[0.13] Add Loader into game (officially)

[Neotix]

As many people know, we have mods that unlock loader in v0.13. It's unofficial entity and not supported but give opportunity to test them in factory.
Right now I'm playing with them and find out that I don't use them everywhere and aren't so OP as many would say. They're also not redundant with stack inserters because both have pros and cons.
To operate between machines and belts, inserters are more useful then loaders but loaders are very handy with routing items on belts. If we get fully supported loaders with ability to connect to circuit network to set filters via signals, I think that it will be great addition to gameplay.
Here two examples when I'm using loaders (still experimenting):

Belt buffer:


Router:

[KurioHonoo]

How exactly are you getting the loaders to load from belt to chest? They currently only go from chest to belt for me. Currently running 13.11, so I am guessing it got changed in one of the builds.

[Neotix]

Place Loader then press R on it. It will change direction.

Loader have 2 bugs:

1. Don't overload loader or it will stop loading (you can reset it manually by rotate it twice). Always connect chest with belt before loader and set condition to stop belt when chest is almost full.
https://i.gyazo.com/551376e44ec83c764ab ... 205936.png

2. Don't place loades on the chunks borders like half on one chunk and half on another. Mining that loader will crush the game (so it have to stay there forever).
https://i.gyazo.com/c183bc0fdedc8853e66 ... 12dc80.png

[JudgeArcher]

there is a way to use loader for assambler, only problem is that the assambler most likely overflows, this can be prevented with a loop of 4 belts, connect 3 of them and put read holding, put on each side of a belt one item(i offen put the item used as items base like iron for gears) and connect all the belts before the loader with item>0. with express belt you will have nearly 95% time go and 5% stop. only recommended with items which are fast crafted(loading controlunit with blue chip= over 100 blue in the inventory but only needs one for crafting ;D ) if it is still unclear how i can post later a img

[ShinyAfro]

I just use circuit network to smart-control it.
For furnace, what i do is i have two counters, one for iron, one for steel. (combinators with input/output the same, multiplied by one), connected to belts with only read enabled, on pulse mode. Then i have another combinator set to multiply the steel signal by 5, lead into a compairator set to steel>iron. I then set the output of that to a belt near the read belt for iron. You may need to place iron in the furnace first to get it going.

Its also possible to do this with more then one ingredient, basically just different multiplication values for the amount of ingredients needed, if you ever need .5 of an ingredient you can do that too, say you need 2.5 of something, multiply the output by 5 and the input by 2. easy.

I also use those red things i forget their names as switches to output say 100 steel, and output a green signal to a lamp, what this does if i turn it off the furnace/assembler will go offline.

[Engimage]

The loader is a game changer, you can't argue here.
And I think the most of its use it not there without bigger storage buildings. For example unloading trains into chests and you still can't form your chest content into balanced flow of a belt.
I think the loader appliance is best if implemented as a part of a special warehouse entity which could serve multiple purposes and be a nice transition between loaders and a belt.
This idea is a part of my suggestion thread viewtopic.php?f=6&t=28181

[hitzu]

The loader is a game changer, you can't argue here.
And I think the most of its use it not there without bigger storage buildings. For example unloading trains into chests and you still can't form your chest content into balanced flow of a belt.
I think the loader appliance is best if implemented as a part of a special warehouse entity which could serve multiple purposes and be a nice transition between loaders and a belt.
This idea is a part of my suggestion thread viewtopic.php?f=6&t=28181

I think like this too. In my opinion loader is great! But is should come as a part of a storage facility only. Year ago or so I tried to make a mod which disabled vanilla chests and introduced new ones with thier capacity was depended on their size and not a material they made of (I find it silly). They came in 3 sizes with 4 slots 1x1 tile wooden crate, 30 slots 2x2 iron container and a 150 slots 3x3 underground silo that was supposed to have passive load/undload ability. Then I lost the interest in Factorio for some time and dumped the mod.

[Vatharian]

As per 13.14 overflow doesn't block loaders and they can be set on chunk boundaries.

[atloomis]

A bit tangental, but reintroducing the jamming bug as a feature seems like it would be a good way to help balance loaders.

[Zeblote]

A bit tangental, but reintroducing the jamming bug as a feature seems like it would be a good way to help balance loaders.

No it doesn't. Seriously, the arbitrary limitations people are coming up with to "balance" it are getting insane.

[hitzu]

Sorry for bumping, but what are the mods OP's using on the first picture aside from the loader?

[ssilk]

Do you mean the circuit-connected belts?
Since 0.13 everything can be connected to circuits, even belts.

[hitzu]

Do you mean the circuit-connected belts?
Since 0.13 everything can be connected to circuits, even belts.

No, I mean large smelters/assemblers.

[ssilk]

That is a mod of course. But I don't know which one.

[Mendel]

Seems like Team Challenge mode includes loader into the chests where you are supposed to place the requested items. This works without loading any mods. Just joining into the team challenge server is sufficient. So, uh... loader both is and isn´t in vanilla right now. I wonder if it gets included as a buildable entity.

[steinio]

If yes we need also Smart Loader with settable filters.

[aubergine18]

I assume loaders would reduce CPU load compared to inserters.

[anarchyinc]

I assume loaders would reduce CPU load compared to inserters.

In my tests, they certainly do indeed. No animations + 1 loader can do the same work load of about 3 inserters depending on speed and stack size.

If yes we need also Smart Loader with settable filters.

It does

Code: Select all

    type = "loader",
    name = "loader",
    icon = "__base__/graphics/icons/loader.png",
    flags = {"placeable-neutral", "player-creation", "fast-replaceable-no-build-while-moving"},
    minable = {hardness = 0.2, mining_time = 0.5, result = "loader"},
    max_health = 70,
    filter_count = 5,

It has it's pros and cons;

• PRO
• It can fill a chest as fast as the belt can feed into it (for my tests I matched the speed of bob's extreme belt to my loader and, wow it's fast)
• Ignores input buffer of assembler/furnace and always keeps it completely full.
• Uses BOTH sides of the belt (do loader->chest->loader for a single lane balancer)
  CON
• Has the tendency to clog up if one side of the belt is backlogged and forgets that it can output on both sides.
• Has to be direct connection from belt to chest/assembler, so running a standard parallel resource line would need to be completely redone if you want it to feed a chain.
• Can't connect loader to loader except on the belt side.

Overall, I'm enjoying testing it and figuring out new belt layouts that incorporate it. I for one would enjoy it if it was officially added. If not, at least please don't remove the loader type from the prototypes so modders can add it into the game.