Friday Facts #282 - 0.17 in sight

[bripi]

Loving the update news!!! The new graphics on the accumulator are sparky! And, THANX SOOOO MUCH for the upgrade on map generation GUI...this is going to improve things a hell of alot. One thing I didn't see that I wonder how difficult it would be to include is a click-box to turn biters off completely? I use a mod right now but it's not much in the way of coding so it seems like something that would be easy to integrate into the opening menu and map generation menus. VERY excited to get .17 when it drops!!

[SeigneurAo]

Man, I don't remember the wait being so hard to bear for 0.16.
Hype over 9000...

[BlueTemplar]

Are blueprints and blueprint books automatically synced as individual files/directories from and to the disk?
Then I could init a Git repository there and version control all my blueprints...

They are not (just blueprint.dat). What you say makes sense, but I'm not sure what to do with that A super-user option to keep blueprints in directory structure instead of a file? Well, i believe, that just making backups of the file is enough for the typical geek.

That would be great !
I'm sure that people with lots of blueprints would love you if you implemented that.

And with an image showing the blueprint ! (Using the mods that it was created with.)

(I have no idea about the potential performance issues of course...)

[R3vo]

I think the list on the right should be sorted alphabetically by default.

[BlueTemplar]

Create a map without trees

I've always wondered, when you do this, how do you get your first power pole?

I suspect maybe logs will still be lying around. Though that makes me wonder... with no trees where would they come from?

EDIT: No I just tried in and at least in 0.16 there is no wood anywhere.

So it seems that without a mod, setting trees to "None" is an insta-lose.

This has always bothered me...
Of course with mods you have workarounds,
but wouldn't it be nice if that was possible with vanilla too ?

Maybe logs should still be laying around ?
(Here's an alternative idea : Add some flotsam logs on shores - the player might imagine that they have been carried from elsewhere where there are trees...)

[BlueTemplar]

I think the list on the right should be sorted alphabetically by default.

Ok, but only if blueprints are automatically prefixed by timestamps !

[thecatlover1996]

I think the list on the right should be sorted alphabetically by default.

Ok, but only if blueprints are automatically prefixed by timestamps !

How about multiple sort options, so that every player can pick what's best for them?

[R3vo]

I think the list on the right should be sorted alphabetically by default.

Ok, but only if blueprints are automatically prefixed by timestamps !

How about multiple sort options, so that every player can pick what's best for them?

That would be ideal.

[BlueTemplar]

Yeah, sure, I haven't dared to suggest it because of :

Not all of the things that we originally planned to be done were done (surprise), but we just left any non-essential stuff for later so we won't postpone the release any further.

Though I guess that it could be part of :

The smaller releases will contain mainly:

Final looks and behaviour of new GUI screens as they will be finished.

[Haighstrom]

I've created an account just to say I'm honestly humbled by how brilliant the Factorio team is. Almost every FFF leaves me fist pumping the air. Such intelligent and well thought out design and improvements, combined with incredible programming and brilliantly articulated blog posts. Simply wonderful. I'm so excited for 0.17.

[vanatteveldt]

Looking forward to .17! Haven't started a new map since November because I thought the release would be 'soon'

Terrain generation updates

[..]1. Create a map without trees[..]

Mmmmmmyes.

Would'nt that be unplayable in vanilla as there's no way to get research going without at least one wood power pole?

[pleegwat]

Are blueprints and blueprint books automatically synced as individual files/directories from and to the disk?
Then I could init a Git repository there and version control all my blueprints...

They are not (just blueprint.dat). What you say makes sense, but I'm not sure what to do with that A super-user option to keep blueprints in directory structure instead of a file? Well, i believe, that just making backups of the file is enough for the typical geek.

They'd still be base64-encoded blobs, though I guess the names would be visible. Isn't the format known? Wouldn't an external decoding utility serve the purpose better?

[Cobaltur]

Are blueprints and blueprint books automatically synced as individual files/directories from and to the disk?
Then I could init a Git repository there and version control all my blueprints...

They are not (just blueprint.dat). What you say makes sense, but I'm not sure what to do with that A super-user option to keep blueprints in directory structure instead of a file? Well, i believe, that just making backups of the file is enough for the typical geek.

Is it possible to sync the blueprints in steam like a savegame?

Some time ago I had to reinstall my PC and all blueprints were gone. I could restore some from savegame files but not all.
This would be also very handy if you play at 2 PCs. I could not store all bleprints book in the inventory so I have to rely on the global library which is not synced between 2 PCs.

[5thHorseman]

One thing I didn't see that I wonder how difficult it would be to include is a click-box to turn biters off completely?

I'm sure it would be fairly easy, but it's also quite redundant as you can - in 0.16 and even earlier - set the size of "Enemy Bases" to "None" which eliminates them entirely.

No need for a mod, even now.

[Dawydov]

Regarding that picture with the 3 islands.

Will it be possible in v0.17 to have an ocean with dozens of largish islands?

Also, if there are any talented modders out there who could make a ferry/boat/steamer mod to transport goods from island to island I would be extremely happy!

Yes! I´d also like to support the "Fun with Islands" movement here

1) The "One island challenge" is a great idea. New type of gameplay. Love it.
2) Besides that, it would be great to be able to have a map with multiple islands (and possibly new water-transport method between them, but not necessary). Discovering new distant lands over the ocean is kinda new gameplay also, and it shouldn´t be that much work to create it, I hope.

[Pyroksyllin]

Hi. Maybe i'm not first, who implementing this thing... Can we hope to appear of ferries, bridges (for trains or not) and other ways to cross large body's of water?

[Mike5000]

Love today's FFF.

Question about the names of railway stations. Do you plan to remove the limit of 50 characters (and 25 unicode omg)?
Because if you use [icons/iron-plates]-type icons in the names, the current length is not enough. By the way, limitless maps, limitless productions and 50 char limit. Come on...

The power pole five connection limit causes random breakage and is if anything even more ridiculous. Hopefully power poles will be fixed before 1.0.

[satchmo91]

Just wanted to say thanks for all the hard work, guys! This looks great, and I'm really excited to start a new game and try it all out!

[Trebor]

Looking forward to .17! Haven't started a new map since November because I thought the release would be 'soon'

Terrain generation updates

[..]1. Create a map without trees[..]

Mmmmmmyes.

Would'nt that be unplayable in vanilla as there's no way to get research going without at least one wood power pole?

Could a scenario be created where 5 medium electric poles were added to starting inventory?

[Hiladdar]

First and foremost, I like the changes, and am excited about them. I especially like the visuals in the world generation.

The the thing that impresses me the most, is the announced dedicated in house beta testing. This is a great indicator that the developers have a passion for what their jobs resulting in much higher quality code. I know from experience, that no matter how much testing is done, by how many developers and users, bugs will crop up. The beta and then alpha test should ferret the most damaging ones, the ones which could break an aspect of the game, and with a negative public relations sweep across the internet like a hurricane. For this one reason I do not recommend a product release on Friday. I whole hardly concur with a release on something like Tuesday, which gives ample time for final check the day before, and not less then 2 solid days for players to banging away on their keyboards and mice, trying to make the game do things no one even imagined exposing issues that neither beta or alpha testing revealed.

I am OK with smaller non-game changing UI changes being rolled out as they are polished and tested. This gives us, as players something to look forward to until release of .18 or 1.0 about a year from now.

Regarding RSO mod, based on what I experienced with the RSO mod and the quality of that code, I am sure that if the developer wanted, he would be able to make the appropriate changes to it to accommodate .17. It may take some time. If he does choose to update his mod, personally I will look forward to also take a look at it. The way I see it, it is up to the mod developers to test their code against .17.

Hiladdar