Space Platform 101 Discussion

[J-H]

Apparently you can't monitor the temperature in a nuclear reactor with a circuit connection. 7 tabs of "things you can check with a red/green wire" and none of them are temperature.

[mmmPI]

temperature.jpg (96.04 KiB) Viewed 1748 times

[J-H]

Is that the arm reading it, or is one of those combinator/decider things doing it?

[Amarula]

TIL you can use underground belts and underground pipes on a space platform BUT you can't leave the space between the ends empty, you have to build foundation or the two ends do not connect.

[mmmPI]

Is that the arm reading it, or is one of those combinator/decider things doing it?

Sorry picture not helpful.
The reactor is wired with "read temperature" and "read fuel" , in the picture the build has a wire connected to such reactor and the input of a decider combinator with 3 conditions, [temperature < 600] AND [fuel cell = 0] AND [steam < 1K]
When they are all true, it sends a green signal to activate an inserter that refuel 1 cell.

The "read fuel" is also counting the fuel cell currently being burnt even if it's just a red bar and not an item anymore until it's showing the now fuel icon.

[J-H]

Thank you!

[Amarula]

TIL not strictly platform but how do you travel? Silly me I hadn't looked ahead at the research tree, I saw the icons for the different planets and somehow I was expecting a research trigger, like travel to Vulcanus and you trigger that research which unlocks initial Vulcanus recipes. But Nope, to travel to Vulcanus you have to put it in the schedule for the platform, and it doesn't show up as an option until you do the research. Useful to know to avoid the let down when you realize you have another 1000 space research before you can leave.
So my new mental picture is Katherine Johnson working away on the hand calculations for the proper orbit, timing, orientation, and thrust, in order to get the platform to Vulcanus.

[jztemple]

TIL not strictly platform but how do you travel? Silly me I hadn't looked ahead at the research tree, I saw the icons for the different planets and somehow I was expecting a research trigger, like travel to Vulcanus and you trigger that research which unlocks initial Vulcanus recipes. But Nope, to travel to Vulcanus you have to put it in the schedule for the platform, and it doesn't show up as an option until you do the research. Useful to know to avoid the let down when you realize you have another 1000 space research before you can leave.
So my new mental picture is Katherine Johnson working away on the hand calculations for the proper orbit, timing, orientation, and thrust, in order to get the platform to Vulcanus.

You actually build a platform in orbit around Nauvis, add engines and send it to another planet.

However, I have a question here for you fine folks! I've sent a platform to another planet. However, my rocket silo on Nauvis now doesn't list that platform as a destination. So how do I sent supplies to the platform to fix the damage it took on the journey and add other supplies? I'm confused about this... thanks!

[jdrexler75]

However, I have a question here for you fine folks! I've sent a platform to another planet. However, my rocket silo on Nauvis now doesn't list that platform as a destination. So how do I sent supplies to the platform to fix the damage it took on the journey and add other supplies? I'm confused about this... thanks!

You can only supply it from the planet it is orbiting. Even if you send another platform after it with the materials, you have to drop those materials to the planet and then send them back up on another rocket.

[EustaceCS]

Today I learned that 1 thruster, 1 yellow bullets assembler and 4 turrets on the front is enough to die at Fulgora's doorstep
6 shooting speed / 6 bullet damage.
As shooting speed can't go any higher, I'll probably go for damage 8, +1 assembler, +2 turrets, and 1-2 lasers. Lasers are still working well against small asteroids (so some fiddling with target priority is mandatory).

[MeduSalem]

Today I learned that 1 thruster, 1 yellow bullets assembler and 4 turrets on the front is enough to die at Fulgora's doorstep
6 shooting speed / 6 bullet damage.
As shooting speed can't go any higher, I'll probably go for damage 8, +1 assembler, +2 turrets, and 1-2 lasers. Lasers are still working well against small asteroids (so some fiddling with target priority is mandatory).

From my observations 1 yellow Assembler Q3 for ammo is enough for a platform to sit idle around Vulcanus/Gleba/Fulgora/Aquilo orbits forever (Aquilo you obviously need some rocket launchers too); and even that one idles most of the time on my platforms, so it probably could be default quality one too. But that said I am also stockpiling some ammo into the hub just in case to bridge any spike in demand.

At least with a few bullet damage upgrades. It is the bullet damage upgrades that make the most difference and cuts down the consumption to a fraction. ^^

Cannot say exactly yet about the number of Gun Turrets, that is the area I put the least effort into as of yet and definitely still place more than I would really need. But I would say if the ones you have are busy like 80% firing all the time you placed enough with still some room to spare for the occasional spawn rate above the average.

[Panzerknacker]

Just made it to space but there I can't do anything. I built a Steam engine on my platform but there seems to be no way to make it work because the boiler obviously cannot work without air. Do I need to research Solar energy or Nuclear power or has anyone found a more entry level solution for getting electricity on my platform?

[MeduSalem]

Just made it to space but there I can't do anything. I built a Steam engine on my platform but there seems to be no way to make it work because the boiler obviously cannot work without air. Do I need to research Solar energy or Nuclear power or has anyone found a more entry level solution for getting electricity on my platform?

Solar panels is the way to go for your early/midgame platforms. You don't necessarily need accumulators for Nauvis or Vulcanus orbits though (but you might want to place some just in case for Fulgora & Gleba) because in space the solar panels don't have nightcycle downtimes. ^^

Once you go to Aquilo (which you are probably still far away from) you want nuke power at the start as well. 1 plant with 1 heat exchanger 1 turbine is totally enough however to deal with the few MW you will need. The nuke plant will idle most of the time anyway because you consume so little power. It is just because the solar panels won't work efficiently there; or at least they would only cover a fraction of the consumption your platform might have while it is producing more ammo to shoot the asteroids.

Also efficiency modules in all the machines helps to cut it down. ^^

[Panzerknacker]

Bit disapointing having to research Solar now after making it into space with only burner miners and a pistol on Marathon difficulty (with expensive recipes) and enemy evolution sitting at .60 already

:/

Wish I could ship some oxygen for the boiler or something haha

[MeduSalem]

Bit disapointing having to research Solar now after making it into space with only burner miners and a pistol on Marathon difficulty (with expensive recipes) and enemy evolution sitting at .60 already

Well, you need most of the standard Nauvis research tree to make most out of the other planets anyway. Including space science packs, before you can even go to any other planet. So going to space immediately is not as pressing. ^^

[Panzerknacker]

I wanna go to another planet now but I can't make Space science without power :/

I have an idea, why can't the boiler run on Rocket fuel in space? Rockets also work in space, the fuel does not need oxygen from the air.
Gonna make a suggestion.

/EDIT nvm, you would still need initial electricity to perform unbarreling of water so this is never gonna start up without an additional power source. Unless someone else has an idea..

[MeduSalem]

With all that effort you might as well just research make some solar panels. ^^

[Panzerknacker]

Yeah but that's boring

[jdrexler75]

Yeah but that's boring

True, it would be fun to take the "steam all the way" achievement to the next level. I like it! Clearly we need a "space platform treadmill" mod so that when the player is on there he can produce some 70 W of electricity. It would be enough to power one inserter to very slowly insert that bit of rocket fuel. Or you could then send up barrels of steam in a rocket. Which is totally not ridiculous at all, everyone knows space platforms are a subgenre of steampunk. (Side note, on my very first factorio game I initially supplied some remote mining bases with steam by train... too lazy to route power through enemy territory.)

Also technically the turbo pumps in the thrusters should easily produce a megawatt or two of power on the side...

[Panzerknacker]

You clearly understand what im talkin' about

I made another thread here so we don't flood this one too much:
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=119792

Feel free to add your ideas.