Automated Expansion
Posted: Mon Aug 22, 2016 9:53 am
I have been looking to build a factory that automates Expansion and I am at the point that It is almost complete. I wanted to share my factory with the community because I have been inspired by others that were interested in the same idea. I use a few mods to be able to do this and the main mod that is involved is "Recursive Blueprints". The current base size is 72 chunks square and increasing.
I use the deployers to expand my roboport network and base. Currently the blueprint is roboports only but later I plan on adding laser turrets to expand through bitter bases and to keep my base secure. I also plan on allowing the base to automatically determine when to expand based on available resources in the logistic network.
There are 8 Deployers that are used. They each have some offset values that are provided to them to allow for universal calculations as if they were all at the exact center of the base. Currently they have a blueprint for the Roboport with 4 big poles on each side of the Roboport. The deployers make a new ring of roboports around my base with a distance (distance is equal to half the length of my square base) equal to the signal provided.
http://imgur.com/a/DPvXZ
I also will attach the current save.
Justarandomgeek for making the mod Recursive Blueprints
Doc for making the mod Recursive blueprints originally
GopherAtl for a proof of concept that inspired me AND the Combinators 101 information
MODS
For those unfamiliar with the mod “Recursive Blueprints” here is a quick explanation. The mod allows for combinators to activate placement of a blueprint. When deployed the placement can be offset with additional combinator signals for X and Y offset. I use the deployers to expand my roboport network and base. Currently the blueprint is roboports only but later I plan on adding laser turrets to expand through bitter bases and to keep my base secure. I also plan on allowing the base to automatically determine when to expand based on available resources in the logistic network.
There are 8 Deployers that are used. They each have some offset values that are provided to them to allow for universal calculations as if they were all at the exact center of the base. Currently they have a blueprint for the Roboport with 4 big poles on each side of the Roboport. The deployers make a new ring of roboports around my base with a distance (distance is equal to half the length of my square base) equal to the signal provided.
Deployers
The deployers take a few simple signals and a constant combinator allows for offset values to be sent.
Brain
This is my first time working heavily with combinators so I am quite certain that this could be simplified if someone else took a look at it. The timer 1 counts from 1 to 30 on a loop. Timer 2 counts from 1 to (distance). The S-R Latch controls activation of the unit on and off by sending a signal to the Signal Gate that allows the gate to open and forward its signal to the deployers. The expansion is currently activated by adding one chemplant to the logistic network but any other signal can be easily used. The chemplant goes to the requester chest where it waits until a new loop is about to start. Then it is placed in the middle chest that activates the S-R Latch and all signals are active for one loop. Then the chemplant is stored in the third chest and used to calculate the new distance from the center.
Detailed example of top right deployer
This deployer is at x=48 and y =-16 so the constant combinator sends the opposite of these values.
I have an imgur album for those interested in the specifics of my base design:http://imgur.com/a/DPvXZ
I also will attach the current save.
Future Throughts
Special thanks to:Justarandomgeek for making the mod Recursive Blueprints
Doc for making the mod Recursive blueprints originally
GopherAtl for a proof of concept that inspired me AND the Combinators 101 information