game without them, but next game they will be a priority.

What do you mean by circuits? Do you mean smelters with mainlines?

Paingod wrote: ↑Mon Jun 11, 2018 7:08 am I've been through a few times and never put a successful circuit together. I'd rather make a complex series of splitters and belts. I should experiment with it, though. My one flaw in this game is that when my base gets to a certain size, generally enough incoming ore to fill a red belt, I kind of stall on growth and ride out the remainder of the game.

I hardly even use trains, honestly. I might be strange, but I prefer the steady flow of conveyor belts. Even for fluids. I barrel them up at one end, ship it to my base via belts, load it into tanks, and send the empty barrel back to be refilled.

I've never used barrels and I like trains. Part of the fun is figuring out the right series of switches to have multiple trains on the same track without tragic consequences. Do you use chests as buffers with your belts? I use them with trains so the flow inside my base is essentially unbroken (and with two trains in sequence, I can always be sure there is something unloading). I'm not sure if there is a benefit or not. Do Biters attack belts? They appear to leave trains alone (or get run over by them).

Fluids are kind of a pain. Balancing the three times is a bit tricky - but I think if I could figure out circuits, it would be a breeze. Just have to find the time to play with it.

In my current game, I like the layout I have but just realized I have to expand my copper production. I've been living quite comfortably off 12 electric furnaces smelting the copper for me (I have something like 90 doing iron) but need to get the yellow science up and running and that is extremely copper intense. Fortunately, there is a 5.4 million deposit right next to my latest iron expansion, so I already have a Biter free area - just need to get my energy production up and lay some more rail lines.

Is there a rule of thumb on how many heat exchangers and steam generators can work off of one nuclear reactor? I think I have 8 exchangers and 18 generators running off of 2 reactors, but it seems like the steam on the last generators isn't at the full 200.

Lorini wrote: ↑Mon Jun 11, 2018 9:05 am

stessier wrote: ↑Fri Jun 08, 2018 4:23 pm One thing I really still have to figure out is circuits. I think I'm going through this game without them, but next game they will be a priority.

What do you mean by circuits? Do you mean smelters with mainlines?

No. Circuit Networks. Not necessary, but it looks like you can do some really cool programming if you can figure them out.

I couldn't even dream of doing one of those, be sure to show us a pic if you get one going.

This is why I no longer play this game:



Why isn't it producing any electricity? The lines go to an electric mining drill but it's not getting any electricity. But it's not getting any. The game is just too frustrating.

Your boilers aren't getting water. If you look, the water pipe is a "tile" above the connecting point on the boiler. Each building that utilizes a fluid will have a very distinct fluid connector that you'll need to use to pump in fluids. I was confused for a while when I was trying to make my first factory that used fluids and had to rotate the building before I saw the connector poking out of one side.

After connecting water, you'll need to stuff a coal or two into the arms to get them pumping. I usually just hand-feed the boilers until I get electricity and automated arms.

Note, too, that the power lines have areas of influence and a max connection length. The basic poles will do a 5x5 space, but lines can connect up to (7?) spaces apart. This is on both ends - in pulling in power and putting it out. Each steam engine will need to have at least one square "covered" by a pole's influence to transmit the power it generates.

The boilers are getting water, it shows in the pipes.

The connector doesn't connect, though. If you look on the boiler, it has a nub sticking out of the bottom. When that nub lines up with the pipes bringing water, water will flow into the boiler. The boiler doesn't have a 'universal' input for water; it has to be put in at a very specific point.

Your two boilers will share water, too. Both nubs in the middle are connected. If one boiler was shifted down a space, the nubs won't align and water won't flow.

Thanks so much Paingod!!! I get so frustrated I just give up . On to the main bus!

Do you use the ALT key to show Enhanced Information view? (It lets you see what factories are making, what is inside chests, etc.). It would have helped in you case above as it would have showed no steam generation which would have told you there was something wrong in the boiler rather than the generators. Also, when you pick up a boiler, it shows you with arrows where the inputs go and where the outputs are - helps when lining up pipes and things.

My biggest gripe is how they display the tech tree. It is difficult to see what you need to research to get certain goods. For example, if I want Blue Factories, what is my upgrade path? You have to click around until you find the upgrade that grants the ability, then you can see all you need to do to get there - but that first search is a pain.

I did try the ALT key but I couldn't figure what was going on.

stessier wrote: ↑Mon Jun 11, 2018 3:37 pm Do you use the ALT key to show Enhanced Information view? (It lets you see what factories are making, what is inside chests, etc.). It would have helped in you case above as it would have showed no steam generation which would have told you there was something wrong in the boiler rather than the generators. Also, when you pick up a boiler, it shows you with arrows where the inputs go and where the outputs are - helps when lining up pipes and things.

My biggest gripe is how they display the tech tree. It is difficult to see what you need to research to get certain goods. For example, if I want Blue Factories, what is my upgrade path? You have to click around until you find the upgrade that grants the ability, then you can see all you need to do to get there - but that first search is a pain.

There is also a key to show construction inputs and outputs... Or there was. I don't remember what it is. It may be the ALT key.