Friday Facts #269 - Roadmap update & Transport belt perspective

[mrvn]

How about adding an entity that's a belt with an obstruction on one lane (configurable left or right)? Bonus points for making it circuit controlled so you can stop the left and right lanes on command.

I know you can already do this using a splitter, underground belts to split the lanes and circuit connections on normal belts. But even ignoring the size of the construct it looks ugly. A belt with an obstruction would so much nicer. Alternatively, although I think it wouldn't look as good, a belt piece where both lanes move independently. So when you "block" the left lane the visual belt movement on that side stops.

[deepdriller]

I just had a thought: Should that belt end piece have a barrier on it, to have a visual explanation as to why the items don't fall off the end?

[mrvn]

I just had a thought: Should that belt end piece have a barrier on it, to have a visual explanation as to why the items don't fall off the end?

See other comments. There's one even with sample images.

[Avezo]

Or make items fall off at the belt end

[Tekky]

Or make items fall off at the belt end

I believe that actually was the case in early versions of Factorio, before it was released on Steam.

[Oktokolo]

Or make items fall off at the belt end

There is a mod for that.

[mrvn]

Or make items fall off at the belt end

There is a mod for that.

Then you just have to end all belts in a loop.

Or do items also fall off when it gets backed up?

[Oktokolo]

Then you just have to end all belts in a loop.
Or do items also fall off when it gets backed up?

Loops should work - but you probably need to use inserters to fill them. Sideloading probably spills if the loop is already full.
To so an all-sushi base should be possible, but that would at least need double the amount of belts for the common main bus and production streets.
Most would probably go all-in bots instead...

[mrvn]

I mend building the belt in a P shape. So the end would side load onto the belt itself and back up instead of falling off.

[Oktokolo]

I mend building the belt in a P shape. So the end would side load onto the belt itself and back up instead of falling off.

I would expect the following to happen:
Items comming from the side push items on the sideloaded belt sideways from the belt.
I don't know, whether the mod actually handles it that way though.

[ThorsDragon]

I agree that more than a whole year between major releases is a bit much. However, the Factorio team had a very good reason for this: They decided to write their own graphics engine, because the existing one was causing too much trouble (for example this bug). For this, they had to rewrite major parts of the program (which is a lot of work).

Most other software companies would never have done this. They would have released their game "as is", and would have made a sequel with the new engine, for which all players would have had to pay the same price again.

Therefore, I would consider it inappropriate to criticize the Factorio team for not releasing 0.17 sooner. We should rather be thankful to them for what they did.

Also, most other software companies would have released Factorio already two years ago and would be charging for all of their new features in form of DLC.

Amen! I'm always sad when people dis on the Devs when they're easily the best and coolest devs around.

[Beily]

So, oldstyle underground belts hood is gone? I love old texture more then new(only about hood, new belts awesome).

P.S. Sorry for my english. >_<

[leadraven]

New belts look awesome, but... You legalized underground-belt-cheating on the graphics level, instead of banning it!

[Oktokolo]

New belts look awesome, but... You legalized underground-belt-cheating on the graphics level, instead of banning it!

They declared it a feature years ago.

[5thHorseman]

New belts look awesome, but... You legalized underground-belt-cheating on the graphics level, instead of banning it!

Weird that you call the method the developers have stated is the de facto method for splitting off one side of a belt, "cheating".

That's like saying that taking advantage of the fact that inserters always place on the far side of the belt "cheating"

[Nova]

It's still stupid and should be removed.

[5thHorseman]

It's still stupid and should be removed.

A lot of people agree with you.

A lot of others do not, including me (which isn't all that important really) and the developers (which is).

[bobucles]

Belt splitting is great and it makes belts more powerful to use. There's nothing wrong with that.

[leadraven]

Belt splitting is great and it makes belts more powerful to use. There's nothing wrong with that.

Belt splitting is totally great, but it should be done through a proper intuitive device (like splitter), not through this ridiculous inappropriate exploit.

[Koub]

Belt splitting is great and it makes belts more powerful to use. There's nothing wrong with that.

Belt splitting is totally great, but it should be done through a proper intuitive device (like splitter), not through this ridiculous inappropriate exploit.

Belt splitting is like marmite. There is no point arguing if it's good or bade, it's just a matter of taste.